The long-awaited film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name “Wicked” is about to debut in theaters. The new film, starring the artists Cynthia Erivo, 37, and Ariana Grande, 31, hits the big screen on Thursday (21).
The story is already familiar to anyone who is a fan of “The Wizard of Oz” classic Broadway musicals and even the iconic song “Defying Gravity” originally in the voices of the play’s first actresses Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.
The target audience, however, is not just those who already know the lyrics of the songs or the lines of the beloved characters by heart. For those who want to understand more about the universe of “Wicked”, the CNN separated everything you need to know before going to watch the film. Check it out!
Relationship with “Wizard of Oz”
Elphaba and Glinda are not uncommon names for those who like the story told in the classic “The Wizard of Oz”, in which the characters made their first appearance to the public. The new feature film is a prelude to narrative created by L. Frank Baum in 1900.
Released to the world in book form, “The Wizard of Oz” tells the adventure of girl Dorothy, who is taken with her dog Totó to an unknown land by a cyclone. To be able to return home to Kansas, the two need to ask for help from the Wizard of Oz. On their journey to man, they encounter friends and dangers in the enchanted place.
Along the way, Dorothy bumps into the two witches. Glinda, known as the Good Witch of the South, helps the girl at the beginning and end of her journey to the magician. Elphaba, known as the Wicked Witch of the West, appears as the “villain” of the story and hinders the protagonist’s trajectory. The end of the story brings a clash between the girl and the evil witch.
The result is the beginning of “Wicked”, which goes further and explores Elphaba and Glinda’s past. The first is a young woman who has not yet discovered her true power and is misunderstood because she has green skin. The second is a popular and ambitious woman who still doesn’t know her true soul.
The two meet at Shiz University, in the Land of Oz, and become friends.
First book, then Broadway show
After “The Wizard of Oz” introduced witches to the public, novelist Gregory Maguire, 70, wrote an origin story for the two.
“Wicked” was a book released in 1995 and adapted for the stage in 2003. Its original stars included Idina Menzel as Elphaba, Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, and Joel Gray as the Wizard of Oz
The original Broadway production won three Tony Awards, while the soundtrack album received a Grammy.
Over the years, the musical gained new air, with a new cast, even gaining a version in Brazil, in 2016, with actresses Fabi Bang, as Glinda, and Myra Ruiz, as Elphaba.
Do you have to have seen the musical to watch the movie “Wicked”?
THE CNN watched the film a week before its release. Even though it is quite faithful to the events of the original play, the feature film is not confusing to anyone who is not familiar with the Broadway show. The story is an introduction to characters featured in the classic “The Wizard of Oz”.
Watch the trailer for “Wicked”:
“Wicked”: discover the collection of dolls inspired by the film
This content was originally published in “Wicked”: everything you need to know before watching the film on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
