Wicked (2024) Gregory Maguire, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, & Michelle Yeoh

Book Vs. Movie:
Wicked
The 2004 Musical Vs. the 2024 Movie
"Musicals in March"

The "Wicked" movie is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West; the book (for the play) was written by Winnie Holzman, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The show had its initial tryout in San Francisco in 2003 before moving to Broadway, where it has enjoyed a successful two-decade run despite receiving mixed reviews.

This success is primarily attributed to its loyal fan base.  Part One concludes with the iconic song "Defying Gravity," setting the stage for Part Two, which explores the consequences of Elphaba’s rebellion. The film utilizes CGI and elaborate sets to vividly portray the magical world of Oz in ways that the stage cannot replicate. 

So, which version did we prefer? Have a listen to find out!

In this ep, the Margos discuss:

• A brief look at the 1995 novel  
• The path to Broadway to the Jon M. Chu film
• The cast includes Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba,) Ariana Grande (Glinda,) Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero,) Ethan Slater (Boq Woodsman,) Bowen Yang (Pfanne,) Peter Dinklage (Dr. Dillamond,) Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible,) Jeff Goldblum (Wizard of Oz,) Marissa Bode (Nessarose,) Bronwyn James (Shenshen) and Andy Nyman as Governor Thropp.

Clips Featured:

• “Glinda makes a ball gown”
• "Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda at the 2004 Tony Awards"
• "Indina Menzel as Elphaba at the 2004 Tony Awards"
• Wicked (Part 1 2024 trailer)
• “What is this feeling?”
• “Defying gravity”
• Music by John Powell and Stephen Schwartz

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