Pre-Movie Moment: My Experience with WICKED

I know, I know: They haven’t even made the movie yet. But I recently read in Variety that a film version is in the planning stage for Broadway’s (and San Francisco’s – although they didn’t appreciate it when they had the show in its pre-Broadway tryout) musical hit WICKED. Universal owns it and, in fact, had originally planned it as a movie when someone suggested it might work better on the musical stage. Someone was right – so far, at least. But let’s hope to god it also makes, as it most definitely should, a wonderful film.

My partner and I listened to the score again last night, after not hearing it for maybe two years. It holds up beautifully. Composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz, certainly one of the most under-rated living legit theatre legends (Godspell, Pippin, The Baker’s Wife, Working and Wicked) has given us one of those amazing scores full of lovely melodies and lyrics as sharp and clever as any in the past decade or two. (I suspect the score was not given its due because of the special effects with which I am told the show is filled. Lyrics can easily get lost amidst all that, and perhaps listening carefully to the CD, or reading along with the libretto -- as we did upon our first “listen” -- is the best way to appreciate all the wit, charm and humor present.)

Opening in 2003 (and clearly written after the 2000 Presidential election), the show makes much-needed fun and nasty, pointed satire of the Bush administration’s lying, double-speak, terror alerts, the cult of popularity-uber-alles (a nod to “W” himself) and much more. The musical’s book is by Winnie Holzman from a novel by Gregory Maguire. Sure, the show has immense appeal to teen-age girls, but anyone silly enough to imagine that “this is all there is” should retire his or her critical credentials immediately.


I have to confess at this point that TrustMovies has never seen the show itself; I have only listened to the score more times than I can legitimately remember. I certainly did not miss seeing the actual show for lack of trying. During the first year of its run, I appeared in person at the box-office of the Gershwin Theatre in NYC at least a half dozen (maybe a full dozen) times, trying to purchase a ticket. I had only three “musts”: its two leading ladies, Kristen Chenoweth (above, left) and Idina Menzel (above, right) must be appearing on the evening I attend, and (given my 6’ 8” frame) I needed a seat with leg room. After several attempts over many months, I finally obtained a seat in a row with ample leg room on an evening in which I was assured that both Chenowith and Menzel would appear.

On the appointed night, I arrived at the theatre, took my seat, stretched my legs, opened the program and found a notice alerting me that Ms Menzel would not be appearing. (I believe, if memory serves, this was soon after her winning the Tony Award, and she had high-tailed it off to South Africa to appear in a movie with Colin Farrell, Ask the Dust.) I let out a small, quiet curse, stood up, marched to the box-office, had my credit card reimbursed and left. I had a similar bad experience trying to get a ticket to Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love some years back and so this was the final nail in my theatrical coffin. Consequently, I have not set foot in any legitimate theatre since them, and do not plan to soon again.

I must admit that giving up legitimate theatre is also a matter of finances. For what I would pay for one single theatre ticket, even at cut-rate TDF prices, I can enjoy an entire month of Netflix or GreenCine movies. Paying full price for a Broadway ticket would give me over three full months of daily movies on DVD. Financially, for those of us with limited means, legitimate theatre no longer computes.


Still, a movie version of WICKED will certainly appear sometime in the near or far future. Variety recently reported that the show is now Universal’s single biggest money-earner in its entire history. (Yes: it outpaces even Jurassic Park's theatrical box-office take.) Clearly, this is not a property to be trifled with. I have no real advice to offer the upcoming moviemakers re casting, direction, or anything thing else. But by the time the film finally gets made both Chenoweth and Menzel will be middle aged. So can Elizabeth Banks (above, left) sing? Zooey Deschanel (above, right) does, and well, I am told. Whatever. I just want to say: Decision-makers at Universal – please – don’t screw this one up.