5 Reasons To Go See ‘Wicked’ Even If You Hate Musical Theater
Easily one of the most talked-about films of 2024, Wicked has officially taken over.
There are videos on every social media platform referencing either the staged production or the film, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s interviews have become ubiquitous, and the former self-proclaimed musical theater nerds are coming back out of their shells by the thousands. It’s finally our chance to shine and it might be a little too reminiscent of high school for the non-theater kids.
For those who grew up annoyed by the kids singing in the hallways or who thought the school musicals were lame, Wicked still has something to offer. We definitely don’t want to be the ones to put someone off from seeing a “thrillifying” movie musical, especially when it honors so much of what everyone grew up with, whether they loved theater or not. So we’ve compiled the top reasons to see Wicked, even if you hate musical theater.
1. The World-Building
Maybe you hate musicals, but do you love big world-building franchises such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and more like them? Then you will adore Wicked. From the outset, Wicked takes us out of our seats into the world of Oz by panning through the world’s map with well-known areas like Munchkinland and the Emerald City to the lesser parts of Oz like Winkie Country. As we literally are taken “over the rainbow,” we can’t help but be amazed by every detail that builds Oz from the imagination into movie reality.
Beyond the extravagant settings, the costumes, hairstyles, and even vocabulary really level Wicked up from simply taking place in another world to creating a new culture. Do you think the traditions of Westeros were wild? Just wait until you see Wicked — the university practices at Shiz, train transport to the Emerald City, and even the night at the Ozdust Ballroom all contribute to making a new world.
2. The Politics
Perhaps you’re not into musicals, but you might be deeply passionate about politics, whether in reality or fiction. Most musicals actually are political; very rarely are they “just for fun,” considering they are often written by some sort of self-identifying outcast who wants to make a statement. When it comes to Wicked—book by Gregory Maguire, and staged adaption by Stephen Schwarz and Winnie Holzman—the politics are front and center.
The central plotline of the story is not necessarily Elphaba and Glinda’s changing friendship, but actually Elphaba’s desire to save the animals of Oz. Wicked is actually an allegory for the Holocaust when you see how the animals (which were once equal to humans in rights and intelligence) are being treated as enemies and quite literal scapegoats. Beyond that, there are messages of antiracism, antifascism, and feminism that are all extremely relevant to the real world in 2024.
3. Romance and Friendship
Perhaps you hate musicals and love rom-coms (that would be hypocritical, but do your thing), in which case Wicked could still be your favorite film. On the other hand, you might like stories of female friendship, such as Gilmore Girls, Grace and Frankie, Playing House, Wednesday, and more. If so, Wicked is exactly the cup of tea you need on a cold autumn day. It follows the story of frenemies Elphaba and Galinda after they accidentally become roommates at Shiz.
As one event leads to another, they go from “loathing” one another to loving each other. Beyond that, a love triangle between them and Fiyero ensues. We don’t want to give anything away, but we can say that as their relationships ebb and flow throughout Wicked’s plot, anyone who loves a story of friendship and love will be obsessed with these three characters (plus Nessa and Boq, who have their own complicated romance).
4. The Performances and Unbridled Talent
It’s rare that someone who doesn’t like musicals would appreciate musical and acting talent, but perhaps it’s easy to forget that those are often one in the same. The performances from Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are both Oscar-worthy and could give us a repeat of the Tony rivalry between the original Glinda (Kristin Chenoweth) and Elphaba (Idina Menzel) — Idina ultimately took home the Best Actress Tony Award in 2003, and luckily they’ve reconciled since. Even still, from nuanced facial expressions to unimaginable singing, the lead actors in Wicked are a wonder not to be missed. When you add in Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard, and Ethan Slater’s Boq, Wicked arguably has the best performances of any 2024 film.
5. The Nostalgia
Perhaps you never saw Wicked on Broadway and had no interest in it, but if you have made it this far without seeing or reading The Wizard of Oz at least once, you probably do live in the middle of a black-and-white Kansas. The first film in color, The Wizard of Oz made history in 1939 with its magical picture of a world beyond the rainbow. While the musical draws on the plotlines and characters of The Wizard of Oz, the format of a film allows the movie to pay even more direct homage to its predecessor.
From the title sequence to Elphaba’s meeting with the Wizard to the mentions of poppies and munchkins, anyone who remembers just a bit of The Wizard of Oz as a child will be thrown back into their early youth. Even musical motifs find a way to hit at our hearts’ centers and remind us of the fantasy of Oz we first dreamt of escaping to many years ago. Between Wicked’s escapism, political themes, nostalgia, fantasy, character-building, and world-building, there are so many reasons to see this moving film beyond its identity as an adaptation of a musical. But if that’s not enough, then it will be okay without you.
