“Wicked: For Good” recently arrived in theaters, and with this new release comes nostalgia for the Broadway version of the hit musical. Premiering almost 23 years ago at the Gershwin Theatre, starring Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda. Though I never saw “Wicked” with the original cast, I have seen “Wicked” on Broadway in Boston and New York, respectively, as well as both the new movies.
Recently, I attended the premiere of “Wicked: For Good”, which stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. The movies came out in two parts, with the first ending with the classic “Defying Gravity,” which in the Broadway version marks the halfway point for intermission. I have concluded that watching the movies and seeing a musical in person are starkly different from one another. There are, of course, benefits to both.
For one, being in comfortable clothes on your couch or in the movie theater, plus tickets are on the cheaper side and more accessible to the population who wouldn’t like a night on their couch with their dog eating lots of junk food or sitting in recliners in the theater with popcorn and soda.
The movie came out in two parts and was definitely on the longer side, totaling 4 hours for both movies, and if you wanted to watch them simultaneously, it would take a lot of time in front of a screen and remaining seated for a while. Plus, I feel like it would give more opportunities to get distracted by different things.
However, sitting in the audience during a musical is on a different level than seeing it in the theater or sitting on your couch. The audience becomes more immersed in the play with the facial expressions and body language of the actors who spend so much time working to make the characters come to life in front of their very eyes.
Movie theaters are obviously more accessible and cheaper, but is that worth missing out on the in-person vocals and energy you can only find in the theater? Of course, that is not always an option with limited funding, but taking 8 to 11 movie trips to go to a Broadway show.
Part one of the “Wicked” movies was a good watch for anyone to enjoy, but “Wicked: For Good” was one of the best movies I have ever seen, and the Broadway play does not compare. Part one somewhat fell short in comparison to seeing the musical on Broadway, and the second part of the movie. But the Broadway musical is an experience a person should have at least once in a lifetime, and entirely a worthwhile one, even though it is more on the expensive side; it is an opportunity for something new and invigorating.
–Dec. 8, 2025–
