Long before its celebrated cinema adaptation, Wicked has been a cultural phenomenon since the days when it was a little-known play in California. It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards when it made it to Broadway and Idina Menzel's Elphaba won her the Best Actress nod in 2004. There have been international productions in several languages and Willemjin Verkaik took the lead in both the German and Dutch versions. Much more recently, it has dominated the box office and been named one of Fansided's Fandoms of the Year. Here are a few thoughts on why I place it on the Best of 2024 list.
"The Wizard and I"
There are some creative works that are so familiar to me that they're the musical equivalent of comfort food. I turn to Saint-Saens' "The Swan" to slow my breathing when I'm anxious. I put on Lin-Manuel Miranda's "I Am Not Throwing Away My Shot" when I need to feel powerful. In the same way that I order lamb korma to remind myself of loving Indian food, I can put myself in an emotional place by turning to reliable compositions.
Wicked is one of those self-soothing musicals, since it's been part of my life since long before I watched the movie for my latest birthday. I know who gave me tickets to see it in Los Angeles and who road-tripped with me to Idaho when it stopped in Boise. Like so many musicals that I love, I was okay with the fact that I couldn't expect anything ground-breaking from something I'd seen half a dozen times before.
I hope you're laughing at me for this stupid thought because I'm rolling my eyes at my naivete. Sure, the music was almost identical to what I play on iTunes several times a week, but it wasn't just the stunning visuals and polished singing skills that made me recommend the film to everyone I could. What was new and fantastic about this Jon M. Chu film was that I had the same favorite parts of the musical for vastly different reasons. Instead of simply loving the turning point of Glinda and Elphaba connecting in the Ozdust Ballroom, I heard the opening chords of "For Good" at that moment and cried for the path it set the former antagonists on to true sisterhood. At the Emerald City, Elphaba is meant to take flight and I thought that nothing could compare to that moment of self-empowerment on stage. In the film, a free-falling Elphaba reaches out to a vision of her younger self and it is at that moment that she catches hold of her broomstick and defies gravity.
Best of all, this is not just a film for one demographic. My dad introduced me to all things Rodgers and Hammerstein as a child and asked me for my opinion of this musical as an adult. My sister took my nieces to see it and they had their favorite songs and moments, but hearing that one kid was heartbroken by Glinda's decision to stay behind made me think about that ending in a whole new way.
Thanks to Jon, Cynthia, Ariana, Jeff, Michelle, and all the other people who reignited the magic of Oz for us.