Prepare to be spellbound! Join us as we unveil the enchanting secrets of "Wicked: Part 1" for those who haven't seen the Broadway sensation. From confusifying language to CGI animals, we're diving into the magical world of Oz like never before. Whether you're a die-hard fan or new to the Emerald City, this guide will have you defying gravity in no time!
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks
00:10for everything one should know about Wicked Part 1,
00:13if you have yet to see the Broadway mega-musical.
00:16Before we get started, consider this your official spoiler warning
00:19if you haven't seen either version.
00:20If you think that's something to see, wait till you see this.
00:26Number 10.
00:27This is not a Wizard of Oz prequel.
00:40Long before Wicked the musical was lighting up Broadway,
00:43it was a page-turner.
00:45Written by Gregory Maguire, Wicked, the life and times
00:48of the Wicked Witch of the West, was published in 1995.
00:52The novel is the first in Maguire's The Wicked Years series,
00:55which follows the characters of L. Frank Baum's
00:57The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
00:59Are there any evils, evil characters in children's books?
01:03And immediately, a vision of Margaret Hamilton
01:06arose up in front of me, saying,
01:08I'll get you and your little dog!
01:11And I thought, Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
01:13I've just had a vision, and it isn't the Virgin Mary
01:15coming down out of the clouds, it's Margaret Hamilton,
01:18and she has something to say to me.
01:19Unlike the family-friendly musical adaptation,
01:22Maguire's novel is actually quite bleak.
01:25Described by some as graphic, the book is filled
01:28with dark subject matter and adult content.
01:31Let it be known that little Ozians may want to steer clear
01:34of the source material.
01:36Oh, they're completely not for children.
01:38And one of the ways that I tried to let people know that
01:42is, you know, for any grandmother who was picking it up,
01:45thinking, oh, my little Samantha loves to be Dorothy
01:49at Halloween, I'll get her this book for Christmas.
01:50But if she read up to page 14.
01:53Number nine, yes, the language is confusifying.
01:57Encouragerize, disgusticified, hideodeus,
02:00these are just a few of the tongue-twisting words
02:03that make up the wonderful world of Wicked.
02:05Ah, the nightlife, the hustle and bustle.
02:09It's also, whoop, osmopolitan.
02:13While watching the film or listening to the soundtrack,
02:16one may find themselves wondering if they heard right
02:18when it comes to the unique Ozian lingo.
02:21Rest assured, they're not mistakes.
02:23For Govinda forced to reside with someone so disgusticified.
02:29The mythical land of Oz has its own distinct lore and culture.
02:33And thus, its citizens have their own heightened
02:35and fancified vernacular.
02:37It just might take a second to decipher what
02:39they're saying or singing.
02:41These things are sent to try us.
02:49Number eight, the flashback to Elphaba's childhood.
02:51You want to see something wonderful?
02:54Yeah.
02:55Like many other stage-to-screen adaptations,
02:57the movie version of Wicked takes the opportunity
02:59to flesh out the story.
03:01One way it does this is by flashing back to Elphaba's childhood,
03:04which does not happen to this extent in the musical.
03:07While audiences do get to see her birth on stage,
03:10the story then moves forward to when she arrives at Shiz University.
03:15You're green.
03:19I am.
03:20However, in the movie, we're treated to the sight of Elphie
03:22and her sister Nessa Rose as children.
03:24Played by emerging actors Karis Mongole and Cecily Colette Taylor,
03:29the scene is sweet and heartfelt and helps provide additional context
03:33to Elphaba's backstory.
03:34Go with her.
03:35What?
03:36If anything should happen to her.
03:38She'll be fine.
03:39Number seven, CGI animals.
03:42There was a time before you were born
03:45when life in Oz was different.
03:48One of the biggest visual changes between the film and stage version
03:51of Wicked are the special effects.
03:53Case in point, the portrayal of Dr. Dillamond.
03:56On stage, Glinda and Elphaba's wise professor
03:59is played by an actor who walks upright,
04:01wearing prosthetics, hooves, and a furry coat.
04:04The film, however, aims to make him look closer to a real goat,
04:07thanks to computer-generated imagery.
04:09In fact, the film features many more animal characters than the musical.
04:13Additions include Elphaba's deer and sweet nanny Dulcibear,
04:17as well as Dillamond's peers and the band that plays at the Ozdust Ballroom.
04:21Sugar glider stands unite.
04:23Animals are a culture that is deeply embedded in the land of Oz.
04:28They have opened up schools.
04:29They have helped educate people of Oz.
04:33And they're in their own natural state.
04:35Number six, Fanny and Shenshen.
04:38Welcome, new students.
04:40And congratulations for having been accepted to Shiz.
04:44Being the most popular student at Shiz University
04:47means Glinda has amassed quite an entourage.
04:50Right by her side are her two closest, so-called besties, Fanny and Shenshen.
04:55Played by Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James,
04:57these two are the Karen Smith and Gretchen Wieners
04:59to Glinda's nowhere-near-as-mean Regina George.
05:02You should join us tonight.
05:04And don't tell me you have nothing to wear.
05:06Because you could wear this.
05:08Gossipy, snooty, and snobby,
05:10they're given more fleshed-out roles than they ever had in the musical.
05:14Interestingly, the role of Fanny was gender-swapped in the film.
05:18In terms of new characters, Miss Cottle,
05:20played by theater powerhouse Keala Settle,
05:22is also a new face at dear old Shiz.
05:25Good luck and welcome to Shiz.
05:32Number five, Fierro and Elphaba get a different first scene.
05:36I'm Fierro.
05:38Winky country.
05:40When Fierro and Elphaba meet, it's hardly love at first sight.
05:44In both the musical and film versions of Wicked,
05:46these two don't get off on the right foot,
05:48but each adaptation has a different way of introducing them.
05:52In the movie, Prince Fierro arrives at Shiz late at night on horseback,
05:56running into Elphie after she visits Dr. Dillamond.
05:59Is this how you go through life?
06:00Just running amok and trampling anyone in your path?
06:03He is a prince and therefore charming.
06:06Once again, the responsibility to corrupt my fellow students falls to me.
06:11On stage, Elphaba is similarly almost run over by Fierro's carriage,
06:15but it happens at the university and quickly leads into his song,
06:18Dancing Through Life.
06:20No matter how they meet, she is less than impressed, at least for now.
06:24Glinda is the absolute prom queen to his prom king,
06:27and they do have a very easy natural chemistry,
06:30but then when he sees the vulnerability of Elphaba,
06:33it strikes in him, I think, a compassion and a curiosity
06:38that's probably always been there.
06:39Number four, Defying Gravity homage.
06:42It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leave.
06:49As one of the most thrilling first act closers in musical theater,
06:52Defying Gravity is the definition of a crowd pleaser.
06:55Elphaba soars over Oz, declaring her newfound fearlessness.
06:59Thanks to some theater magic, a lift and fabric,
07:03the actress is lifted above the stage, creating the illusion that she's flying.
07:07I'm flying high, defying gravity, and soon I'll match them in renown.
07:17Director John M. Chu pays homage to the iconic moment
07:20by framing Cynthia Erivo in a similar position
07:23with her long black cape flowing behind her.
07:27Whether one is experiencing the scene on stage or on screen,
07:30it is heart-pounding and exciting,
07:32reminding us all that everyone deserves a chance to fly.
07:36I'm not afraid.
07:40It's the wizard who should be afraid of me.
07:47Number three, Wicked didn't win the Tony for Best Musical.
07:57As the fourth longest-running Broadway musical to date,
08:00Wicked has been a part of the theatrical zeitgeist since 2003.
08:04The mega-musical has spawned international productions,
08:07tours, shattered box office records,
08:09and captured the hearts of audiences for over 20 years.
08:13So it may come as a shock that, with respect to the Tonys,
08:16Wicked was hardly popular.
08:18Don't be offended by my frank analysis.
08:21Think of it as personality diet.
08:24Think of it as personality dialysis.
08:26Despite earning 10 nominations in 2004,
08:29the musical only walked away with three awards,
08:32including one for O.G. Alphaba, Idina Menzel.
08:35However, its most surprising loss came at the end of the 58th annual ceremony.
08:40The biggest award of the night, Best Musical, went to Avenue Q,
08:44an outcome many Wicked fans still find confusifying.
08:47It sucks to be you.
08:48I feel better now.
08:50Number two, The Runtime.
08:52The wonderful Wizard of Oz summons you to the Emerald City.
08:59Moviegoers who have already seen Wicked know that the film has
09:02a lengthy runtime of 2 hours and 40 minutes.
09:05The stage version clocks in at 2 hours and 45 minutes,
09:08which also includes a 15-minute intermission.
09:11Not only that, but the movie adaptation is split into two parts,
09:15clearly indicating that both films are packed with extra material.
09:19In fact, director Jon M. Chu has stated that Part 2 will feature two
09:22brand-new songs, although the runtime of Part 2 has yet to be revealed.
09:27It wouldn't be surprising if, like the first movie,
09:30it's also close to the 3-hour mark.
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09:55Number one, Whizzomania Song.
10:05The Whizzomania sequence in Wicked Part 1 is every musical theater fan's dream.
10:10A song within a song, the scene takes place during one short day,
10:14where Glinda and Elphaba visit the Emerald City.
10:16During their adventure, they take in a stage show that tells the story
10:19of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
10:28Not only are we treated to new lyrics,
10:30we also get cameos from Broadway's O.G., Elphaba, and Glinda,
10:34Idina Menzel, and Christian Chenoweth.
10:36It's a sweet homage to the iconic duo,
10:39igniting overwhelming nostalgia for grown-up theater kids everywhere.
10:44What are you most looking forward to seeing in Wicked Part 2?
10:55Let us know in the comment section.
11:01Do you agree with our picks?
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