Profile for WiCkEDrOcKS

Full disclosure: I am a WICKED stan—my (now-so-cringe-I-just-embrace-it) username and account creation date are proof enough. I’ve always loved the musical; it was essentially my gateway drug into musical theater. For that, I’ll always be grateful, and it will always hold a very special place in my heart. That said, 25 years later, I can freely admit it’s far from perfect. It’s always been lopsided and uneven, but it has stood the test of time for a reason.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way—on to the films.

Part One: I thought it was very, very good. Sometimes even great. Two sensational performances at the center, beautiful production design, smart direction, solid sound and visual effects. But the new characters and added scenes only create bloat (why introduce characters who barely even appear in Part Two?), the lighting is often flat, and the runtime is simply too long. Still, a very solid adaptation overall.

For Good: Unfortunately, it fell victim to most of the missteps I feared. Much of Chu’s directorial spark and innovation from Part One is gone.

All that does is add bloat to an already bloated film. It seems minor, but in Part One Chu managed to mesh the musical’s most beloved beats into something cinematic and new while still feeling inherently theatrical. That instinct is mostly absent in For Good. And “As Long As You’re Mine” is so sanitized and PG-ified you feel zero romantic tension between Elphaba and Fiyero.

The two new songs do nothing to advance the plot. Act Two needs two more ballads like a hole in the head. (If Schwartz was set on adding new music, he should have crafted one or two production numbers to help the pace of an already sagging second half—though admittedly I’m not sure where they would’ve fit.)

Even with all of that, I still found quite a lot to enjoy. The two leading ladies remain wonderful—Ariana, in particular, has a path to the Oscar if she plays her cards right. “For Good” is shot with simplicity and sincerity, and I found it genuinely moving. I loved the final shot, too—a beautiful way to close out this whole venture. And I appreciated how boldly (for a family film) For Good leaned into the themes of anti-totalitarianism and pro-diversity. Serious kudos on that front.

But here’s the larger issue: It should have NEVER been two films. This should have been released as one movie with a built-in intermission. It would’ve been tighter, more powerful, more of a cultural touchstone—and honestly, more competitive in above-the-line awards races. The second Chu announced the split, I knew we were in trouble. It's a cash grab, plain and simple.

The flip side of that however, is that even with the flaws, it’s thrilling that a big-screen, big-budget, two-part movie musical has found this level of success and audience love. Manohla Dargis said it best in her NY Times review of For Good: "from its director to its cast, the movie is a testament to diversity (species included) as a common good, as well as to love, friendship, and solidarity. It’s on the side of kindness—which is, in its own way, a balm."

I know they’re costly, but I wish they’d do a proper musical revival soon. It feels like it’s been forever. 

After seeing GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES, how I wish Kara Young was leading this production…

There was also an incessant, low humming noise throughout the entire performance last night.


Any idea what that’s about?

I had a lot of fun at this! Butler and Trensch were fantastic (the whole cast was, really). It felt a bit out of place on a stage this size, but by and large, I found it to be cleverly staged and genuinely funny. The sound mixing was a real problem, though. 

If anyone’s interested in purchasing two $134 tickets (Mezz Row E 102 and 104) for 4/21, shoot me a DM!

Definitely safe! Running time is advertised as 2 hours and 30 minutes - it ran maybe a couple minutes over. It does take a second to get out of the theater itself, as the only exit is one narrow pathway. 

I really, really hope these raves move the needle for this one. 

A handful of performances are on TDF. 

I loved the LCT revival of THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH and can’t wait to see this in a couple weeks! 

Currently tracking for a $130-155MM opening weekend (the first film opened to $112.5MM).

Tickets on sale HERE.

This was absolutely phenomenal. One of the best things I’ve seen this year. Stock and Metcalf are giving unforgettable, heartbreaking performances. Don’t miss it.

Hot take, but if this play is any indication of the quality of productions Rudin plans on mounting, I say bring it on.