The battle cry heard around the world. Whether you’re an SNL junkie rooting for Bowen Yang, or an Ariana Grande superfan; Wicked was the hot-topic of 2024. This past November, the first installation of Wicked Part 1 hit the big-screens, captivating theatre veterans and everyday movie-goers alike. Luckily, the wait for part 2 is almost over! This coming November Wicked Part 2 is set to be released. While the audience doesn’t know what the director will choose for set design, costumes, lines, and pacing of the movie, there are some arguably fundamental characters and plots in Wicked Part 2. Lucky for us, the release date is right around halloween! Whether you’re a homebody or a “going-out-top” kind of girl; there are definitely some fun activities you can do this Halloween to celebrate the new release.
Don’t worry if you’re a little rusty with your Wicked knowledge; I’ll catch you up to speed. The movie, Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande follows two begrudging roommates Glinda and Elphaba, navigating the social politics and rigorous courses at Shiz University. As the movie progresses, stakes heighten between Glinda and Elphaba as they battle for the approval of Madame Morrible. Fast forward a bit, Elphaba grows skeptical of the Wizard’s motives and leadership abilities. He gives a tempting offer to let her live with him. In the end, she rejects the Wizard’s offer, fleeing the Emerald City to regroup and potentially build a resistance. On the other hand, Glinda always following the status quo, stays behind to help the Wizard and Madame Morrible persecute the animals. Wicked Part 1 ended with Elphaba on a broom stick shooting off into the distance. Alright, now let’s have some fun.
Starting off strong, you may want to brush up on your Wicked knowledge and rewatch the first movie. Obviously, watching a movie on Halloween isn’t the most groundbreaking option, but it’s hard to follow the plot of Wicked Part 2 if you don’t even know what the first movie was about. Maybe even spice things up a little bit and make it a function, invite people over, and dress up as your favorite character in Wicked Part 2. Another cute idea for a relaxing Wicked Part 2 themed night-in could be karaoke; the girls could get together and sing some of the show tracks in Wicked. It may end up being a bit of a…musical disaster, but hey, not everyone can sing like Cynthia Erivo. If performing an out-of-tune rendition of “Defying Gravity” isn’t really your jam…maybe baking is a safer, less humiliating option. Your friend group could host a potluck-style dinner, and challenge everyone to bring green or pink food. Remember to assign everyone either a dessert, main dish, or drinks; otherwise, you might be stuck with various brands of pink lemonade and green soda. Some great green and pink food choices could be pink lemonade, some cute green or pink mocktails, green beans, salads with spinach and avocados, pesto pasta, and a dipping station with celery and cucumbers.
Lastly… for the girls who are the life of the party here are some Wicked Part 2 costume themes. In Wicked Part 2, Fiyero is transformed into a scarecrow, so someone could DIY some beat-up clothing and a straw hat. Another staple costume would be a witch hat, cloak, and robe to represent Elphaba. Now that Dorothy is being introduced, someone could throw on a short blue dress, and style pig tails with red ribbons. The Tin Woodman is also introduced in the next installation, so another friend could paint their face silver, and create tin-foil top-hat. Lastly, the Cowardly Lion is major protagonist in the second half of Wicked. If there is someone in the friend group who is always cold they could walk around in a furry lion suit, nice and warm.
You are now officially ready to celebrate Halloween, the Wicked way. We have reviewed Part 1, as well as some fantastic costumes (if I do say so myself). I hope to see some Elphie and Glinda duos this Halloween season! Party hard (and safely), and enjoy yourself!
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