If you know anything about The Wizard of Oz, considered one of America’s greatest classic films, there’s a slight chance you might know about the musical Wicked. Set in the fantastical world of Oz, Wicked puts the origin stories of Elphaba and Glinda at the forefront: rivals turned best friends who explore the world of Oz and its deeper secrets that eventually come to light. Wicked and I have a close connection; I play the soundtrack front to back whenever I need a boost of energy.
The leading ladies of the movie are none other than the amazingly talented Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Ariana Grande, one of the most influential pop stars of our generation, stars as Glinda the Good, the popular and bubbly student at the fictional school of Shiz University. Cynthia Erivo is a brand name on Broadway, winning multiple awards in both theater and film. Her character, Elphaba, is an intelligent and dedicated student who later becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West. The rest of the cast includes actors and actresses such as Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, and Jeff Goldblum. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of at least one of these amazing individuals.
Wicked has also been on top of its marketing game. They’ve somehow forged so many brand collaborations that everywhere I go, I’m reminded of the film. Here are just a few of many:
- Nail Polish: A collaboration with OPI; new nail polish colors have been introduced with cool names such as “Ozitively Elphaba” and “Glinda the Good”
- Merchandise: The retailing giant, Target, is collaborating to release Wicked merch designed by the film’s very own costume designer, including cardigans and comfortable matching sets (the baby pink cardigan is to DIE for!)
- Baking Mixes: The iconic baking brand, Betty Crocker, released Wicked-inspired cake pop and cupcake mixes, and they are WICKED cool! Each box either has a pink or green flour mix and from what I’ve heard, the green is the hardest one to get.
The budget for Wicked comes in at a whopping $145 million, but it has definitely paid off. I have my ticket for opening weekend, and I’m ecstatic to experience 2 hours and 40 minutes of musical magic and fun.