Special sing-along screenings of Wicked have been going on since Christmas, but with the rush of the holiday season, I wasn’t able to attend one until this past weekend. As a big fan of the musical and a big karaoke person in general, I was super stoked. Not only do I love to sing in crowds, I also love to sing with people who are enthusiastic about the songs in question. It’s a wonderful way to come together and celebrate a musical.
Once I settled into the theater, however, I remembered a key fact about Wicked: Stephen Schwartz’s songs are not easy to sing.
The musical kicks off with the soaring “No One Mourns the Wicked,” which not only has Glinda the Good Witch riffing in her incredibly high register, but also a lot of belty ensemble parts. It kicks off with a triumphant choral “GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!” and doesn’t really let up from there. It’s one of my favorite songs in the entire musical, but boy, it is not for beginners.
When the movie started and the song played, I’m pretty sure everyone in my theater held their breath. A chat with some of my fellow theatergoers after the show confirmed this. Even at an event specifically designated as a sing-along, it seemed everyone was afraid to be the first person to start singing.
Maybe it was ingrained theater etiquette, especially since the AMC ran the usual “Silence your cell phone!” announcements before the show. Maybe everyone was nervous about breaking the sacred silence of the theater, especially after so much intense recent debate about singing along at movies. Or maybe no one wanted to take a chance on such a hard song right out of the gate.
But even though I was initially nervous, I decided I wasn’t there to be a coward. I was there to sing, even if I couldn’t hit any of Ariana Grande’s high notes. So a few lines into “No One Mourns the Wicked,” I went for it. I’m not sure whether I was the first one (the sound mixing in the theater made it hard to hear anyone who wasn’t directly next to you), but once I started singing, I felt empowered. Yeah, I knew there was no way I could match Cynthia Erivo’s big belt at the end of “The Wizard and I,” but with a can-do attitude and a passion for singing that balances out any lack of talent, I could sure try.
Soon, it became clear that the whole audience had joined in, even though I could only hear the others during certain moments, like the more subdued conversational bits of “Dancing Through Life.” But in the dark audience, I could see the outlines of enthusiastic hand gestures — sometimes mimicking Glinda’s pert little gesticulations, other times just as personalized singing flourishes. I heard giggles and laughter over some line deliveries (in keeping with the “Me and BOQ” trend, for instance). Everyone cheered when Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth made their cameos. It was euphoric for everyone to come together, united by common love.
Some songs were easier than others, like “A Sentimental Man” (which was also a popular bathroom-break song) and “I’m Not That Girl,” but the more difficult crowd favorites, like “Popular” and “One Short Day,” were definitely the most fun to sing along to.
It all came to a head with “Defying Gravity” — the musical’s most famous and most difficult song.
I was particularly apprehensive about this one, because of my own limited vocal range. I didn’t want to totally embarrass myself, no matter how understandable it would be to not be able to reach Elphaba’s high notes.
Thankfully, though, the movie version of “Defying Gravity” actually lends itself to a sing-along. Director Jon M. Chu chose to break up “Defying Gravity” into segments interrupted by action. In a regular watch of the movie, the song feels too chopped up, to the point where it undermines the big catharsis. But in a sing-along setting, the frequent dialogue breaks edged in between verses gave me a chance to rest my throat, slurp down some of my big theater drink, and prepare for the next round of loud belting.
Did I hit those notes? Absolutely not. But neither could most of the theater. That didn’t matter, though. We were just here to celebrate a dang good musical. It was just like my favorite kind of karaoke, where you’re not really trying to wow anyone — everyone’s just out to joyfully create music together, whether the performances are stellar or not. And unified by a shared love for Wicked, we were all unlimited ✨✨✨, defying gravity together.
All it took was one brave soul ready to stand up and sing.
Wicked sing-along screenings are still happening in theaters, but if you prefer to sing in the comfort of your own home, the movie is available on VOD or on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K HD.