57. Consider Us Teased! (Movie Trailer Reaction)

Summary

Sentimental Men: Episode 57 - "Consider Us Teased! (Movie Trailer Reaction)"

Release Date: February 13, 2024

Hosts: Quincy Brown & Kevin Bianchi

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Introduction to the Episode

In Episode 57 of Sentimental Men, hosts Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi dive deep into their reactions to the newly released Wicked movie trailer. Centered around their shared passion for musical theatre, the duo offers insightful commentary on various aspects of the trailer, from costume design to character development and the integration of CGI.

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Initial Impressions of the Wicked Trailer

Setting the Scene (01:54):

Quincy Brown opens the discussion by highlighting the emotional impact the trailer had during the Super Bowl, a time traditionally dominated by major commercials and performances.

Quincy Brown (02:46): "I was excited about the Wicked trailer. I was excited about the Usher halftime. I was excited about Taylor Swift being there."

Unexpected Elements (03:04):

Both hosts express their surprise at the depth and duration of the Wicked trailer, which exceeded their expectations for a typical Super Bowl spot.

Quincy Brown (03:13): "I'd be curious what viewership was for that Super Bowl. I guarantee it was up at least for chunks of it."

Kevin Bianchi (03:25): "Exactly. We had something to occupy cultural discourse."

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Detailed Breakdown of the Trailer

Costume Design and Symbolism (04:01 - 08:50):

The hosts delve into the intricate costume designs showcased in the trailer, particularly focusing on Elphaba's black dress and its significance compared to the stage version.

Kristin Chenoweth (04:53): "It is a very cool, like, shout out to Paul Tazewell. It is a very cool, like, film version of the hat."

Quincy raises a point of contention regarding Elphaba's attire upon her arrival at Shiz University, sparking a nuanced debate about character portrayal versus traditional stage interpretations.

Quincy Brown (06:07): "She is a student."

Kristin Chenoweth (07:34): "I don't think initially. In the book, she is not a student. She's there as a caretaker."

Character and Plot Developments (08:00 - 11:03):

The conversation shifts to potential plot developments hinted at in the trailer, including the introduction of Dr. Dillamond and possible storyline arcs involving Glinda and Elphaba.

Quincy Brown (10:05): "I guess we are getting tidbits of the entire story of Wicked as we know."

Kristin Chenoweth (10:37): "Yeah, I'm excited to see how that."

Aesthetic and World-Building (11:03 - 16:15):

Hosts commend the trailer's visual appeal and world-building elements, emphasizing the seamless translation of the stage's fantastical elements to the big screen. The use of CGI is discussed, with Quincy defending its necessity in bringing the Wicked universe to life.

Quincy Brown (11:17): "Everything looks incredible. The budget for this movie looks insane, and I'm so grateful for it."

Kristin Chenoweth (15:12): "The green looks gorgeous. I prefer the trailer."

Representation and Character Dynamics (16:15 - 25:50):

The discussion progresses to the representation of relationships within the trailer, noting subtle cues that hint at deeper character dynamics, including potential romantic undertones between Glinda and Elphaba.

Kristin Chenoweth (18:31): "This whole trailer, it's a little, like, lesbiany for me. And I... it's sexy."

Quincy Brown (18:36): "We see Fiero for a sec, and we don't. Oh, I guess we see the Wizard."

Expectations for the Movie's Narrative Arc (25:23 - 29:46):

Quincy and Kristin speculate on the narrative structure of the upcoming Wicked movies, pondering whether key moments like "Defying Gravity" will be reserved for the second installment or reimagined within the first.

Quincy Brown (25:55): "I've been seeing some people upset that it's different than the Idina Broadway soundtrack. But she should do her own thing."

Kristin Chenoweth (28:58): "It would be tough. It would be tough. It would be a gag."

Technical Aspects and Performance (29:02 - 35:38):

The hosts analyze the technical execution of specific scenes, such as Elphaba's flying sequences, praising the anticipated physical performance elements brought by Cynthia Erivo.

Quincy Brown (34:05): "It's giving. This is the Wicked movie. This is a movie adaptation of one of our favorite musicals."

Kristin Chenoweth (34:17): "She's giving a nail. I love it. It's giving..."

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Personal Reflections and Anticipation

Impact on Personal Lives (35:27 - 37:09):

Quincy shares personal reflections on how excited he is for the movie's release affecting his holiday plans, while Kristin resonates with the sentiment of embracing new eras in theater and film.

Quincy Brown (35:38): "I'm curious how this is going to affect my Thanksgiving plans."

Kristin Chenoweth (36:45): "We'll start planning. We'll figure out what we're gonna do."

Final Thoughts on the Trailer's Success (37:59 - 39:10):

Wrapping up the discussion, Quincy and Kristin reaffirm their excitement and satisfaction with the trailer, hinting at future plans and continued enthusiasm for the Wicked franchise.

Quincy Brown (38:09): "It feels good to be back on mic with you, Kevin."

Kristin Chenoweth (38:14): "Me too. Me too."

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Conclusion

Episode 57 of Sentimental Men offers a comprehensive and passionate exploration of the Wicked movie trailer, blending technical analysis with personal enthusiasm. Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi successfully convey their excitement while providing thoughtful critiques, making this episode a must-listen for fans eager to delve into the cinematic adaptation of one of musical theatre's most beloved stories.

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Notable Quotes:

• Quincy Brown (02:46): "I was excited about the Wicked trailer."

• Kristin Chenoweth (04:53): "It is a very cool, like, shout out to Paul Tazewell."

• Quincy Brown (06:07): "She is a student."

• Kristin Chenoweth (15:12): "The green looks gorgeous. I prefer the trailer."

• Kristin Chenoweth (18:31): "This whole trailer, it's a little, like, lesbiany for me. And I... it's sexy."

• Quincy Brown (34:05): "It's giving. This is the Wicked movie."

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Listen to Sentimental Men on [Podcast Platform Links]

Note: All timestamps are approximate and correspond to the provided transcript.

Transcript

[Quincy Brown]

Hi, y'all. This is Kristin Chenoweth.

[Kevin Bianchi]

Hi, I'm Gloria Stefan.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

This is Sara Bareilles. Hi, I'm Patti LuPone.

[Quincy Brown]

This is Lin Manuel Miranda.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You're listening to the Broadway podcast network.

[Kevin Bianchi]

Okay, I have to tell you, I was just looking on ebay, where I go for all kinds of things I love.

[Quincy Brown]

And there it was, that hologram trading card. One of the rarest. The last one I needed for my set.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Shiny like the designer handbag of my dreams.

[Gloria Estefan]

One of a kind. Ebay had it. And now everyone's asking, ooh, where'd you.

[Quincy Brown]

Get your windshield wipers? Ebay has all the parts that fit my car. No more annoying, just beautiful.

[Kevin Bianchi]

Whatever you love, find it on ebay. Ebay. Things people love.

[Gloria Estefan]

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[Quincy Brown]

Get Zac Efron in the Wicked movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Maybe he's Dr. Dillamand.

[Quincy Brown]

Can you imagine? My name's Quincy.

[Sara Bareilles]

And my name's Kevin.

[Quincy Brown]

And this is sentimental men from theaterly.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

We are here to talk and maybe.

[Sara Bareilles]

Scream about our favorite women in musical theater.

[Quincy Brown]

The best way to bring people together is to give them a really good enemy.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Let's set the scene for everybody.

[Quincy Brown]

You think my voice just set the scene a little bit.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

A little bit. But so it's. It's. It's Sunday evening. Quincy comes over to my house to watch the commercial, and we're like, we surely have. It's gonna be hours to watch the.

[Quincy Brown]

Commercial, to watch the Super Bowl.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we're like, surely we're gonna have hours until this commercial comes on. Like, we're still settling. I'm like, walking around looking for something, and out of the corner of my eye, I see that hat. Yeah. What could this last? An hour or two. But boy, did it. I'm glad it happened when it did at the beginning of the game. Because if that had happened at 9:30 at night, I don't think I would have been able to emotionally handle it. But since it happened right at the top of the game, well, here's the thing.

[Quincy Brown]

I was excited about the Wicked trailer. I was excited about the Usher halftime. I was excited about Taylor Swift being there. I was excited about the possibility of Taylor Swift announcing something I was excited about the possibility of Beyonce announcing something. So this entire super bowl was really engaging for me. I was not dreading this night. Like, I have super bowl nights.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I'm glad. I'm glad that it was able to deliver for you. I'm sure the executives would be to hold my attention. Thrilled to know.

[Quincy Brown]

I'd be curious what viewership was for that Super Bowl. I guarantee it was up at least for.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, for chunks of it. I don't know. I'm curious to.

[Quincy Brown]

And then it was nice because the trailer came out and then we could spend the rest of the game on our phones.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Exactly. We had something to occupy cultural discourse. They said, let's give these gays something to hold them over until Usher.

[Quincy Brown]

I was expecting. What were you expecting this trailer to be? Because when I heard the rumblings happening, I was fully expecting 15 to 30 seconds, especially if it was during the Super Bowl. 15 to 30 seconds of Aussie roll. Ausb Roll. Glamour shot, glamour shot, Glamour shot. And then, like, the end is like a green hand in Ariana's hand grabbing each other. Blackout. Wicked. I wasn't expecting faces. I was not expecting all of this.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. I was also expecting, like, a spot. Like a 15 second teaser spot. And so we had the beginning of it that we had. And as soon as it got to that point of Ariana going, you're green, and it cut, I was like, oh, that's gonna be it. Like, are they just gonna leave us with your green? Because I thought for sure we were not gonna see Cynthia.

[Quincy Brown]

Okay, wait, should we go, like.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. Yeah, let's. Let's go. Let's do what you just said.

[Quincy Brown]

Okay, let's go. I have it open.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Oh, wait, I want to have it open.

[Quincy Brown]

We open.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You go ahead. You keep narrating on the hat.

[Quincy Brown]

Which.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

The hat.

[Quincy Brown]

Not what I was expecting for the hat, but I'm happy it looks the way it does.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It is a very cool, like, shout out to Paul Tazewell. It is a very cool, like, film version of the hat. Like, it's so much more detailed than it could be on stage because, like, you would never see all that. But seeing it in this close up, like, all of the pleating and detailing on it is so cool.

[Quincy Brown]

It also looks like it has some real structure. It looks like a sturdy hat.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It looks. How is that gonna fit in that itty bitty little box that she pulls it out of?

[Quincy Brown]

Then we see Cynthia's hand on a pile of. Grazing a pile of yellow bricks, which I've seen some discourse Saying that's like the fallen house scene, you think?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I thought that they're, like, leaning into, like, that the yellow brick road is being built. Right. You think these are, like, the remnants of the house, these bricks? Or you think this is.

[Quincy Brown]

There's something somber about the shot, for sure. It's not giving just like, oh, construction happening.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, it is a millisecond. It is a millisecond. I'm, like, squinting at what costume she's wearing. I'm like, is that. But it is cool.

[Quincy Brown]

Okay, well, can we actually, let's talk about the costume, because I think this is something that. This is a point of contention that you and I had. Did I use that correctly? This is something that you and I disagreed on last night.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

A point of contention.

[Quincy Brown]

I find it interesting, and I'm curious to see how it plays out in the movie that Elphaba is showing up to shiz in her black dress. Because I feel like in the stage show, which I recognize this is not her getting into her black dress is like, when we're starting to get wicked witchy. Totally is when we're starting to make that transition. So her showing up on day one, kind of dressed in the one short day stage frock is an interesting choice to me.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. Yeah, it is interesting. And I think my kind of reasoning for it last night was that I guess, technically, on the first day, she's not a student. She's showing up as a caretaker. So I guess it could make sense that she's not in Shizblue. But I do agree that it's interesting because I love the slow build of the silhouette when she stands up in Defying Gravity and has the full everything on for the first time. That's one of my favorite moments. So it is interesting seeing her in kind of that recognizable look off the bat.

[Quincy Brown]

Kevin, is she not a student when she shows up to shiz?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I think so. She shows up. I'm only sending you here for one reason. I know. To look after my sister, Nessa Rose. Then she does the magic, and Marble is like, wait a minute. Are you magic?

[Quincy Brown]

That's not how I read this. That's not how I read the scene. Kevin. I read the scene as. I'm only sending you to this school to take care of your sister, by the way. But she is a student.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

No, I don't think think she initially. And I'm pretty sure in the book, she is not a student. Like, she's there as a caretaker until Madame Marble sees her and is like.

[Quincy Brown]

We haven't Received our room assignment yet? Nessa's gonna stay in my suite. You're getting your own room. Who are you room? Who's rooming with Miss Elphaba? It's giving students.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

That's fine. I'm not saying either of us is right or wrong. My interpretation has always been that Elphaba is being sent not as a student, but as a chaperone. Only once she's there does she become a student. And does the opposite the possibility of meeting the wizard, et cetera, et cetera, open to her. But to answer your question, I do like the black dress on the first day of school because I do like that it's going to make her stick out more.

[Quincy Brown]

Well, okay, so if we're staying on the black dress thread. So she comes to school in the seemingly one short day. Frog. What's interesting is it looks like we get a scene from Dancing Through Life Oz does, where she shows up with the ugly hat that Glinda gives her at around 17 seconds where she's wearing like an as Long as yous Mind act two dress. Do I need to stop doing this?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I'm trying to follow you, but I think I got you. I think what you're saying is that she seems to be wearing many variations of black dresses throughout this movie.

[Quincy Brown]

I'm just curious to see how the costume story develops over the course of the films. This trailer is a Wicked trailer. It is not a Wicked Part 1 trailer. It is not a Wicked Defy Gravity trailer. It is Wicked. And we seemingly are getting tidbits of the entire story of Wicked as we know.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. I would describe this as a trailer that is selling me the plot of Act 1 of Wicked and using some shots from Act 2 to hype up some. Some more drama.

[Quincy Brown]

And to connect dots for audiences. Like, I look at what they included. The wizard of Oz foursome. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the like wizard head of it all. What I think is interesting, I'm not sure if this is gonna happen because I think it's too soon to tell. But what I think would be interesting is if they kind of go this route of just selling Wicked for the primary campaign, even though it's going to be in two parts and let the two part thing be kind of like an afterthought. Like just sell us Wicked. Get us hyped to see this first movie. Worry about selling the second part.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, I don't. Yeah, I'm excited to see how that.

[Quincy Brown]

Like, the trailers for like A Wicked Part 2 specifically can be very dark.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

And totally they gotta hook us in before they introduce that. I also feel like act two is probably where the bulk of the world. I know. Me too. I feel like act two is kind of the bulk of where the, like, new material will end up. Like, any songs they're adding will probably be in Act 2. And any, like, sequences they're expecting.

[Quincy Brown]

I'm sure we'll get a new song in this first movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Well, yeah, they want to get that Oscar, baby. Well, let's zoom out of the black dresses just a little bit and talk. Overall, aesthetically, how do you feel? Like, Cynthia looks.

[Quincy Brown]

Incredible. Everything looks incredible. Here's the thing. I feel like for the Wicked movie, my biggest gripe about there being a Wicked movie has been my brain has never been able to imagine what that looks like. What does the stage show look like translated on film? And I think this trailer has done a really good job at being like.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Hi, this is what it's gonna look like.

[Quincy Brown]

You're fine. This is what it looks like. It looks expensive. The budget for this movie looks insane, and I'm so grateful for it. And you know what? This, like, really reminded me of the fact that Wicked is very fantastical, which I feel like because we are all so accustomed to the stage show, it's easy to kind of forget the fantasy of it all. But the scene in the trailer where Glinda is riding in on her ballet shoe boat to arrive at seemingly Shizu is really, really crazy. And it's like, yeah, this is a whole world. They can do whatever they want. I'm so excited for this movie. Now it's real.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Me too. Me too. I love. Before we move on from Cynthia, I love her green. I don't really think there's.

[Quincy Brown]

I think we are just bouncing.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

That's true. That's true. Before we bounce too far away. Oh, wait. Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

I never clocked that.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

The green contests are so beautiful. Something I. This is so weird and specific, but I have been so interested to see how Ariana's hair was going to look as Glinda. Like, I couldn't picture Ariana grande, like, in the Kristin Chenna with wigs, like, the short, little curly bouncies. So I was excited to see what she looks like.

[Quincy Brown]

The shot of Cynthia from behind where she's, like, adjusting her micro braids behind her. Oh, iconic shot, the nails. And then we got Ariana's. Your green delivery, which is great, but I want to talk about Cynthia's. Yes, I am retort. Because the delivery makes me so excited for that scene. Because the Underlying sarcasm paired with, like, how nicely she phrased it. Because I think on a glance, it's like, oh, that was a genuine response from her. But with the larger context of the scene, it's like, no, that was a sarcastic response. So I'm so excited to see that monologue moment from her where she goes off.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. Something that a lot of the ladies say to us is how much, like, from the jump, they're yelling. And, like, in that scene, it's always like, fine, yes, I'm green. Yes, I'm this. Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da. And I think it's cool to see a More like, the water is simmering but not quite out of boil yet. Like, oh, you're right, I am green. Like, thank you for pointing that out to me. Yes. Stranger. Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

And I'm also excited because I feel like that scene in the stage show is kind of. It's not as specifically between Glinda and Elphaba. It looks like in the movie they have made it more of a, like, Glinda and Elphaba moment.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

Yeah. So I'm curious to see if it stays that way or if it turns into a thing where she's, like, going around to all the shiz students.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, Yeah. I liked to. I don't know. It was cool. Like, even the couple establishing shots we got, the Shiz campus feels so campusy. I don't know if that. If I'm. I don't know. It's like another cool instance of, like, when you. When you're not restricted to a cast of 16. Like, you can have this full college campus filled with all these kids all looking and seeing this green girl, even having it outside. Having it outside.

[Quincy Brown]

It's nice to have these scenes that we know so well reframed. Should we talk about the green? This is the first time we've seen Elphaba's green skin in all of its glory. What do we think?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. You know, what's interesting is I was looking at that picture, I think Vanity Fair, that came out, like, right when the trailer did. And the green looks different to me than the trailer. Yeah. Yeah. Which I wonder, is probably just, like, retouching. But I think the green looks gorgeous. I prefer the trailer.

[Quincy Brown]

Trailer more than in the Vanity Fair photo, which I think is good, because the trailer.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

More likely what we're getting.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I think it's really pretty. And I do think. And I say this just because I, like, have it paused on a scene from Shiz. Right. Now that her green face against the black dress does pop in a way that green against the blue doesn't. Or in a different way, like, because the green paired with the blue shiz outfit is very coordinatey. Green goes good with blue.

[Quincy Brown]

Do we only see Elphaba in black in this entire trailer? Oh, no. We get a white frog.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

We get the white frock. There's that. Oh, my God. That one shot of Glinda, like, leaning her head on Elphaba. I don't know what it's.

[Quincy Brown]

What is she wearing in that?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

A white. Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

What is that moment? I'm wondering if it's like, a train scene moment where, like, some of the dialogue and stuff that happens there is now, like, a sentimental moment in a field just between the two of them kind of a thing.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Maybe this is Come with me to the Emerald City. Like, maybe this is her saying, like, oh, yeah, like, I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm gonna miss Nessa so much, and she'll be okay. And then she says, come with me. I'm still dead for the Darcy pigtails. I'm still.

[Quincy Brown]

Yeah. Should we talk about this wedding clip that we see?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. I think that. That, like, I have a headache. I have to lie down. Fiera just ran off to find Elphaba. Scene is going to happen at a wedding proper, not at an engagement ball. And so I think that we are going to see Glinda walking.

[Quincy Brown]

Do you think Glinda's going to get jilted?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I do. I think to amplify the plot. I think that they will do that.

[Quincy Brown]

Okay, Can I propose an alternative execution? Gold hair with a gentle curl. She's imagining. And Elphaba is seeing Glinda get married to Fiero as she's singing I'm not that Girl. And, like, seeing the life lived out that, like, she wants or could have or whatever, you know.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

That's interesting. That's pretty.

[Quincy Brown]

I can hear the bells. Hairspray vibes.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Tracy, are you all right? Famously. Ariana Grande's.

[Quincy Brown]

Famously. Michelle Yeoh.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Michelle Yeoh. Flawless. I mean, all we've seen her doing is walking and looking, but it looks great.

[Quincy Brown]

And handography.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Handography. This whole trailer, it's a little, like, lesbiany for me. And I. In a good way. Like that shot of marble touching Elphaba's hand. I was like, this is sexy.

[Quincy Brown]

Well, woman heavy, for sure. We see Fiero for a sec, and we don't. Oh, I guess we see the Wizard. We don't see Bob.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

We saw the Wizard. Somebody point pointed out you can see Bach in the background of the. When she's putting the hat on.

[Quincy Brown]

Okay. Can you?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You can. Ethan and Marissa are off to the side there. I thought I saw Bach in. Oh, yeah, in a shiz scene, but it's a different. A different redhead, but yeah. So he's.

[Quincy Brown]

Oh, that's exciting.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

No Dillamond, No Dillamind to be found.

[Quincy Brown]

What does that mean?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I don't know what that means. Have they cut him? Is. Is Ms. Cottle. Dr. Dilliman, please.

[Quincy Brown]

Oh, wow. No, they're not cutting Dr. No. I mean, I know, but I'm like. That means there's still going to be a moment where they announce who Dillimond is, which to me indicates that it's, like, someone I hope.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I feel like it's been a long time for it not to be.

[Quincy Brown]

How funny that the reveal of the Wicked movie is who Dr. Menendez is.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Who? Dr. Dilamendez. Like, who could it be that it warrants?

[Quincy Brown]

It's just, like, so interesting. Especially because everything about the rollout of this movie seemingly has been so planned and meticulously crafted, down to Ariana and Cynthia in their glammed, bedazzled Elphaba Louis.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Vuitton jersey.

[Quincy Brown]

Which is amazing.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

If you're listening and you can be very excited, let us know and we'll send you fabric.

[Quincy Brown]

Right, for. That's going to be our Halloween costumes.

[Kevin Bianchi]

This is the sound of your ride home with dad after he caught you vaping. Awkward, isn't it? Most vapes contain seriously addictive levels of nicotine and disappointment. Know the real cost of vapes brought to you by the fda.

[Patti LuPone]

If you love Broadway gossip, you are not gonna wanna miss any episode of this podcast, Singular Sensation, the triumph of Broadway. Plenty of dramas unfold on stage, but the best dramas unfold backstage. And there were no bigger dramas than behind the scenes of Sunset Boulevard. So you were being crucified over here, but not there?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

No, no, because I was turning in a performance that would get standing of. Excuse me.

[Patti LuPone]

So check out my podcast, Singular Sensation, for all the juicy details of Sunset Boulevard.

[Quincy Brown]

Seriously, Kevin, like, for Halloween, we wear that? The, like, thigh high boots that they were wearing? Yeah, actually a serve.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It's a serve. I'm in Halloween.

[Quincy Brown]

You should dye your hair blonde.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I know.

[Quincy Brown]

You could really do that.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I'll keep growing it and dye it blonde. You keep shaving your head and we'll be.

[Quincy Brown]

It's crazy how we can pull off the look aesthetically. I saw discourse about their people being surprised at the amount of cgi in the trailer. First of all, I didn't really clock it. Second of all, duh. What do you think is gonna happen?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

What? That makes no sense. You're gonna take issue with the fact that there's CGI in the Wicked movie. What?

[Quincy Brown]

And I actually think it looks really great. That scene of the monkey busting through the window was so cool.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It leads back to what you're saying is, like, the stage, expanding the stage pictures to make them as, like, epic and fantastical as they should be. Of course there's gonna be fucking CGI in the trailer.

[Quincy Brown]

And I guess that's what seeing this trailer has really made me realize is seeing the world building that has happened for this movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Mm.

[Quincy Brown]

I'm like, oh, this is. Yes, this is the Wicked movie. This is a movie adaptation of one of our favorite musicals. I am. It's giving. This is the beginning of a franchise theme park spinoff series, Barbie dolls, video game. Like this. Like, this is a thing. This is Harry Potter. We are doing it.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Barbie was our warm up.

[Quincy Brown]

Which is really, really wild that a Broadway musical has spurred this. But seriously, for a musical movie to be happening at this level. Has this happened before? It just feels like there's such a budget and like, mainstream buy in for this adaptation and I can't really think of another reference.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

No. Although. Okay, well, I have discourse for you to comment on. Is what is your take on. If you didn't know that this was a musical? Do you feel like this trailer tells you it's a musical?

[Quincy Brown]

Here's the thing. And I guess we haven't, like, recorded an episode as this discourse has been happening. The whole movies aren't marketing that they're musicals thing. I can't decide how I feel about it because I do get it. I like, I'm like, if you're sitting in an advertising room, that is the decision you make to sell your musical movie right now. And I think it is, like, almost the correct decision to be making. We kind of talked about it last night. I feel like for Wicked, Wicked, I think, falls outside of the Color Purple, Mean Girls, Willy Wonka discourse a little bit. And I do kind of feel that there is a cultural understanding that Wicked is a musical. And also the wizard of Oz of it all screams musical as well. And because that is such a known property, and I guess I'm a little too inside of it because I'm hearing, like, lines from Defying Gravity being sung and Unlimited and the war cry at the end. And I'm like, yeah, it's telling Us. It's a musical, obviously. However, if I am a normal person who does not know what Wicked is and I just watch this, no, I'm probably like, oh, Ariana Grande's in, like, a Wizard of Oz remake. Cause it doesn't even necessarily give prequel to the wizard of Oz. Like, it's not clearly communicating that to us either. I'm not sure it matters, and I'm not sure that would have been the correct thing to do. I kind of like what they're doing by being like, this is a whole new world. Yeah, it's wizard of Ozzy. You're not really sure what it is, but look at how expensive and fantastical it is. Don't you want to see it? Which, for a teaser trailer, I think is all we need. Yeah. I mean, we don't even know who Dillamind is. I think there's so much more to reveal about this movie over the course of the next eight, nine months, however long until the movie comes out. This was a hit for me. Like, I am not. I'm not. There's not really much of anything to miss in this trailer. I'm very pleased.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I agree. I agree.

[Quincy Brown]

Yeah. We said last night when the trailer debuted, we said every Wicked company member just got an email saying that riff is not Attention.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

The riffs approved for use for the motion picture are not suitable for any stage production.

[Quincy Brown]

You know, someone's gonna do it one night.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I know.

[Quincy Brown]

I hope Alyssa Fox went on and did that last night. In honor of.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

In honor of. It's okay. So what's your take on the War Cry?

[Quincy Brown]

I think it's great. I've been seeing some people upset that it's different than the Idina Broadway soundtrack. Broadway cast recording War Cry, which I'm like, guys, please. Of course she needs to do her own thing. And she should do her own thing. That is like, her stamp on this role. First of all, every Elphaba is doing their own take on the war cry. Right. Cynthia can and should create her own, and I'm happy for it. And I think it's incredible. And it's thrilling. It is thrilling. Do I think we'll ever hear it live on a Broadway stage? I'm not sure. And I don't think we should.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Probably not. I agree. Yeah. I think it's like, it feels very unique to her. Like, it feels like it is her war cry. And it's.

[Quincy Brown]

I'd be so curious. When we have her on, we need to ask her, how many different iterations did you take?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

How many did you.

[Quincy Brown]

And did she get to choose the one that got used or was it like someone else's decision?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Right. I think what's interesting about The War Cry 2 is like, I'll be interested visually what is happening during that moment because on stage it's just like the final picture and she does that. But like on film, like, is she gonna be flying when she sings that? Is she gonna be like, I'm just curious how her war cry will match up with the physical action that is happening. Because it may not. Like, she's not just. Do you think there's a world what probably.

[Quincy Brown]

Do you think there's a world where we don't get to find gravity in this first movie? And it opens the second movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Quincy. You know, that was my immediately when they said it was going to be two movies. I said they should finish the first one with the Wizard. Will see you now. Blackout. A movie by John M. Chu. Open up the second movie with the wizard's chamber scene. They run up and now Defying Gravity is the I want song of the second movie. That's how it. That's how.

[Quincy Brown]

I mean, I kind of feel like first movie, even if it goes that route, would need to end with the. You have no real power moment as like a cliffhanger.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

It's a little too in a bow. No. Part two, if it just. If they get to see the wizard.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You know, it's giving Wicked Junior.

[Quincy Brown]

Yeah. That would personally. Unless there's. Unless there's a new song written to give me some sort of bombastic, belty moment at the end of Wicked one that personally would be real tough for me to sit with.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It would be tough. It would be tough. It would be a gag. It would.

[Quincy Brown]

I would get me back for part two, but I'll be upset. John M. Chewy.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

But no, I do think. I do think it'll be in part one. Defying Gravity.

[Quincy Brown]

Oh, let's talk about the delivery. The line reading of it's the wizard who should be afraid of me.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, I love that line reading because in the show it's always like two beats. It's always like, it's the wizard who should be afraid Bum bum bum bum bum of me. So to hear Cynthia deliver it as one straight through line really like, gave it a different intensity. It would be so, like overdramatic and stagey on film to do like it's the wizard who should be afraid of me. Like, it would. It would be too much.

[Quincy Brown]

There's also something so matter of fact about the line Reading that, I really like.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. It's the same as the I am green. Like, it's very. Just like by pulling it back, it's like making it so much more intense.

[Quincy Brown]

As a viewer, this trailer is giving the char. I'm excited because I feel like in the stage show Elphaba, because of the way the role is crafted, you lose a lot of the, like, characterization. I feel like Elphaba can.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Subtleties.

[Quincy Brown]

I don't know how. Yeah. And this trailer has really, I think, shown that we're going to see the intricacies of the character of Elphaba in a way that the stage shows doesn't necessarily allow, I think.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

Because I think Glinda is really fleshed out on stage. And Elphaba, sometimes there's some work you have to do to fill in some gaps. And I like that it's giving. This movie trailer is giving. No, Elphaba is really built out.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. Yeah. And I think, of course, that too has to do with Cynthia. Like, I'm sure, like, Cynthia is the best hands this role could be in. Has the theater chops, has the once in a voice or once in a generation voice, but also is this, like, incredibly talented on camera performer. I just. I really am so excited after watching this trailer to see her leading this movie in the way that the girlies talk about, like, having to, like, lead the company as. As Elphaba.

[Quincy Brown]

Mm.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I think it'll be.

[Quincy Brown]

Yeah. I think Cynthia has such a singular energy that you need to play Elphaba. Yeah. I think she's such a unique performer. And I am. Yeah. It is very much like, who else could this have been?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

Oh, I want to talk about the bubble because in watching the trailer on your projector at home, I didn't clock that there's a whole base to it. I just thought she was floating in a bubble. But then you flagged the base to it.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy Brown]

She's like, well, talk about your theory. Talk about your theory.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. I thought it was cool because the bubble, much like the flying, was something that I was like, I don't know how this is gonna translate. Like, I don't know. My brain can't figure out how to make this look good. But I love the solution of, like, she stands on a little, I don't know, platform, which we've seen. There's been like a drone picture of her on a cherry picker on this platform.

[Quincy Brown]

Oh, yeah.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

And then seemingly, then a bubble comes up around a platform. It's everything.

[Quincy Brown]

There's actually truly nothing about this trailer to be upset about.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Guys, there's nothing.

[Quincy Brown]

It's phenomenal. They're doing a fantastic job on rolling this out. Seems like they're taking very good care of it. I am so happy and excited.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Me, too. Me, too.

[Quincy Brown]

I could have used a glimpse of.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Chaalisettle, a glimpse of Calisettel. I would have taken one little hoof of Dr. Dillamond. What if Quincy. Okay. You know. Okay, okay, wait. Come with me on this journey. So you know how, like, in the Devilverse, Prada, or a movie like that where, like, a character gets a reveal and you see, like, little pieces of them? Imagine Dilamond in the first movie. Yeah. It's like, clack, clack, clack, clack. It's just Dilliman's little hooves walking down the hall. And then the door whips open and it's like.

[Quincy Brown]

Settle down, children. That's probably what's gonna happen.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It's like a full reveal.

[Quincy Brown]

Oh, God. I mean, you did bring up the possibility that Dilamond is cut and it's Mrs. Cottle now, but I don't think that's true.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I don't actually think that, though. The whispers that I have heard about Ms. Cottle are that she has more to do with Madame Morrible. Like, that. She's more. Oh, what if Ms. Cottle is the one who comes in with the cage?

[Quincy Brown]

More and more with each tick of the time dragon clock, one hears the silence of progress.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Quincy is off book and ready. She'd actually slay that for the witch's father.

[Quincy Brown]

I really could. That probably is what I would be actually in. Every time we see Cynthia's hands in this trailer, she is giving a nail.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

She's giving a nail. I love it. It's giving.

[Quincy Brown]

Like flying around Oz with those long ass nails.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. She's got things to do.

[Quincy Brown]

There is a shot that I'm excited because I'm like, how do they do the flying? I'm not sure if Elphaba like riding a broom proper works necessarily. There is a shot of Cynthia. The broom is, like, next to her, and she, like, jumps and just kind of grabs on the side of it and glides. And that made me very excited to see how they execute the rest of throughout the movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Same. I think we can trust, yes. Cynthia Erivo and the physical brilliance that she is. I trust that we are getting action hero marvel level flying. It's not just gonna be straddling a broom. I think she's gonna be standing on it, holding it with one arm, holding it with two arms sitting on it, straddling it.

[Quincy Brown]

Oh, wow. Even the final. Yeah, even the final shot before we cut to the end card, she's, like, flying up and just kind of holding on to the broom, which indicates a large amount of upper body strength, because you have to be able to hold yourself in line with the broom as it's carrying you up. Otherwise it'd just be dragging you.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Right. And we do know Cynthia has quite a bit of upper body strength available to.

[Quincy Brown]

Oh, I'm so excited.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Me, too.

[Quincy Brown]

Yeah. I am curious how this is going to affect my Thanksgiving plans, though, because a large part of me wants to be in New York City to watch this.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I. Yeah, I will.

[Quincy Brown]

I'm nervous to be in la, though.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I said it last. I said it last night. There's no way, like, this movie is going to tear families apart on Thanksgiving. Like, I'm sorry, my, like, family. If you don't want to be going to see Wicked with me the minute the movie theater opens, then I'm gonna have to be late for dinner.

[Quincy Brown]

I want to do, like, a matinee of Wicked on Broadway and then go see Wicked, the movie that night. That would be really nice.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

See, I think I would rather do it in the. Mmm, that is a good idea. We'll start planning. We'll figure out what we're gonna do.

[Quincy Brown]

It's like, see it one last time to see it also.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I didn't know.

[Quincy Brown]

But just, like, this is the last time. Yeah, that's gonna be major.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

One last uninfluenced viewing of the movie or of the musical. Yeah, yeah, that's a good idea because.

[Quincy Brown]

That is kind of sad. That is gonna be like a. Okay. We're entering a new era.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, that'll be. I'll be interested to talk to this cast about that. About, like, do you feel like audiences are showing up expecting something different now that the movie's out?

[Quincy Brown]

See, I feel like that happens in, like, five years. I think in five years, there's gonna be a new expectation for the Broadway production that. I'm curious how it affects.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It's gonna be cleansing.

[Quincy Brown]

I have to go to work. But here's the thing. This is the first time we've been back on Mike since. This is the first time we've. Exactly. This is the first time we've been back on Microsoft since the holidays. So much has happened. We did a live show. I went to London and saw a bunch of shit. You moved.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I lost my job.

[Quincy Brown]

There's a lot of life. I got dumped there's. Been a lot.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You had a birthday.

[Quincy Brown]

I had a birthday, Quincy.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Look what happened. We stopped making new episodes of the podcast and our lives started to crumble. So if that tells us anything, it's that we should not be taking days off from Sentimental Men.

[Quincy Brown]

We're back. The trailer has brought us back. We have exciting plans for this year, for the next couple months. It feels good to be back on mic with you, Kevin.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You too, my friend.

[Quincy Brown]

I will talk to you soon. All right.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Good to talk to y'all.

[Sara Bareilles]

You've been listening to Sentimental Men from Theaterly.

[Quincy Brown]

This episode was produced by Quincy Brown, Kevin Bianchi and the team at Theatrely.

[Sara Bareilles]

Thanks to Anthony Abatangelo, the most swankified podcast editor in town.

[Quincy Brown]

And another thanks to Mikaela Reynolds for making us look downright osmopolitan in our new key art. And to Julia DeMarzo for our logo design.

[Sara Bareilles]

If you wanna get in touch, send us an email. We love to hear from you all. You can reach [e-mail] that's T H.

[Quincy Brown]

E A T R E L Y.

[Sara Bareilles]

You can also connect with us across social media on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Entmenpod.

[Quincy Brown]

Thanks for tuning in. Till next time. I'm Quincy.

[Sara Bareilles]

And I'm Kevin.

[G]

I don't know about you, but I personally feel like the world could use a lot more kindness right now. Hi, it's Robert Peter Paul, your friendly neighborhood vpn, host of the Art of Kindness, a podcast that spotlights people in the arts who make the world, well, you guessed it, kinder. From icons like Carol Burnett.

[Quincy Brown]

Whoop.

[G]

I blacked out. To Tony winners like Stephanie J. Block to Olympians like Lori Hernandez, we've featured so many wonderful guests from all corners of the biz to give you intimate conversations and kindness tips. I'm thrilled to say we're returning for a fourth season.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Woop woop.

[G]

This world Kindness Week with guests like Ian Armitage, Judith Light, Betty who, Corbin Blue, and more. So please join our kindness community over at VPN fmak. And I do hope you're doing as a okay as you can. Let's build a kinder world. All audio hug.