62. "We're Off to See The Movie!" (with Quincy & Kevin)

Summary

Sentimental Men - Episode 62: "We're Off to See The Movie!"

Broadway Podcast Network | Released on October 9, 2024

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Introduction

In Episode 62 of Sentimental Men, hosts Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi dive deep into their experiences and insights surrounding the highly anticipated Wicked movie adaptation. This episode, titled "We're Off to See The Movie!", offers a comprehensive discussion on the film's execution, character portrayals, musical numbers, and overall impact on both new audiences and long-time fans of the musical.

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1. Excitement Over Shiz University Acceptance

Quincy and Kevin share their excitement about being accepted into Shiz University, a nod to the fan community surrounding Wicked. Quincy describes the moment he wore his Shiz sweatshirt to work, highlighting the pride and community spirit it fostered.

Quincy [02:05]: "I wore my crew neck the next day to work. It got a lot of attention... On the Upper East Side, this woman stops me in the street and goes, 'Oh, my God. Congratulations on your acceptance,' and just kept walking."

Kevin echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the cultural significance and the thriving community of Wicked enthusiasts.

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2. Exclusive Screening Experience

The hosts recount their exclusive invitation to a private screening of the Wicked movie at Soho House. They describe the luxurious setting, complete with pink and green champagne, and the memorable experience of holding the Glinda wand.

Quincy [03:24]: "They gave us pink and green champagne. The Glinda wand was there. Kevin got to hold it."

Kevin [03:46]: "I got to hold the Glinda wand. So did Quincy. It was really, really cool to be at. And I think it was, like, the perfect first audience to watch the movie with."

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3. Faithfulness to the Stage Show

Quincy and Kevin commend the movie's faithful adaptation of the original stage production. They appreciate how the film expands on the narrative, providing more depth and allowing scenes to breathe, which the stage version couldn't fully explore due to time constraints.

Quincy [05:38]: "What was most surprising for me when I saw it was how faithful of an adaptation it was to the stage show. It really kept the essence intact."

Kevin [05:06]: "It was very cool to see the full color being painted throughout the story."

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4. Character Development and Performances

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the nuanced performances of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Quincy praises Cynthia's portrayal, highlighting the depth and calmness she brings to Elphaba, contrasting it with Ariana's vibrant and playful Glinda.

Kevin [08:48]: "Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba has zero expectations of anyone around her. She's had to do everything herself her whole life."

Quincy [11:08]: "Cynthia approaches this role by pushing aside previous interpretations and creating her unique take, which balances perfectly with Ariana's Glinda."

They also delve into the evolving relationship between Nessarose and Elphaba, and the blossoming friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, noting how these dynamics enhance the plot and emotional resonance of the story.

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5. Musical Numbers Analysis

The hosts dissect several key musical numbers, discussing their execution and significance within the film:

• "Popular": Quincy expresses surprise at his love for the number's arrangement in the movie, particularly enjoying the energetic performance.

  Quincy [13:10]: "I was so surprised at how much I love, love, loved it. It was brilliantly done, both in edit and performance."

• "Defying Gravity": Both hosts laud the movie's rendition, praising its visual impact and faithful adaptation from stage to screen.

  Quincy [27:41]: "Defying Gravity was brilliantly done. John M. Chu figured out how to translate that high-energy number to film without it looking hokey."

• "One Short Day": They highlight the emotional depth and beautiful arrangements of this number, emphasizing its pivotal role in showcasing the characters' relationships.

  Quincy [21:08]: "'One Short Day' made me tear up. The vocal arrangements and orchestrations are beautiful."

• "I'm Not That Girl": Quincy appreciates the unique take the movie offers, allowing the song to explore broader narrative elements.

  Quincy [24:09]: "'I'm Not That Girl' was different and beautiful in the movie, serving the larger story in a fun and interesting way."

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6. Visuals and CGI

Addressing common concerns about CGI-heavy adaptations, Quincy and Kevin affirm that the Wicked movie strikes a perfect balance between practical effects and digital enhancements. They commend the film's world-building efforts, noting that the CGI complements rather than overwhelms the storytelling.

Quincy [13:24]: "The movie actually feels very practical and real. It's a world that the characters are living in that feels fully built out without being over-reliant on CGI."

Kevin [23:34]: "Elphaba feels like a totally different species, not just because of her green skin but because of how she's portrayed visually alongside the practical elements."

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7. Overall Impressions and Anticipation for Sequel

Both hosts express overwhelming positivity about the Wicked movie, praising its production quality, performances, and faithful adaptation. They eagerly anticipate the sequel, optimistic about further character development and creative storytelling.

Quincy [29:07]: "It's a genuinely good movie. You can let that exhale, guys."

Kevin [31:00]: "Act one works as a movie with a full arc, and act two is where there's room for more development. I'm excited to see what the sequel brings."

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8. Big Gay Jamboree vs. Titanique

In a lighter segment, Quincy and Kevin compare two events: Big Gay Jamboree and Titanique. They discuss the humor and cater to their specific audience, highlighting the distinct appeals of each event.

Quincy [34:07]: "Overall, I would say that the Big Gay Jamboree is funny, period. And then if you're gay, it's even funnier. And if you're a musical theater gay, it's even funnier than that."

Kevin [35:36]: "It's the only way to do a two-hitter in this town, baby. While everybody's happy, I love it."

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Conclusion

Quincy and Kevin wrap up the episode by reiterating their enthusiasm for the Wicked movie and encouraging listeners to watch it before the sequel arrives next November. They also invite listeners to share their thoughts via voice memos for future discussion episodes.

Quincy [32:11]: "Guys, go see it as you see it. Send us your thoughts. I want to do an episode where everyone sends voice memos with thoughts and questions."

Kevin [36:39]: "We've been listening to Sentimental Men."

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Notable Quotes

• Quincy [05:38]: "What was most surprising for me when I saw it was how faithful of an adaptation it was to the stage show."

• Kevin [08:48]: "Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba has zero expectations of anyone around her."

• Quincy [13:24]: "The movie actually feels very practical and real."

• Quincy [29:07]: "It's a genuinely good movie. You can let that exhale, guys."

---

Connect with Sentimental Men

• Instagram, TikTok, X: @sentmenpod
• Email: sentmenpodmail.com

Stay tuned for more engaging discussions on your favorite women in musical theatre with Quincy and Kevin!

Transcript

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Hi, y'all. This is Kristin Chenoweth.

[Gloria Steflin]

Hi, I'm Gloria Steflin.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

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

[Lin Manuel Miranda]

This is Lin Manuel Miranda.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You're listening to the Broadway Podcast Network. I was feeling my shiz fantasy in my official.

[Quincy]

Wow. I should have worn mine.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You should have worn yours.

[Quincy]

It's a good crew neck.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I don't know that I'll ever need another sweatshirt.

[Quincy]

I'm, like, nervous to put mine through the dryer. I am only hand drying it.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Cold wash, lay flat to dry.

[Quincy]

I'm Quincy.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

And I'm Kevin.

[Quincy]

And this is Sentimental Men.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

We're here to talk and maybe scream about our favorite women in musical theater.

[Gloria Steflin]

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

[Quincy]

That hologram trading card.

[Lin Manuel Miranda]

One of the rarest.

[Quincy]

The last one I needed for my set. Shiny, like the designer handbag of my dreams. One of a kind. Ebay had it. And now everyone's asking, ooh, where'd you get your windshield wipers? Ebay has all the parts that fit my car.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

No more annoying, just beautiful.

[Gloria Steflin]

Whatever you love, find it on eBay. EBay. Things people love.

[Lin Manuel Miranda]

So you're getting hungry. Really hungry. Head to Jack in a Box and pick up a smashed Jack. It's a juicy, delicious smashed burger topped with cheese, pickles, grilled onions, and boss sauce. And it's now available on Sourdough, the Smash Jack. Only a Jack in the Box. Order one on the Jack app. Today.

[Quincy]

We were accepted to Shiz University. Can you believe it is crazy to me, like, how it's a thing. Like, people were posting their acceptance. It's brilliant. But it's so exciting, too.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I mean, it came in, like, a little box. It looks like luggage. And you open it up and there's like, a little letter that says, like, you know, welcome to Shiz. A whole, like, newsletter, student itinerary, the whole nine yards. Very spoiled by Shiz University. Little pins.

[Quincy]

Thank you to the admissions board. It is an awful.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It's so cute. I'm gonna keep that box. I'm gonna put all my stuff from Wicked 20 Wicked 20th anniversary in there so that all my Wicked keepsakes are in one box.

[Quincy]

I wore my crew neck the next day to work. It got a lot of attention. I was late to a meeting, but I was like, it doesn't even matter. Cause I'm gonna walk in and they're all gonna see this shiz sweatshirt, and that'll be the topic of. Then on the Upper east side, this woman stops me in the street and goes, oh, my God. Congratulations on your acceptance, and just kept walking.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Congratulations. Wait, that's fabulous.

[Quincy]

I was like, that's culture.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

What a community.

[Quincy]

I know. Yeah. Super exciting. We saw the Wicked movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

We should just explain that we saw the Wicked movie. Yes. But we saw it in a very cool situation.

[Quincy]

Super cool.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Because we were invited by some nice people.

[Quincy]

The powers that be.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. Some of NBC University favorite tea.

[Quincy]

Yes.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

But we went to this, like, private, lush screening room at Soho House. It was very fun and fancy.

[Quincy]

They gave us pink and green champagne.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

They gave us.

[Quincy]

The Glinda wand was there. Kevin got to hold it.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I got to hold the Glinda wand. So did Quincy. And the other people who were there were, you know, other, like, Oz enthusiasts.

[Quincy]

Fanatics.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Fanatics. It was really, really cool to be at. And I think it was, like, for me, the perfect first audience to watch the movie with.

[Quincy]

We had gotten invited to a screening a couple weeks prior that Kevin couldn't make it to. But I went, and the audience. There was, like, three other people in the audience, and it was like a. It was not as, like, of a setup. It was truly. Hey, screening rooms back there. Have fun. And then we sat in silence and the movie played, and then we all left. This felt like there was a buzz and an energy, and everyone was very excited to be partaking in this special moment, which was very fun.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So I don't even know. How do you want to go through this, Quincy?

[Quincy]

Okay, I'll go for you. Because I was excited to be with you at your first viewing of it because I had some moments that I thought you were going to react to, and then it was fun to see what moments you were reacting to. I'll ask you, overall, what was the most surprising thing about the film to you? And we're not going to really give spoilers, but we're going to talk about this broad strokes. Go see it. It comes out in theaters on November 22nd.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I think the most surprising thing to me was how natural the new stuff felt. Like none of it felt obtrusive to the plot. It wasn't like, oh, here we're adding a detail here. Just to add a detail. Everything. It was so. And maybe surprising isn't the right word for this, but maybe delighted is that, like, everything new felt like it needed to be there. There was nothing added that was, like, extraneous.

[Quincy]

What was most surprising for me when I saw it was how faithful of an adaptation. It was of the stage show. Like it really.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I guess we're saying the same thing.

[Quincy]

Of the stage Show As Act 1 is on stage, except everything gets a little more time to breathe and you kind of get to examine each scene a little more, which I think the stage show needs. And like, it was very cool to see the full color being painted throughout the story.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. It made me think about when we spoke with Stephanie J. Block.

[Quincy]

All roads lead back to sjv.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It always comes back, baby. When we spoke with her about those early versions of the stage show that were like four hours long, it felt like I was watching that version of Wicked. It was like this. It all felt like stuff that was just there under the surface, wanting to come up for air, but there just isn't time.

[Quincy]

Something that's really beautiful about this movie is the relationship that it builds out between Nessaros and Elphaba. Even in the second viewing. It is so cool to see there's a real love there and a real sisterly connection in the film that I think isn't necessarily there in the stage show or doesn't necessarily have the time to build out in a way.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy]

But you really see that Nessarose loves Elphaba, which I think is helpful for the plot.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. Because it adds. When you love somebody, then you can be disappointed in that person. You know what I'm saying? So it's like by seeing that love more, we're gonna get to see more of the hurt in act two in Part two, I think.

[Quincy]

And I think you see the love between Elphaba and Glinda, even when they're quote, unquote hating each other. I feel like you can tell they're kind of having fun with each other doing it. And it's like that weird friendship thing where you kind of tease each other and mock each other before you're able to build something real.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

They really are playing it like a love story, even if the love is platonic. Yes. They are playing a story about these two girlies meeting and being fascinated by and falling in love with each other. And then how tragic when it gets ripped away from them.

[Quincy]

Fascinated by is like a good word because even the way that the Shiz students treat Elphaba, it's not like an overtly racist, mean thing. It's like a. You're green. That's odd. What's going on here, which I did appreciate something Ariana did with her Glinda is again the fascination and just the like, it's a very open minded Glinda. But then also Cynthia's Elphaba, to me, wasn't defensive in a negative way. Like, she was able to have fun with the fact that she knew other people were looking at her weird. And it wasn't like a deep insecurity thing is how it read to me.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. Something that I love about Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba is that she has zero expectations of anyone around her. Like, you really feel like this is a girl who has had to do everything herself her whole life. Like, no reliable source for affection, nobody to carry her stuff for her.

[Quincy]

And she's not holding that against anyone either.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

And it's just the way it is. Right? There's no she. It's all she's ever known, so she's not like, begrudging of it. Then you add in all these layers that she plays about. Like, clearly Elphaba has had to learn to suppress herself and, like, to take that breath and calm herself down. And so it's just like there's a calmness to her Elphaba that is so striking. Maybe because we know what she's capable of and we know that what is brewing underneath that. But it's like, it's so captivating to watch, especially in contrast to the zany, slapstick musical theater that we get from Ariana Grande where she's like, running around in the background of the shot or like, you know what I mean? Like, she is so full out physical comedy in this that it's like that stillness from Cynthia is like, it's full.

[Quincy]

Out physical comedy, but it's not White claw. Glinda. What kind of Glinda? Cause she's not a sauv blanc Glinda either. What would she be?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

What is the equivalent for, like, it's like an old school, like, putting on a show in a barn. Glinda.

[Quincy]

She's a dirty Shirley. Glinda.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

She's a dirty Shirley. Glinda. Oh, my God. You heard it here first. I wish we could make merch that said that she's a. Yeah, she's a dirty shirtly. Yeah, she's here to have a good time. I'm so happy and so jealous because it's like you're watching Ariana Grande in this movie and you're like, that's a choice that she's been making in her shower, singing along to the cast, recording her whole life. It's so lived in. You're like, this is. She's. She's had 20 years of figuring out how she would play this role.

[Quincy]

It's so clear that she is coming to this role with the context of all the ladies who have come before and how this role has played. But she is not. She's not making those exact choices. But she's like. I don't even know how to describe it. There's such an awareness of those choices and ascend up to those choices while still being her own unique thing.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It's just like the personification of understanding the assignment like it is. It is like a well researched, well informed, learn everything that has come before you and then throw it away and do your own thing kind of performance.

[Quincy]

And I. On that same note, I think Cynthia, it feels as if she is approaching this role with the context of what it came before. Of what came before. But pushing all of that aside and creating her own character based on the text and the Oz history of it all, which I think is a really good balance to have in that duo.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I agree. I think they're so well balanced in so many ways and I think that's a really important one.

[Quincy]

I'd also argue that Elphaba as a character has more room to develop like a specific unique take in character. Whereas Glinda on the page in the stage show is a little more built out beat for beat.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

And it serves. It serves a little more of a bit of a function. You know what I mean? Like, you have to. There's a few more boxes, like technically that you have to check.

[Quincy]

You said understood the assignment earlier. And I feel like that is a good assessment of just the movie in general and everyone who created this movie. I feel like a common worry I've been hearing on the street is, oh, it's so cgi. It's gonna be so cgi. To which I say there were like, the movie actually feels very practical and real in a way that I was not even anticipating.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I agree.

[Quincy]

This is a world that the characters are living in that feels fully built out. Yes. The flying monkeys and stuff. But like it does not feel like a CGI heavy movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

No, it feels. This feels like weird to say, but almost like old school in the fact that like the CGI feels like it's enhancing the pract practical elements, not replacing them.

[Quincy]

Yes. What was the number song that made you squeal the most with delight?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Well, it was popular, definitely.

[Quincy]

Mm.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Because I was squealing with delight at the performance. But there's also so many Easter eggs within that number. It's also very quick paced. The editing of that number, visually, it was just so exciting to watch. Musically speaking, thrillifying. That's all I'll say.

[Quincy]

There's a moment in Popular that I knew was gonna gag Kevin.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I also think that it's, like, so popular coming off of Dancing Through Life.

[Quincy]

Big, which we'll get to.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Big task. Big task. Because Dancing Through Life really did it for me. I was feeling Jonathan Bailey really did.

[Quincy]

It for me in this film. It comes off so effortless. The sensuality, yet dorkiness, yet cute, yet hot and swapped. Like it's all. He really is a perfect, perfect tierro.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes, I agree.

[Quincy]

I would love to have this whole cast on stage for one night. Do a one night only BCFA thing or something.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Or something. Or just like Sent Men Live thing.

[Quincy]

The green room 42. Did it open the way you thought it was going to open?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

The physical opening?

[Quincy]

Yeah. Like the sequence of the start of the movie when you envisioned it.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Well, I suspected that the first visual was going to be the first visual.

[Quincy]

Mm.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I don't want to give it away. But then there's like a big swooping.

[Quincy]

Shot that comes after the transition to shiz gagged me.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Oh. Oh. That's not even what I was talking about. I was talking about. Okay, so the very opening shot happens and then it's like, whoosh. And you see that.

[Quincy]

Mm.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

That shot really. Oh, really took my physical breath away. Yeah. Oh, this is transition.

[Quincy]

Yeah. I mean, talk about world building.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Talk about world building. The water of it all. The, like, the moat of it. The use of water. I'm currently listening to Barbra Streisand's memoir and she's talking about filming Yentl and the importance of the opening. Wait, wait, Go with me, go with me.

[Quincy]

She's talking about so gay.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

She's going on about the opening sequence when she's trying to cross all these bodies of water to fulfill her destiny. And first she's got to step over a puddle, and then she's got to walk over a bridge, and then she's got to take a boat ride. And then it's like one by one, where the bodies of water get bigger, but the destiny remains the same. And I have chills literally in my hands right now. I'm shaking. Quincy. That reveal of young Linda on the moat, it's just like. There are so many breathtaking moments in this movie.

[Kevin]

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[Alan Seals]

If you love Broadway gossip, you are not going to want to 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 Asians. Excuse me.

[Alan Seals]

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

[Quincy]

You know what number? I was so surprised at how much I love, love, loved it.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Mm.

[Quincy]

What is this feeling? Yeah, I think it is so well done, edit wise and performance wise and so exciting. And that number's. It's. I like it in the show, but it's like me too top tier standout of the movie for me.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I agree. There's like so much new stuff to learn and look at in that number about shiz about the two of them.

[Quincy]

It's like to get a dancing through life function.

[Robert Peter Paul]

It's.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It is serving passage of time.

[Quincy]

I also think this thread makes sense, I think if you've seen the movie. But the way that Cynthia as Elphaba is never dressed badly. Like she's always kind of serving a look and giving glam, giving nails. Cynthia as a person is so physically different than the girly pops that she was surrounded by in this movie. I think we're great in establishing that Elphaba is beautiful. She's just different in how she looks compared to everyone else. And it was almost like less about her skin and more just like she stands out as a figure in this crowd of people.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, totally. You must have said this to me off of the podcast. But you like said it's almost like she's an alien. It's not that her skin is a different color. She just feels like a totally different species. And I think that that's exactly right because she's just like she gives them no other reason to take issue with her appearance. She is dressed well. She is well groomed. You know what I mean? Like she's. She is serving, serving more than those ferocious. Yes. Although I do want one of those blue and orange sweaters.

[Quincy]

Oh, I would look horrific in that.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I would look very cute in it.

[Quincy]

Yeah, you could actually. You could be a Munchkinlander. You dyed your hair. Every munchkin lander has orange hair in all this? Yes, the munchkin leather.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Okay, do you think they were specifically looking for a redheaded actor because they knew or do you think they found Ethan Slater?

[Quincy]

I think they found Ethan Slater and then let that be the look.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I like that narrative.

[Quincy]

Ariana Grande is unrecognizable as Ariana Grande in this film, which I think was her biggest bar to clear. And boy, did she.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, I agree. I forget if it was in what is this Feeling? Or in dancing Through Life, but I like noticed how well she was dancing and I was like, oh, well, duh. She goes, she goes on tours, of course. And then I was like, oh, right. She's Ariana Grande, the world famous recording artist, pop star, stadium arena extravaganza. But here I am an hour and 45 minutes into the Wicked movie and to me that's like nowhere.

[Quincy]

It is hard to imagine anyone else in either of those two roles after seeing the movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, they really did something special in their individual performances and together.

[Quincy]

Something that I think this movie does well is it lets us live in that era of Elphaba kind of being a popular girly at school. Not popular, but just liked at school in a way that really warms your heart and again just adds more color to this story that we all know and love.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Overall, that is kind of like the section of the plot where we get the most breath. Right. Is like between dancing through life and one short day, we kind of get to see like what life is like when everybody's getting along a little bit more.

[Quincy]

We just get to see them like be students at shiz.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. It's like, let's walk around together. Let's sit together in class. This is great. Yeah, maybe I am that girl.

[Quincy]

One short day made me tear up. It's a beautiful day.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

One short day is beautiful.

[Quincy]

And the arrangements, the vocal arrangements, the orchestrations are beautiful.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Something I love about that number on stage is the like slow build up to it from the very first, like, come with me One short day. Like, it feels like such a good build and that I feel like translates the buildup of that vocally, visually, musically was so exciting that then when you're finally like full on thrust into the hoi polloi, it's so beautiful.

[Quincy]

I think Dillamond and his whole storyline hits so much better on film.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. I think that this movie devotes a little more time early on to like, this is a silly thing to say but like humanizing the animals that it's just like we don't have that time on stage. We gotta keep things moving.

[Quincy]

Mm.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

But there's a few details, but we feel that, like.

[Quincy]

Oh, culture, really, animals are really ingrained in this culture. So it is kind of crazy and nuts that this is happening and they're trying to be taken out of it.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes. And I think it's like we get a little bit of clarity, even just like visual clarity to, like, see an actual physical goat and not just like an actor in a goat mask or like an actual monkey or an actual midwife. That is a bear or whatever. It makes a difference to how you, like, receive these characters. And. Okay, so then that's interesting too. Then you layer that onto what we were saying about Elphaba. It's not so much that her skin is green, it's that she feels like a totally different species. Ooh.

[Quincy]

Interesting.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Because then it's like. That's interesting.

[Quincy]

She relates.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

She relates. But yeah, I agree. I think the entire animal Something bad.

[Quincy]

Is a bop plot.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Something bad is. Yeah, I loved that. I love the setting of that number, how it's executed. Yeah. It makes it feel like higher stakes. Mm, mm, mm. Nothing. All that bad. What was a number that surprised you or, like, that was, like, presented in a way that you, like, didn't imagine or hadn't imagined or couldn't have imagined?

[Quincy]

I'm not that girl. Yeah, I'm not that girl was different and beautiful and useful. Like, it feel like they used the song in a way that was fun for me and interesting because on stage, she's standing on stage having an introspective moment in the.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy]

Forest. And in the movie, it serves. I mean, I guess that's just like the medium. But the movie allows them to paint the picture of the larger story that I'm not that Girl is telling. And also the arrangement is very fun and unique. I'm trying not to. I don't want to give things away.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah. Ms. Erivo, she is singing.

[Quincy]

Yeah, she is singing. Well, okay, on that note, I imagine this was intentional. Ariana and Cynthia are both girls who can sing capital S and riff capital R. Ariana is a quote unquote pop vocalist. Like, that has been her bag. And Cynthia can riff. They both, though, are giving pretty true two form musical theater renditions of each of these songs.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Oh, yeah.

[Quincy]

There is flair every once in a while and it's used intentionally and well. But I think it's brilliant of them to do that and kind of canonize these renditions of the songs in a musical theater way because I think that's gonna give these Performances longevity in a way that it wouldn't necessarily have if it had been populations throughout the entire thing.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Let me add to what you're saying about the musical theater enos of it is I think both of these women are using their voice as storytelling tools, not just as vocal pyrotechnics.

[Quincy]

Show off.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Right. Like it's. And there's a moment later in part one where like, just like something about Ariana Grande's voice. I was like, oh, oh, she's like shifting. I can hear her making vocal shifts as her character is progressing. And Cynthia is and has always been one of the most expressive vocalists that the medium has to offer. And so it's like to hear her up close and see her really singing these songs and to see her restrain. Yes, it's just like.

[Quincy]

Yes.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Because that's the other thing is it's like we know how Cynthia Erivo can sing and does sing and sings in this movie, but it's like pick and choose when it happens, when she gives it to us, and how long she makes us wait for the big moments.

[Quincy]

Something I would love to ask them is how many. How long it took to lock in the version of the song they were gonna do. Like, there are runs in certain songs and, like, how much deliberation and forethought went into. Okay, this is what we're locking in and this is what's gonna be in the movie. And what other options were they doing prior? You know, even something like the war cry. How many war cries does Cynthia have in her voice memo? That is like an option.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

What a job to be the editor of this movie and have to like, sift through all of their delicious options over and over. Oh, that's my dream job. Speaking of, I think that Defying Gravity was brilliantly done.

[Quincy]

And that is a hard number to imagine in a movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yes, yes. And I think that's like a common thing, is just like, how do you put that number on screen in a way that doesn't look hokey? And it's like we, the mortals of this sphere just like, do not have the imagination capacity to figure it out. But John M. Chu figured it out. Like, it's so. It's. It's definitely an extended sequence. I think that's fair to say. It's not just like the six minute song that is on the cast recording. It just packs such a heavy punch and it really, like the thing that makes Defying Gravity work on stage so well and thing that made it so revolutionary when it happened is that it is such, like, a balls to the wall, like, no holds bar moment. Let's make it as big as we can, as flashy as we can, as exciting as we can. And I think the movie does that and then pulls it back to, like, the tiniest moments as well. There was. There's a moment in Defying Gravity that the entire audience gasped.

[Quincy]

Yeah. Scream.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Someone shrieks like, it's just like it. It's breathtaking. It's. It's truly breathtaking.

[Quincy]

It's a genuinely good movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I think it's a terrific movie.

[Quincy]

I feel like we've all been holding our breaths, and I think we can say that. You can let that exhale, guys.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Oh, exhale. Like Jennifer Garner and love Simon. Exhale.

[Quincy]

Get to breathe.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

You get to breathe now the movie is out. It's safe. It's in good hands. It's a terrific movie. It's so good. Top to bottom, it's good. There's exciting things throughout. And there's things I'm already excited. Well, a, there are things I'm already excited to watch a second time. And there's already things that I'm like, oh, I can't wait to see this play out in part two.

[Quincy]

And there were moments that I missed. The first time that I clocked in, the second time that I was like, ooh, there's really fun cameos.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I think this movie is something that's gonna get said about it a lot, is that it's like, if this is your first ever exposure to Wicked, the intellectual property, you're gonna love it.

[Quincy]

Oh, yeah.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

If you also love the stage show, you're gonna love it. If you also love the MGM movie, you're gonna love it, like, at every. As invested as you can be or as uninvested as you can be in, like, Wicked, the movie is a success. There's a moment in Defying Gravity of Ariana and Michelle Yeoh that just, like, makes me think of that.

[Quincy]

Yeah.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Michelle Yeoh is terrifying in this movie. Like, she's so.

[Quincy]

That moment really scary. Does send shivers down your spine.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, shivers.

[Quincy]

Callousettle. We got Callousettle.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

We got her. And then that's it. Is that a wrap on Ms. Cottle?

[Quincy]

It does. I hate to say it, but this does make me so excited for the second movie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy]

Because act one works as a movie. There's, like, a full arc, and so you can do that in a movie. Act two is where there's, like, the room for development and growth. And so I am just curious to see. It feels like they can take a little bit more creative liberties with the second movie. And I'm excited to see what that does and who is part of that.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's going to happen to Ms. Cottle? What's gonna happen to Fanny and Chen? Chen? I want to see it again.

[Quincy]

It's really great, guys.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

So bad.

[Quincy]

I'm like, so happy. Can you believe it's how good it is? It just feels like we're very lucky. Musical adaptations are hit or miss, and it's lucky that this one is a hit.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It's a big, gorgeous, lush, perfectly balanced. Expensive.

[Quincy]

Expensive.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Like it feels. This is going to sound stupid to say, but it's like, I'm so glad that they took their time. Like, it, it. There's nothing about it that feels rushed. Like none of the effects looked cheap or rushed or shoddy. Like everything looks finished exactly the way it wanted to look. Finished.

[Quincy]

Yeah. Guys, go see it as you see it. Send us your thoughts. I want to do an episode where, like, everyone sends voice memos with thoughts and questions and we can talk about it in that way because I'm just like, so curious to see what the reaction will be from everyone else.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I think that's a great idea.

[Quincy]

Okay, so email us a voice memo if. When you see it and we'll do a fun reaction episode.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

That's sentmenpodmail.com and please email us a.

[Quincy]

Voice memo as an attachment. Don't send us a DM with a voice memo because those are tough to.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Like, get into the episode and I'm not doing it. Yeah, we're not doing it. You forfeit your your involvement looking for.

[Michaela Reynolds]

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[Robert Peter Paul]

If you like this podcast you're listening to right now, then when it's over, you should also tune into the theater podcast with Alan Seals. That's me, Alan Seals. My podcast dives deep into the world of Broadway and beyond and you get to hear from some of the biggest names in the industry like Patti LuPone, James Monroe Iglehart, Ariana DeBose, Stephanie J. Block, and literally over 350 more equally amazing guests. I bring you exclusive interviews behind the scenes insights and captivating stories from the stars themselves. So whether you're a seasoned theater goer or just curious about the magic behind the curtain, the theater podcast with Alan Seals is your ultimate backstage pass. Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Quincy, do you want to talk about big gay jamboree real quick before we go?

[Quincy]

It was so much fun.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It was.

[Quincy]

I can't tell if I like it more than Titanique. They're on equal footing right now.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Yeah.

[Quincy]

Okay.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

They're. Well, they're equal in terms of. I like them both, but in terms of. Yeah, they. They scratch different itches for me. Overall, I would say that the big gay jamboree, it's funny, period. And then if you're gay, it's even funnier. And then if you're a musical theater gay, it's even funnier than that.

[Quincy]

It was way more musical theater funny than I was expecting. I was expecting gay capital G humor and it definitely is, but it's. I would argue it's capital G. Hell's Kitchen musical theater gay humor.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Correct. Yeah. Yeah. I got my yacht.

[Quincy]

Bravo to you, Paris Nicks. You are incredible. Jennifer Lopez has a backup also obsessed with Natalie Walker. Is that how she's billed?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Right?

[Quincy]

Oh, I thought you said. You said it says with Natalie Walker.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

I said also obsessed with Natalie Walker.

[Quincy]

It's like you're clocking her billing for big K Jefferson.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

No, that is something I would clock though.

[Quincy]

Well, did you clock that Ariana and Cynthia have the idina Kristen billing?

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Of course I clocked that. Come on, give me a hard one, Quincy.

[Quincy]

It's just like the story of the lore of how that decision was made with I forget who on left and right but like Adina being left down but Kristen being right high. There's so much lore about like the decision makers behind that and to see that it carried on to the movie is kind of beautiful.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

It's the only way to do a 2 hitter in this town, baby. While everybody's happy, I love it. Nothing makes me happier. Yeah, but big gay jamboree.

[Quincy]

Yeah. I'm so happy to be alive right now. I'm so happy to be gay right now. I'm so happy to be a wicked fan right now. Yeah, I'm just feeling very hashtag blessed and grateful to be alive right now. And I love that the wicked movie is good. I love that the wicked movie is coming out. We should all go see it.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Go buy your tickets. If you're listening to this, tickets are on sale. Let's make Barbie look like a little indie film. Okay. Bigger than Barbie. And then we're going to do it again next November.

[Quincy]

Hula hoops. Bigger than Barbie.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Shingling. What? Wait, Quincy. Sherry Renee Scott in Little Shop of Horrors. You didn't tell me. Oh, we're so done. Oh, we're so done.

[Quincy]

We can go see her.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

All right, I approve of that.

[Quincy]

All right, bye, guys. You've been listening to Sentimental Men.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

We'd like to say a big thank you to our editor, Anthony Appetangelo, and.

[Quincy]

A special thanks to Michaela Reynolds and Julia DiMarzo, our photographer and logo designer.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

And of course, thanks to everyone at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[Quincy]

You can find Sentimental men on Instagram, TikTok and X @sentmenpod, or you can.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Email [e-mail] till next time.

[Quincy]

I'm Quincy and.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

And I'm Kevin.

[Quincy]

Oh, I also wore my shiz sweatshirt to the big Gay Jamboree because it felt like it would get appreciated in that crowd.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Did it?

[Quincy]

I mean, people were staring.

[Julia DiMarzo]

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.

[Kristin Chenoweth]

Whoop.

[Julia DiMarzo]

I blacked out. To Tony winners like Stephanie J. Block. To Olympians like Lori Hernandez, we 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]

Woo. Woo.

[Julia DiMarzo]

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 BPN fma. And I do hope you're doing as a okay as you can. Let's build a kinder world. Aw. Audio hug.