Broadway’s Wicked is soaring higher than ever!
The beloved musical, known for its unforgettable songs by Stephen Schwartz and a captivating story by Winnie Holtzman, had an incredible Thanksgiving weekend at the box office. Thanks to the buzz surrounding the release of its movie adaptation, Wicked claimed the top spot as Broadway’s highest-grossing show for the week ending December 1.
The Gershwin Theatre production pulled in an impressive $2.93 million, a whopping $370,000 jump from the previous week. With all eight shows playing to sold-out audiences, a total of 15,408 fans experienced the magic of Wicked. Not bad for a musical that’s been running since 2003!
The stage show tells the backstory of the witches of Oz, centering on the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, the misunderstood Wicked Witch, and Glinda, the Good Witch. Broadway stars Mary Kate Morrissey and Alexandra Socha currently lead the cast as Elphaba and Glinda, joined by theater icons like Donna McKechnie as Madame Morrible and Brad Oscar as the Wizard.
Adding to the excitement is the recent movie adaptation, directed by Jon M. Chu, featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Glinda. The film opened on November 22 and smashed records, becoming the highest-grossing Broadway-to-film adaptation debut. It earned a jaw-dropping $114 million in its opening weekend and continued strong through Thanksgiving, raking in over $118 million. The film is the first part of a two-part adaptation, and fans can’t get enough.
Broadway ticket sales often climb during the holiday season, and this year has been no exception. Alongside Wicked, The Lion King and Hamilton also topped the charts, bringing in $2.88 million and $2.6 million, respectively. Overall, the industry grossed $46 million for the week, a big leap from last year’s $34.5 million.
Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the film, recently opened up about the intense preparation behind her performance. During a talk in New York City, she shared how rigorous vocal and physical training helped her nail her scenes, which included singing live and performing her own stunts.
“I went through some tough training to make sure my body was ready,” she said. “I had an amazing vocal coach who helped me find the breath to sing such powerful songs, even while flying.”
With a star-studded cast that also includes Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and more, the Wicked movie continues to draw crowds to theaters. Meanwhile, fans of the stage version can still grab tickets to see the magic live at the Gershwin Theatre.
Whether you’re catching the show on Broadway or watching the movie in theaters, Wicked is proving it’s still the one to beat.
