Oz may have told us not to pay attention to the man behind the curtain, but the taping of Wicked: One Wonderful Night at the Dolby Theater gave audiences a glimpse of the magic behind the scenes.
The show was taped at the Dolby Theater on September 24th and was packed with Wicked fans dressed up for the occasion.
Although many standout moments aired, including a duet of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand’s classic “Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy” performed by movie stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, some of the night’s most enjoyable off-camera moments didn’t make it into the final cut.
Here are some things you didn’t see on air.
audience participation
Before the cameras rolled, audience members were asked to learn the choreography for the opening number, “No One Mourns the Wicked.” Those seated in the orchestra section were given constructed tulips and taught the flower choreography from the movie, tossing them into the air on cue to coincide with Grande’s entrance as Glinda the Good. The group rehearsed for a few minutes, then the dancers took part in the final run-through and filming.
Show Must Go On
The sequences were shot out of order and included complete musical numbers with transitions from scene to scene. Most songs required only one take, but some songs, including “The Wizard and I” and “Defying Gravity,” were performed twice to ensure a clean version, giving the audience an extra encore. Grande and Erivo’s duet “Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy” was also sampled, but this was not for technical reasons, but simply because the two wanted to do it again.
multiple choice moment
In addition to recording alternate versions of the musical performances, the production also recorded multiple intros for the program’s packaged segments. At one point, director Jon M. Chu shot two separate settings. One features previously unreleased audition tapes of actors who have “gone on screen,” including Khloé Kardashian, Shaquille O’Neal and Ludacris, while the other teases exclusive new clips. It was suggested that only the unreleased auditions were broadcast, and the remaining auditions were ultimately cut.
Teasing…no reward
Throughout the night, Grande, Erivo, and the cast teased special new movie clips and musical moments, but the live audience ultimately didn’t get to see them. At one point, Grande and Erivo introduced a new song that would be premiered in the film, setting up a “first listen,” but no clip was shown.
“Sorry, I can’t really hear you tonight,” Grande apologized. “Isn’t that bad? We said so!” Erivo chimed in, adding, “It’s not our fault. We want to give you everything. We love you!”
Bowen Yang and Ethan Slater then teased a pre-recorded performance of “For Good” at the Gershwin Theater where “Wicked” will be performed on Broadway, but revealed that audiences would not see it. The room responded with playful groans. “Sorry, everyone!” said Ms. Yang.
The broadcast version featured a “Wicked” reunion between Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who first played the characters in the original Broadway production and had a cameo in the first film. Grande and Erivo also took to the stage, and the four performed with piano accompaniment from composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz.
moderator
During the downtime, Bill Sindelar was given host duties to keep spirits high. He mingled with the audience during the show, bringing audience members dressed in elaborate costumes to perform, keeping them up to date and directing audience reaction shots and B-roll.
Fun between scenes
The recording spanned over four hours, with breaks between scenes used as production resets for the next set-up. Even during those breaks, music kept the audience on their toes, from Chapel Lawn’s “Pink Pony Club,” which sparked a full-on sing-along, to “Hot to Go!” The result was a dance session led by the emcee. Then, as “Thank U, Next” began to play, Grande surprised the audience by returning to the stage and laughing and sharing a brief moment with the audience.
marissa moment
Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose, introduced “Defying Gravity” with a speech about authenticity and resilience. “This song is an ode to authenticity and believing in yourself no matter what obstacles the world throws in your way,” she said. Her intro was cut from the broadcast version. But Mr. Bode added, “Whether it’s the school bully… or a power-hungry dictator…” and there was a prolonged cheer in the room. Although the lines were deleted for broadcast, the applause continued for nearly 30 seconds during the live broadcast.
‘Popular’
In a surprising turn of events, Grande chose an audience member to act as Elphaba’s opposite, rather than Erivo, her usual scene partner. The lucky audience member was a 4-year-old boy named Remington. Remington was dressed as Elphaba and had a broom prop. Grande put him on the bed and interacted with him while dancing and singing songs. There were no unexpected surprises. Grande and her newest co-star performed “Popular” in one take. And yes, she gave him back the broom.
Choreographer Christopher Scott revealed that he had been substituting for children during rehearsals. “It’s me and Ali, pretending to be this 4-year-old kid. In my mind, I’m thinking, ‘I don’t know what a 4-year-old would do.'” Backstage, Scott stared at a monitor and had mini-celebrations every time something went right.
“Dance Through Life”
Jonathan Bailey, the sexiest man in the world, was unable to appear on the day of the show’s taping. “They were going to move mountains to make it happen,” Scott told Variety.
After finding out that wasn’t going to happen, the team came up with different ideas to represent that number on the show. “We wanted to honor Jonathan, honor the show, and offer something fresh, new and fun for the fans,” Scott said.
Bowen Yang appears as Fiyero. “I got a chance to see a new side of him,” Scott said. And they weren’t finished yet. Slater and Bode also wore Fierro costumes and danced throughout their lives.
