Executive producer Ben Winston is no stranger to producing variety specials. His credits include “The Late Late Show” and “Grammy Awards.” When it came to bringing Wicked: One Wonderful Night to audiences, his biggest concern was, “How do we do justice to this?”
Winston was speaking at an FYC event held on Universal property in early June during a conversation moderated by film director Jon M. Chu. Winston explained that the solution is simple and relies on traditional, old-fashioned variety show techniques. “All we tried to do was make it a real variety special in the best possible way,” he said. That meant weaving in comedy sketches, musical performances, and choreography, as well as clips audiences had never seen before.
“The team really just tried to create an authentic, old-fashioned variety special that people will remember for years to come.”
The special aired just before the second film, Wicked: For Good, was released in theaters and featured live performances of “Popular,” “Defying Gravity,” and “Thank Goodness.” Winston revealed that he didn’t have much time to rehearse the musical songs. “I was only in the theater for two days,” he said of the Dolby Theater.
Winston and Chu were joined by choreographer Christopher Scott, who pointed out that Michelle Yeoh, who plays Mrs. Morrible, did not dance in the film. However, for the special, she had the opportunity to create a short number that encapsulated her character’s weather-manipulating powers and incorporated moves inspired by her martial arts background. Scott said, “It was a challenging moment to choreograph. It was three days so we had very little time.” To make it a success, Scott visited Yeo’s hotel and rehearsed their moves together. “She turned it on and did it. She added a wink and no one told her to do it, but it was Michelle Yeoh at her best.”
The “For Good” number reunited Erivo and Grande with the Broadway show’s original stars Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth (both of whom also made special appearances in “Wicked: Part One”). Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz wrote the new bridge.
Winston also recalled meeting with Grande on Zoom. When Grande asked him how he planned to end the show, he admitted that he told her, “I don’t know, I haven’t really thought about it,” and went on to say that Grande brought him the idea of singing “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again.” “She immediately suggested it and texted me the video. We watched it together at the same time and I was like, ‘This is great. It’s a great message to end with.'”
Todd Williamson/NBC
Musical Director Stephen Oremus added, “…something so hopeful and beautiful, and to end with an iconic duet between two iconic singers.” Grande and Erivo had concerns during assembly. “We reconstructed the entire arrangement that Judy and Barbra Streisand wrote note for note, and it was really, really emotional and really beautiful,” Oremus said.
He continued, “It lifted everyone’s spirits in a very positive and beautiful way. It connected in some way to the whole Judy Garland thing, to have something refreshing that wasn’t ‘Wicked.’
Wicked: One Wonderful Night received multiple Emmy nominations and was one of the first IPs to win an Emmy, Oscar, Tony, and Grammy Award in 2000.
