As ‘Wicked’ Turns 20, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel Reunite

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( theater [Still Popular]( For Wicked’s 20th birthday, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel reunite to talk about high notes, low rumors, and onstage emergencies. Photo: Mark Seliger There’s something familiar about watching Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth have a conversation — the way that one of them tends to be a bubbling extrovert, the other more introspective but observant and ready with a joke. After a long day in workshops for their respective musical projects, the two of them slip into the familiar language of longtime collaborators, with inside jokes and catch-ups. You may have seen it onstage before, in a musical called Wicked. When that show opened on Broadway on October 30, 2003, Chenoweth originated the role of Galinda/Glinda, the perky good witch with hidden insecurities, and Menzel played Elphaba, the outcast turned green wicked witch. The show, based on Gregory Maguire’s prequel to The Wizard of Oz, with a book by Winnie Holzman, songs by Stephen Schwartz, and directed by Joe Mantello, was an expensive, effects-heavy production, coming to New York after a very long development. The reviews were middling to negative. But there was something in its spectacle, its music, and especially that friendship between Glinda and Elphaba, and hordes of fans, especially young women, began making their way to the Gershwin Theatre, and still do. A whole generation of actresses have succeeded them in those parts onstage and will soon do so onscreen with the long-in-the-works film adaptation — and in other musicals clearly inspired by Wicked, most notably Frozen. “I’m always so proud of what Idina and I laid down,” Chenoweth says. “So many women have done so well in those roles. That means that we did our jobs.” [read more]( The Latest TV Recaps • Below Deck Mediterranean: [Everybody Hates Max]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [The Beautiful Ones The tender paintings of Njideka Akunyili Crosby.]( By Jerry Saltz [Rob Riggle Would Host The Daily Show ‘in a Heartbeat’ The performer discusses his long comedy career, from SNL to improvising in Step Brothers.]( By Andy Hoglund [Hello, Uglies! Dragula Is Back, Both Ookier and Spookier Than Ever The season-five trailer has loads of drag, loads of drama, and just a taste of Matthew Lillard.]( By Jason P. Frank [The 2023 Rock Hall Induction Is Low on the Richter Scale Stevie Nicks is showing up and that’s what matters.]( By Devon Ivie [Justin Timberlake Can Cry Us a River From a “six or seven girl” rebound to an AAVE moment with Ginuwine, here’s what Britney has to say about her terrible ex.]( By Zoe Guy [How Dicks: The Musical’s Grotesquely Adorable Sewer Boys Were Born They can do a kickline, eat regurgitated deli meat, and consume human flesh. Here’s how the gross yet endearing stars of the A24 musical were created.]( By Esther Zuckerman [Leave the World Behind Makes It Okay to Be Scared of Teslas Starring Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, and Myha’la.]( By Jason P. Frank [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Today’s Crossword]( 7-Down, Five Letters: 2014 title role for Frances. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty A newsletter of TV and movie recommendations. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2023, All rights reserved