Wicked fever is sweeping the globe, as the film adaptation of the beloved musical has officially hit theaters.
Centered around the origin story of The Wizard of Oz characters Glinda/Galinda (played by Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo), it finds the two girls as college roommates at Shiz University, and how they became their respective witches.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande attend the European Premiere of “Wicked: Part One” at The Royal Festival Hall on November 18, 2024 in London, England. Fans heading to the film’s screening are encouraging others not to sing along.
Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage/Getty Images
While this is only part one of the tale, similar to the musical’s structure, audiences must wait until next year to see the second half. However, fans have quite a bit of thoughts about maintaining a code of conduct for the screenings — particularly, when it comes to singing along to the catchy melodies.
No matter how catchy tracks like “Popular” might be or how well you remember “Defying Gravity” from your days of watching Glee, fans who are going to see Wicked really don’t want anyone singing along. This is because they want the focus to be on Grande, Erivo, Jonathan Bailey (who plays Fiyero), Jeff Goldblum (who plays the Wizard), and the rest of the cast’s vocals.
“If you want to sing in the theatre whilst watching Wicked, there is a sing-a-long version in December, otherwise I’m gonna need you to stfu and let a couple voices of a generation do it,” Kevin McHale, who played Artie on Glee, even tweeted. “Also, if I see 1 goddamn phone, I’m smacking that sh*t down.”
If you want to sing in the theatre whilst watching Wicked, there is a sing-a-long version in December, otherwise I’m gonna need you to stfu and let a couple voices of a generation do it! Also, if I see 1 goddamn phone, I’m smacking that shit down.
— Kevin McHale (@druidDUDE) November 21, 2024
“PSA every show on Broadway of Wicked is a non singalong version,” another Wicked fan added on X (formerly known as Twitter). “If hundreds of people a week can make it through then you can make it through a two and a half hour movie.”
PSA every show on Broadway of Wicked is a non singalong version. If hundreds of people a week can make it through then you can make it through a two and a half hour movie
— rhea’s life (you’re just living in it) (@hopefulromances) November 19, 2024
An AMC spokesperson named Ryan Noonan also confirmed to the IndyStar that silence will be mandatory, pointing to the theater chain’s “long-standing policy” for “disruptive behavior.”
“The Wicked preshow spot incorporates the themes of the film as a fun, engaging reminder to moviegoers to not disrupt the experience for those around them as they enjoy the show,” Noonan added.
For those who do want to sing along, you will need to wait a few more weeks. According to Variety, there will be screenings across the U.S. for fans to join in on December 25 (Christmas Day).
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