We’re not in theater camp anymore, Toto.
Wannabe Ariana Grandes are singing along during movie screenings of “Wicked” — sparking outrage from filmgoers who say they should hit the Yellow Brick Road.
“I’m already livid about it,” said Nanci Zoppi as she was on her way to see the musical this week at Regal Union Square theater.
“I love that people are excited about it, but everybody’s an indoor cat now,” said Zoppi, a Newark speakeasy singer whose love of music doesn’t extend to obnoxious public singing at the movies. “They don’t know how to be in public places.”
Some superfans seeking to sing along to the Broadway musical’s film adaptation could find themselves in some wicked trouble.
AMC Theaters imposed a ban on belting out show tunes during screenings — in response to a trend that has unleashed the flying monkeys of debate over movie-watching etiquette.
Zoppi’s friend Maria Dressler was disheartened to learn Regal didn’t have a similar ban.
“Oh damn it, we’re at a Regal,” lamented Dressler, 41.
They’re not alone in wanting to drop a house on any off-key bozos.
The phenomenon of theater kids singing along with the box office smash film has prompted a torrent of comedic TikToks showing gagged “Wicked” watchers and disbelieving moviegoers.
The consensus: singing along with the musical’s showstopper “Defying Gravity” is defying a good night out at the movies.
Even some actual theater nerds don’t like the Grande jerks — and support AMC’s ban.
“We’re musical theater students and we still agree because I feel like we need to hear the performance,” said Nyra Jerlagic, 24, who wore an Elphaba Wicked Witch hat to a recent AMC Times Square showing with five of her classmates.
“It’s like you don’t do that, like a Broadway show,” said her friend, Bella King.
Brian Vargas, 34, and David Latt, 35, enjoyed that no one sang during their showing.
Their eyes widened and they gave a passionate “No, no, no, no” when asked if people sing during actual Broadway musicals.
“Not unless the performance is specifically a singalong show,” Vargas, who works at the Stephen Sondheim Theater, which hosts “& Juliet.”
“I think there should be singalongs, which they’ve done for other musicals on Broadway, but I’m here to hear the voices,” Latt said. “It’s not a concert.”
But other “Wicked” moviegoers offered another opinion: pay no attention to the singing behind the curtain.
Sophie Fabien, 25, came to AMC to see the show with her mom and sister — and all were dismayed to hear about the ban.
“Oh, my God,” Fabien gasped.
“We’re singing!” her mom chimed in.
“It’s in the body!” Fabien said. “I think it’s wrong to ban it.”
“Freedom of speech, freedom of singing,” her mom said. “I think that’s messed up, that’s so rude.”
This post was originally published on here
