Wicked Stars Reveal Secret Song Meanings

The cast of the enduring musical 'Wicked' has shared intimate details about their favorite songs and the creative process behind the beloved show. Idina Menzel, the original Elphaba, described the exhilarating first dress rehearsal of "Defying Gravity," a moment of soaring triumph that she helped shape by suggesting the song's iconic high octave. She also noted the difficulty of specific notes and the importance of embracing mistakes.

Zizi Strallen, currently portraying Glinda in the West End, finds "Thank Goodness" to be a challenging but ultimately rewarding song that captures Glinda's internal conflict between personal ambition and loyalty. Strallen highlighted how the song's unique rhythms and Stephen Schwartz's naturalistic writing style only became clear when performed with the full orchestra.

Jordan Litz, who performed as Fiyero over 1,700 times in the U.S., discussed the evolution of "Dancing Through Life" from its earlier, less carefree version. Litz admitted this song was the most difficult for him personally, requiring him to find confidence and swagger that didn't come naturally, ultimately making it his most learned number.

Musical supervisor Stephen Oremus detailed the iterative process for "The Wizard and I," explaining how it evolved through three versions to unlock Elphaba's journey and perfectly suit Idina Menzel's voice. Composer Stephen Schwartz revealed that the title and inspiration for the heartfelt finale, "For Good," came from a conversation with his collaborator Winnie Holzman about the profound impact friends have on each other.