This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Ariana Grande: Hi, I'm Ariana Grande. Hi, I'm Cynthia Erivo, and you're listening to The Sentimental Men Podcast. Visit vpn.fm to discover more.

[0:14] Quincy Brown: Who rang that bell? All right, clearly that was if you were to put it together.

[0:19] Kevin Bianchi: Can you believe? Oof, that gag does.

[0:22] Quincy Brown: Who rang that bell?

[0:32] Quincy Brown: I'm Quincy.

[0:39] Kevin Bianchi: And I'm Kevin. And this is Sentimental Men. We're here to talk, and maybe scream, about our favorite women in musical theater.

[0:43] Quincy Brown: It's the most wonderful time of the year.

[0:57] Kevin Bianchi: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Kevin, and to you listeners.

[1:01] Kevin Bianchi: Happy New Year, indeed. I don't know about you, Quincy. For all the good that this year was, I also am ready to leave 2024 in the fucking dust.

[1:11] Quincy Brown: Yes, but I feel like 2025 is going to be equally, if not more, chaotic and traumatic for all of us.

[1:20] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, yeah.

[1:22] Quincy Brown: It has been nice to have the Wicked bomb over what is a very dark time, I think, in the world history.

[1:30] Kevin Bianchi: Correct. Yes, I agree. It's been nice to have something that I love with my whole being to focus on in the face of all of the other stuff this year.

[1:44] Quincy Brown: Should we do a recap retrospective of our Sentimental Men 2024 journey, forgetting all of the global 2024 journey?

[1:51] Kevin Bianchi: Yes, a little sent-men-wrapped, if you will.

[1:54] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[1:54] Quincy Brown: So I think the first big thing for us this year was on your birthday, question mark, when they dropped the first trailer.

[2:03] Kevin Bianchi: Was that on my birthday?

[2:04] Quincy Brown: It was the day of the Super Bowl, and it was the day after, or two days after, we went out for your birthday. So I don't remember if it was your birthday proper or not, but it was right around your birthday.

[2:16] Kevin Bianchi: I think my birthday party was my birthday proper.

[2:18] Quincy Brown: I was at your apartment for the trailer, right?

[2:21] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, which was fun.

[2:22] Quincy Brown: Because they had announced it was going to play on the Super Bowl, or we just heard through the grapevine?

[2:27] Kevin Bianchi: I don't remember, but there was definitely – I don't know why else you and I would have gotten together to watch the Super Bowl.

[2:34] Quincy Brown: Oh my god.

[2:36] Kevin Bianchi: And then you did a live breakdown of the trailer. That was fun.

[2:41] Quincy Brown: And then from there, I feel like we just kept getting –

[2:44] Kevin Bianchi: We also should mention, we had DM'd Cynthia and Ariana as the Super Bowl was happening, and we saw the trailer, and they sent us back a voice memo together, seemingly from the seats of the Super Bowl, which is crazy.

[2:56] Quincy Brown: I could hear football in the background.

[2:58] Kevin Bianchi: And it's crazy, too, to think if I'm Ariana and Cynthia, and it's the Super Bowl – I have these gays in my pocket.

[3:06] Quincy Brown: I have these gays in my pocket. No, but I feel like that, in retrospect, was really the kickoff to this crazy eight-month –

[3:15] Kevin Bianchi: And we had no idea.

[3:17] Quincy Brown: Yeah, because it's like, oh, it's so cute. They've got their little jerseys. They look great. Oh, they're going to serve. They're going to feed us during this press tour. And little did we know –

[3:27] Kevin Bianchi: Feed us.

[3:27] Quincy Brown: That it was going to be so nonstop from them.

[3:30] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. What's crazy is they're still pounding the pavement. They have not let up.

[3:34] Quincy Brown: I know. I'm like, guys, the movie's out. People are seeing it. It made all this money. I don't know how –

[3:40] Kevin Bianchi: It returns to the mission statement, let the girls rest.

[3:46] Quincy Brown: Let these girls rest.

[3:48] Kevin Bianchi: I'm going to see Wicked with my family today in Hawaii. I'm very excited.

[3:52] Quincy Brown: I think I will be seeing it at some point while I'm here in Washington as well.

[3:56] Kevin Bianchi: What's crazy is both my brother and sister, who have already seen the movie, happily agreed to come with my mom and grandparents.

[4:02] Quincy Brown: Really?

[4:02] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. So this is a –

[4:04] Quincy Brown: That's fun.

[4:04] Kevin Bianchi: It's hit the masses in a very big way. Okay, so Super Bowl happened.

[4:09] Quincy Brown: Super Bowl happened. Then we just got an onslaught of slightly varying teasers, trailers.

[4:16] Kevin Bianchi: Do you remember when those first images came out of Ariana on the stairs, Cynthia in front of the Defying Gravity window?

[4:21] Quincy Brown: Yes, and everyone was like, it's so dark. There's no color.

[4:26] Kevin Bianchi: And now the critique is, some shots are too bright in the movie.

[4:29] Quincy Brown: Too bright. It's too colorful.

[4:33] Kevin Bianchi: Y'all would not be happy. If we tailor-picked your dream Elphaba, your dream Glinda, and we filmed it on the stage, there are still people who would be looking for things to dislike about this movie.

[4:46] Quincy Brown: Was Laurel Harris our only non-movie guest of this year? Have we dropped the ball?

[4:50] Kevin Bianchi: That's what I – I also have realized that this year – I'm having a hard time realizing when in my memory this year started. People will say something, and I'm like, that was this year and not two years ago. Let's see. I know we talked to Laurel Harris.

[5:06] Quincy Brown: Guys, it's been a hectic year. There's a lot going on. We were here, though.

[5:09] Kevin Bianchi: Oh, no, bitch. We had Seikon on our podcast this year.

[5:12] Quincy Brown: That was this year?

[5:14] Kevin Bianchi: That's what I'm saying. That feels like it was at least a year ago.

[5:17] Quincy Brown: Wow, and that's a top-tier episode, too.

[5:19] Kevin Bianchi: That was this year. One of my favorites of all time.

[5:21] Quincy Brown: We have to check in with her on her movie thoughts.

[5:24] Kevin Bianchi: We do, yeah.

[5:25] Quincy Brown: Maybe we'll bring her back for a little guest star.

[5:27] Kevin Bianchi: And then lots and lots of talking about the movie. We got to see Wicked screeners before it was out. We got to go to the Wicked premiere. We got to interview Ariana and Cynthia. This year has been really, really nuts, and I'm so grateful. I feel like after last year – I think it was last year – we were so hyped about the Broadway con of it all, the comic con of it all. And it's just crazy. So many good things continue to come from this podcast, good and exciting things.

[5:53] Quincy Brown: I know, and we have at least another year of good things coming down.

[5:59] Kevin Bianchi: Well, and then we'll get Wicked, Glinda, the origin story.

[6:03] Quincy Brown: Yes.

[6:04] Kevin Bianchi: Marble, the origin story. Imagine an action origin story starring Michelle Yeoh.

[6:09] Quincy Brown: I would be so into it. I would be so into it.

[6:12] Kevin Bianchi: And I feel like Michelle Yeoh would low-key thrive in a movie like that.

[6:19] Quincy Brown: I also – my current obsession with the movie lore is this debate – not even debate, but just the discussion around who is going to play Dorothy in part two, and if that casting choice is saying anything about future…

[6:37] Kevin Bianchi: Oh, interesting.

[6:38] Quincy Brown: …Wicked-verse movies, because it's like, well, if they're casting somebody who can sing, if they're casting somebody who can dance, then that must mean they have plans to make this character do more.

[6:48] Kevin Bianchi: I think they have plans. Would you be interested in a Schwarz-Holtzman, Wizard of Oz remake?

[6:55] Quincy Brown: Oh my god, yes. Absolutely, yes.

[6:57] Kevin Bianchi: That feels like an interesting thing to do.

[7:00] Quincy Brown: That would be really cool.

[7:01] Kevin Bianchi: It could be controversial, though. Like, why has Wizard of Oz not been remade yet?

[7:06] Quincy Brown: Right. I also think, though, it would be cool to see The Son of a Witch and the other Maguire novels being given the Schwarz-Holtzman treatment.

[7:15] Kevin Bianchi: God, imagine they do a Broadway adaptation of one of the other books.

[7:19] Quincy Brown: That's the thing. I don't think Broadway needs more Wicked or Wizard of Oz, but the movies, I feel like that's the place to expand the universe.

[7:27] Kevin Bianchi: Like, I don't need a Wicked Love Never Dies, you know what I mean?

[7:30] Quincy Brown: Okay, F you.

[7:32] Kevin Bianchi: But I'm just saying, I don't feel like we need the stage universe to expand.

[7:40] Quincy Brown: Stage universes never succeed.

[7:42] Kevin Bianchi: Right. The reaction is to the movie, so the response should be in movie form.

[7:49] Quincy Brown: Well, and let's not forget the 20-year success reaction to the stage production. Speaking of which, did that Wall Street Journal thing ever come out?

[7:57] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, it did.

[7:58] Quincy Brown: It did? I missed it.

[7:59] Kevin Bianchi: Quoted minimally in it.

[8:00] Quincy Brown: Okay, so today we're entering into a fun new era of the podcast. We're just having friends on to gab about Wicked, gab about theater, gab about their life. To start this era, we have Marsha Marsha Marsha slash Marty Lauter from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 15, who has been a dedicated friend of the pod from the very beginning.

[8:22] Kevin Bianchi: Also currently in cabaret on Broadway.

[8:24] Quincy Brown: Currently understudying the emcee in cabaret on Broadway and going on a lot.

[8:28] Kevin Bianchi: Understudying former Fiyero Adam Lambert in cabaret on Broadway, which also is just funny because it's like, to me, Adam Lambert exists. Well, actually, no, Adam Lambert to me now, I think of in the school of the Jonathan Bailey Fiyero, which is not to say the gay Fiyero, but is to say the Fiyero that gives off, like, bi energy.

[8:50] Quincy Brown: Sure. Most Fiyeros do.

[8:52] Kevin Bianchi: The good ones, the ones who are doing it correctly do.

[8:56] Quincy Brown: Well, no, I think there's a distinction between a gay Fiyero and a bi Fiyero.

[9:00] Kevin Bianchi: Jonathan plays a bi Fiyero.

[9:02] Quincy Brown: Correct.

[9:03] Kevin Bianchi: I think we've seen a lot of gay Fiyero, which is also just as agreeable.

[9:06] Quincy Brown: Wicked the movie is making the case for bisexuality across the board.

[9:11] Kevin Bianchi: So yeah, we have Marty on to gab about the movie. Very exciting. We have some very fun guests lined up in the near future. So buckle up.

[9:22] Quincy Brown: Some new friends, some old friends.

[9:24] Kevin Bianchi: We've already done the interview with Marty. There was, they make some funny and interesting points about some funny and interesting dramaturgical points about the characters in the film and the movie.

[9:36] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[9:36] Kevin Bianchi: That shifted my perception of things.

[9:38] Quincy Brown: A change in the weather of my intellect, you might say.

[9:43] Kevin Bianchi: Okay. Happy holidays. Happy New Year. We will see you all so soon. Thank you for being on this journey with us.

[9:50] Quincy Brown: Love you guys. Happy New Year.

[10:02] Marty Lauter: Thank you so much for joining us on Sentimental Men today.

[10:08] Quincy Brown: It is the honor of a lifetime. This has really been a long time coming. You've been such an ardent supporter of the pod.

[10:16] Marty Lauter: I love it. And I love Wicked. And I love that you love it more than I do. I probably...

[10:22] Quincy Brown: No, I don't think so. We all love it.

[10:24] Marty Lauter: No, it's not a competition.

[10:26] Quincy Brown: It's not a pie. You're right.

[10:27] Marty Lauter: Okay. So tell us, take us through how Wicked the Musical came into your life. And then we'll get into the movie and all of that.

[10:34] Marty Lauter: Okay. Well, Wicked the Musical came into my life because like a family friend had gone to see it. And I told my parents about it. And then I was like, wait, what is this?

[10:47] Quincy Brown: Because where did you grow up?

[10:49] Marty Lauter: Long Island, New York.

[10:50] Quincy Brown: Okay, cool. Accessible.

[10:52] Marty Lauter: Yes, yes. And they were like, oh, it's like a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. And I stopped at my tracks. I am, especially like as a kid, I was like the biggest Wizard of Oz person ever. If you give me that screenplay, I can probably give you like pitch accurate line readings of all of it. Like, I love The Wizard of Oz. You know how like when you're a little kid and you like something, then like every gift you get, like, oh, you said you like rhinos and like everything you get is rhinos. Wizard of Oz, like truly. I have every Barbie. I have every like play set, puzzle, book. Like I hit, wait.

[11:34] Quincy Brown: Stop.

[11:34] Marty Lauter: Literally, I'm obsessed with it. And then like in my like, this is like I was in middle school, I think. And my mom was like, oh, yeah, it's this musical. It's like the precursor to The Wizard of Oz. And I was like, what? I was like, how have I never heard of this? There's more? There's more? But at the time, for some reason, my parents felt I was too young to go see it. So I was like, OK, fine. So at some point, we did go. And I was so obsessed with that. We bought the CD at the theater and I like wore her out. And then I yeah, I mean, total, I've seen it five times.

[12:18] Quincy Brown: Who was your first cast?

[12:19] Marty Lauter: My first cast was Nicole Parker and Ali Mazzi.

[12:27] Quincy Brown: I've seen some really iconic duos. Can I list them all for you now?

[12:31] Marty Lauter: Yes, please.

[12:32] Marty Lauter: OK. And then I saw Lindsay Mendez and Katie Rose Clark.

[12:34] Quincy Brown: Anniversary.

[12:36] Marty Lauter: Yes. And then I saw Lindsay Pierce and Britney Johnson.

[12:40] Quincy Brown: Love it. Revival, Elphaba.

[12:42] Marty Lauter: Unknowingly saw Britney Johnson's first like permanent Glinda performance. It was me and my fiance's like anniversary. And we're like, let's go see Wicked. And we just like, let's take this last minute. And then we were like, oh, it's like a thing. It's like an event tonight. We didn't realize that. Which is very cool. It was another like iconic standing ovation. It's good to see me, isn't it? Which was like, yeah, yeah. And then the 20th anniversary, I saw Alyssa and Mackenzie.

[13:11] Quincy Brown: Amazing. We were there.

[13:15] Marty Lauter: Yes, you were. Sure. And then one of my favorite little like brag moments. I saw it in Brazil last year.

[13:27] Quincy Brown: Slay.

[13:27] Marty Lauter: Oh my god. Is that the non-replica production?

[13:30] Quincy Brown: Yes.

[13:32] Marty Lauter: Way, way. Tell us everything.

[13:35] Marty Lauter: Yes, I was touring part of Brazil for like Marsha at like post-drag race. Said, but Marty's got to go see Wicked. That thing, it wasn't even my idea. When you travel to different countries, like as a person, you have like a person there that's like, oh, like, let me show you around. Like, do you want to do this? Want to do this? And the man that was with me in Brazil was like, oh, I got us tickets to see Wicked tonight. It's in Portuguese, but like, I'm sure you'll like it. So I was like, we're going to go, of course. Myra Ruiz and Fabi Bang. And now me and Fabi are like, mutuals on Instagram. She is a nut. I mean, there's something so beautiful about seeing a musical that you know, like every single word to in a different language.

Obviously, there are like little things that have been like changed. So it's hard to like, she would like say something and like do a little dance and like the whole building will cheer and I'd be like, sure, whatever, whatever it was. Hooray. Um, yeah, that was when she like flew over the audience.

[14:46] Quincy Brown: Tell us all of the differences. I feel like you're breezing over this.

[14:49] Marty Lauter: That was my one of my favorite parts.

[14:52] Quincy Brown: What kind of wig reveal?

[14:54] Marty Lauter: She puts like a towel on Elphaba's head, like how to get out of the shower. She put like a towel on her head. And then she takes the towel off and she's blonde.

[15:05] Quincy Brown: Elphaba? Wait, what?

[15:06] Marty Lauter: I don't know how they did it. Yeah. It was like a party city wig. It wasn't like a wig wig. I was like, so gooped by that. I was like, how do they do it? And like the set was so, it was a lot more like screams, right? Um, like the design was so inventive and so pretty and.

[15:30] Quincy Brown: I love the costumes in that version.

[15:33] Marty Lauter: Yes. The costumes were so cool. Um, there's a moment that I've been seeing like circulate on the internet. They're also very popular where she's like shaving her legs and then she flips her skirt and screams. I thought that was so funny.

[15:47] Quincy Brown: Just crazy.

[15:49] Marty Lauter: Oh, I remember, I remember in that production. Thank goodness. It was really, really beautiful because the set she's like on top of the thing, like she always says, but then it like spins and like the people go away and just just like kind of like single spotlight and her gown is like really beautiful for the, they're the kind of sort of that like whole little section. And then it like spins and like comes back into reality. It's gorgeous. Um, and yeah, of course the audience, which is amazing.

[16:17] Quincy Brown: How does that read in person?

[16:18] Marty Lauter: It's, it's amazing. It's, it's so

[16:21] Quincy Brown: Do you see the wiring and whatnot, or is the illusion working?

[16:24] Marty Lauter: I feel like I did. And I was like, who cares?

[16:27] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[16:28] Marty Lauter: It's so exciting. It's so cool. I got, Wicked in Brazil was amazing.

[16:34] Quincy Brown: That's exciting. Was it jarring to see a non-replica production? I've always wanted to.

[16:38] Marty Lauter: Kinda, but it was, it was cool. I think with anything kind of like fairytale-y, you can take so much agency and so much like so many liberties. So it's cool to see what everybody else does. And do you know, like the lore behind that production?

[16:52] Quincy Brown: What lore?

[16:53] Marty Lauter: So like in like 2006 or something early on, I don't know, I do not know the years, so don't quote me on any of this. Um, they did like the original, like the replica production, like they brought Brazil. They brought Wicked to Brazil. And it was the same two actresses. Like the only two that have ever like, full time played those parts in Brazil. And they're also the dubs, the Portuguese dubs for the movie. It's like the sweetest thing in the world. It's like, they are like the Brazilian Glinda and Elphaba.

[17:30] Quincy Brown: Yeah. I want to know how a non-replica production gets greenlit and like what the logic is behind it.

[17:36] Marty Lauter: I think Stephen Schwartz was involved in that one. Again, I could be wrong, but I think he was involved in some way. Um, but yeah, because I know there's one in Germany too, right? Also like wacky to see.

[17:52] Quincy Brown: Okay, so that is the last time you saw Wicked in Portuguese?

[17:56] Marty Lauter: Um, I think so. I think that was the last time.

[18:01] Quincy Brown: Take us back to the first time you saw it. What were the feelings and emotions you were having? Were you hooked immediately?

[18:07] Marty Lauter: Oh yeah. I was, I mean, I was obsessed with it. Um, it, it, I think there's something, there's something about Wicked that connects specifically to queer people, queer children, because I mean, I, I saw, I saw myself in Glinda and I, but also saw myself in Elphaba because I'm like, wow, I wish I could be that like pink and fluffy and silly all the time, but I like, don't feel comfortable doing that. And then because I had to kind of go about life in a way that I wasn't totally comfortable, I couldn't feel like I fit in totally. Like I resonate with Elphaba and, um, I remember sitting there and I, and even today when I watch theater, I'm like, edge of my seat. Like, I just, I, I buy into everything like 100%.

I am, I'm a very, I'm a very good audience member, I think, because I'm just, I'm very enthusiastic about it. Um, and yeah, I mean, I, I fell in love with it. I remember also at intermission, my mom was like, oh, I bet Fiyero is going to be the scarecrow. And I was like, wow. And she was like, well, Fiyero in Spanish means fire or something like that.

[19:24] Quincy Brown: Is that true?

[19:25] Marty Lauter: I'm not sure. Again, I'm giving you a lot of accurate information.

[19:31] Quincy Brown: But that's like dramaturgy, mom.

[19:33] Marty Lauter: I know. And she was like, oh, and then the lion is the lion. And I'm sure that little one is, he's like, lovestruck. So he's going to be the two man. And I was like, what?

[19:43] Quincy Brown: That little one.

[19:44] Marty Lauter: That little one. Whatever it was at the time. But yeah, I remember, I very distinctly remember my mom saying that. And then I remember being very, very excited by all the parts where like, Dorothy was in it for a second. Like, I don't know, I was, I mean, I was, I was, yeah, I was sold. And I was again, popular, was like, I was like, oh, I'm done. Because it was, of course, Ali Mazi's popular at the time.

[20:08] Kevin Bianchi: Well, it's been interesting to see with the movie out, all of the normal people starting to realize or get glimpses of Fiyero turns into the scarecrow. Because I'm like, wait, this is common knowledge, guys.

[20:22] Marty Lauter: I think it's crazy that people haven't seen it. Just like ever, or they don't know about it, or they've never heard Defying Gravity. Like, it's just crazy. I'm glad that they know now.

[20:32] Quincy Brown: Same.

[20:32] Quincy Brown: Okay, so tell us about your first experience seeing the movie. When was it? What was it?

[20:39] Marty Lauter: Oh, my first time seeing the movie, I think it was like, October 6, or something like that. I was, I was on, I was on my vacation. I was in Disneyland with my fiance. And we were like, sitting down, whatever. And Ari texted me and was like, oh, we're doing like an early screening on Tuesday. Do you want to go? I was thinking about people like in New York that would want to go early. And I was like, are you kidding me? Of course I would. So I'd like text my stage managers immediately. And I'm like, I'm not gonna be there on Tuesday. It's a personal day. So I saw it in the universal screening room here in New York, with like seven other people. I was sitting there like, in absolute silence, because I need to focus, I need to remember all of this.

And I sent, I sent her a 10 and a half minute voice note. I'm not sure she's listened to it yet. Because it was the week she was doing SNL. She was busy, obviously. But she, she sent me a voice memo back and was like, Oh my God, I thought you were kidding. I saw your text that this is 10 minutes. And I thought you were joking. But no, it's actually 10 minutes. My God. I'm going to have to file this away for later.

[22:03] Quincy Brown: Yeah, I'm not sure she's listened to it. I don't, I don't think she'll listen to it. Because it's literally 10 minutes long.

[22:11] Kevin Bianchi: What did you think? Because I also saw it for the first time we got invited to one of those universal private screenings, and Kevin couldn't go. And I was alone with like four other people in the room. And after every number I wanted to clap, but the vibes were dead.

[22:25] Marty Lauter: I wanted to clap so bad. I've had so many moments. And I was like, this is disrespectful to the people in the room. Like after, I'll be like, guys, we can have fun. Like, come on, have fun. We're not singing. We didn't enjoy it though. After Popular, I wanted to stand up so bad. I was like, there's no way for me to express how much I love this. You're sitting in silence. And just like, sitting there being like,

[22:56] Quincy Brown: oh, so yeah, I guess I was I was a nuisance at Cabaret the next months.

[23:03] Kevin Bianchi: Oh my god, yeah. Being someone who's seen it before the world gets it turns you into like everyone's texting you suddenly.

[23:08] Quincy Brown: Yeah, turned into an absolute monster. Also, because I just Yeah, I wanted to tell people things. I was like, I was just like, it's great. Don't worry, everyone. It's great. Fantastic.

[23:24] Kevin Bianchi: What were your broad strokes, thoughts on the movie the first time?

[23:29] Marty Lauter: Oh my gosh, the first time I was, I knew she would be fantastic. I was so wowed by Ari. I was so wowed by her. I was like, the comedic cops are unbelievable. Like undeniable. I was like, this is she's dancing, the dancing across the board. That's what I said to the dancing. I think it's so spectacular. And Cynthia is just, it's a broke my heart. Defying Gravity took me out. Mustache Man was a big one. Mustache Man was huge for me. I was like, I so enjoy air that really got me. I so enjoy air. Oh my god. I'm at the premiere. I was sitting next to her mom.

[24:18] Quincy Brown: I'm sitting next to you. It's a New York premiere. Yeah, the New York premiere. I was sitting next to Joan. We were like across the aisle from each other. And in Dancing Through Life, when Fiyero goes, you're good juice. I don't know what you mean. I love helping others. I love we reached across the aisle and held hands and laughed because it's just that there's just so many there's so many for me it's it's but I wasn't at any of your other schools.

[24:49] Kevin Bianchi: Also, do you know what line I repeat constantly? This is a deep cut. It's when Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia are walking down the staircase before Wizard and I and she's like, Oh, my father will never allow it. And she's like, don't worry about that. I'll speak to him immediately. It's my favorite thing in the world. I say it all the time. I'll speak to him immediately. I'll do this now. I just I just it's just so God the whole thing is just so excellent. It's just it's beautiful.

[25:31] Quincy Brown: What surprised you? Like what were you not expecting in the film?

[25:34] Marty Lauter: Oh my god, the end of the end of popular. That was for me what I I like blacked out for a second. And I and the jump out the window and defying gravity.

[25:49] Quincy Brown: The little girl moment.

[25:52] Marty Lauter: First of all, face first through the glass. That's sad. Then the child himself. So beautiful. Yeah, God, I mean, and of course, the the cameos really got to and had you known like you had heard there were cameos in it?

[26:10] Marty Lauter: I knew that. Yeah, I knew. I mean, they had to be there somewhere.

[26:12] Quincy Brown: Did you know it was that moment?

[26:14] Marty Lauter: No, I was assuming it was going to be like, like a quickie errand thing or whatever, you know?

[26:20] Quincy Brown: Yeah, my gosh, it's just it's so and also, that was so helpful for me. Because like, again, I've seen the Broadway show five times. If you would ask me or tell the movie what the name of the book was, I would have been like, I don't know. But like, there's so like, there's so they put the they put the important backstory in. And I was like, this is stuff that at least in the musical kind of like goes over my head. So like, oh my God, he's happening soon. Oh my God. Yeah. But yeah, that was really helpful for me. I think it's great.

[26:55] Quincy Brown: Okay, so there is because in the movie, Elphaba is not originally enrolled in shiz. And then I think I gaslit myself into thinking that is also the same way in the stage show. But I think in the stage show, she does arrive ready to be a student.

[27:08] Marty Lauter: Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

[27:10] Quincy Brown: In the novel, she's not. There has been some online discourse about whether the breaking up of Defying Gravity was effective or not. I would love to hear both of your thoughts.

[27:22] Marty Lauter: The only part I would have taken out are the long Unlimited's while they're showing like the shiz students. I think we could have maybe plugged that in elsewhere. Because that for me is like the because even in the musical, like it does take breaks, which I think is lovely. And I didn't notice any of them substantially until the it's those like long, like long ones. Oh, thank you so much.

[28:00] Quincy Brown: But I mean, I understand why they put it in.

[28:03] Kevin Bianchi: But well, it makes that makes me think because they so intentionally added that Unlimited refrain in No Good Deed pre-Broadway had an Unlimited moment in the song. And so I'm wondering if that is going to make it back into part two.

[28:19] Marty Lauter: Maybe.

[28:20] Quincy Brown: Because then they could really draw the through line through each of the big numbers.

[28:23] Kevin Bianchi: Sure. And I I'm here for it. Whenever I whenever I see something that has been obviously made with so much thought and care and everything like that, even if I don't necessarily like like or agree with something, I'm like, they had a reason to do it. And they felt it was necessary. So they did it. So my goal is always to watch and like justify in my own mind. Why do they do that? And I think it makes sense. I like that we get a little flashback to shiz. I went on that journey with the giant Jeff Goldblum statue in The Wizard and I. Where I was like after like the second time, I was like, I don't get this. I'm like, why? I don't get it. But then I was like, if I know John M. Chu, he did this for a reason. And then I realized it's that.

[29:17] Quincy Brown: Everybody else has only seen that like drawing version of The Wizard, but Elphaba has now seen his actual likeness.

[29:26] Marty Lauter: So then she can physically recognize him in the chamber.

[29:30] Quincy Brown: Yeah. Wait, walk me through that. Because it's like they keep showing like illustrations. But that's there for everyone at shiz.

[29:40] Marty Lauter: No, but it's like hidden. She had to like climb and scale.

[29:46] Quincy Brown: You don't think other students were finding that?

[29:47] Marty Lauter: I don't.

[29:50] Quincy Brown: I thought it helped to like establish how much of a deity he was in this world.

[29:57] Marty Lauter: It was giving under construction to me because like you first we saw like they had just put up the thing to cover the picture of the animals, you know?

[30:07] Quincy Brown: Oh, yeah.

[30:08] Marty Lauter: That got a big gasp out of me the first time.

[30:12] Quincy Brown: That was a really good touch.

[30:13] Marty Lauter: I saw a really interesting TikTok about how he was talking about like Elphaba's through line and how like she sees the vision. And that informs why she's so willing to go against him at the end of the show. And I'd never thought about that. I was like, oh, I really like that. You see the vision in the movie because in the stage show that lyric can be glazed over. Because it's kind of it can, you know, be, you know, vague, petty. Like I have a feeling about this. But yeah, I love that she sees it. And she's like defying gravity. She's a little bit of whatever I do. It's going to be fine. Like I've seen.

[31:04] Quincy Brown: Oh, interesting.

[31:06] Marty Lauter: I thought that was a really interesting point that she's like, oh, whatever I think is right is going to be the right thing because I've seen it and I know the ending and it's going to be fine. And it's so tragic that it's such a misunderstanding what she's seen.

[31:10] Quincy Brown: Yes.

[31:11] Quincy Brown: I just like keep going back to how faithful of an adaptation this movie was to the stage. So like, it really feels like you're just watching Act One as it appears on stage. But everything has room to breathe. Were there any stage aspects that you missed in the movie?

[31:28] Marty Lauter: I will say the first time I watched it immediately clocked. No, I didn't do my debauchery. I was like, no.

[31:33] Quincy Brown: But no, I really agree. It does feel like such a great representation of what this version of the story is. And I think all of the changes that were made enhanced it a lot.

[31:54] Kevin Bianchi: Yes. I mean, like this scene, the you're green scene, I think tells so clearly the kind of person that Glinda is. Like as she's walking, she's like, did that come off badly? Like I was trying to be nice. Like, I know that girl. I know that girl so well. And I loved that. Also, sorry, I just thought of this. Another change, kind of a kind of a change that wasn't like super, like it didn't change the script and it didn't change the music. But Elphaba's power in the musical feels very much like I can't control my emotions. And this happens. Or in the movie, it seems like they made an appointed effort that it's in response to like something being threatened or like.

[32:49] Marty Lauter: And that's when it happens.

[32:51] Kevin Bianchi: Like with the coin and with Nessa and just that's when it happens. It's not like and even Madame Orville says, like once you learn to harness, like control your emotions, harness your power. But that's not what it is. It comes out when she needs to help someone. And I thought that was such a nice touch because it's taking something that's like kind of like, oh, it's happening. Whoops. So like, oh, no, it's very intentional and it's very coming from a really specific place. And I thought that made it so new.

[33:28] Marty Lauter: I also think a directorial choice that was made to deepen everything is Ozdust. Like, I think we have now forgotten that on stage, the Ozdust scene doesn't play that same way. It's a little bit played for laughs on stage. And in the movie, it's really a gut punch.

[33:52] Quincy Brown: It is.

[33:55] Marty Lauter: Oh, my gosh, there's one continuity issue that I have.

[34:00] Quincy Brown: Oh, okay.

[34:00] Marty Lauter: She gives Fiyero the wand and then they leave together. And then she has the wand of Popular. And I didn't catch this until the fifth time I watched it. I was like, oh, and I was like, it would have been so cool if she had a moment where she like runs back to him and like grabs it out of the camera. Because that show is like, oh, it's always in her head. And it's also a moment of being like, I'll save you for later. Have fun. I'm going with her tonight. Going to bond with my girlie. I just think that would have been a cool moment if they put it in. But no, hey, maybe the direction's tough.

[34:41] Kevin Bianchi: Maybe the direction's tough. Along with the shirtless Bach scene, of course, that everyone-

[34:46] Quincy Brown: Well, okay, so let's get into it. Have you looked into those deadline scenes?

[34:50] Marty Lauter: Yes, I read some of the changes.

[34:52] Quincy Brown: Shirtless Bach and Fiyero would have loved to see. But larger scale, that whole friendship montage, because we've been talking about that one scene in the opening of the movie that we never saw.

[34:59] Kevin Bianchi: I love that friendship montage, because even in the stage show, you don't really get to see them as a group of friends. You kind of just assume that they're all in the weeds together. There was an interview that Ethan Slater did on one of the red carpets where he starts talking about, oh yeah, Bach is kind of this odd one out. And then he finds this group of friends. And I was like, what are you talking about? You're not together that much, girl.

[35:37] Marty Lauter: Ethan's experience of Bach.

[35:40] Quincy Brown: I mean, he has all of that. I mean, they filmed it, I'm assuming.

[35:42] Marty Lauter: Yeah.

[35:42] Quincy Brown: I would love to see it. Well, even that scene, the cut scene one, where everyone's sending Elphaba off to the Emerald City and Dulcibert is also there and then chooses not to speak in front of Madame Orable. That, to me, is really good storytelling and chilling.

[36:01] Marty Lauter: Yeah.

[36:01] Quincy Brown: Dulcibert was also a complete shock as well when I watched the movie. I forgot, because I think in the musical, it's just like a mask, kind of.

[36:17] Marty Lauter: Uh-huh.

[36:18] Quincy Brown: And I, for some reason, didn't-

[36:20] Marty Lauter: Is it even a bear in the musical?

[36:22] Quincy Brown: No, it's a-

[36:23] Marty Lauter: It's something.

[36:24] Quincy Brown: It's a something, but it's not giving bear.

[36:26] Marty Lauter: The right numbers, I think.

[36:27] Quincy Brown: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[36:28] Marty Lauter: Horse horns, for sure.

[36:31] Quincy Brown: Maybe it's also a goat and it's, you know, the connection that she's delivered by a goat. So she has a soft, softer duck. But I completely forgot there would be, like, so many animals. Because in the musical, it's really only Octodileman.

[36:46] Marty Lauter: Which I did like, even the visuals in Something Bad, where they're showing, like, the shadows of all the animals getting abused. That, to me, made it more real than that storyline. Because I think the animal storyline, yes, that's what Wicked's about. But it's easy to kind of forget about that when you're watching it on stage.

[37:04] Kevin Bianchi: Sure.

[37:04] Marty Lauter: And in the movie, it's really...

[37:06] Quincy Brown: Don't agree?

[37:08] Marty Lauter: No, no, no, no. I do. Oh, absolutely. I think in the musical, because, yeah, because it's live and it's happening so much more quickly, that you're focused on the two of them. And oh, and the monkeys, of course.

[37:22] Quincy Brown: The monkeys.

[37:23] Marty Lauter: I forgot the monkeys.

[37:24] Quincy Brown: The monkeys. History, girl. You can't forget about history.

[37:26] Marty Lauter: But yeah, I think in the movie, like, they've spoken about this as well. You're seeing an animal experience this. It's not just a person in a mask. Your brain isn't telling you, that's just a person. It's fine. It's like, oh, no, that's an animal. That's an animal in a cage. That monkey is really going through some really painful transformation.

[37:54] Quincy Brown: The other cutscene that I thought was super interesting was when Bach clocks her tea and is like, why did you change your feelings about Fiyero? And then Elphaba says, what are you talking about? And he's like, oh, I thought we were being honest.

[38:06] Marty Lauter: Oh, I thought we were being honest. I'm like, show us that, Bach.

[38:10] Quincy Brown: I was like, get her.

[38:15] Marty Lauter: Yeah, but it makes me excited for the second movie, because if Ethan had that much to do in this first one, and it's that interesting, then when he really gets time to shine in the second one, I'm excited.

[38:26] Quincy Brown: I'm really excited about the second one. Some of my favorite moments are in the second one.

[38:30] Kevin Bianchi: Well, because this one was so faithful to Act One. Do you think second movie does the same thing, or do you think that's where they let their freak flag fly?

[38:37] Marty Lauter: Freak flag.

[38:38] Quincy Brown: Oh, I think they had to. I think they had to make their first one as close to the musical as possible so the people that love it will be like, oh, they have a respect for it. They understand what we're doing. Moving on, I think people will allow their minds to be opened a little bit more. I think if they changed too much in the first one, it wouldn't have been taken well. Where I think the second one, the second half of the story, especially I have my dressing roommate in Cabaret, David Moreno, is a very big fan of the book, and has gone through really what happens in the book.

[39:24] Kevin Bianchi: What does he think of the first movie?

[39:26] Marty Lauter: He liked it a lot. He had qualms here and there, but he understood this is an adaptation of the musical, not of the book. And I think that's what's important. We saw it in 4D together, which was a wild experience.

[39:47] Quincy Brown: I still want to do that.

[39:48] Marty Lauter: I heard you get punched in the back when Chistory's growing wings.

[39:52] Quincy Brown: Oh, yeah.

[39:53] Marty Lauter: And they spritz you with water, and they spray you with the fan, and stuff like that. It's crazy. But yeah, I think it's definitely going to be different. Just like the little teaser we got at the wedding, and there's the music. I think it's going to grow some legs, or maybe some wings, perhaps.

[40:19] Quincy Brown: Well, I think you're right, because I am so on board for it to be different now, having gone through this first movie journey. Like, I'm actually more excited at the prospect of it being different from the stage show.

[40:30] Marty Lauter: I agree, 100%.

[40:32] Quincy Brown: Because I'm obviously very excited for this moment.

[40:35] Kevin Bianchi: I'm excited. I'm so excited. Thank goodness. That's going to break me.

[40:40] Marty Lauter: It's going to break me.

[40:41] Quincy Brown: There was an AI, thank goodness, of Ariana going around. And even listening to that, I was like, oh my god. I genuinely believe it is one of the best written songs in the musical theater canon. To have a character going through something so complicated in a public setting, there's so much. Like, as an actor, I would kill to do that.

[41:14] Marty Lauter: It's my favorite version is the Katie Rose Clark. When she's like, when she does the, I'm like, yes, yes, walk away. Walk away from the microphone. Take your time.

[41:30] Quincy Brown: My underrated, thank goodness, that I feel like no one talks about is Patti Murin, because she was incredible as Glinda.

[41:39] Marty Lauter: Oh, I'm sure.

[41:41] Quincy Brown: I will be watching it immediately after.

[41:43] Marty Lauter: Oh, thank goodness is also interesting because I was listening to it the other day. She's describing a very complex emotional feeling and situation in very basic, simple terms, and it still resonates emotionally. Because it's, I think it's just the, how telling like a simple, these are all very simple truths. And I always try and when I hear that song, I try, what really sticks out to me is that she's speaking to people who maybe have like the same dreams that she has. And she's like, this just happened for me. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. It's weird and I don't totally like it. So maybe like be happy with what you have. And I think it's, oh, gosh, it sounds like the moment of her like reckoning with that, like her actions can hurt other people in a really major way.

[42:39] Quincy Brown: Okay, so what moments do you think from the show were enhanced by being on film?

[42:45] Marty Lauter: Well, like you said, Ozdust, absolutely.

[42:50] Quincy Brown: Oh, gosh.

[42:50] Marty Lauter: Oh, gosh. I, I think the Morrible-Glinda relationship is a little more clear.

[43:04] Kevin Bianchi: Yes.

[43:04] Marty Lauter: In a lot of ways. Because she's not holding back at all. Like in an opposite of the musical, she has moments where she's just like, I don't really see this for you, but she won't. But there's like a real disdain for her.

[43:17] Quincy Brown: Well, Michelle's Morrible is much more to the point and doesn't do the fanfare of it all. And I have this theory. I have this wild, it's crazy. I think, I think Madame Morrible does not like Glinda because she sees herself in her. And I think Glinda, there are too many well-placed wins for her to not be making them happen. I think maybe Glinda has a little, a little weather witch in her as well. So when she does her little, and Madame Morrible is like, oh, I was that girl. I was that power hungry, like beautiful young woman. And I'm not that anymore. And I hate this girl because she is. I just, I see that.

[44:01] Marty Lauter: You theorizing that Glinda can control the weather.

[44:05] Quincy Brown: I mean, she doesn't even know.

[44:08] Marty Lauter: She doesn't even know.

[44:10] Quincy Brown: I mean, the wind. Whenever she needs to be there. Because she does the, I just love air, wind. And it's always a gust. Like you hear the sound. It is like a very intense wind. And when she walks away from Piero and she looks back and there's a wind gust.

[44:26] Kevin Bianchi: No, it's kind of brilliant.

[44:28] Quincy Brown: I do. People love to be like, she's not magical. I'm like, wait till part two.

[44:35] Marty Lauter: And again, I love that scene with Glinda and Elphaba when they first meet. And she has that line, offering to help people, offering to help someone you don't know with skills you don't have. I think it just so beautifully sets up like who these people are. Like she is so quick to be like, you can't get past me, like not falling for this. And she still is like, oh no, wait. That's what scares her about her. Not that she's green, but she's like, oh no, I'm being challenged by someone and no one has ever challenged me in my life. What's going on? Elphaba can see her.

[45:16] Marty Lauter: Yeah, I just, there's so many moments of clarity that I think are so special. I'm Not That Girl obviously really works.

[45:27] Quincy Brown: Yes, I'm Not That Girl is gorgeous.

[45:32] Marty Lauter: And like, right at the beginning of that song, like the onset of that song, I think is so beautiful because she had like the hands touch. She's like, barely.

[45:44] Quincy Brown: Oh, it's so sad.

[45:46] Marty Lauter: I love that she gets to watch them from afar at the end.

[45:50] Quincy Brown: Yeah. And like that song, I don't always, I'm not always like obsessed with that song when I see it in the show. Or in the movie, I think it hit me a little bit harder.

[46:02] Marty Lauter: Yeah.

[46:03] Quincy Brown: On stage, I think conditions have to be really perfect for that song to really hit with me.

[46:08] Sure.

[46:09] Marty Lauter: Because it is really the moment we see her at her most vulnerable. Like the lyric, don't lose sight of who you are. I think it's such a beautiful lyric because it's usually something someone would say with like pride. Don't let anybody change you. Where in this context, she's like, you can't, don't forget, you can't go there. It's like, but it's in this like soft, beautiful moment. And it's just like this vulnerability that like, we really don't see from Elphaba too much. With the exception of like little moments in The Wizard and I, when she is truly alone. And she's like, oh my god, this is happening. This is happening. Everything I've ever wanted is coming true. But then a lot of the time, her vulnerability is also like met with a wall or met with sarcasm or met with some kind of like jab. Where it's like this moment, she's allowing herself to be weak.

[47:18] Quincy Brown: I think that's what it is. She's allowing herself to like exhale for the first time. It's just so beautiful.

[47:20] Marty Lauter: Tell us more about the New York premiere. What was the energy and vibes?

[47:21] Marty Lauter: Oh, it was really cool. I spent a lot of time-

[47:23] Quincy Brown: Something close down premiere on the tour.

[47:26] Marty Lauter: Yes. I got there and I was like, oh my gosh, what is it going to be? And I was like, it's the MoMA. Fantastic.

[47:37] Quincy Brown: But yeah, like Kristen was there. I spent a lot of the night with Frankie. Frankie is such a sweetheart. I was just so, I was honored to be there. It was all because of Ari, truly. It was she, you like got me in. And I said, you're my sweet angel. Because it was my birthday also.

[47:57] Marty Lauter: Oh my God.

[47:59] Quincy Brown: And I got to bring my fiance, which is so cool.

[48:02] Marty Lauter: We have the same birthday.

[48:04] Quincy Brown: We do?

[48:05] Marty Lauter: Yeah, I just remembered that.

[48:06] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[48:08] Marty Lauter: Oh, cute.

[48:08] Quincy Brown: We're likely conceived on Valentine's Day.

[48:11] Marty Lauter: Yeah, yeah.

[48:12] Quincy Brown: And I'm a twin, so that's a level one.

[48:17] Marty Lauter: But yeah, the premiere was very cool. It felt very, it was very small. It felt very intimate. The carpet was beautiful. And I loved getting to see so many people react to it. Because I had already seen it. I allowed myself to kind of just like watch this movie and like not trying to remember things that I wanted to tell Ari about. Or not, you know, take notes about it. I was like, I'm just gonna watch this movie. And it was very cool. And like an instance where everybody applauded after every single number.

[49:00] Kevin Bianchi: Right, right, right. Stephen Schwartz was sitting like a row or two behind me, which is crazy. Also, oh my God, after the movie, I get up because my fiance Kyle was like at the front and I was in the middle. So I like ran down to the front. And I was like, what did you think? And he was like, it's a triumph. One of the things he says is, I didn't get who was the guy, the wizard will see you now. I don't want, he seemed like he should have been like more like excited about. I was like, that was Stephen Schwartz and he's sitting right behind you. And he was like, really? I couldn't believe it.

[49:36] Quincy Brown: Oh my God.

[49:39] Marty Lauter: He was like, I thought he'd be like more excited. And I was like, yeah, well, it was Stephen Schwartz. I think it's probably okay. He's been on a long 20 year journey.

[49:47] Quincy Brown: Literally.

[49:51] Quincy Brown: Who rang that bell, right?

[49:52] Kevin Bianchi: Maybe that was it.

[49:53] Quincy Brown: Can you believe that gag does.

[49:59] Kevin Bianchi: Who rang that bell?

[50:02] Quincy Brown: What are your thoughts on Swankified Place in town getting cut? I've seen outrage about that.

[50:11] Marty Lauter: It's fine.

[50:14] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[50:16] Marty Lauter: I like the opposition of he knows where everything is. He doesn't have to ask.

[50:20] Quincy Brown: It's dramaturgically sound.

[50:24] Marty Lauter: He'd be on that horse, reading up, figuring it out, looking at maps, you know. I saw lemons, melons and pears was in the original screenplay and that would have been cute.

[50:36] Quincy Brown: Oh, that would have been cute.

[50:37] Marty Lauter: But the movie's long. They had to make cuts. They had to make cuts. And I think they made all the right ones.

[50:44] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[50:46] Quincy Brown: Oh, God, I can't wait for the second one. Do you think they're going to have an equally enormous press tour for the second one?

[50:52] Kevin Bianchi: We've been talking about this timeline.

[50:54] Marty Lauter: Yeah. I mean, I don't think they're really going to stop because it's already they're already like pumping out. Look at all the awards we're winning. So we're in the awards push now. And then by the time the Oscars are over.

[51:09] Quincy Brown: Yeah, then it's it's summer and it's time to start selling the second movie.

[51:12] Kevin Bianchi: Because we got we got the first teaser at the Super Bowl, right?

[51:19] Marty Lauter: Yeah.

[51:20] Quincy Brown: And that's soon, right?

[51:23] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, it was in February.

[51:25] Quincy Brown: Oh yeah. That's insane for the cast. I'm like, how are they going to keep doing this for that long?

[51:31] Marty Lauter: I mean, if it were me, I'd be like, keep set it close. Let's go.

[51:38] Quincy Brown: I am just excited for.

[51:44] Marty Lauter: Go ahead.

[51:44] Quincy Brown: I was going to say, do you have a favorite, a favorite premiere look from any of them?

[51:49] Marty Lauter: I really, really loved. The first premiere.

[51:53] Quincy Brown: The Australia.

[51:55] Marty Lauter: Australia premiere. I thought the looks were just so classic and beautiful and chic. Although they slayed LA. I think Ari's LA, the pink gingham Tom Brown. I think that was my favorite.

[52:10] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[52:10] Marty Lauter: In the little basket. And Cynthia's leather. Like, yeah, they really. Oh my God. That was at the hands.

[52:17] Quincy Brown: Yeah, the hands are my favorite.

[52:18] Marty Lauter: Yeah. No, that was Mexico City. I loved Ari's Mexico City look.

[52:25] Quincy Brown: Oh, that was the kind of like iridescent kind of opalescent. When I came down. Beautiful. I think all of the, all of the outfits have been so gorgeous. Something Ari and I particularly connect on is fashion. We have very similar, like, references. Everything I've worn. I'm like, fantastic. Give me 14.

[52:46] Kevin Bianchi: You have to do a show, the Ari Wicked Press Tour show and just change looks.

[52:55] Marty Lauter: And would.

[52:56] Quincy Brown: A thousand percent.

[53:00] Marty Lauter: I really, I love everything. Also, if it isn't L.A., the Olympics looks. Which, by the way, were not made as a set.

[53:13] Quincy Brown: Oh, really?

[53:14] Marty Lauter: They were not made together. They showed up and said, oh my God.

[53:18] Quincy Brown: Oh my God.

[53:19] Marty Lauter: Because they were like.

[53:20] Quincy Brown: Because they have been wondering, are they sharing ahead of time? Or are they truly on their own journeys?

[53:24] Marty Lauter: Ari has mentioned to me that no. That they obviously they have, like, it's this premiere. We're going to go with, like, this theme. But they don't, like, see what each other are doing.

[53:37] Quincy Brown: Wow.

[53:37] Marty Lauter: I think it's so amazing.

[53:39] Quincy Brown: It's so cool. Do you think we're getting a live Defying Gravity at one of these award shows?

[53:45] Marty Lauter: Maybe the Oscars?

[53:47] Quincy Brown: Oh, why? We have to get a live performance.

[53:51] Marty Lauter: Well, it depends if it's nominated, if the soundtrack is nominated. And I don't. No. It's not because they didn't write a new song. We're not going to get a live performance from them between now and the next.

[54:00] Quincy Brown: No.

[54:02] Marty Lauter: In any capacity. I mean, we might next time because there's new music.

[54:07] Quincy Brown: With the new songs.

[54:09] Marty Lauter: Yeah. I have to think they're going to find a way to do it.

[54:12] Quincy Brown: Maybe.

[54:13] Marty Lauter: Maybe the Grammys.

[54:15] Quincy Brown: Oh, sure. Maybe the Grammys. Yeah. I mean, if Lady Gaga can come out and sing Climb Every Mountain.

[54:22] Marty Lauter: Anything is possible.

[54:22] Quincy Brown: It has to happen somehow. I think we'll get it.

[54:25] Marty Lauter: I hope so. I would love that. It would make me happier than anything, but.

[54:31] Quincy Brown: Okay, we have a listener movie reaction that we want to listen and react to with you.

[54:36] Marty Lauter: I would love to.

[54:37] AJ: Hello, gentlemen of Sentimental Men Pod. My name is AJ, and I am a new listener of the podcast. I was introduced by my friend Vanessa, who is obsessed with y'all. Thank you, Vanessa. And I just have to say, thank you so much for all the work you do with Wicked and in theater in general provides entertainment for us and a haven, per se. I just want to say how amazing it is that we're alive in this generation where we got to witness Wicked be brought into a film. I've now seen the movie three times, and I fear that I have a new obsession with this movie, unlike the love that I have for the musical, which is already so strong. I love the musical so much, but there's something about this movie that's just so magical.

And what I think is so amazing is that, you know, you have this musical that's already beloved, but now we have a movie that is, you know, an homage to us theater kids who, you know, wanted to see this happen. And it's so well executed, but it's also appealing to those who may not even like musicals or now like musicals because of this film. And it's just remarkable to watch all these people who had never even heard of Wicked and now love it. So I think that's something to be said. With that being said, there's so many moments in this movie that I just really, really, really enjoyed. But I have to say my favorite, and it happens every time I watch it, I pick a new favorite part, but watching Defying Gravity on the big screen, I don't necessarily know what I expected going into it.

I knew that it had to be amazing, but every time I watch it, it's just so incredible. And I think one of the like the unlimited motif is amazing. And but really what drew me into this whole performance, because it's such a spectacle, is the moment that Elphaba is falling and she looks at herself, her child self in the reflection before the it's me starts. And you hear all the chatter in the head, and she's just free falling almost to her death, what it seems like, but, you know, ends up catching herself on the broom. That entire sequence is just so incredible to me, that whole sequence. But also there's there's several moments in that song that are amazing when she puts on the cape and the cinematography pulls out.

And it's just it's so amazing. And I guess I just want to I just want to say that with a movie like this, you really there's the stakes were so high. And I guess I want to know what you guys thought on on moments of cinematography that were added, obviously, because this is a film moments like that that were added in that were not originally in the Broadway production. What what are those moments mean for y'all? And what did you take away?

[58:00] Kevin Bianchi: I mean, I know there's several moments, you know, like, for example, the beginning with the hat and then the monkeys flying through and then we have to find gravity. There's several moments.

[58:02] Marty Lauter: Kevin, you love the.

[58:04] Kevin Bianchi: That's his entrance.

[58:08] Kevin Bianchi: It's literally it's every part of it. And honestly, this is my spicy take. I think I'm glad that we only get that shoulder right there. I think I wouldn't like it as much if we also got it in the montage, because now it just feels like it's like a private little.

[58:26] Marty Lauter: Wait, what do you mean?

[58:27] Kevin Bianchi: Like when when did when Elphaba and Glinda the thing?

[58:30] Marty Lauter: Oh, I think I think I'm OK that it's not there. I think I'm OK that all that remains of it because it's like a little secret.

[58:40] Quincy Brown: Wait, when did they have time to go to to go to a field?

[58:43] Marty Lauter: We don't know in a field.

[58:46] Quincy Brown: We don't know, but they did it.

[58:48] Marty Lauter: They sure did.

[58:49] Quincy Brown: Could either of you imagine what Defying Gravity would look like on film prior to the movie?

[58:53] Marty Lauter: I always had such a hard time doing it without making it look cheap.

[58:57] Kevin Bianchi: I could. I really couldn't.

[59:01] Quincy Brown: I like that. I have they have the homage to the cave, a huge cave, a huge cave on something that I do want to mention. Stephen Skybell, who's in Cabaret, was a Dr. Dillman for a very long time. Wow. And he was at the like Wicked cast screening that they did for a while. Like he came back the next day and I was like, what do you think? Everything. And he touched on the moment that the window and he was like, oh, I thought she was trying to herself. And I was like, oh, I was like, I didn't think that at all. And then watching it again, I was like, oh, I don't agree with that per se. I was like, if one were to be a contrarian and think about it from that perspective.

[59:54] Marty Lauter: Yeah.

[59:55] Quincy Brown: Meeting her childhood self with that in your mind is like she's like, oh, no, I can't. I have to do it for her. Also, another thing that is just I don't think it's sorry, I keep thinking of random things while she's falling. I think it's so interesting that she gets kind of like caught in the cape. Obviously, that's what would happen if you jumped out of a window and you had a cape on. But just like a dramaturgically. Having it be the thing that that Glinda put on her is the thing that is like wrapping her up, I think is just a really beautiful parallel. Even if she didn't jump out the window with the intention to offer herself, there was like a piece that was made and like, I don't know if this broom works.

So there's a very real opportunity. This will be it. And that, I think, is equally impactful as impactful. Also, I think it is wild that she did not sit on the broomstick. But that's why I couldn't do it because I was like, if she sits on it, it's not going to work. It's not going to look cool on film. My hands get sweaty when I watch that because I'm nervous she's going to fall because she's not. She's just holding on with one hand. That's like upper body strength is what that is.

[1:01:15] Marty Lauter: I like to think the magic of the broom also keeps her hand on it.

[1:01:18] Quincy Brown: It has to. You have to justify it. I saw somebody online saying that their theory or like their interpretation was that Madame Marble is like down in the wizard's chamber creating the weather around Elphaba and like to make her look more sinister to the people on the ground. And I was like, OK, work. I love that. I love that. Or maybe it's Glinda. There was a tweet that was the wizard and I that like empty dead field she's running in. Someone was critiquing it and they were like, no, that was Madame Marble causing the drought in Oz, giving people a reason to blame the animals.

[1:02:10] Marty Lauter: Oh, I do think she's going to be terrifying in the second movie.

[1:02:15] Quincy Brown: I can't wait.

[1:02:17] Marty Lauter: I can't wait for the scene. You know, it's not enough. Yeah, I just remembered I'll go talk to him immediately and then she walks away and then there's wind right after right after she leaves. So maybe she is. Maybe it is immediately. A change in the weather.

[1:02:38] Quincy Brown: Oh my God, I also love the rain that we can't have you getting wet and planting the seeds.

[1:02:47] Quincy Brown: OK, Marty, yes, you kind of gave us your Glinda answer for this. Is it is it fair to say you would be a thank goodness, Glinda?

[1:02:57] Marty Lauter: I'm also onerous, so popular.

[1:03:00] Quincy Brown: OK, Elphaba, would you be a Wizard and I, Defying Gravity or Nogadid Elphaba, and why?

[1:03:06] Marty Lauter: Oh, I think Wizard and I. I, I, I think just because of my general demeanor, the kind of like hopeful, like kind of like release is so exciting for me. And just like knowing where it goes, allow the fact that she she can really, like revel in joy for the first time is just so special. And I, yeah, I love the Wizard and I. I think out of all of the Elphaba songs, that's the one I like to like sing the most. And it's the one that I if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I,