Stephen Schwartz And Arranger Stephen Oremus Reveal Why Glinda’s Voice Was Changed In The Original Wicked Broadway Musical

Stephen Schwartz and arranger Stephen Oremus shared behind-the-scenes details about the original Wicked Broadway musical in a recent interview with Variety, revealing how Kristin Chenoweth’s vocal range influenced Glinda’s character.

Schwartz explained that Glinda’s voice had to be adjusted because Chenoweth preferred singing in her pure soprano range. “That’s one of the really cool things about musical theater,” he said, noting how an actor’s voice can shape the final version of a song. “I don’t know how much actors influence the final version of a play, but they have a lot of influence in musicals because you want to make it bespoke.”

Oremus also shared insights into the Wicked movie adaptation, saying that they constantly pushed Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo—who played Glinda and Elphaba—to explore their vocal abilities. “I would go, ‘Yeah… and? How about some more?’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, we can do other things?’” he recalled.

The actors treated the material with respect, fully immersing themselves in their characters. However, there was also pressure to honor the legacy of the musical while creating something fresh. “That was the fun challenge for us,” Oremus said. He and Schwartz encouraged the team to experiment, telling them, “Let’s keep exploring. Let’s have some fun with it.”

The latest Wicked film became a massive success, grossing $635 million worldwide. Alongside Grande and Erivo, the cast included Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter Dinklage. The film is currently playing in theaters.

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