Cynthia Erivo weighs in on ‘Wicked’ movie theater singing debate

Cynthia Erivo is “Defying Gravity” and defying movie theater edicts for fans to stop singing along to “Wicked.”
Erivo is a proponent of fans being able to sing along to the movie musical’s songs in the theater, as some cinemas have clamped down on singing, face paint and more.
During the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, Erivo joined “Today” show anchors and parade hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker for the festivities and made her thoughts on the matter very clear.
“Good!” she said in response to Guthrie asking about fans singing along at the movie theater. “I’m OK with it. We spent this long singing it ourselves, it’s time for everyone to sing.”
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Whether fans should sing to the songs of the musical − starring pop star Ariana Grande alongside British stage actress Erivo − at the cinema has been a point of contention leading up to the film’s release and since its debut last week. While some fans want to sing along, others are decrying the practice in favor of simply watching the movie and staying quiet in public.
At AMC Theatres, singing is on the list of no-nos for guests, according to an advisory being shown ahead of the release of Part 1 of the blockbuster.
“At AMC Theatres, silence is golden,” says the 30-second advisory, which features scenes from the movie. “No talking. No texting. No singing. No wailing. No flirting. And absolutely no name-calling. Enjoy the magic of movies.”
Ready to sing along at ‘Wicked’?It’s not happening in AMC movie theaters
And some major cinemas across the nation are saying “no” to fans painting their faces to resemble the green-tinged skin of Erivo’s Elphaba.
Theatergoers on social media and beyond have reported issues entering theaters like AMC and Cinemark, specifically while donning green face and body paint. Several viral posts have detailed customers being turned away or told to scrub the paint off in the bathroom. Yet others said that they were allowed into the same chains without issue. Major movie theatre chains including AMC, Regal and Cinemark have explicitly stated rules against certain attire, including face paint. Regal Theatres, Showcase Cinemas, Cineplex, Landmark Theatres and Marcus Theatres all have no face paint, no face-obscuring costume policies posted on their websites.
To paint, or not to paint:Painting yourself green to see ‘Wicked’ in theaters? You may want to think twice.
As for Erivo, the musical’s star is just happy to “share” the film with fans.
“This is such a wonderful thing to be able to share with everyone. We’ve been keeping it to ourselves, and now everyone can watch it,” the star said on Thursday’s parade broadcast. “I’m so pleased. I’m so overwhelmed by the wonderful reactions we’ve been getting.”
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From director John M. Chu comes a spellbinding take on the Broadway fan favorite, which originally starred “Frozen” actress Idina Menzel and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth. It’s created magic at the box office, pulling in $114 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters, plus $50.2 million in international markets, for a global total of $164.2 million, marking the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway musical.
Erivo said of the box-office hit: “This has been a dream come true to be able to share this with my family and friends. … It’s been a wild ride, but everyone has been so glorious and so gracious with me.”
Contributing: Jay Stahl, Anna Kaufman, Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY; Cheryl V. Jackson, Indianapolis Star; Reuters