The Ultimate 'Wicked' Quiz
As the second part of the film version of ‘Wicked” — “Wicked: For Good” — is about to be released Nov. 21, we test fans’ knowledge of all things “Wicked.” So you think you know a lot about the book, musical and movie? Think again and test yourself. Answers below:
1. Who did Broadway director Joe Mantello first pitch the role of Elphaba to?:
A. Audra Macdonald
B. Lea Michelle
C. Patti LuPone
D. Alice Ripley
E. Laura Benanti
2. Luckily, Idina Menzel was replaced in what out-of-town musical that began in Connecticut, allowing her to then to move to “Wicked?”:
A. “Holiday Inn”
B. “Summer of ’42”
C. “Compulsion”
D. “My Paris”
E. “Next to Normal”
3. Kristen Chenoweth was hesitant about committing to the musical ‘Wicked’ because…”
A. She wanted to plays Elphaba, not Glinda
B. Glinda dies in the end
C. She felt Glinda didn’t have enough presence in the show
D. In the original version, Glinda just had one song
E. She didn’t think the show had promise
4. In Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked” follow-up, Elphaba’s presumed offspring is named Lir. What was the name of Lir’s daughter who stars in another series of books by Maguire?:
A. Autumn
B. Rain
C. Summer
D. Poppy
E. Emerald
5. Who was originally set to direct the film version of “Wicked” before Jon M. Chu got the gig?:
A. Wes Anderson
B. Tim Burton
C. Stephen Daldry
D. Greta’s Gerwig
E. Martin Scorsese
6. Where did the name Elphaba come from?:
A. It was the name of author Gregory Maguire’s aunt
B. In Greek, it means “elevated”
C. It’s an amalgam of the initials of the name of the author of “The Wizard of Oz”
D. “Wicked”’s publisher ion 1995 made it up
E. It came to author Gregory Maguire in a dream
7. Fiyero’s song “Dancing Through Life” wasn’t in the San Francisco pre-Broadway run of “Wicked.” What was the name of the song that was cut?:
A. “Big Man on Campus”
B. “Which Way’s the Party?”
C. “Life is Good”
D. “Just a Handsome Fellow”
E. “Bad Boy”
8. In the pre-Broadway run in San Francisco, what plot point did the creators decided to change?:
A. In the end, Elphaba is alone in the world, strong and independent
B. Madame Morrible saves Elphaba at the very end
C. Dr. Dillamond is murdered
D. The Wizard turns out to be a woman
E. The show opens without a flashback as told by Glinda
9. What actor was NOT in the running to play or was rumored to play Elphaba in the film version of “Wicked?”
A. Lea Michelle
B Lady Gaga
C. Zendaya
D. Anna Villafane
E. Taylor Swift
10. What actor was NOT in the the running to play or was rumored to play Glinda in the movie?:
A. Amanada Seyfried
B. Dove Cameron
C. Saoirse Ronan
D. Kristen Chenoweth
E. Taylor Swift
11. What was a song cut from “Wicked?” before the show made it to Broadway?
A. “Making Good”
B. “Goody, Goody”
C. “Wicked”
D. “Good Enough”
E. “Something Wicked This Way Comes”
12. Who below made a cameo appearances in Part One of the film “Wicked?:
Gregory Maguire
Liza Minnelli
Jane Goodall
Stephen Schwartz
The great-grandaughter of L. Frank Baum
13. In the book “Wicked,” Elphaba’s sister Nessarose was born with a different affliction than she has in the musical and film. What was it?:
A. She was blind
B. She could not speak
C. She was born without arms
D. She was deaf
E. She had terrible taste in clothes.
14. Who was originally cast as the Wizard in the pre-Broadway run of “Wicked” in San Francisco?
A. Tom Bosley
B. Robert Morse
C. Kevin Chamberlin
D. Sid Caesar
E. Pinky Lee
15. What sign did composer Stephen Schwartz hang on the wall to keep him and librettist Winnie Holzman focused in the writing of the show:
A. “It’s the girls, stupid.”
B. “Think pink”
C. “Keep the magic”
D. “Believe”
E. “Always Oz”
16. Which quote from critics is fictional from the 2003 Broadway opening::
A. “Nothing really jells”
B. “The merits of Stephen Schwartz’ score are meager”
C. “Bland generic Broadway music”
D.“Generically impassioned songs”
E. “An inspiring, moving show for the ages”
17. Name the categories in which “Wicked” won Tonys in 2004.
A. Best musical
B. Best score
C. Best book
D. Best orchestrations
E. Best choreography
If you got all 17 correct, you get to marry Jonathan Bailey; 12 to 16, you get the Grimmerie; 8 to 11, you get the magic broom; 4 to 7, you get to join the flying monkeys; none to 3, you just get a plain old broom.
Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-C; 4-B; 5-C; 6-C; 7-B; 8-C; 9-E; 10-D; 11-A; 12-D; 13-C; 14-B; 15-A; 16-E (New York critic quotes from Howard Kissel, Michael Feingold, Clive Barnes and Ben Brantley of The New York Times. The last one is made up, at least after the original opening); 17-None.