WICKED: The Official Podcast

Building the World of Wicked

Wicked cast a vivid spell with its production design — and Wicked: For Good deepens that magic by expanding Oz into an even grander, more immersive world. Production designer Nathan Crowley, cinematographer Alice Brooks, editor Myron Kerstein, and director Jon M. Chu take us inside the craft that shaped everything from the Emerald City’s skyline to the Yellow Brick Road, revealing how towering practical sets, intricate illusions, and cutting-edge VFX bring this new chapter of Oz to life. Cast members Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, and Bronwyn James share what it felt like to inhabit these environments — performing alongside VFX animals, riding the Wizard’s hand-built rollercoaster, and stepping into spaces that were at times fully constructed and at other times entirely imagined — a testament to the collaborative magic behind every corner of this world.

Inside the New Songs of Wicked: For Good

In Wicked: For Good, two new songs open a window into what Elphaba and Glinda have never spoken aloud.  Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, executive music producer Stephen Oremus, and director Jon M. Chu reveal how “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble” were crafted to deepen each witch’s inner world — from Elphaba’s reckoning with belonging to Glinda’s emotional awakening. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande share how performing the new material live shaped their portrayal of separation, reunion, confrontation, and the choices that ultimately lead them to “For Good.”  And with insight from Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and cinematographer Alice Brooks, we explore the intense and cinematic turning points that bring the story to its final, unforgettable moments.

The Music of Wicked: For Good

The music of Wicked has always carried the heart of the story—first on Broadway, and now across two epic films.  In this episode, composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, music supervisor and arranger Stephen Oremus, and film composer John Powell take us inside the melodies, themes, and collaborative process that shaped Wicked: For Good—from reimagining classic songs to building a new musical vocabulary for Jon M. Chu’s cinematic vision.  Director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt reflect on how music guided some of the film’s boldest choices, while Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, and Jeff Goldblum share how performing these numbers—often live—transformed their characters and the world of Oz itself. Spoiler alert: this episode explores musical changes between the Broadway show and the film adaptation—including reimagined numbers and the emotional architecture behind them. But we’re saving the two new songs and the titular number for next week!

Our Ozmopolitan Ensemble

In a story about unlikely friendships, the cast and crew of Wicked found their own—forming the heart and soul of Oz itself. Casting directors Bernie Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield reveal what it takes to find the perfect Ozian personalities, while actors Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, and Bronwyn James share stories of auditions, collaboration, and building their characters from the inside out. From accessibility and inclusion to unforgettable on-set memories, every moment reflects the magical spirit that defines Wicked. And finally, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reflect on the joy of performing Wicked: One Wonderful Night—the live concert at the Dolby Theatre that reunited the cast and celebrated the music of Oz, now streaming on Peacock.

Two Films, One Magical Journey

To bring Oz to life, the Wicked team had to defy gravity in more ways than one—filming two epic movies simultaneously. Director Jon M. Chu led an extraordinary team of artists and dreamers, transforming one timeless story into a two-part cinematic event. Writers Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox reveal how the world of Wicked expanded beyond the stage, while producer Marc Platt reflects on the precision and heart it took to make the impossible possible. Oscar winners Nathan Crowley, Frances Hannon, and Paul Tazewell share how every color, costume, and brushstroke helped redefine Oz for a new generation. And from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande to Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and Bronwyn James, the cast recounts what it meant to live—and act—between two eras at once.