Chenoweth tells EW the evening made her ugly-cry.
“I didnt realize it was going to be so emotional,” she says.
“Its been a fun journey, and I cant believe its been 15 years.”
Virginia Sherwood/NBC
Click through for a sneak peek at the special and more memories from Chenoweth.
We were the original ones, and we had experiences nobody can know because we did it.
We were both looking at each other going, This is so cool.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC
Adam Lambert and Ledisi [are] unbelievable.
Of course, my baby Ariana was incredible."
It was called Making Good, Chenoweth says.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC
“It was about how you make something good and you make it great.
Those lyrics stuck with me all these years.
I wish Idina could release it or somebody could do it.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC
I loved it.”
Good news!
“You feel like a fairy princess.
ITV/REX/Shutterstock
You cant believe its happening,” she says.
“It weighed a lot.
The crown was really heavy, and the wand was really heavy.
Eric Liebowitz/NBC
That was a pretty big moment.”
As she explains, Popular was an interesting assignment because it’s repetitive on purpose.
Her presentation has to be good, and then she’s nailed it.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC
Over the years, Chenoweth has changed up that number to reflect changing times, including for the broadcast.
“Glinda would thrive in social media today,” she says.
“I changed it up a little bit for this broadcast.
Eric Liebowitz/NBC
I’ve done it differently over the years, but Glinda in 2018 is alive and well.”
), and Chenoweth reveals that the script originally hewed more closely to the book.
“We did have a darker script,” she says.
Eric Liebowitz/NBC
“How much can the audience stand?
It’s interesting with these two women who’s good and who’s evil?
Both are, and that’s what I love about it.”
Eric Liebowitz/NBC
It was five minutes before curtain.
I had my dress on even, but I said, I’m not going on, she remembers.
Producer Marc Platt convinced her to go on and took Chenoweth’s dog to the vet himself.
Eric Liebowitz/NBC
“She was with us the whole time [after that].
[Costar] Joey Grey tried to train her.
I’m sure she went into Idina’s dressing room unannounced.”
‘Wicked’.ITV/REX/Shutterstock
What is this feeling?
I asked Stephen Schwartz after it was over, What’s it feel like for you?
Are you so happy?
He said, It’s really overwhelming to see people in the audience singing along.
Defying gravity
Wickedis a show that defied the odds.
Chenoweth says that trajectory was, if not evident, at least slightly visible in early crowd reactions.
For her, the timing was perfect.
“When I was experiencingWicked15 years ago, I was living my best life.
I was having fun, but you just keep thinking about the next thing.
It’s really special.
In show business, we don’t have things that last more than 15 seconds.
We have something that lasted 15 years and way beyond.
We should be so lucky as artists to have that attached to us.”
A Very Wicked Halloweenairs Monday, Oct. 29, at 10 p.m.
