Stephen Schwartz struck gold with his electrifying score when Wicked first officially debuted on Broadway October 30, 2003. Since then, his songs from the musical have inspired countless covers, acoustic renditions in the “Out of Oz” series, pop remixes, and more. In 2006, the original Broadway cast album was certified Platinum.
Read: THE DEFINITIVE LIST OF THE 42 BEST-SELLING CAST RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME
Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the musical’s original stars, have included renditions of “Defying Gravity,” “Popular,” and a solo version of “For Good” into their regular concert repertoires. Over its 16 years, the Broadway production has featured over 20 different actors in the role of Elphaba, 17 different Glindas, 23 Fiyeros, 12 Wizards, and 16 Madame Morribles—all of whom bring their individual sound to the Tony-nominated score. Not to mention the actors who have starred in the U.S. national tours, West End production, and international iterations.
For this week’s Playbill Mixtape, we culled through covers of these songs and more so you can choose your favorite rendition. Listen to the original and then compare how these artists interpret the music.
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WICKED GOOD FUN
