How to have a wicked weekend for 'Wicked' day
Check out ideas for how to celebrate the hit musical at home or on the town.
Oh, what a celebration we'll have today! Theatre fans celebrate Wicked Day each year on October 30 in the US, the day the musical premiered on Broadway in 2003. In 2021, the 30th falls on a Saturday, so it's the perfect time to plan one short day, or even an entire weekend, full of wicked fun activities, as Wicked day is on Halloween across the pond in London.
Here's how to have a green-tastic weekend inspired by Wicked, whether you like to celebrate at home or on the town. Our suggestions, inspired by the musical, will transport you into the land of Oz, and they go perfectly with your Halloween festivities!
Stay in: Host a swankified Wicked party
Wicked Day and Halloween are the same weekend, and those two holidays go together perfectly for a bash that will make the neighbors green with envy. Here's everything you need to throw one for Wicked Day with all your friends. Even if you're not a party person, you can do any of these activities from the comfort of your home anytime you're in a witchy or magical mood.
Dress up like your favorite Wicked character
Channel your inner Glinda in "Popular" and give yourself a Wicked makeover for a costume party — it is Halloween, after all! There are so many classic costumes to choose from in the Wicked world, and most of them are simple to put together.
Have a pastel prom dress you never get to wear? With a wand, it (or any pink dress, really) will transform you into Glinda. Or you can don a black dress and pointy witch's hat for Elphaba — don't forget the green face paint! Grab a flannel shirt and jeans, paint a triangle on your nose, and become the Scarecrow. If you want to go a bit fancier, find an elegant green dress or a pinstripe suit and gray jacket for a Madame Morrible or Wizard costume.
Read here for more theatre-inspired costume inspiration.
Mix a green elixir.
Elphaba's mother and father share a green elixir in the opening number, and you can whip one up, too. If you like sweet drinks, a Midori sour is a great option — the titular liquor is bright green, and you mix it with vodka, citrus juice, and seltzer (or sweet and sour mix for some extra sweetness and greenery). For a little stronger of a potion, you can try a Hemingway cocktail, made with champagne and absinthe. The latter lends the drink a light green color. Or invent your own green concoction — but whatever you make, drink responsibly!
And of course, green elixirs go best with snacks. Stay on theme with green snacks like green M&Ms or Skittles, grapes, tortilla chips with guacamole, and kale chips, or bake your own sweets and add green food coloring to the batter.
Sing cast album karaoke
Queue up the Wicked album on Spotify or YouTube and belt your heart out to all your favorite tunes from the musical. Have your solo star moment by singing "Defying Gravity" or "The Wizard and I," or grab a friend for a duet to "What Is This Feeling?" or "Popular." Break out "I'm Not That Girl" or "No Good Deed" if you're feeling angsty. If you're in costume, it'll feel just like you're part of the Wicked cast, putting on a Broadway or West End-worthy performance.
Watch The Wizard of Oz.
Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, so it's the perfect film for a Wicked Day movie night. It's available on HBO Max with a subscription, or you can rent it on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and more. You could also watch the 1978 film The Wiz, a contemporary retelling of The Wizard of Oz adapted from a Tony Award-winning musical of the same name. Maybe someday you can have a movie night with The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, and/or the long-awaited Wicked movie, yet to be released.
Go out: Spend one short day like you're in Emerald City
Make your own city feel like the Emerald City with a Wicked-inspired weekend outing. You can do any of these activities in or out of costume — but let's face it, especially around Halloween, dressing up is always more fun.
Go out dancing.
In Wicked, Fiyero leads all his Shiz University schoolmates out to a night of "dancing through life" at the Ozdust Ballroom. Grab your own friends or roommates and go out dancing at the most swankified place in your town. Even if you're not a skilled dancer, get in the Wicked spirit and give it a whirl! You can dance till it lights, and you'll be happy to be there.
Do a good deed.
Elphaba says that no good deed goes unpunished, but we say there's nothing wicked about changing someone's day for good. Of course, you can do good deeds at anytime, but set aside some dedicated time for it in the spirit of Wicked Day. If you care about animals like Elphaba, for example, volunteer at a local animal shelter. Or if you like teaching like Professor Dillamond, sign up to tutor children. You can also "go green" and do volunteer work that helps the environment, like cleaning up litter or tending to a community garden. The possibilities are endless, and if you're inspired, you can keep doing any of this work long after Wicked Day is over.
Get Wicked tickets.
What better way to celebrate Wicked Day than going to see the musical live? See the Emerald City for yourself and watch Elphaba and Glinda's magic come to life right in front of you. Grab your tickets on New York Theatre Guide, and then get yourself to the theatre however you can, whether by car, train, broomstick, or flying monkey.
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