The Wonders of Wicked Onscreen

Wicked fans, rejoicify! For a special People issue entirely devoted to Jon Chu’s two-part film adaptation, I got to interview cast members and work up a detailed “Wickedpedia” filled with little-known facts about the Oz-inspired musical-theater juggernaut. The 96-page book is chock full of stunning on-set and behind-the-scenes photos.

Here are more details, courtesy of the marketing copy:

Ariana Grande is Glinda. Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba. And only People is behind the scenes of the much-anticipated movie Wicked, based on the Broadway musical phenomenon inspired by The Wizard of Oz.

This very special edition is filled with insider photos and exclusive cast interviews, including Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and Bowen Yang. People brings readers into the making of director Jon M. Chu’s fantastical new world of Oz. Go inside the Emerald City, see how Munchkinland’s Yellow Brick Road—surrounded by 9 million real tulips—was built, get a close-up look at the gloriously reimagined costumes, and much more. (Which cast member hid candy in her corsets? Who learned his dance routine on an airplane?)

There’s also a Broadway oral history with original stage stars Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel.

Plus: Hear from Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz on “Defying Gravity” and “Popular,” and the Wizard of Oz Easter eggs he hid in the score.

Find the issue on newsstands or via Amazon.