Stephen Schwartz Reveals Why Glinda Was Added to 'Wonderful' in WICKED: FOR GOOD

With Wicked: For Good now in theaters, one of the biggest additions to the musical's plot is that the character of Glinda has been added to the Wizard's song, "Wonderful." At a Spotify release event for the Wicked: For Good soundtrack, composer Stephen Schwartz has revealed the reasoning behind the change.

"When we knew that we had two movies and we were looking at the structure of the second movie and comparing it to the structure of the second act of the show, it became clear suddenly that this is a movie about the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda at its heart and they're not in the same place for a long time."

He went on to explain that, for the sake of storytelling, they realized that they needed to get the two characters together sooner. In an effort to have them interact sooner, Elphaba now goes directly to Glinda, before they go see the Wizard together for "Wonderful."

"It was a storytelling decision that made us realize, 'Oh, we should add Glinda to this sequence, but I think that actually helps the sequence a lot, and it kind of makes Glinda much more complicit, which gives her a much bigger storytelling journey."

Launching November 21 in celebration of Wicked: For Good, Spotify is also releasing a “The Lands of Oz on Spotify” immersive in-app experience. The platform invites fans to explore the world of Oz through an interactive map. 

How to Use The Lands of Oz on Spotify

Step Into Oz

A pop-up on the Spotify home page will invite fans to “Step into Oz” – once inside, can swipe through the Lands of Oz and tap on key locations to unlock exclusive content. They’ll uncover behind-the-scenes stories from Wicked composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz about the iconic songs featured in the film, including the new tracks “No Place Like Home” and “Girl in the Bubble.”

As Schwartz explains, “I always wanted to write a song for Elphaba called ‘No Place Like Home’ because it’s so ironic—that’s the famous phrase from the 1939 ‘Wizard of Oz’ movie—and for that to come out of the mouth of the Wicked Witch, in a non-ironic way, just seemed terrific...” 

Share Your Results

At the end of the journey, fans receive a personalized share card showing their Wicked: The Soundtrack minutes listened and top tracks, with the option to return and continue exploring other locations. 

Stream the New Wicked: For Good Soundtrack

This interactive feature is paired with a refreshed Official Wicked Playlist, which includes new music from the film.

Users can also look out for a hidden Wicked easter egg on the playbar for any song on the soundtrack.

Photo Courtesy of Spotify