Cynthia Erivo joined the online debate about audience behavior, saying that ‘Wicked’ fans should sing in movie theaters.
It appeared that during the screenings of ‘Wicked’ and ‘Moana 2’ in cinemas, audience members sang and recorded songs. Dwayne Johnson had received mixed reactions for encouraging the audience to sing along during a ‘Moana 2’ screening. which sparked a debate on social media.
Erivo, who plays Elphaba in ‘Wicked,’ gave her blessing to fans encouraged to sing during an interview at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which aired Thursday on NBC. When Hoda Kotb asked if it was okay for her to sing in the theater because so many fans were doing it, Erivo replied, “Good. I’m OK with it. We spent this long singing it ourselves — it’s time for everyone else to join in. It’s wonderful.”
Erivo agrees Dwayne Johnson as the latest celebrity to encourage fans to sing along at a musical in the movie theater.
Audience singing at ‘Wicked’ screenings has sparked online debate, as some ticket buyers prefer to hear only the professionals in the film. AMC Theatres spokesperson Ryan Noonan recently gave an interview explaining why the chain asked audiences not to sing: “AMC has a long-standing policy that prohibits disruptive behavior. The ‘Wicked’ preshow spot [which includes ‘no singing’] incorporates the themes of the film as a fun, engaging reminder to moviegoers to not disrupt the experience for those around them as they enjoy the show.”
Fans only have to wait a few weeks to sing along with Erivo and Ariana Grande. Interactive sing-along screenings of the movie will premiere on Christmas Day. These screening will be set in about 1,000 North American theaters.
