EXCLUSIVE: Limitless isn’t just a melodic lyric utilized in some of the iconic songs in Broadway historical past. It additionally displays the willpower of these in entrance of and behind the digital camera that introduced Depraved’s pièce de résistance “Defying Gravity” to life onscreen.
The show-stopping battle cry is a declaration of self-acceptance from the witch Elphaba Thropp, performed by Cynthia Erivo, after going by most of her life as an outcast. “We labored tirelessly to make ‘Defying Gravity’ really feel like this gigantic set piece,” says editor Myron Kerstein. “We’ve the balloon and the flying monkey chase beforehand, and people scenes don’t have to be there, but it surely helps the viewers, who could have expectations of the place they’re going to go subsequent, to form of preserve them on their toes and benefit from the journey.”
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in ‘Depraved’
Common Photos
Initially unscripted and deterring from the stage model, director Jon M. Chu showcased Elphaba’s inside turmoil as a free fall that results in reconciling together with her childhood self. “It felt like there was one thing lacking in her journey,” says Chu. “It didn’t give an emotional full circle for her. [I asked] what did she really must resolve? She wanted to return and resolve why is she doing this for herself.”
The brand new scene initially invoked concern. “I bear in mind bringing it as much as Marc Platt, he was like, ‘Oh, you’re not going to the following part? That’s very scary as a result of the viewers goes to anticipate it,’” remembers Chu. “And I mentioned, ‘Sure, that’s the second the place you suppose, you already know this music, however we’re not accomplished with you but. Folks shall be on the sting of their seat.’”
Though Chu’s script initially referred to as for your entire scene to happen at evening, cinematographer Alice Brooks had been engaged on an concept for the solar to at all times set throughout Elphaba’s greatest moments. “There are numerous themes speaking about what is sweet and what’s evil, and in Oz what we predict is depraved isn’t really what depraved is, and the sunshine isn’t at all times the sunshine and the darkness isn’t at all times the darkish,” she says. “I had this concept that Cynthia would discover her energy as she goes down the facet of the constructing and descends into darkness, after which the remainder of the quantity the solar progressively units, till the tip when she flies off right into a pink sundown.”
Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in WICKED, directed by Jon M. Chu
Giles Keyte/Common Photos
For Erivo, bringing this scene to life meant actually defying gravity herself. Strapped right into a harness as she soared round on artificially robust wind in studio that may hopefully impress the likes of Dorothy Gale, Erivo had probably the most difficult job of all: navigating vocal acrobatics. “We needed to work on easy methods to use what was accessible to create the sound we would have liked to create,” Erivo says. “You utilize the extension of the rib cage in your again, the edges to create the air, the stress within the muscle, within the legs, in your physique, in your chest, in your again, in your neck even to ensure that there may be the simulation of gravity within the physique, which you don’t have once you’re within the air. After which it’s important to add on to the that means of what you’re saying and the intention.”
“She’s only a powerhouse, doing each single a type of stunts and singing dwell,” says Brooks. “She’s on this massive loopy journey round our sound stage, but she’s singing dwell and in character. I don’t understand how she did it.”
Erivo couldn’t put on the cape throughout her stunts nevertheless, because of the harness and wires, so VFX supervisor Pablo Helman was in command of bringing that iconic piece of clothes into the flight. “The cape is type of a personality in itself,” he says. “The cape is the one factor telling you the place you’re going. In case you’re going up, down or sideways, the cape will give that away.”
Earlier than she takes flight, selecting the proper cape for Elphaba was costume designer Paul Tazewell’s job. Along with giving her a extra magical silhouette, with layers or purple and lace underneath the micro pleated black costume, the selection of velvet for the cape was essential. “If it had been a light-weight cape, it by no means would have had the gravitas that the cape does when she turns round,” he says. “It’s all consultant of her taking over her full energy. When she turns round and whips the cape round her physique, there’s weight to it but it surely additionally catches the air in a means that may be very dramatic and speaks to the facility resonating off of her.”
Giles Keyte/Common Photos
As an viewers member enthralled by the efficiency, you might by no means ask your self why a broomstick and exquisite velvet cape occur to be in that attic room… however manufacturing designer Nathan Crowley says his mission it to at all times give it a motive. “We dressed it with the historical past of the Wizard as a carny,” he says. “It’s a must to put that historical past into that journey, though when you’re not likely it then it in all probability doesn’t matter. However if you wish to analyze it, it’s like going by the historical past of the Wizard after which defying him on the prime.”
As for belting her model of the long-lasting ultimate notice, Erivo says she was “Bible” strict to the musical’s unique format. Nevertheless, upon suggestions from Depraved composer Stephen Schwartz and arranger Stephen Oremus to search out her distinctive notice throughout the Elphaba canon, Erivo let her vocals soar. “I attempted a pair various things, and so they simply didn’t join. Then this one simply naturally occurred,” Erivo says. “I wasn’t looking out to do a riff. It simply landed that means. And after I did, it simply felt proper.”
Chu went on to speak in regards to the teary reception on set as Erivo opted to sing the music dwell as a substitute of counting on their pre-recorded observe. “She prolonged [the note] and it’s echoing by this large warehouse whereas she’s up within the air, and now we have leaves and wind blowing at her. I don’t even understand how [sound] is moving into her airways as a result of we’re simply blowing air at her. However she’s doing it, she holds it the entire time, and it’s simply silence after she’s accomplished… I’m trying round all of the crew are crying, and I’m like, ‘I hope we pressed file.’”