Wicked Joins Smithsonian Collection

During “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” a special ceremony on Dec. 17, the award-winning musical Wicked joined Hello, Dolly!, Fiddler on the Roof, A Chorus Line, Cats, The Lion King, and Rent in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History permanent entertainment collections, as part of the “American Stories” exhibition. Broadway cast members Donna Vivino and Tiffany Haas sang excerpts from Stephen Schwartz’s score as part of the event, while Tony-winning costume designer Susan Hilferty signed the deed of gift to donate the hat, broom and dress she made for Mandy Gonzalez, who played Elphaba in 2010. Made with more than 40 yards of fabric, Hilferty described the dress as “twisted Edwardian.” Museum curator Dwight Blocker Bowers said, “This donation is a significant addition to the museum’s entertainment collection and shows the enduring cultural contribution of Broadway hits to American life.”  Now in its ninth year, Wicked has won 35 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tonys.

Here’s Susan Hilferty describing her designs for Wicked.

And here’s the original Elphaba, Idina Menzel, singing “Defying Gravity.”

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