Woman in Glinda Costume Yells at Theater Crowd Not to Sing During Wicked: We're 'Here to Hear Cynthia and Ariana'
A school teacher is going viral in a video of her telling her students not to sing during a screening of Wicked: Part One.
On Friday, Nov. 22, teacher Ally Clements shared a video of herself on Instagram telling a group of middle school-aged students not to sing during the movie starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo while she wore a pink costume dressed as Grande's character, Glinda. The post appeared to receive significant attention as part of a larger conversation regarding whether or not audiences should feel free to sing-a-long with Wicked now that the Broadway adaptation has hit theaters.
"Hey ladies, remember — this is not a singalong," the user, who identifies herself only as Katelyn on Instagram and appears to be based in Alabama, said in the video. "This is not a singalong! I'm here to hear Cynthia and Ariana sing, not you."
Clements' caption to her post further implies she was chaperoning a group of students on a field trip to see Wicked as it opened in theaters. "When you see Wicked with 100 middle school girls 💚🩷," she wrote alongside the video.
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"Hey so can ANY of you guys read??" one user wrote in a comment, pointing out that Clements, who posted the video, was seemingly directing her comments at students she was chaperoning during a trip to the movie, not at random theater-goers. "No they can’t ❤️" Clements replied in another comment.
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Interest in whether or not movie theaters would encourage audiences to sing during Wicked screenings piqued in the days before the movie released. AMC Theaters recently began playing a 30-second advisory featuring scenes from Wicked that re-emphasizes AMC's trademark "silence is golden" reminder that plays before the start of every movie in the weeks before the film's release, which humorously reminded audiences "No singing. No wailing. No flirting" in addition to its long-held asks that people do not talk, text or take phone calls during films.
AMC spokesperson Ryan Noonan told The Indianapolis Star in a Nov. 19 statement that the chain "has a long-standing policy that prohibits disruptive behavior." He additionally stated that the chain's Wicked pre-show spot "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.”
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Ariana Grande is Glinda in WICKED, directed by Jon M. Chu
Ariana Grande in 'Wicked'. Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
Conversation regarding Wicked singalongs seems primed to continue after the film's first part made $114 million at the domestic box office in its first weekend in theaters. Those who wish to sing during the movie without attracting the ire of other fans will be able to next month; Variety reported on Nov. 18 that roughly 1,000 cinemas in North America will offer interactive screenings of the movie beginning Dec. 25.
Wicked: Part One is in theaters now.
