‘Wicked’ fans should sing along in cinemas

“Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo has weighed in on an Internet debate about audience behavior: Should fans sing along to the movie’s classic show tunes while watching it in theaters?

Erivo, who plays Elphaba, gave the OK to fans who were moved to sing along during an interview at Thursday’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that aired on NBC. She was asked by Hoda Kotb if it was OK to sing along in the theater when so many fans were doing it, to which Erivo replied, “Fine. I’m OK with that. We spent this long time singing it ourselves—it’s time for everyone else to join in. It’s wonderful.”

Erivo joins Dwayne Johnson as the latest celebrity to encourage fans to sing along to a musical in theaters, with Johnson saying on the carpet of the animated musical “Moana 2” that fans should, “Sing! You’ve paid your dues earned money for a ticket, and you’ve entered a musical, and you’re into singing.”

Audience chants at “Wicked” have sparked online debate, as some ticket buyers only want to hear the pros in the film. AMC Theaters spokesman Ryan Noonan recently gave an interview explaining why the chain asked audiences not to sing, saying, “AMC has a long-standing policy prohibiting disruptive behavior. The ‘Wicked’ preshow spot (which includes ‘no song’) incorporates the film’s themes as a fun, engaging reminder to moviegoers not to disrupt the experience of those around them as they enjoy the show.”

Fans only have to wait a few weeks to wrangle with Erivo and Ariana Grande – interactive sing-along screenings of the film are set to premiere on Christmas Day. These showtimes will be set for about 1,000 North American theaters.

Singing along isn’t the only behavior at “Wicked” screenings that has generated debate. Some fans have taken to filming parts of their movies on their phones and posting them online, which is not only disruptive to other moviegoers, but also illegal.

Erivo started the interview by presenting Kotb with a bouquet, as the longtime “Today” host is set to leave the show in January, marking her last time presenting the Thanksgiving parade.