‘WICKED’ the movie! is it a go?

The hit Broadway musical “Wicked” is beginning to spread its wings for a flight to the big screen.  The show which opened on the Great White Way in 2003 is still defying gravity and has given some great career boosts to stars Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel.  Chenoweth, who was the original Glinda in New York,  has been bouncing all over the tube from “The West Wing” to “Pushing Daisies” to her current recurring role on “Glee” as boozy belter April Rhodes.  Idina, the original Elphaba or “Wicked” Witch of the West, has also made her way to “Glee” in a recurring role but is Chenoweth who scored an Emmy nomination for her guest starring role.  Both ladies were nominated for Tony Awards for their “Wicked” performances and it was Menzel who won that honor.  “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy is actually being talked about as a potential director of the motion picture prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” along with Rob Marshall who directed movie musicals “Nine” and “Chicago.”  If you haven’t tapped into all that is green and “ozmopolitan” about the show which tells the tale of what happened long before Dorothy dropped into town – wake up sister!  Globally the production has grossed around $2 billion.  The musical is based on the Gregory Maguire novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” and the Broadway show is waaaaaaaaaay more interesting than the book.  There is a sequel to the book called “Son of Witch” and although a bit more interesting than the first book, it is still a bit of a sleeper that could use a broom ride to Broadway.  Universal has cast a spell on the screen rights and folks are taking their time with making a film because the Broadway show and touring productions are still raking in gobs o’ green.  Universal is feeling the love for musicals and may be inking in projects to make movies out of the musicals “Billy Elliott” and “In the Heights.”  Who do you think should play the starring females roles?  “Glee’s” Leah Michele is a natch for Elphaba and no one could do Glinda better than Chenoweth but…there is the delicate matter of being age appropriate.  Please let’s just keep Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson in a land far, far away from Oz.