A mother has rented out an entire theater for a screening of Wicked. While she’s expecting more than 110 guests to attend, the two people she banned from the event are none other than her children.
Directed by John M. Chu, the big screen adaptation of the Broadway hit musical stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. The film — which has been split into two parts — hits theaters on Friday (November 22), while part two won’t be released until November 21, 2025.
Ariane Tyler, a 39-year-old special education teacher from Illinois, rented out her local theater for a screening of the highly anticipated movie musical on Saturday. She had initially hoped to host the private viewing for herself and her friends, but as news quickly spread of her plans, 115 people expressed their interest in the screening.
As a result, she created a private Facebook group to outline her rules and regulations for the Wicked screening. Her number one rule? No singing.
“Unless you have won a Tony, no singing will be permitted,” Tyler warned her friends, according to the Wall Street Journal.
However, her strict no-singing policy meant her own son and daughter, aged eight and five respectively, may likely spoil the experience for others in attendance.
“This is not something to joke about,” Tyler, who has seen more than half a dozen touring productions of Wicked, told the outlet. “I’m so serious when I talk about these rules.”
Among her other guidelines included required costumes, no loud chewing, and zero bathroom breaks during the two-hour and 40-minute movie. Her two pregnant friends have been exempt from the no bathroom break rule, but she has advised them to choose aisle seats for the screening.
Tyler isn’t the only fan concerned about unwelcome Wicked sing-alongs. AMC Theatres recently issued a warning for movie-goers, reminding them that singing of any kind is prohibited inside the theater at all times.
“At AMC Theatres, silence is golden. No talking. No texting. No singing. No wailing. No Flirting. And absolutely no name-calling. Enjoy the magic of movies,” a pre-show advisory video reads ahead of the film.
Speaking to IndyStar, AMC spokesperson Ryan Noonan explained that this has been the theater’s “long-standing policy” to prevent “disruptive behavior.” However, they wanted to emphasize these rules especially now before the musical debuts in theaters.
“The 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,” Noonan said in a statement.
But fans who wish to belt out the musical’s classics, like “Defying Gravity” and “Popular,” shouldn’t fret. Approximately 1,000 cinemas across North America will be offering sing-along screenings of Wicked beginning December 25.
Wicked hits theaters in the U.S. on November 22.
