Wicked Reunion: Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth Surprise Broadway with Impromptu Duet

Image via Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock

Broadway audiences got a rare treat this week when Wicked’s original stars reunited for a surprise performance — and all in the name of charity.

After a performance of Redwood on Thursday, April 3 at the Nederlander Theatre in New York City, Idina Menzel was met onstage by longtime friend and Wicked co-star Kristin Chenoweth. The two, who famously originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda in 2003, delivered a heartfelt — and slightly improvised — rendition of their iconic duet, “For Good.”

The surprise took place following the show’s curtain call as part of Broadway’s annual spring fundraising campaign for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The performance was offered as a reward for the highest bidder in the audience, with two fans each donating $8,000 to step on stage and join the pair in the special moment.

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Menzel and Chenoweth were playful and emotional throughout the song, forgetting a few lines and laughing through the slip-ups, before bringing the house to its feet with a standing ovation.

The moment was a full-circle celebration of their decades-long friendship. Menzel previously won a Tony Award for her role as Elphaba, thanking Chenoweth in her acceptance speech. Since then, the pair have remained close, co-hosting anniversary specials and appearing together at multiple Wicked milestones, including the 20th anniversary performance and the Los Angeles premiere of the upcoming film adaptation.

As fans wait for Wicked: Part Two — Wicked: For Good — to arrive in theaters this November, Menzel continues to lead Redwood, a deeply personal new musical she co-conceived with director Tina Landau. Meanwhile, Chenoweth is preparing to return to Broadway this fall in The Queen of Versailles, set to open at the St. James Theatre in November.