As a dedicated Wicked fan who’s been donning green face paint and pink fairytale dresses for every premiere since the musical first hit Broadway, I was dismayed to learn that some fellow fans have been turned away from theaters due to their festive attire. It’s a real “Who’s Wicked Now?” situation!
Wicked fans unite! But…don’t unite too much. Here’s why some green-painted Wicked fans are leaving theaters feeling blue. The feature-film adaptation of “Wicked” flew into theaters on November 22 and cast a spell on moviegoers everywhere, smashing several records with a worldwide $164 million opening weekend. It also turned out to be the perfect Friendsgiving movie event. The film, based on the wildly popular theater production, centers on Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) before she becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and her friendship with Galinda (Ariana Grande).
Gather your pink fairy tale gowns and green face makeup for a fun day out as best friends attend premieres dressed as beloved characters. However, some enthusiastic fans learned the hard way when they were turned away from cinemas adorned in Wicked costumes. Jamie Forst, a TikTok user, shared her experience in a video filmed in the theater bathroom where she was removing her face paint with the caption: “Important Notice: AMC won’t allow entry if you have face paint on.
Additionally, Forst wasn’t the only one affected. Another TikToker shared her experience as she got ready for the movie, showcasing her makeup application process. However, when she arrived at the AMC theater, staff members refused to let her into the screening until she removed all her makeup. In her video, she expressed her disappointment: “It seems AMC doesn’t allow face paint, so they’re making me wash it off in the restroom.
Moviegoers have been accepted with face paint before Wicked
Two fans mentioned their experiences occurred exclusively at AMC theaters, while another reported an identical incident at a Cinemark. However, numerous other fans asserted they watched “Wicked” without any issues, even with face paint. One person shared: “I noticed many people painted green at Regal cinemas, yet they allowed entry without issue.
It seems there might be varying interpretations of the rules in Oz, as USA Today explains. The issue could stem from how strictly each location or employee enforces the guidelines. Notably, the AMC website clarifies that decorative face coverings such as face paint, helmets, masks (except for those used solely for health and safety), or anything else that conceals the face are not allowed.
The current fashion of requesting fans to remove their facial makeup has left some individuals perplexed, as one person expressed, “Many people did this for Inside Out but this is just strange!” This implies that some people followed a similar trend in the past for the movie “Inside Out,” and now finding this new request peculiar seems odd.
Other individuals mentioned instances where they were admitted into the cinema while wearing Minion-themed face paint, Scream masks, or Halloween costumes. One person shared their experience saying, “I attended the Minion film dressed as a Minion myself, and was granted entry.
Many commentators cited a tragic event as the reason behind this rule: the 2012 shooting at the premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, Colorado. This horrifying incident resulted in 12 deaths and left 70 others injured, making it one of the worst mass shootings in recent times. The event led to numerous safety measures being implemented across the entertainment industry, with AMC being among those who revised their policies, banning masks and fake weapons from their cinemas.
Even though the musical “Wicked” is a source of great joy, it’s important to keep in mind that theater staff are simply carrying out their duties when they ask you to make changes.
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2024-11-30 20:29