Upstate NY Town Makes Surprise Cameo in ‘Wicked’ Movie

A Hudson Valley, New York town has made a surprise appearance in the blockbuster film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked.

The prequel to The Wizard of Oz has broken all sorts of box office records as fans flock to the theaters for repeat viewings and special singalong versions of Wicked. There is also strong Oscar buzz for Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande who brings Glinda the Good Witch to life on the big screen.

Sharing the screen with these heavy hitters is a nod to a small Hudson Valley town with some pretty famous residents of its own.

Original Wizard of Oz Film Also Had a Hudson Valley Connection

Way before Wicked was a Broadway sensation, The Wizard of Oz had its own connections to the Hudson Valley. The story's author, L. Frank Baum famously attended Peekskill Military Academy. Small details in the film were inspired by his time in the lower Hudson Valley, like the West Point uniforms worn by the flying monkeys and a historic home overlooking Route 9D in Garrison that served as inspiration for the Wicked Witch's castle.

Margaret Hamilton, the actress who originated the role of the Wicked Witch, called Dutchess County her home. The actress had a house in Millbrook where she lived for years with her son, Hamilton. The actress also reportedly spent time living in the Beacon, New York area.

Hudson Valley Town Appears in Wicked Movie

While the 2024 musical was filmed on huge soundstages in England, Wicked also includes at least one cameo from the Hudson Valley region of New York. The digital release of Wicked includes a "Making of" documentary that shows a behind-the-scenes-look at the film. In the bonus footage, Ethan Slater, who plays Boq the Munchkin in the film, shows off a very special prop that pays tribute to a small Hudson Valley town.

Slater has his own connection to New York's Hudson Valley. The musical theater veteran graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie in 2014 before being catapulted to superstardom for his role as the title character in Spongebob Squarepants the Musical. He performed beside another Vassar Alum, Lili Cooper, for most of the show's run.

In the making-of documentary, Slater is seen pointing to a prop piece of luggage that is sitting on the enormous outdoor set of Shiz University. The suitcase is sporting a sticker that says "The Big Pear" and features an image of the fruit. Slater explains that "The Big Pear" is actually the Hudson Valley town of Rhinebeck, New York.

It's unclear what the specific connection between The Big Pear and the Dutchess County town is, but many New Yorkers affectionately call upstate towns that they love the "Big Pear" as a contrast to the "Big Apple" of New York, City.

We're not sure if the sticker was purposely meant to represent Rhinebeck, or if Slater was just goofing around on the set and dropping a mention to one of his favorite Hudson Valley towns, but either way, it's now officially Wicked canon that one of the suitcases at Shiz is from Rhinebeck.

So, the next time you watch Wicked, try to draw your eyes away from Glinda and her schoolmates strutting and slapping their books to the rhythm of "What Is This Feeling" and be on the lookout for a very special nod to the Hudson Valley.