As “Wicked: For Good,” the sequel to “Wicked,” hits theaters today (Nov. 21), Leah Heater, a visiting assistant professor and vocal specialist at the College of Creative Arts and Media, explains the extraordinary demands of the original musical’s hit song, “Defying Gravity.”
She emphasizes that performing the song isn’t for the weary, calling “Defying Gravity” not just a showstopper, but a “full body athletic event.”
At the School of Music, Heater teaches the kind of technique most fans never see — the daily drills, body awareness and stamina work that make impossible scores sustainable.