Defying gravity: Alumna Caitlin Gallogly delivers Lawrence connection to ‘Wicked’ film

Lawrence University alumna Caitlin Gallogly ’08 brought her gorgeous voice to Wicked, the adaptation of the Broadway musical that is racking up mega sales at the box office.

Gallogly, who studied English, history, and film studies at Lawrence before embarking on an acting and voice career, was invited by Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz to be part of the 16-person chorus that delivers stunning background vocals on the film’s signature group numbers—"Defying Gravity," "One Short Day," "No One Mourns the Wicked," and "Dancing Through Life," among others.

“You can’t see me in the film, but you can hear me throughout,” Gallogly said in a Zoom call from her home in Los Angeles two days after Wicked brought in $164.2 million at the box office—$114 million in the U.S. and another $50.2 million globally—during its opening weekend.

Starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, Wicked arrived on the big screen Friday following a mega promotional blitz—wrapped in pink and green—that has pushed the film toward the top of the list of all-time movie openings and has already solidified it as the biggest Broadway adaptation ever. The second half of the epic, Wicked Part 2, is scheduled for release in 2025.

Gallogly said she has watched in awe as excitement for the movie has grown. From the frenzy on Tik Tok and Instagram to the premiere shutting down traffic in Los Angeles, it has been a raucous response that speaks to the love for a musical that has been a huge draw on Broadway for more than 20 years and has spawned multiple world tours and devoted fan clubs.

“When Stephen asked me to participate, I knew it would be the biggest thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Gallogly said. “But I didn’t imagine just how insane it would be.” 

She had drawn the respect of the legendary Schwartz after working with him on earlier projects. That led to an ongoing friendship and a commitment to work together in the future. Four years ago, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and two years before the Wicked movie would go into production, Schwartz reached out to Gallogly with an invite to be part of the film.

“I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, but of course I said yes,” she said.

Nearly three years later, Schwartz circled back, asking Gallogly to be part of the chorus.

In May, she joined the others in a New York recording studio to lay down tracks—just as they would be sung in the Broadway musical.

“Some had done the show before, some had done it on tour,” Gallogly said of the assembled singers. “And for a couple of us, we were lucky enough that they trusted us, they knew we could deliver. It was one of those moments where you think to yourself, wow, I didn’t realize anyone had this kind of faith in me to think I could bring this music to life. It was pretty incredible.”

As the hype for the film grew, Gallogly got an invite from Schwartz to the movie’s premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. She and her husband, Sam, joined Schwartz, Erivo, Grande, Jeff Goldblum, and the rest of the cast on the red carpet, part of a frenzied event that brought Los Angeles traffic to a standstill.

“The sheer scope of it was unbelievable,” Gallogly said. “This was one of those old-school premieres where you feel like you are on the red carpet at the Oscars. It was that kind of moment. I don’t anticipate I’ll ever have a chance to participate in something like that again. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Gallogly, who earned a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota following her graduation from Lawrence, appeared in numerous television and film projects while living in Los Angeles in the early part of her career. She then moved to New York to pursue theater, appearing in off-Broadway and regional theater. She has done vocal coaching and voice-over work as well, gaining notoriety by voicing the character of Princess Kenny in Comedy Central’s South Park.

She moved back to Los Angeles during the pandemic.

Throughout, Gallogly has remained connected to Lawrence. She previously served on the Lawrence University Alumni Association (LUAA) Board of Directors and on the Alumni Awards Committee. At her 15th Reunion cluster in 2022, she sang a song from the musical Dear Evan Hansen.

“Lawrence is one of my foremost passions in the world,” Gallogly said. “I think the world of Lawrence. I love the energy that’s happening on campus. I went to my last reunion, and it was wonderful; I can’t wait to go to the next one.”

When she does, expect Wicked to be a topic of conversation.