I had the chance to preview the experience (sans Cynthia, unfortunately), and as a Wicked fan myself, I couldn’t help but geek out at this seriously well-crafted slice of Oz. As I, and the rest of the world, wait eagerly for Wicked: For Good, it felt extra exciting to prance around this excellent recreation and imagine how Elphaba spent her time in between the two movies.
The retreat is located in Thousand Oaks, California, just past the celebrity-filled areas of Calabasas and Hidden Hills. Tucked away on an acres-large farm, Elphaba’s retreat is a bit difficult to find (as we imagine it would have been in Oz)—so beware of getting lost on Google Maps—but once you’re inside the farm gates, the journey’s final 10-minute drive up an all-terrain path seems as if it were pulled right from your Wicked imaginations. When you finally arrive, a small stack of yellow bricks marks the entrance, an unmistakable nod to the franchise’s most famous road.
Follow the path to a massive nest-like structure—the heart of Elphaba’s Retreat. Inside, it feels as if Elphaba has just stepped out for a moment: her black pointy hat (an actual prop from the movie) hangs by the entryway, an FBI-style corkboard with pamphlets and newspapers is slung chaotically on the wall, and her signature glasses rest casually on the table. Turn left and you’ll find the real Grimmerie used in the movie, which guests are invited to pick up and flip around themselves. And just a few steps away, her actual broomstick is hung up on display, surrounded by mystical dried flowers.
Continue forward and you’ll find a canopy-style bed, built from twisted tree branches that feels straight out of a storybook. From here and the central “living room” area, there’s a vast lookout point that allows guests to pause and sink even deeper into the experience, surrounded by excellent views. You could easily spend hours here wandering, touching, and taking in every little detail, but the true magic unfolds during the two interactive experiences that Cynthia will share with guests.
The first: tea time around the campfire with Michael Graney, co-founder of LA-based company Teawaves, where guests can pick a tea blend “foraged from the forest” that pairs with encouragements they (and their favorite Wicked character) need—power, courage, romance, friendship, or wanderlust. Afterwards, you’ll be immersed in a broom weaving workshop with LA-based D’Ara Nazaryan of Aris Floral, where guests will be invited to grab individual baskets and “forage” for dried flowers from around Elphaba’s lair. D’Ara will help you weave the florals into your brooms with two assistants.
