The story is based on the premise that, actually, the Land of Oz is run as a dictatorship and that future wicked witch of the west, Elpheba, is a revolutionary who attempts to rescue animals and free speech. The initial idea is not inherently awful but this plot is tied to an abusive back story where Elpheba is treated awfully by her entire family and, later, her best friend, Glinda.
This unhealthy dynamic helps to build the argument for an evil protagonist yet is used melodramatically to create an almost martyr-like quality to Elpheba. This creates a glaring plot hole that perhaps destroys the emotional believability of the initial family dynamic.
This plot holds a tragic quality but remains bearable until Wicked attempts to connect directly to the original Wizard of Oz.
The lion, the tin man, the scarecrow and even her sister, the wicked witch of the East, all turn out to be people Elpheba has attempted to help but somehow turned them against her.
Worse still is the ending. The final scenes reveal that Elpheba has in fact only faked her death to be with her beloved, who is now recognisable as the scarecrow. Unfortunately, this again is unconvincing. However, regardless of all of the weaknesses Wicked still lives on. Wicked deals with many issues that bring people back to adolescence such as the trials of friendship, insecurity about appearance, and feeling like an outsider; makeovers, mean teachers and angst about relationships.
Winnie Holzman. Stephen Schwartz. Number of Acts. First Produced. Multiple Settings. Cast Size. Orchestra Size.
Some Dance. Ideal for. Professional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female. Casting Notes. Mostly female cast Includes young adult, adult, mature adult, elderly characters. Lead Characters. Log in to add to your bookmarks! Elphaba Wicked - Musical. May 13, by TodayTix. What Is Wicked About? The story and musical was developed over a series of readings and workshops.
Schwartz wrote the role of Glinda with Kristin Chenoweth in mind, and she played the role from the readings through to Broadway. Stephanie J. Block played Elphaba in the readings and workshops before Idina Menzel was cast for Broadway. Wicked had its world premiere in San Francisco in May The creative team made a series of changes to the show to prepare it for Broadway, including recasting the Wizard.
Wicked opened on Broadway on October 30, at the Gershwin Theatre, where it still plays on Broadway. While at university, Elphaba forms an unlikely friendship with Glinda, a ditzy but kind, aspiring witch. As someone who is naturally introverted and socially anxious, making new friends has always been a struggle for me.
For years, I attended a sleepover camp where the girls in my cabin all considered each other sisters—except for me. Since I lacked the social connections every other girl around me seemed to have, I always felt I was less-than. Throughout Wicked , Elphaba starts to take ownership of her ambition and her talent.
She begins to understand the value of her talent and appreciates her uniqueness, allowing her confidence—and, quite literally, her body—to soar. Seeing the arc of a university-aged woman learning self-acceptance kept me coming back to Wicked, and made me feel like I, too, could defy gravity.
In addition to its messages about self-confidence, Wicked focuses on the friendship between its two main female characters, Elphaba and Glinda, highlighting the importance of healthy and mutual female support systems. While waiting at the stage door, I met numerous other fans who were just as passionate about Wicked as me.
It was easy for us to form an immediate bond, discussing our favourite cast members and offering to take pictures of each other when we got to meet those cast members.
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