The art of being ‘Wicked!’

Using it as intended by British slang, "wicked" is indeed the perfect adjective to describe the new Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz entitled – you guessed it – Wicked! The musical isn’t actually all that new. It opened at the Gershwin Theater in New York last October 30, 2003 and has since then been taking the theater world by storm making a killing at the Tony and Grammy Awards by bagging some of the most prestigious awards such as Best Song and the Tony Best Actress of the Year for lead actress Idina Menzel.

I’m really not surprised this play has caused such a buzz in the theater lovers circle. It has all the elements of a really captivating and wonderful drama and it puts a spin on characters that we all know and love so well. Based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Lyman Frank Baum, Wicked The Musical initially came from the book, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire (who also penned such novels as Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and Mirror Mirror). The book tackles one of literature’s most misunderstood characters and gives her a name – Elphaba (taken from the original author’s initials LFB). Neither the book though nor the musical seeks to explain the Wicked Witch though so much as to deepen her mystery and give the reader or audience an idea of where this incredible and ambiguous woman might have come from.

Indeed, as author Gregory Maguire states, "What a bundle of unseemly characteristics and personality tics (she has). Her preference of flying monkeys over human beings, her physical ugliness combined with a taste for flashy footwear, her aversion to water. But, despite all that the Witch returns. She always does."

And in the musical Wicked, she finally gets her own voice. Brought to life by actress and singer Idina Menzel, Elphaba, captivates audiences with her incredible and powerful vocal prowess. In such songs as No Good Deed and Defying Gravity Idina’s stunning voice is practically hypnotic. As a matter of fact, the entire cast boasts unbelievable musical talent. The equally challenging role of Galinda (who later becomes the much-loved Good Witch Glinda) was taken on flawlessly by Broadway baby Kristin Chenoweth whom many remember from her Tony-winning performance in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown and who recently graced the silver screen in Bewitched. Her voice, which can easily shift from childish to adult in one sentence, belted out amazing tracks like What is this Feeling? and No Good Deed. Indeed her and Idina’s performance of Defying Gravity brought the house at last year’s Tony Awards.

So, other than the powerhouse cast, what makes Wicked so captivating? I think it’s also interesting for people to see because the story is so rich. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz you meet a whole plethora of interesting characters – the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion, the Witches… but you never get a clear picture of who they really are or where they might have come from. And as the book (or movie) ends, people just happily assume that Dorothy dreamed the whole thing. But what if she didn’t? What if it were real?

This is the angle Wicked takes, it looks at Oz before and after the time of Dorothy and allows people to see how things had become the way they were when that young girl’s house blew into the city. What’s amazing is that all the outlandish ideas presented in Wicked could be a wonderful explanation for events that happened in the original. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it or read the novel but the ideas concerning the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda, the Wizard, and even the ruby slippers are amazing and certainly make people pause. Indeed, it makes you wonder for truly things aren’t always as they appear and it’s always good to take a second glance.

Additionally, along with an amazing cast, and a unique and fascinating story, the music of Wicked is another reason this play has become so popular so fast. With music and lyrics by famous lyricist Stephen Schwartz, known for other great works such as Pippin, Godspell, and The Prince of Egypt, the music of Wicked is what makes the entire production literally defy gravity. From its opening anthem’s foreboding notes and opening lines, the music of the play represents the book’s tension and mystery. The music underscores one of the major themes of the novel: Appearances can be deceiving. Stephen Schwartz has put together a lyrical masterpiece and puts together songs that are funny like What is this Feeling? and Dancing Through Life together with songs that are thought-provoking and touching like Defying Gravity and For Good. He truly manages to bring the audience in through the music.

I can definitely attest to that, as the CD of Wicked (graciously bought by my mom in the States) has been playing non-stop in my house and car for the past week. I do believe I have memorized every word in the play and that everyone in my house and those who have ridden in my car are probably sick and tired of the amazing 19-track album that has consistently stayed in my player. I know it’s early to say it, but I already know this musical will cement itself in the hall of Broadway greats! It’s something that will surely last.

Indeed, as author George Maguire said, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published more than a hundred years ago. This means that after a hundred years the Wicked Witch of the West, my pretties, is still out there. I couldn’t be happier!"