Wicked

Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. The musical is a retelling of the classic story The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, with a focus on the witches Elphaba and Glinda. The show has been produced by Universal Stage Productions and has won numerous awards, including the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Idina Menzel) and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical. The musical has been performed at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway and has also been produced in the West End at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.

Background

The idea for Wicked was conceived by Marc Platt, who optioned the rights to Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and brought it to Universal Pictures. The novel was a retelling of The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West, and Platt saw potential for a musical adaptation. He hired Winnie Holzman to write the book and Stephen Schwartz to compose the music and lyrics. The show was developed in collaboration with Universal Stage Productions and premiered at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco in 2003, starring Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda. The show was directed by Joe Mantello and choreographed by Wayne Cilento, with set design by Eugene Lee and costume design by Susan Hilferty.

Plot

The plot of Wicked follows the story of Elphaba, a smart, fiery, and misunderstood young woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and her relationship with Glinda, a beautiful and popular witch who becomes Glinda the Good Witch. The story takes place in the Land of Oz, where Elphaba and Glinda meet at Shiz University, a school for witches and wizards. The two women become roommates and, despite their initial dislike of each other, develop a close bond. The show features a range of characters, including Fiyero, a charming and carefree prince who becomes infatuated with Glinda, and Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Shiz University who has her own motives for the witches. The story is a retelling of the classic tale The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, with a focus on the witches and their experiences in the Land of Oz. The show also features references to other works, including The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Marvelous Land of Oz.

Music

The music for Wicked was composed by Stephen Schwartz, with lyrics by Schwartz as well. The show features a range of songs, including Defying Gravity, Popular, and For Good. The music is a mix of pop music, rock music, and musical theater styles, with complex harmonies and orchestrations. The show's score has been praised for its creativity and originality, and has won numerous awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. The music has been performed by a range of artists, including Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, and Shoshana Bean, and has been featured in various Wicked productions, including the Broadway production at the Gershwin Theatre and the West End production at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.

Productions

Wicked has been produced in numerous cities around the world, including New York City, London, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The show premiered on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre in 2003, starring Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda. The show was a critical and commercial success, and has since become one of the longest-running shows on Broadway. The show has also been produced in the West End at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it has been running since 2006. The show has been translated into numerous languages, including Japanese, German, and Spanish, and has been performed in countries such as Japan, Germany, and Australia. The show has been produced by Universal Stage Productions and has won numerous awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Olivier Award for Best New Musical.

Characters

The characters in Wicked are based on those from The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, but with a twist. Elphaba is the main character, a smart and fiery young woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda is her roommate and friend, a beautiful and popular witch who becomes Glinda the Good Witch. Other characters include Fiyero, a charming and carefree prince who becomes infatuated with Glinda, and Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Shiz University who has her own motives for the witches. The show also features a range of other characters, including Nessarose, Elphaba's sister, and Doctor Dillamond, a Goat who teaches at Shiz University. The characters have been portrayed by a range of actors, including Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, and Norbert Leo Butz, and have been praised for their complexity and depth.

Reception

Wicked has received widespread critical acclaim for its music, characters, and story. The show has won numerous awards, including the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Idina Menzel) and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical. The show has also been a commercial success, grossing over $1 billion in ticket sales on Broadway alone. The show has been praised by critics such as Ben Brantley of The New York Times and Charles Isherwood of The New York Times, and has been named one of the best musicals of the 2000s by Entertainment Weekly and Time Magazine. The show has also been praised by Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and other notable figures in the musical theater community. The show's success has also led to the creation of various Wicked-themed merchandise, including Wicked-themed clothing, Wicked-themed accessories, and Wicked-themed home decor. Category:Musicals