Written by Are you familiar with the Wicked Musical? It’s been loved by many people since it debuted on Broadway. Recently, many have become more interested in it (that includes me!), especially with the new movie in theaters.
You might’ve already heard about it since a film adaptation of this musical hit the cinemas. I’m sure you’ve come across many pictures, videos, and ads about it, too!
If you haven’t, that’s fine. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about this popular musical and how it all began.
So, What is Wicked About?
Wicked is a musical that takes place before Dorothy arrives in the Land of Oz.
It’s about the story of a young witch named Elphaba, who feels like an outsider and is often ostracized because of her green skin. While studying magic at Shiz University, she meets Galinda (who later becomes Glinda), a blonde witch who’s popular and fits the conventional image of beauty.
At first, they don’t get along as roommates, but they eventually become best friends.
However, their friendship breaks apart when Elphaba discovers that the Wizard is corrupt and wants to mistreat talking animals.
As Elphaba stands up against this injustice, she is called the “Wicked Witch,” which creates conflict in her friendship with Glinda.
What are Wicked Songs?
Some of the most popular wicked songs are “Defying Gravity” and “Popular”. The musical also features tracks like “Dancing Through Life,” “For Good,” “What Is This Feeling?,” “The Wizard and I,” and “I’m Not That Girl.”
Who are the Wicked Characters?
Now, here is the list of Wicket characters you need to know about:
Here’s a list of important characters from Wicked:
Elphaba: Elphaba Thropp, who later became known as the Wicked Witch of the West, is the main character in the Broadway musical. She’s an outsider in Oz because of her green skin.
Glinda: Glinda Upland, also known as Glinda the Good, is a charming and beautiful witch. She’s one of the female leads of the musical and Elphaba’s best friend.
Fiyero: Fiyero Tigelaar is a prince from Winkie and Elphaba’s love interest in the Broadway musical. He is also the guy who eventually becomes the Scarecrow.
The Wizard: The Wizard is the main antagonist in the Broadway musical. He is a fake ruler who uses lies and tricks to cover his weaknesses.
Madame Morrible: She is the headmistress of Crage Hall at Shiz University and assigns Elphaba and Glinda to be roommates.
Nessarose: Nessarose Thropp, also known as the Eminence of Munchkinland, is the spoiled younger sister of Elphaba. She uses a wheelchair and wears a pair of red ruby slippers.
Boq: Boq, also called Moq, is the Munchkin who was friends with Elphaba and Glinda when they were at Shiz University.
Doctor Dillamond: Doctor Dillamond is a goat who can talk and interact with people. He’s also a teacher at Shiz University.
How It Began
The Wicked musical started when Stephen Schwartz, an American musical theatre composer and lyricist, discovered Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West while on vacation in Hawaii.
Schwartz wanted to turn the book into a musical. So, he contacted his agent to obtain the rights to the book but found that Universal Pictures had already acquired the rights for a film adaptation.
After some convincing, he secured the rights for a stage version from Maguire in 1998, with help from Universal producer Marc Platt. Schwartz then collaborated with screenwriter Winnie Holzman to create the script for Wicked.
Wicked was produced by Universal Stage Productions with Marc Platt, Jon B. Platt, and David Stone as producers. The show premiered on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre in October 2003, with Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristen Chenoweth as Galinda.
Just a fun fact: Idina Menzel voiced Elsa in the popular movie Frozen!
In 2005, Wicked started its first tour in the U.S. with Stephanie J. Block as Elphaba and Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda.
That same year, the first long-term production of Wicked opened in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre. Ana Gasteyer played Elphaba and Kate Reinders as Glinda. The Chicago show ran until 2009.
In 2006, Wicked debuted at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London’s West End, with Idina Menzel back as Elphaba and Helen Dallimore as Glinda.
In 2008, the show launched its first Australian production at the Regent Theatre, which later went on tour.
By 2011, Wicked had expanded its tour to Asia, starting in Singapore’s Grand Theater and performing in the Philippines and South Korea.
Then, in 2013, the first U.K. tour of Wicked was at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, and it ran until 2015.
In 2022, Universal Pictures announced that the Wicked movie, featuring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda, would be split into two parts.
The first Wicked movie will premiere on November 22, 2024, and the second on November 21, 2025.
