Wicked
A few weeks ago I joined my family at the Gershwin Theater on Broadway to view the play “Wicked,” produced by Stephen Schwartz. The play offers an alternative prospective to the movie The Wizard of Oz and gives you a glimpse of the story in the eyes of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
The play presents the witch in a different light and forces you to alter your point of view on the movie. The movie presents Elphaba, as a nasty and unpleasant witch who is out to destroy Dorothy and steal her ruby red slippers, while in reality Elphaba was a misunderstood child who happened to fall into unpleasant circumstances. She was conceived through an incestuous relationship and was born green as a result.
Throughout the play, she was determined to use her magical powers to save the animals, who were losing their ability to speak due to the actions of the Wizard of Oz. This opposition led earned her the name of “The Wicked Witch of the West.” However, many of the people close to her were hurt as a result of this task. The producer portrays Elphaba as a girl who set out to do the right thing, instead of a mean old witch who takes pride in hurting others.
One thing that was really intriguing to me was the way the actors were able to use song to portray their emotions and feelings. Instead of saying what they felt they sang it, which gave the audience a better understanding of there emotions. The play accurately represents the themes of outsider vs. popularity, the results of a friendship and courage in the face of adversity. I really enjoyed the play and recommend that others see it as well.
