Just about everybody knows the story of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. But have you ever thought about what happened before the story began? Do you know anything at all about Glinda and Elphaba? Where did they come from? What happened to make them both the way they are? Was Elphaba always mean and wicked?
This delightful musical reveals the hitherto untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West. Based on Gregory Maguire’s outstanding novel, ‘Wicked’ the musical takes you down a spellbinding journey to the magical world of witches and wizards and tells you the fascinating story of ‘How Glinda met Elphaba’. Turns out they knew each other from way back then. Both went to the same school and an extraordinary friendship struck up between the two very different girls – one of them blonde and popular and the other, a misunderstood green girl, Elphaba. She started off trying to use her powers to oppose the Wizard of Oz, but destiny had other things in store for her. And so began the story of the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. So now we know she wasn’t so wicked after all.
This absolutely wicked and wonderful version of Wicked is directed by Joe Mantello, Tony award winner for “Take Me Out and “Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune”.
The music and lyrics of the wickedly delightful songs including “The Wizard and I”, ‘Wonderful” “What is this feeling?”, and “No one mourns the wicked’ are written by Stephen Schwartz Academy Award winner for The Prince of Egypt and Pocahontas.
The musical staging is handled by Wayne Cilento, Tony award winner for “Aida” and “The Who’s Tommy”.
The cast is no less impressive, with Idina Menzel picking up the Best Actress in a Musical award for her stellar performance as Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda, the dizzy blond with a peppy façade and a fragile heart, is superbly played by Kristin Chenoweth.