I'm flying high, Defying gravity

I have just become really interested in another musical. Yes, another one. It's called Wicked. If you've never heard of it, that's because it's brand new, appearing in Broadway only last year. I originally heard about it while in New York last year, as it was mentioned in the playbills I have from the two shows I saw. I ran across it again yesterday as I was looking for random Wizard of Oz related stuff. Basically, it's a prequel to The Wizard of Oz and OMG, it sounds so awesome! First of all, as you can probably guess from the title, it's about the Wicked Witch, or as she is called here, Elphaba. In this, she's not really as "wicked" as she is said to be.

Turns out, she went to school with Glinda at Shiz University. It is there that they learn sorcery. The two actually don't like each other at first, but become friends over time. I've listened to some clips from various songs from it, and one in particular is quite funny. The two have just met, are rooming with each other, and hate each other:
Both: ...there's been some confusion For you see, my room-mate is...
Galinda: Unusually and exceedingly peculiar And altogether quite impossible to describe...
Elphaba: Blonde.

This musical looks so good. It took me a while to find a synopsis for it, and it was well worth it. According to Wicked, Elphaba was born the green colour that she became famous for, and because of this, her father favoured her beautiful younger sister, Nessarose, who is confined to a wheelchair. During her university years, she has a professor who is, I believe... a goat? He tells her that he will no longer be able to teach at Shiz because of the fact that he is an animal. Soon after, Elphaba learns that the rumours he had been telling her about are true; there is a cage being developed that will make animals no longer able to speak. As soon as she sees it, she takes the animal captured inside with the help of Fiyero, a prince who happens to be another classmate of hers. When he first shows up in this play, he tells Galinda his philosophy on life. (I heard part of it, and if you listen closely to the lyrics, you'll find a hint of what's to come. I interpreted the song completely wrong the first time I heard it, and it took me completely by surprise when I listened again and heard it.) Elphaba does everything she can to save the animals, and in a twisted way, because of this, all the rumours start about her being wicked. Her sister is killed, and an attempt is made on Fiyero's life as well. She tries to save him, but it ends up not working as she wished it to, causing her to think that everyone she has tried to help, tried to love, she has let down. Thus, she decides to live up to the rumours others have been spreading about her, becoming fully wicked.

There are a few things that go against The Wizard of Oz, mainly, the origins of the lion, tin man and scarecrow, and the timing of some events. It still makes for a great back-story though... going over a few issues only lightly touched in the story it's meant to precede. It also shows all of the characters in a new light, giving a new sense of depth in the whole story that you normally wouldn't find so much of in a sequel or prequel.

Mrs. Selby said something about possibly seeing it next year on a school New York trip, on the word of a friend that Wicked is... well... "wicked!" I really hope that it does happen... I'd really love to see this. It'd definitely be worth it.

( Now, time for some non Wicked or Wizard of Oz related quizzies )

For more info on this musical, go here!