“Wicked”

Defying Gravity

Last weekend my husband and I saw the production of “Wicked” currently being performed at the Kennedy Center. Back in 2007 it was the first Broadway show that I saw upon moving to New York, but I honestly didn’t remember much of the plotline. So please pardon me if any of what I’m about to write is old hat to you - for me it was like brand-new!

First of all, the costumes tell the story. The traditional black gown, cape, and hat is obvious - although it’s significant that Elphaba acquires each piece one at a time, gradually, as her character evolves. Not to mention the irony that the hat started off as a joke gift, but instead cemented the friendship between the two. Now for Galinda. We first see her as an innocent schoolgirl in a fittingly white dress with a short skirt. Next she wears a similar dress, only with more frills, and pink. She is no longer quite as innocent, she is playing the coquette with Fiyero, however neither is she wearing red, the color of lust and passion. She still retains some of her youthful innocence. As the plotline develops and Galinda matures, her hemline comes down to a more dignified, mature length and ultimately evolves into the full ballgown that we know from the original “Wizard of Oz” movie.

Secondly, the music (by Winnie Holzman). Key changes, challenging intervals, switching back and forth between major and minor….definitely not the kind of hum-along tunes you’d belt out in the shower! (Unless you’re as ambitious as I am.) Would this show have even existed without the trailblazing talents of Stephen Sondheim (may he rest in peace)? He sometimes poked fun at himself, for eschewing the tried-and-true musical formulas, a la Rogers & Hammerstein. I do believe that Lin Manuel Miranda, with his frenetic pace and lyric-forward pieces, also owes a debt of gratitude to the genius of this legendary master. Which is in no way to diminish the unique talents of either songwriter; in fact, I believe that Sondheim would be quite proud of the legacy he has left behind.

Thirdly, the plotline (SPOILER ALERT!!). As intriguing as is the initial premise, what struck me was that this is also a story about female friendship and female power. Elpha and Galinda are the original frenemies….they pass from enemies to friends and back again like water passing through a cell via osmosis. There is always an element of tension in their friendship, and friendship in their adversity. They are both ambitious, although their ambitions differ - Galinda’s is to be adored and worshipped by the masses. She also wants to be with Fiyero, while Elpha wants to be with the Wizard - until she learns his secret. From then on her dreams are dashed, just as Glinda’s dreams are crushed when she learns that Fiyero has chosen Elphaba over her. Perhaps ironically, it is Elpha who finds personal fulfillment through love rather than professional success, while Glinda, still the center of a ring of adoring fans, has found her own calling.

I was so impressed with this production and the show itself, with its intricacies that I had forgotten over the years, that I felt compelled to write. I hope you have enjoyed my analysis, and that you go and see this show while it is running at the Kennedy Center if you are in the DMV.