Wicked: More than a Musical

One of my favorite movies growing up was The Wizard of Oz.

I was the little girl who wore red sleepers on her feet (or any other red shoes) and kept tapping her hills with her eyes closed repeating the phrase that Dorothy said at the end of the movie to go home - “There is no better place like home".

I sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow several times with my family and I loved the other songs in the movie and had so much fun with the characters and the plot of the whole story.

Everything in Oz was very magical and mesmerizing, from the dancing munchkins to the green evil witch of the west (who was also very scary to me). When I grew up, I stopped watching the movie so many times, but I started to notice details that the film had and it only made me more fascinated by it.

Based on L. Frank Baum’s book with the same name, The Wizard of Oz also inspired several different other stories for the theater or even prequels and sequels, that told stories in Oz. One of those adaptations came from Gregory Maguire who wanted to write about the evil in the world. That concept made him remember of the Wicked Witch’s of the West green face threatening Dorothy and her puppy. He also found himself questioning Oz's dangerous mission to Dorothy who had to kill the Wicked Witch of the West in order to return home. What kind of leader was he? Then, in 1995, his book “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” was published, and it would eventually become one of the greatest Broadway shows of all time. Thus, the musical Wicked is born from the vision of Marc Platt, the soundtrack by Stephen Swartz and the screenplay by Winnie Holtzmann.

Prequels and sequels have always intrigued me, because both require a lot of creativity and audacity from the creators. This kind of story needs to complement the original, but still be good enough to shine on its own right. So I remember that back in 2013, a little seed of curiosity was planted in my head when I went to London. I'll never forget that right next to my hotel there was a big poster of the two witches of Oz with the name Wicked on it. I didn't know if there was a theater there or if it was just a banner for the play, but that year the image of the witches was embedded in my mind and made me curious. I just really wanted to know what their story was. But, sadly, I wasn’t able to see the show during that trip.

Then, in 2016, I was so blessed that the show actually came to me. Wicked had its first brazilian adaptation shown in São Paulo, Brazil, for almost a year at the Renault Theater. And it was a replica of the Broadway play. At the time I got to watch it once and arrived at the theater excited but without any expectations. As it ended and I left the theater I was completely moved by it.

 I found the musical number What is this Feeling?, so fun and iconic that I quickly searched for it on Youtubear it on repeat. Defying Gravity literally took my breath away and gave me goosebumps. Thus, naturally, once the first act was over, all I wanted to do experience it all over again and this desire only grew stronger after the show was over. Only I enjoyed the musical numbers (which were in Portuguese, but still captivating) I was able to recognize all the characters I had seen so many times and loved so much in the Wizard of Oz movie. It was like seeing something I already loved but in a different way. That enchanted me.

Without the Brazilian soundtrack, I immersed myself in the Broadway soundtrack with the original cast from 2003. I started to learn all the songs by myself until I couldn't take it anymore and even left that theater promising myself that I would see that play on Broadway one day to live it all over again.

Years passed. I went to New York once in 2018 and I couldn't go see the show. Then came the pandemic in 2020 to turn the world and everybody’s lives completely. I also started writing in this blog trying to see things in a different way and researching more about the audiovisual and art world. Today, we’re in 2023, and one of my resolutions for this year was to go to more musical concerts and plays and it was February when I found out that Wicked would return to São Paulo.

In search of a distinct approach to the musical and its message, I delved deeper into the story of the play, the songs and even the story of the Brazilian actresses to understand the impact that Wicked has on people and on myself. I wanted to understand everything that this piece symbolized and how close this story is to my own journey and that of so many others.

Myra Ruiz: But what makes Wicked such a special musical?

Fabi Bang: Could it be the unlikely friendship of these two women with such different personalities?

Myra Ruiz: Or are Stephen Swartz’s songs that make Wicked the perfect soundtrack for any occasion?

Fabi Bang: Or is it simply the charisma of your leading ladies?

- translated from Wicked in Concert, 2018.

I would answer YES to all of the above questions. Wicked has become a major musical worldwide and this year marks the 20th anniversary of its 2003 Broadway debut, originally starring Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and Idina Menzel as Elphaba. In the first Brazilian adaptation (sixth language into which the work was translated) with Fabi Bang as Glinda and Myra Ruiz as Elphaba, the two actresses were young and despite different professional journeys, they became known for these roles and became very close as friends after the play . To this day, it's a friendship that goes beyond the stage. The roles, as they put it,  allowed them to take a closer look at their mental health and listen more attentively to each other inside and outside the show.

In the “Conversa com Bial” show this year, Myra said that “It is clear that deep down you prefer to do better at an audition than the other to get the role. But there is something about us, which we understand from an early age, that we are different. So depending on the role, the director will prefer my glow or hers. So we will never want to be or take what makes the other shine”. While Fabi brings that “just being within this context of Wicked already favored us to have a very respectful relationship at first. Respect turned into admiration. And from admiration we became family”.

And in a world as crowded and competitive as the theater, the bond between built from Wicked became something precious and exciting that is very rare today. Thus, their return to the main roles with Wicked’s iconic songs, the show’s new look and an adapted script with Brazilian culture references resulted in a sold out season two months before it finished.

Furthermore, watching the show, it is possible to feel the brilliance of each person in the cast dancing, singing, acting and ensuring that the show is very well delivered. It’s play that will move all possible emotions during its performance.

From Popular to Thank Goodness we watch Fabi Bang deliver all that Glinda (Galinda) is and how she transforms into Glinda the Good. A more empowered and courageous witch than when she was super popular in college. And Myra Ruiz shows Elphaba go from a dreamy and misunderstood girl in The Wizard and I to a character that questions authority and fights for what she believes in Defying Gravity and No Good Deed. Myra Ruiz delivering all of her vocal and acting skills.

And, by the end of the story, the two characters, after all their mistakes, suffering and different choices, meet in For Good. This song shows how this unlikely friendship actually never ceased to exist and made them who they are at that moment. Furthermore, to this day this final song impacts the many actresses who have played these characters. It represents the end of the show and becomes an intimate moment that spills out to the audience. It creates a close relationship between all the actresses who play Glinda and Elphaba, just as it happened in Brazil.

There is this sisterhood. This bond of understanding. And even if you don’t know each other personally, it’s like “oh, yeah, we know how that goes, we can talk about that trap door or how ridiculously hard it is to climb that ladder with that long dress at the end of the show. We share this mutual understanding so it’s really special - Laurel Harris, Elphaba on Broadway and Tour

But the bond you form with the person playing opposite you on stage is something that is so incredibly special and I dare say magical. (...) I think there is this mutual respect and understanding between the person playing Glinda and the person playing Elphaba, is that you’re both tackling this epic roles. And that you are there for each other and there is this trust and care and almost being incredibly present to the other person’s needs that you have a unique opportunity because you spend so much time together on stage to really care for one another throughout but I’m so grateful for all my Elphaba sisters for sure.  - Ginna Claire Mason, Glinda on Broadway and National Tour

Thus, Wicked is a story about friendship. About the good and the bad inside of each one. About the impact that some people have on our lives. And about a political, ethical and especially social discourse within a fantastic world that is very similar to ours.

Personally, Wicked brought me comfort. The songs made me feel unlimited and wanting to fly to western sky. I saw myself in the difficulties of the Brazilian characters and actresses and I found myself moved by the play and wanting to see it as many times as possible (just like in 2016).

I recognize in myself a need to defy gravity often taking on many projects and discovering the world. I see myself as a comet pulled from my orbit by Wicked and every time I listen to the instrumental introduction of For Good I get emotional, just as I feel like dancing and screaming whenever I hear Defying Gravity.

I still haven't been able to see this beautiful musical on Broadway, but for better or for worse, it doesn't matter, I know I'll always have the Emerald City within me.

Thank you to everyone who made this show and congratulations to the cast!