A Wickedly Good Show
The musical Wicked starring Laurel Harris and Kara Lindsay came to Michigan this December and January, performing at the Detroit Opera House. The story Wicked features two main female roles, unusual considering when a musical told from a woman, it is usually about a princess, focusing on love. However, Wicked has little romance. Like the The Wizard Of Oz, the story doesn’t focus on romance. Instead it has a much deeper meaning, leaving the audience questioning what really is good and teaching not to judge others too quickly.
Wicked tells the story of Elphaba Thropp a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the West. Right from the beginning it is easy to hate her and be glad she is dead-she’s a witch after all! Only a cruel person could ever pick on poor little Dorothy! However, Glinda recalls Elphaba’s life right from when she was conceived and from then it becomes easier to understand the whole theme Wicked stands for: the villain isn’t a villain in their own story. A person has to look outside their own perspective and into other’s to understand why they may do the things they do.
The musical was phenomenal-the acting, singing, costumes, and story line was fantastic. My favorite song was definitely “Defying Gravity”, which was played right before the intermission. It was the turning point, when you realized you were rooting for Elphaba more than you ever would for Dorothy or Oz.
