Broadway Monday

Wicked So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.

Long before that girl from Kansas arrived in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One - born with emerald green skin - is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes for the most completely satisfying new musical in a long time.

I've been highlighting Broadway features on my blog for close to 40 weeks now and somehow have managed to keep this very special show tucked away, waiting for the day when I had the time to devote and give proper respect. Don't laugh! If you've seen the show you know what I'm talking about!

Let's say you're watching the Wizard of Oz when suddenly the camera shifts a frame just a bit to the left. All of the sudden, you are witness to the other story that was playing out at the same time. This is the story of Wicked. The happenings, events, relationships and turmoils that support the story about the little girl from Kansas we grew up reading and watching. There have been many Elphabas and Glindas, but my heart will always belong to my friend Stephanie J. Block! To me, no one can hold a candle to Steph's Elphie!

Wicked is a musical with songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. The story is based on the best-selling novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. In 2004, Wicked was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and garnered trophies for Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical.

Wicked still runs at the Gershwin Theatre to SRO crowds for eight shows a week. The show recouped it's 14 million dollar investment in the first year, and continues to gross a million dollars weekly. A "Sold Out" sign is affixed to the theatre exterior. The show is currently on tour in many cities in the US and abroad.