Is Wicked Based Off Of Wizard Of Oz

Let’s talk about something that keeps a lot of people up at night. Well, maybe not really up at night, but it’s a question that sparks a friendly debate. It’s about that fabulous musical, Wicked. You know the one. All the green skin and the amazing songs about defying gravity.

Now, here’s the thing. You’ve probably heard, seen, or even sung along to songs from Wicked. It’s a sensation. And it’s set in a very familiar place. We’re talking about the land of Oz. Yes, the very same Oz where Dorothy skipped down a yellow brick road and befriended a tin man, a scarecrow, and a cowardly lion.

So, the big question, the one that causes a tiny wrinkle in our brain-wrinkles, is this: Is Wicked based off of The Wizard of Oz? It’s like asking if peanut butter is based off of nuts. Seems pretty obvious, right?

But here’s where my unpopular opinion comes in. And please, no pitchforks. I’m just here to have a bit of fun with this. While Wicked is undeniably connected to The Wizard of Oz, is it based off of it in the way we usually think? Think of it like this: My cousin Brenda makes amazing cookies. These cookies are inspired by my grandma’s famous chocolate chip recipe. Brenda uses flour, sugar, and chocolate chips, just like Grandma. But Brenda’s cookies have a hint of sea salt and a sprinkle of chili flakes. They are Brenda’s cookies, even though they came from Grandma’s idea.

Similarly, Wicked takes the characters and the setting of The Wizard of Oz and turns them inside out. It’s like taking a familiar painting and repainting it from a completely different angle, with a whole new color palette. We meet Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. But in Wicked, she’s not just some cackling villain. She’s a misunderstood young woman, brilliant and ostracized because of her green skin. We see her as a student, a friend, and someone trying to find her place in the world.

And then there’s Glinda. The Good Witch. In Wicked, she’s not just a shimmering, benevolent figure. She’s popular, a little bit vain, and trying to navigate the complexities of social life and, eventually, power. The relationship between Elphaba and Glinda is the heart of the musical. It’s a story of friendship, rivalry, and the messy, complicated choices people make.

Now, you might be saying, “But they are in Oz! They know Dorothy! The ruby slippers are a thing!” And you’d be absolutely right. Wicked definitely plays with the narrative we know and love. It’s like a delicious remix of a classic song. You recognize the melody, but the beat is different, the lyrics have a new twist, and there’s a whole new energy to it.

The book that Wicked is based on, by Gregory Maguire, is called Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. This book is itself a complex reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s original story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. So, it’s like a set of Russian nesting dolls of inspiration. Wicked the musical is based on Maguire’s book, which is based on Baum’s book. See? It gets wonderfully convoluted!

When you watch Wicked, you’re getting the backstory. You’re seeing the events before Dorothy arrives. You’re understanding why Elphaba became the witch she is. You’re seeing the political machinations of Oz that the movie barely touches on. It’s a prequel, a parallel story, and a brand-new adventure all rolled into one.

So, my quirky take is this: Wicked isn’t just based off The Wizard of Oz. It’s more like The Wizard of Oz’s incredibly talented, slightly rebellious younger sibling who decided to tell their own side of the story, and boy, is it a showstopper! It takes the familiar ingredients and bakes a whole new, spectacular cake. It’s a delicious exploration of perspective. It makes you think about who the real heroes and villains are. And it does it all with a killer soundtrack.

It’s like if you met your favorite celebrity and they told you their embarrassing childhood stories. You still love them, but now you have a whole new appreciation for their journey. Wicked gives us the journey of the supposed villain. And it’s a journey worth singing about. So, next time you hear “Defying Gravity,” remember, it’s a song about a witch finding her wings, in a world we thought we knew, but thanks to Wicked, we now see with much greener eyes.

It’s a whole new way to think about Oz.

It’s like saying a detective novel is based off of crime. Well, yes, technically. But it’s the specific detective, the specific crime, and the specific way the story is told that makes it unique. Wicked has its own unique Elphaba, its own unique Glinda, and its own unique magical-political mess to untangle.

So, while the DNA is undeniably there, the organism that grew from it is something entirely new and wonderfully vibrant. It’s not just a copy; it’s a creation. And that’s what makes Wicked so brilliant. It stands on the shoulders of a giant, yes, but it also soars. And that’s a kind of magic all its own.

Think about it. Have you ever told a story that someone else had already told? You might use some of the same words, the same general idea, but your version is yours. It’s got your voice, your experiences, your little embellishments. Wicked is that embellished, re-imagined, and utterly captivating version of the Oz story. And it’s fantastic!