Play Wicked Research Paper

Of the many live performances I have been able to see, by far my favorite is Wicked. I have always been drawn to plays that are fantasy-based versus those that focus on realism. Wicked is a complete fun-ride of fantasy from beginning to end. From it's variety of outrageous characters to it's musical score, each aspect of drama is clear and defined in this play. Theme, music, and spectacle will be the focus in this essay, but that is not to say each aspect does not have a role in the show. Wicked presents the aspects of drama in a way that an audience remembers. The first prominent aspect of Wicked is the thought, theme, and/or idea behind the story. It follows the girl who was to be known as the Wicked Witch of the West. The main idea is to prove to the audience that the Wizard of Oz got it wrong; the Wicked Witch of the West, as expressed in Wicked's version, was actually the most "goodly" character around. We see her struggles to prove herself to her family and peers, and the horrendous outcomes of her struggles. One theme I took from the
I already knew a good deal of the songs in the play, but there is nothing like hearing and seeing a song performed versus listening to it on a CD. For example, one of the biggest numbers is Defying Gravity. This is the end of the first act when Elphaba decides she will no longer let others hold her back from her own power. She wants to ‘defy gravity', and fly, or in essence, not let others stand in her way because they are afraid of her. At the climax of the song, it is one of those powerful moments with a strong main vocalist and an equally strong chorus that simply shakes the auditorium. Elphaba is raised into the air and I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. The effect the music had on me was what really took me into the show. It flowed perfectly with the story. The music was not just support in Wicked; it was a character in its