Frank Baum’s characters were as they wrote them. Whether there was marginalia or notes about them to create a backstory indicating they were misunderstood, or to evoke sympathy for them is a very modern take on trying to understand human depth. (Think, WestSide Story, and Officer Krupke having it explained to him by the Jets). However, creating backstories for characters from literature is something that has been done and will continue to be done as long as adaptations are made for other mediums such as film, stage, radio or tv -or even sequels. I do keep in mind that the goal in this was to create “POP-u-lar” show tunes, watchable characters, and yes… sell tickets. Doesn’t make it right, doesn’t make the show -as you found it, less enjoyable.
Could they have made a show as engaging and toe tapping had they not delved into the characters’ backstories or looked the opaqueness surrounding issues of popularity? Probably. But that wasn’t this show.
I first saw the Musical “Wicked” performed live, and the music is indeed incredible. Unfortunately, reversing the heroes and villains is very common in today’s retellings of older works, and I think it’s accurate to say that not only is this true in “Wicked,” but that the message about morality is that good is just popular and evil is just misunderstood.
I absolutely loved Fr. Mike’s comments. I also loved the original OZ books starting at age 5 when my father began reading them to me. I read the book “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire when it was first published and felt all the things Fr. Mike said were on the money. Fr. Mike had the words to express my feelings about it. The musical and the book change the characters in a “virtue signaling” method. I do believe there is evil in the world that cannot and should not be justified.
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Frank Baum’s characters were as they wrote them. Whether there was marginalia or notes about them to create a backstory indicating they were misunderstood, or to evoke sympathy for them is a very modern take on trying to understand human depth. (Think, WestSide Story, and Officer Krupke having it explained to him by the Jets). However, creating backstories for characters from literature is something that has been done and will continue to be done as long as adaptations are made for other mediums such as film, stage, radio or tv -or even sequels. I do keep in mind that the goal in this was to create “POP-u-lar” show tunes, watchable characters, and yes… sell tickets. Doesn’t make it right, doesn’t make the show -as you found it, less enjoyable.
Could they have made a show as engaging and toe tapping had they not delved into the characters’ backstories or looked the opaqueness surrounding issues of popularity? Probably. But that wasn’t this show.
I first saw the Musical “Wicked” performed live, and the music is indeed incredible. Unfortunately, reversing the heroes and villains is very common in today’s retellings of older works, and I think it’s accurate to say that not only is this true in “Wicked,” but that the message about morality is that good is just popular and evil is just misunderstood.
I absolutely loved Fr. Mike’s comments. I also loved the original OZ books starting at age 5 when my father began reading them to me. I read the book “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire when it was first published and felt all the things Fr. Mike said were on the money. Fr. Mike had the words to express my feelings about it. The musical and the book change the characters in a “virtue signaling” method. I do believe there is evil in the world that cannot and should not be justified.