Recently, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel reunited to perform a new version of “For Good” to honor Wicked producer, David Stone. It was the first performance of Chenoweth and Menzel in twelve years. While watching the video, I realized all that Wicked taught me.
My parents surprised me with front-row tickets to see the original cast of Wicked when I was a child, and I fell in love with the show immediately. It taught me so many life lessons, and at the time I wasn’t aware of its breath and depth of valuable knowledge. I saw the show again in college, and it reinforced my affection towards the musical. Here are five key concepts, thoughts, and songs that prove to be important in daily life:
1. Binaries can be broken; however, they can also be reinforced by bystanders.
Songs: “What is this Feeling?” “Popular”
Loathing. A deep-seated emotion, including feelings of hatred. Your first impressions about someone are usually wrong. Never take in appearances as inner-thoughts. This song perpetuates the belief that wickedness and goodness, a binary, can be further reinforced by bystanders. Through this song, we see many stark contrasts: blonde hair vs. black hair, white vs. green, bubbly vs. reserved, popular vs. outcast, and the list goes on and on. These black and white binaries prove themselves to be shades of gray. We see broken binary constructs in Wicked, and the new perceived normal is beautiful to its audience.
2. Animals need their rights.
Song: "Something Bad"
Animals also deserve advocates to give them back their voices. As Mercy for Animals, a non-profit organization focused on giving a voice to the voiceless, fights for everyday, the musical taught me that the animal liberation social movement has validity. In fact, Elphaba’s story revolves around “a reactionary movement mobilizing to rob Oz’s animals of their ability to speak, implementing a regime of cages and injections that looks more like today’s America than that technicolor world that gave us the Cowardly Lion” (Trimarco, “Wicked Draws on Animal-Rights Sympathies”). Doctor Dillamond expresses his worries about animals literally losing their voices in the song "Something Bad." The song speaks volumes to today's issues of animal cruelty.
3. Question authority unapologetically.
Songs: "The Wizard and I" "A Sentimental Man" "Dear Old Shiz"
You never know who could be a fraud. "The Wizard and I" and "A Sentimental Man" show us that the public can have a misconstrued view of a fraudulent leader due to preconceived, false notions and a false, intriguing quality of ambiguity. The Wizard. Always respect leaders, but never let your better judgement be rejected to benefit those in power. Even the scriptwriter of Wicked admits “politics is very much embedded...in the story. The whole story is about a political leader who is unmasked as a fraud” (Holzman quoted by Stasio, “Every witch way but loose”). The best leaders are the heavily questioned that can consistently uphold their views. The Wizard proved to be twisted, jaded, and manipulative.
4. Cliché sayings are usually true.
Song: "For Good"
“I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason… Because I knew you I have been changed for good… So much of me is made from what I learned from you, you’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart.”
The premier long distance best friend power anthem "For Good" shows us that individuals have the ability to leave long-lasting imprints directly on your heart. The sum of our lived experiences, portrayed somewhat eerily similarly in plays and musicals, is influenced by people we’ll never forget. Sometimes, those people are the people that we initially loathe.
5. Be leery of those who try to take away your joy.
Songs: "Defying Gravity" "No One Mourns The Wicked"
"Defying Gravity" shows us how to be the definers and heroes of our own story. "No One Mourns The Wicked" shows us a jaded view of Oz’s perception of wickedness; when in actuality, Ozians are the wicked ones. In life, you will attract nay-sayers. Be self-confident and you will have the ability to defy gravity. Elphaba’s lack of self-confidence that Glinda possessed is the reasoning behind her hardships. She was her worst enemy. Oz will never accept Elphaba, but she accepts herself and lives her life without internalizing their qualms.
