A New Side of an Old Witch

Kermit the Frog first sang "It's Not Easy Bein' Green" in 1970. While noting how common the color seems, he ultimately decides he kind of likes being green. Good for a frog, not so good for a person.

Gregory Maguire's Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is a parallel retelling of Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Maguire portrays the witch, whose name as Elphaba, as an unfortunate victim of circumstance. Born with green skin, she is shunned and feared by those around her. Elphaba is not portrayed as evil, but as a defender for the rights of the humanistic animals and a skeptic of the motives of the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. She and Glinda are not born enemies, but forced into those roles by passionate differences in their beliefs. Wicked is a fascinating look at a childhood land, written with the politics, values and choices faced in our adult lives.

Also a hit Broadway musical, check out the Wicked CD!