Wicked (Maguire novel) facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Gregory Maguire |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Douglas Smith |
| Cover artist | Douglas Smith |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Wicked Years |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | ReganBooks |
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Publication date
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1995 |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 406 |
| ISBN | 0-06-039144-8 |
| OCLC | 32746783 |
| 813/.54 20 | |
| LC Class | PS3563.A3535 W5 1995 |
| Followed by | Son of a Witch |
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is a fantasy novel published in 1995. It was written by Gregory Maguire and has illustrations by Douglas Smith. This book is the first in The Wicked Years series. Other books in the series include Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz.
In 2003, Wicked became a very popular Broadway musical. This musical won a Tony Award. The story is also being made into two movies. The first movie is planned for November 2024, and the second for November 2025.
Wicked tells a new version of the classic story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. It also looks at the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. The book is like a biography of the Wicked Witch of the West. In this story, she is given the name "Elphaba." The book follows Elphaba's life from when she was a child until Dorothy Gale defeats her. Maguire helps readers see this character, who is usually a villain, in a more understanding way.
Contents
Main Characters in Wicked
- Elphaba Thropp: She is the main character of the book. Elphaba has green skin and later becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West. The book reveals that she is the daughter of The Wizard. L. Frank Baum did not give the Wicked Witch of the West a name in his books. Maguire created the name Elphaba from Baum's initials: L.F.B.
- Galinda Arduenna Upland (later Glinda): She is Elphaba's roommate at Shiz University. Galinda eventually becomes the Good Witch of the North. At first, she does not like Elphaba, but they later become close friends.
- Nessarose Thropp: She is Elphaba's younger sister. Nessarose later becomes known as "the Wicked Witch of the East." She was born without arms but is very beautiful. This makes Elphaba feel a bit jealous of her.
- Fiyero Tigelaar: He is a prince from the Arjiki tribe, which lives in the Vinkus.
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: He is the main bad guy in the book. The Wizard is a human who came to Oz from Earth in a hot air balloon. He was looking for a special book called the Grimmerie. But he found he could take over Oz and become its ruler.
- Madame Morrible: She is the headmistress of Crage Hall at Shiz University. Elphaba and Galinda attend this school. Madame Morrible is also a powerful person behind the scenes in Ozian politics.
- Dr. Dillamond: He is Elphaba's favorite professor and a mentor to her at Shiz.
- Melena Thropp: She is the mother of Elphaba, Nessarose, and their brother Shell.
- Frexspar: He is Melena's husband and works as a traveling minister.
Understanding Evil in the Story
Wicked mainly explores what makes someone evil. It asks if evil is something people are born with or if they learn it. Elphaba is an outsider, even though she comes from a noble family. This makes her wonder how much control she truly has over her own life.
From Book to Stage and Screen
The Broadway Musical
In 2003, the novel was turned into the Broadway musical Wicked. Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics. Winnie Holzman wrote the script for the show. Universal Pictures produced the musical, and Joe Mantello directed it.
The musical has been very successful. It has had long-running shows in cities like Chicago, London, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. It has also played in Germany and Japan. The Broadway show was nominated for ten Tony Awards and won three. It is one of the longest-running Broadway shows ever, with over 7,400 performances. Idina Menzel played Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth played Glinda in the first Broadway production.
Film Adaptations
In September 2010, news came out that Universal Pictures was starting to work on a movie version of the stage musical. In December 2012, after the success of the movie Les Misérables, Marc Platt confirmed the Wicked film was moving forward. He also produced the stage version.
The movie faced some delays. Stephen Daldry was set to direct but left due to other commitments. Jon M. Chu then took over as director. Cynthia Erivo was cast as Elphaba, and Ariana Grande was cast as Galinda. Michelle Yeoh was announced to play Madame Morrible in December 2022.
In April 2022, it was announced that the movie would be released in two parts. The first part is set to come out on November 27, 2024. The second part will follow on November 26, 2025.
See also
In Spanish: Wicked: Memorias de una bruja mala para niños
