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Read and discuss the books that inspired Broadway musicals, enriching understanding and enjoyment of both!
Wicked: The Life and Time of the Wicked Witch of the West, originally published in 1995, is a revisionist retelling of the story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (by L. Frank Baum) and its 1939 film adaptation through the experience of the Wicked Witch of the West, given the name Elphaba in the novel, instead of Kansas' Dorothy. It expands on the political climate and history of Oz that Dorothy was unaware of and how Elphaba came to be in her position when Dorothy dropped in.
A musical adaptation called Wicked premiered on Broadway in 2003, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. It follows the main plot of the novel, but streamlined and written to be more family friendly. It is currently the fourth longest running Broadway production in history with over 8,000 performances. It was nominated for ten Tony Awards, and winning for categories of Best Actress (Idina Menzel), Best Costume Design, and Best Scenic Design. A long awaited film adaption of the musical Wicked starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda has a release date of November 22, 2024.
Copies of Wicked will be available at the Northeast Library, or you can place a hold yourself from the catalog or access an ebook/e-audiobook version in our digital catalog with Libby/Overdrive.
Access some supplemental Wicked materials:
