A Timeless Tale From A Witchy Perspective: “Wicked”
Everyone knows just how great the new “Wicked” movie is! Some people are even outraged that they have to wait until Nov. 21, 2025, to see part two (people have to wait a whole year in between movies—seriously?) But before it was a movie, “Wicked” was a popular Broadway musical that told the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West, the villain in “The Wizard of Oz,” a novel written by L. (Lyman) Frank Baum in 1900 and turned into a movie in 1939 starring Judy Garland. The “Wicked” musical is based on “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” a novel written by Gregory Maguire in 1995. If you have already read the book and think that the musical will be just as terrible, you are wrong, because they changed 75% of the original story in the musical (and made it so much better)! Familiar characters from “The Wizard of Oz” are featured in the musical, such as Glinda the Good Witch and the Wizard of Oz himself. We also discover the origin stories of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. Most importantly, we discover why the witch, called Elphaba, a name based on the initials of the writer of “The Wizard of Oz” novel (L. F. B.), went from “good” to “wicked.” With its relatable tale of self-discovery, social acceptance, familiar characters—and of course, songs whose melody and words “defy gravity”—”Wicked” will change any non-musical lover into a theater fanatic “for good.”
Catchy Tunes with Amazing Acrobatics: “Newsies”
Non-musical lovers usually sigh when they first hear the words “Disney musical,” which usually refers to singing princesses, talking animals, and annoyingly catchy songs. However, this is not the case for “Newsies,” except for the catchy songs. “Newsies,” the musical, tells the story of the New York Newsboys Strike of 1899, a real historical event. The story of the newsboys, or “newsies,” was first turned into a live-action Disney movie musical in 1992. The movie was a box-office bomb, but it became popular through home video. In 2012, a live production was produced on Broadway with some additions and changes to the original plot, songs, and characters of the 1992 movie. Compared to the original movie, the Broadway show was a success, setting a record for Disney musicals on Broadway by earning back its original investment of $5 million in only seven months. With its memorable tunes, amazing acrobatics, and rallying cry to “seize the day,” “Newsies” will certainly strike a chord with anyone, musical-lover or otherwise. Before you watch the 1992 “Newsies” movie, watch the recording of the live stage production with the original Broadway cast on Disney+. It is way better than the original movie.
You Cannot Go Wrong With This One: “The Sound of Music”
Who does not like a timeless classic such as “The Sound of Music”? “The Sound of Music” tells the story of Maria, a nun living in Salzburg, Austria, near the start of World War II. Maria becomes the nanny to Captain von Trapp’s seven children, who have lived without music ever since their mother passed. In response, Maria teaches the von Trapp children how to sing. Like “Newsies,” “The Sound of Music” is a musical based on real historical events. Maria and the von Trapp family were real people, but their story was very “Disney-fied” in the musical. With its sweet, timeless tale and very hummable tunes, “The Sound of Music” will surely become “a few of your favorite things.”
Who Does Not Like ABBA?: “Mamma Mia!”
When “Mamma Mia!” the musical came out in 1999, it was the perfect way to finish the century. Using 22 hit songs by the Swedish pop group ABBA (an acronym for the names of the members: Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad), it tells the story of a girl named Sophie who is just about to get married. She wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but she does not know who her father is! What follows is a hilarious musical of friendship, romance, and lots of earworm-worthy tunes (“Dancing Queen!”) that will surely get even the most steadfast musical-hater to get up off the couch and dance ‘til they can’t no more!
