what is wicked about

Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which reimagines the Land of Oz and creates a parallel universe to the familiar story written by L. Frank Baum. The musical tells the story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young women, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (Glinda the Good Witch), before they became adversaries. The show explores themes of female friendship, discrimination, governmental corruption, and standing up for ones beliefs. The story follows Elphaba, a shy, fiery, and smart young girl with green skin and strong magical powers, and Glinda, a blonde and very popular girl, from their girlhood friendship and explains how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch and Glinda became the Good Witch. The musical has become a cultural phenomenon due to its moving portrayal of female friendship and its memorable songs, from "Defying Gravity" to "For Good".