Elphaba is the name given to the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway adaptation, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum's book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the witch is unnamed and we know little about her life. Elphaba is modeled after the witch as she is shown in the 1939 classic movie The Wizard of Oz: Green-skinned, clad entirely in black, and wearing a tall peaked hat. Maguire formulated the name out of L. Frank Baum's name. L. Frank Baum became El-pha-ba. In both adaptations, Elphaba is also called by several nicknames including Elphie, Fabala, and Fae. The Wicked Witch, as portrayed by Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz The Wicked Witch of the West (or simply The Wicked Witch) is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum in his childrens books. ... Wicked, or Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, is a parallel novel by Gregory Maguire. ... Gregory Maguire (born June 9, 1954 in Albany, New York) is an American author. ... A view of Broadway in 1909 Broadway, as the name implies, is a wide avenue in New York City, and is the oldest north-south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to the first New Amsterdam settlement. ... Wicked is a Tony award-winning American musical produced by Universal Pictures with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. ... Lyman Frank Baum (May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author, actor, and independent filmmaker best known as the creator, along with illustrator W. W. Denslow, of one of the most popular books ever written in American childrens literature, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, better known today... The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) is a childrens book written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W.W. Denslow. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... The Wizard of Oz (film) redirects here. ...

Elphaba in the book

Elphaba is the daughter of Melena Thropp and the Wizard of Oz (a fact which Elphaba discovers near the end of her life). Her father's origins beyond Oz is one possible explanation of her green skin, and is the reason she is able read the Grimmerie. Through her mother, she can lay claim to the title of Eminent Thropp of Munchkinland. Frexspar the unionist minister and missionary is her mother’s husband. Nessarose, the Wicked Witch of the East, and Shell are her half siblings. She has a son, Liir, who was illegitimately conceived with Fiyero, and unknowingly carried to term by Elphaba in a coma. Melena Thropp is the mother of Elphaba, Nessarose, and Shell in Gregory Maguires novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. ... The Wizard, on the cover of Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz The Wizard of Oz (or simply The Wizard) is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum and further popularized by the classic 1939 movie. ... Spoiler warning: Munchkinland (or Munchkin Country) is a region in the fictional Land of Oz in L. Frank Baums Oz books, first described in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. ... Michelle Federer as Nessarose in the musical Wicked, with Sean McCourt as Frex Nessarose Thropp is the name of the Wicked Witch of the East in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway adaptation, Wicked. ... The Wicked Witch of the East is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum in his classic books. ... Shell Thropp is a character in the fictional works Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and Son of a Witch, both by Gregory Maguire. ... Liir (pronouced leer) is a supporting character in Gregory Maguires novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, and the protagonist of its sequel, Son of a Witch. ... Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero in the Original Broadway Cast of the musical Wicked, with Idina Menzel as Elphaba. ...

Elphaba is portrayed as an aspiring revolutionary, perhaps inspired by her childhood days in Quadling Country, whose ecosystem and people were stricken by the government’s ruthless ruby mining and road building efforts in the area. She is shown as a passionate supporter of Animal rights: (Animals, as opposed to animals, are speaking/thinking Animals.) she speaks against Madame Morrible’s anti-Animal poetry, works with the Goat Doctor Dillamond in attempting to find the biological difference between Animals, animals, and humans, protects a Lion cub in a life sciences class, and is often shown refusing to eat meat that could possibly come from Animal sources. Her revolutionary goals, however, fade after a failed assassination attempt on Madame Morrible’s life, which leads to the death of Fiyero, her lover. The Quadling Country is the southern division of L. Frank Baums Land of Oz. ... Madame Muriel Morrible is a character in author Gregory Maguires 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. ... Doctor Dillamond with Elphaba. ... Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero in the Original Broadway Cast of the musical Wicked, with Idina Menzel as Elphaba. ...

The theme of forgiveness plays a large role in her life after this point, as she attempts to seek forgiveness for the death of Fiyero from his wife, Sarima. Sarima, however, refuses to listen to Elphaba’s story of his death, and she is murdered by the Wizard’s forces, leaving Elphaba unsatisfied, and plunged into madness. The theme comes full circle, and is instrumental in her death: Dorothy had come to the Kiamo Ko asking her forgiveness for killing Nessarose. Elphaba dies before being able to grant forgiveness of her own. Doctor Who character, see Ace (Doctor Who). ... Kiamo Ko is the ancestral home of Fiyero, the Prince of the Arjiki tribe in both Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Macguire, and Wicked the Musical. ...

Elphaba is green, and several theories are put forward in the book to explain the phenomenon. Melena sees the color as a punishment for her infidelity to her husband, Frexspar sees it as originally as a result of his careless words “The devil is coming” on her birth day, and later as punishment for his failure to protect his parishioners from the Clock of the Time Dragon. The Wizard’s use of the Magical Elixir during Elphaba’s conception, along with the fact that the Wizard is of another world are also possibilities.

Elphaba is also seemingly allergic to water. This connects to the Elphaba’s ponderings over the existence of her soul: without water, there is no baptism. The final bucket splash is described as a baptism, after which Elphaba is clearly shown to have a soul.

This bucket splash also connects to the fable of Saint Aelphaba, for whom Elphaba is named, who was said to disappear beyond a waterfall, and never return. This in turn connects Elphaba with the stories that Sarima tells her children about a wicked witch who disappears into a cave. At the end of the story it's tradition that the children ask if the witch ever comes out, to which Sarima replies "not yet". At the end of the book, that dialogue is repeated, suggesting that Elphaba will eventually rise again. In interviews, Maguire has stated that the witch may die but will always come back, no matter what.

Elphaba in the musical

For the musical Wicked, Elphaba was written to be less cynical and more sympathetic than the novel counterpart. In the book, Elphaba virtually goes mad, and tries to convince herself and others that she is truly "wicked;" however in the musical, she is merely carried away by her emotions for a period. The end result in both is an unfair and distorted transformation of her reputation into a legendary figure of evil.

Liir and Sarima are not present in the musical, and a love triangle with Fiyero and Glinda exists instead of that with Sarima. The young Elphaba shows interest in sorcery from the beginning of her education, as opposed to having it thrust upon her as in the book. Elphaba is explicitly shown to survive at the end, and goes to live a life beyond Oz with Fiyero, where in the book her impending resurrection is only hinted at. Elphaba is also the creator of the Tin Woodman (through a curse on Boq), the Scarecrow (through a spell on Fiyero) and the Cowardly Lion, the lion cub she saved from the class after the Goat Doctor's removal; in the books the former is a result of an ax bewitched by Nessarose, and the latter's existence has nothing to do with Fiyero, other than her slight suspicion that he might indeed be her love coming back to find her, which just proves to be a paranoid delusion. Glinda depicted on the cover of Glinda of Oz Glinda (or Glinda the Good Witch) is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. ... Cover of The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum. ... Spoiler warning: Boq is a character in author Gregory Maguires 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. ... The Scarecrow is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum and illustrator William Wallace Denslow. ... Cover of The Cowardly Lion of Oz (1929) by Ruth Plumly Thompson. ...

In the musical, Elphaba's aversion to water is no more than one of several ridiculous rumors started by those who fear her. Elphaba used this to her advantage by disappearing when Dorothy threw a bucket of water at her, fooling everyone into believing she was dead, even though she just went down a trapdoor.

The role of Elphaba was originally played on Broadway and in London by Idina Menzel, who won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance. Idina Menzel (born Idina Kim Mentzel on May 30, 1971 in New York City) is a Tony Award-winning American actress, singer and songwriter who is best known for her performances in Wicked and Rent. ... The Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical is awarded to the actress who was voted as the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. ...

Musical cast

Actresses who have played Elphaba in the musical include:

Previous

• Idina Menzel (Original Broadway, Original London)
• Shoshana Bean (Broadway, US National Tour)
• Ana Gasteyer (Original Chicago, Broadway)
• Julia Murney (US National Tour, Broadway)
• Kristy Cates (US National Tour Substitute, Chicago)
• Saycon Sengbloh (Broadway Standby)
• Brandi Chavonne Massey (Broadway Understudy)
• Jenna Leigh Green (US National Tour Understudy)
• Maria Eberline (US National Tour Understudy)
• Shona White (London Standby)
• Victoria Matlock (US National Tour)

Idina Menzel (born Idina Kim Mentzel on May 30, 1971 in New York City) is a Tony Award-winning American actress, singer and songwriter who is best known for her performances in Wicked and Rent. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Ana Kristina Gasteyer (born May 4, 1967) is an American actress and comedian. ... Julia Kathleen Murney (born January 14, 1969) is an American actress and singer, primarily featured in theatre and television commercial voice-overs. ... Kristy Cates is an American actress and singer, best known for her role as Elphaba in the Chicago production of Wicked. ... A promotional photograph of Sengbloh. ... Massey as Elphaba in Wicked. ... Jenna Leigh Green (born August 22, 1974), an American actress, grew up in Simi Valley, California with her twin sister Jessica and younger sister Rebecca. ... Victoria Matlock is an American musical theatre actress. ...

Current

• Stephanie J. Block (Current Broadway, Original US National Tour)
• Lisa Brescia (Current Broadway Standby)
• Caissie Levy (Current Broadway Understudy) Going To Be L.A. Standby
• Carmen Cusack (Current US National Tour, Chicago Standby; Now the primary in the Boston production as of Nov 6, 2007)
• Coleen Sexton (Current US National Tour Standby)
• Marcie Dodd (Current US National Tour Understudy) Going to Be Nessarose In L.A.
• Dee Roscioli (Current Chicago)
• Jennifer DiNoia (Current Chicago Standby)
• Dan'yelle Williamson (Current Chicago Understudy)
• Kerry Ellis (Current London)
• Cassidy Janson (Current London Standby)
• Ashleigh Gray (Current London Understudy)
• Eden Espinosa (Current Los Angeles, Former Broadway, US National Tour)
• Julie Reiber (Current Los Angeles Standby)
• Courtney Corey (Current Los Angeles Understudy)
• Megumi Hamada (Current Tokyo)
• Higuchi Asami (Current Tokyo)
• Willemijn Verkaik (Current Stuttgart)