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ACT I
The show starts off at the end of the story, (No One Mourns the Wicked)
with Glinda coming down in a bubble giving the citizens good news of Elphaba's death. We learn of Elphaba's birth,
how she was the illegitimate daughter of a traveling salesman and her mother. When she is born, she is green because of a
drink her mother purchased from the salesman and drank during their affair. Upon seeing her color, her father rejects her.
Glinda then takes us back to when she met Elphaba at Shiz university (Dear
Old Shiz). Everyone HATES her because she's green and has powers. Elphaba is her sister's, Nessarose, official caretaker
because she (Nessa) is crippled, and Galinda (not a typo, you'll see), well, is completely carefree. Through a funny mixup,
the two end up rooming with each other. At the same time Madame Morrible discovers that Elphaba has an amazing natural talent
of magic/sorcery, and tells Elphaba that she could end up at the top if she "makes good" (Wizard and I).
Unfortunately for Galinda, she's not accepted into Morrible's renowned sorcery program (which was the only reason she went
to Shiz), although Elphaba is, and she's shattered. So the rift between them deepens. Elphaba and Galinda have to room with
each other, and LOATHE each other (What is This Feeling?). EVERYONE hates Elphaba, but she's the
teacher's pet because she's so smart. She befriends Dr. Dillamond, who's a goat, and learns that things in Oz aren't always
as they seem (Something Bad). Dillamond is afraid that he too will be taken away to some sinister
fate.
Soon a prince, Fiyero, shows up (Dancing Through Life) and ends up
as Galinda's boyfriend. They prepare for a dance at the Ozdust ballroom. Meanwhile,this munchkin named Boq is infatuated with
Galinda, and she gets rid of him by telling him to go invite Nessarose to the ball, etc. even though he doesn't love her,
just feels sorry for her. At the same time Galinda has this disgusting hat which she wants to get rid of, but "doesn't hate
anyone enough to give it away." Some of her friends persuade her to give it to Elphaba as a cruel joke. Elphaba takes it thinking
it's a gift. In return for the "gift" and for setting up a date for Nessa, Elphaba gets Galinda access to Morrible's program.
Galinda then feels HORRIBLE for what she did, but it's too late, Elphaba is already on the dance floor, and everyone is making
fun of her. Galinda goes and dances with Elphaba, and the students then follow suit.
After the dance, Galinda has a new affection for Elphaba, and begs that they exchange secrets. Galinda's
is that she's going to marry Fiyero, even though he doesn't know it yet. Elphaba sadly admits that her father hates her and
that it was her fault that her mother died and that Nessarose is crippled. It's not REALLY her fault, though, everyone just
blamed her for it. She also carries around a bottle of green elixir, which was all she had as a memento of her mother. Glinda,
touched, decides to make her her new "project" (Popular). The next day, Fiyero starts falling for
"Elfie", as Galinda has dubbed her. But in class Dr. Dillamond is being taken away and yells that they're "not being told
everthing". At the same time, a lion cub is being experimented upon as an in-class exhibit. Outraged, Elphaba stops it using
magic, and she and Fiyero, since he was not affected by her spell, run out into the woods or something to save it and let
it free. Fiyero, thrilled and enchanted, yet also a bit embarrassed, awkwardly leaves, and Elphaba ponders on what could be
(I'm Not That Girl). As she regretfully thinks about it, Madame Morrible finds and tells er that
she has been officially invited to the Emerald City.
Later at the train station, Galinda puts on a brave face, because Fiyero is now distant. Nessarose at
the same time, is noticing that Boq's attention isn't entirely for her. Fiyero shows up and is very courteous and attentive
to Elphaba, and hints at how horrible Dr. Dillamond's arrest was, and how they rescued the Lion cub. Galinda, trying to join
in says how she will change her name to Glinda in honor of Dr. Dillamond, who could NEVER pronounce it as "GAlinda", only
"GLInda". Elphaba, feeling bad for Glinda, invites her along to the Emerald City (One Short Day).
They meet the Wizard and he introduces him self to them, saying that he wants to make Elphaba his right
hand man, so to speak, and that to prove herself she needs to give his assistant, a monkey named Chistery, the ability to
fly (Sentimental Man). She opens up this ancient and immensely powerful sorcery book called the
Grimmery and proceeds to chant out a spell. To their amazement, Chistery grows wings. The wizard then shows Elphaba her power
by opening a curtain and showing her a cage full of monkeys with wings, and that she had done that, and now they would be
perfect spies. Elphaba now realizes that she's been duped into helping the Wizard exploit and harm animals, such as Dr. Dillamond
(in Oz, animals are normal citizens like people and munchkins, etc.), making them the "common enemy", just so that he could
be popular and beloved. She also understands that he has no power at all and needs someone with power, like her, to do things
for him, using the Grimmery. She steals the Grimmery and escapes. She says goodbye to Glinda, vowing that she now knows her
destiny, what she is meant to do, and how she'll fight the wizard with every last ounce of strength (
Defying Gravity ).
Act II
The citizens, Glinda, Fiyero, and Madame Morrible, who are all government officials now, are celebrating
because Glinda, unbeknownst to Fiyero, has decided to get married. Fiyero is NOT enthusiastic about life at the moment because
he hates what is happening to Elphaba, although he's head of the hunt to find her. He leaves halfway through the ceremony
because he can't take the lies, propaganda, and superficiality of it any longer, making Glinda's happiness and glee abruptly
succumb to feelings of sadness and discontent, as she contemplates at what cost she has achieved her dreams (Thank
Goodness).
Elsewhere, and this is the song they kept off the CD (Wicked Witch of the East , it's basically a longer
reprise of the theme that Boq and Nessa sing during "Dancing Through Life", plus a harmony sung by Elphaba. It's quite lovely
actually, but I can understand why they left it off), Nessarose is now governor of Munchkinland and has stripped the Munchkins
of their rights in order to keep Boq with her. Elphaba shows up to find a hiding spot, get help from her father, and say hello.
Boq is now Nessa's official servant, and Nessa has become mean and bitter. She's very mad at Elphaba for abandoning her and
she demands to know why Elphaba hasn't given her the ability to walk. Elphaba casts a spell on Nessa's slippers, which become
ruby colored, so that she can walk. Elphaba is happy that she's finally done something good with her powers, Nessa is happy
because she can walk, and Boq is overjoyed because now he thinks he can leave. But Nessa has other plans. In a rage she casts
a spell on him from the Grimmery, despite Elphaba's efforts to stop her. Boq's heart starts to shrink, and Elphaba, desperate
to save his life, turns him into tin. He's lost his heart though, and Nessa blames Elphaba for the disaster.
Back
in the Emerald City, Elphaba shows up to free the flying monkeys. The Wizard stops her and tempts to her into giving up her
cause and staying, to become a celebrity. (Wonderful).
She almost gives in, but notices a shrouded figure, who turns out to be Dr. Dillamond, completely reverted
into a dumb animal, he doesn't even know who she is. Elphaba rejects and tried to escape, but the Wizard is too fast. Fiyero
bursts in and saves Elphaba. Glinda comes in too, and is overjoyed to Elphaba, but her joy turns to hatred and heartbreak
as Fiyero runs off with Elphaba. (I'm Not That Girl (reprise))
Acting upon her emotions, Glinda
suggests to Madame Morrible and the Wizard that they use Nessarose as bait to capture Elfie. The other two think it's a good
idea, but decide to take it a step further.
Hidden away, the two confirm their newfound love ( As Long As You're Mine ). But
before they can run off to Fiyero's abandoned "extra" castle, Elphaba sees a strange vision of a flying house in the sky.
She flies off to Munchkinland to discover the arrival of Dorothy and the death of her sister.
She and Glinda spar off
verbally, and physically, in a pretty darned funny cat fight. Fiyero arrives and tries to save Elphaba. But in rescuing her,
he is sentenced to death, and is hung up on a stick and carried off into a field to die, unless he tells the guards where
Elphaba went, which he won't.
Back at Fiyero's castle, Elphaba, enraged, disillusioned, and desperate tries to cast a spell to save Fiyero's
life, and thinking she's failed yet again, she "owns the fact that she's never gonna be loved by the world, and embraces her
power" (No Good Deed). Elsewhere in Oz we see the mobs preparing to have a witchhunt (March
of the Witch Hunters).
Glinda starts to catch on to the larger scheme of things and confronts Morrible about it,
asking how Nessa died. Morrible merely snaps back angrily and warns Glinda to do her job without asking questions.
Elphaba
has now captured Dorothy, and Glinda shows up to persuade her to let Dorothy go. Elphaba tries to explain herself to Glinda,
and after receiving a note regarding Fiyero, emotionally collapses as she admits that she has failed, that she is, indeed
"limited" That all her attempts at good and in following her heart, integrity, character, were no match for a corrupt world.
She begs Glinda to take charge now, and to let her die in peace so that Glinda can carry on doing good, because maybe she
actually will be able to achieve it. She also makes Glinda swear that she will never clear Elfie's name, because otherwise
people would turn against Glinda, keeping the power with the Wizard and Morrible, and thus corruption and evil will reign.
Glinda sadly promises to do so. Then Elphaba hands over the Grimmery to Glinda telling her to learn how to use it, because
it will give Glinda as much power as she needs. At this final parting, the two friends say goodbye and affirm their true,
deep, friendship (For Good).
After Elphaba has melted, Glinda goes to resolve old problems....
Glinda first puts two and two together.
Elphaba had carried a bottle of green elixir all her life, it was her mother's, and Glinda had only seen it one other place,
and that was with the Wizard. In fact the Wizard was Elphaba's father. She was a child of "both worlds" and thus had great
powers. Madame Morrible is sent away, as is the Wizard, and Glinda takes over. At the Witch's castle, the straw man shows
up, and bends over an old witches hat on the ground. He kicks it aside, and taps on the floor, and up comes Elphaba out of
a secret trap in the ground. Fiyero is the straw man, thanks to Elphaba he survived. He makes her swear that she won't tell
Glinda, and Elfie sadly acknowledges that they will never be able to return to Oz. And as she walks away, Glinda is preparing
to tell the news of the Elfie's death to the populace...As a heartbroken, though happy faced Glinda gives the news, unbeknownst
to one another, Elphaba and Glinda say goodbye one last time amidst the rejoicing of the citizens of Oz. (Finale)
Glinda is sadly preparing to tell the news of the Elfie's death to the populace, although they think it's great. She mourns,
ponders, and cherishes her lifechanging friendship with Elfie, as the voices of the whole cast come together to end the show
in a bittersweet ode(Finale).
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