#but you are elphaba’s BOY like come on man..

[rustystars]

i’ve wanted elphaba & glinda to kiss since i was maybe 10 years old. so i understand that i’m biased. but every clip i see of jonathan bailey drives me crazy . ! why was he so bad in it.. like you are the Love Interest. it is your job to have chemistry how are you flopping this hard… cynthia erivo Acting singing her heart out & i’m nodding my head going Okay sure love triangle i get it. i see this for you even though you seem to be sliding back & forth along the kinsey scale at a speed never before seen by mankind. i will hide my #ihopejakeydies sign behind my back because i want to support you even if your boyfriend sounds kind of lame. & then it cuts back to his face like you’re singing this over HIM? nothing burger HIM? girl…

[jbaileyfansite]

USA Today Interview (2024)

For Jonathan Bailey, one of the biggest perks of starring in a massive franchise is getting your very own Lego figure.

The British actor, who plays the swoony prince Fiyero in “Wicked,” is featured in a 945-piece plastic Emerald City set. Although he has yet to procure the toy metropolis for himself, “Christmas is coming and I hope I’ve been a good boy this year,” Bailey says with a grin.

The impish heartthrob has been using Legos to unwind while on a weekslong promotional tour for the blockbuster movie musical, which tells the origin story of the witches of Oz. “Just last night, I managed to (put together) the Atlantic Ocean in this giant Lego globe that I’m currently building,” he delightedly explains.

The fantasy film caps off a monumental year for Bailey, 36, who earned an Emmy nomination for his devastating work in Showtime miniseries “Fellow Travelers,” and spent the summer in Thailand shooting “Jurassic World: Rebirth” (in theaters July 2, 2025) alongside Scarlett Johansson.

“It’s extraordinary the types of roles I’ve been able to play these last two years,” says Bailey, who broke through to U.S. audiences on Netflix phenom “Bridgerton” in 2020. “I’m pinching myself. If I could have gone back and told my younger self that this would be happening, I’d probably do a flip.”

Jonathan Bailey brings 'boyish charm' to 'Wicked' prince Fiyero

Bailey is no stranger to musical theater: At just 8 years old, he played the pint-sized revolutionary Gavroche in “Les Misérables” on London’s West End. And in 2019, he won an Olivier Award for a gender-swapped revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Company,” singing the mile-a-minute “Getting Married Today.”

But it was a viral audition tape for the musical “The Last Five Years” that caught the attention of “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu. “It felt like the thing I’ve always loved about musicals, where the song is just an extension of the dialogue. It felt like acting,” Chu recalls. “He just has that X factor. There’s such a boyish charm to him that you’re like, ‘That is Fiyero.’”

Like many, Bailey became obsessed with “Wicked” thanks to its Broadway cast album and 2004 Tony Awards performance with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. “The lyrics are so fascinating and witty,” Bailey says. “I remember laughing specifically at Glinda singing how this hat is ‘really, uh, sharp, don’t you think?’ I screamed!”

When the contumacious Fiyero arrives at Shiz University from Winkie Country, he instantly enchants the besotted Glinda (Ariana Grande), but slowly finds himself drawn to the green-skinned Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo). He also freely flirts with both his male and female classmates.

“Fiyero is confident and curious and kind enough to invite anyone to Winkie Country,” Bailey says cheekily. But as a gay actor, he’s grateful for the “years and years of progress” that have allowed him to be the leading man in a big-budget movie like “Wicked.”  

“There's been many Fiyeros before me, and many members of the LGBT community who have fought for times where someone like me could play these parts,” Bailey says. "This story resonates for so many people because it’s about identity and celebrates our similarities. In playing Fiyero, you realize what an ally he is to someone who’s outside of society. People are incredibly unkind to Elphaba, and he uses his charm and privilege” to help her feel accepted. “It’s really lovely.”

The 'Bridgerton' dreamboat heads to 'Jurassic World' next

“There's been many Fiyeros before me, and many members of the LGBT community who have fought for times where someone like me could play these parts,” Bailey says. "This story resonates for so many people because it’s about identity and celebrates our similarities. In playing Fiyero, you realize what an ally he is to someone who’s outside of society. People are incredibly unkind to Elphaba, and he uses his charm and privilege” to help her feel accepted. “It’s really lovely.”

The 'Bridgerton' dreamboat heads to 'Jurassic World' next

Bailey delivers one of the movie’s standout numbers in “Dancing Through Life,” in which Fiyero persuades his schoolmates to join him for a night on the town at the trendy Ozdust Ballroom. The song begins in the Shiz library, where Fiyero swings between ladders, slides across desks, and flips through novels using only his feet. The actor spent seven weeks rehearsing the choreography, much of which takes place on rotating bookshelves.

“It turns out in Fiyero’s boots, it’s not so easy to open books and read ‘War and Peace’ with your toes,” Bailey jokes. “I also started training vocally over Zoom while I was filming ‘Fellow Travelers.’ I would do these scenes with Matt Bomer where I’d be smoking and screaming, and then I’d have to come back and sing somehow.”

Ultimately, making "Wicked" helped Bailey feel more at ease taking on the beloved "Jurassic Park" series, in which he plays a bespectacled paleontologist named Dr. Henry Loomis.

“Dancing and closing books with your toes does not save you from raptors,” Bailey quips. “ ’Wicked’ is its own beautiful beast, but it leans so much on the original imagery of ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ It taught me to blur out the reality of what it means to step into an incredibly iconic story, and just focus on working hard and having a lot of fun."

Bailey teases that he has another musical project “on the horizon.” In the meantime, Fiyero will have a more substantial role in "Wicked: Part Two" (in theaters Nov. 21, 2025), which shot back-to-back with the first movie. He still regrets not taking home the character's black leather boots, created by "genius" costume designer Paul Tazewell.

“I did manage to steal some postcards from the Emerald City,” Bailey says. “Some of those accidentally flew off in the middle of a take and landed in my bag. Other than that, I hope Paul will send me Fiyero’s tight pants one day."

Source

[ichiwashername-o]

Sorry to bug you, but I had a question: as someone who's full extent of knowledge re: Oz and Wicked is "I have seen the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie, and I've been told both that the books are super crazy and Dorothy's actually gay as hell, and also been told Wicked is the secret sad gay backstory of Glinda and Elphaba." I'm surprised to learn a) that Scarecrow was a real guy, b) he and Tin Man knew each other pre-Oz movie's story, and c) he apparently dated Elphaba, so my question is: is he a "her boyfriend until it turns out she was gay and the romance was doomed" boyfriend, or was I lied to about the nature of the story of Wicked being a sad lesbian backstory?

Oh boy, a lot to unpack here so let's see if we can break this down XD

Without getting into spoilers, it's important to know the book Wicked is a very, very different thing from the musical Wicked. I admittedly had never read any of the original Wizard of Oz books beyond the first one so I don't know anything about the whole "Dorothy is gay" thing but apparently that's true? I'll leave it to others who've actually read the series to verify on that.

My comics are solely focused on the musical adaptation of Wicked and such major plot points and characters are very different from the book, and if you'd like a break down, I'll post it under the spoiler below. Although I would recommend either waiting in eager anticipation for the movie to come out this November or find a Wicked bootleg slime tutorial on Youtube if you'd like to see the theater adaptation yourself. I highly recommend doing so.

Ok, so to break it down: Yes, both the Scarecrow and the Tin Man were actual people before they become the iconic figures we know and love (at least as far as the musical is concerned) And yes, Wicked is gay as hell, and though the musical isn't nearly as gay as the book, the relationship between Glinda and Elphaba that can absolutely be read as gay.

The Scarecrow, whose name is Fiyero, was a prince who initially dated Glinda but then things happen and he falls for Elphaba instead. He breaks off his engagement to Glinda to run off with Elphaba. The two have a steamy sexy duet together but tragically the relationship is bitterly short; the Wizard's guards take Fiyero prisoner and try to torture him for information on where Elphaba is hiding. In a desperate gambit to save his life, Elphaba casts a spell on him, which turns him into a scarecrow.

Also Fiyero and the Tin Man (who in the musical is Boq) went to university together so they sort of know each other. In fact, all four of them went to school together, which is where the majority of Act 1 of the musical takes place.

The book is very, very different: Tin Man (Nick Chopper) keeps his original backstory of getting his limbs chopped off by an enchanted axe and Fiyero dies (I can't remember exactly how but probably somewhere along the lines of "Wizard's guards capture him and beat him to death"). Obviously the musical changed these things to tie all the characters together and give it a bit of a happier ending.

I do not blame you if you are now more confused than before.

[javierpena-inatacvest]

Pedro Boys and Their Favorite Wicked Songs

How many times will I listen to the Wicked soundtrack before the year is done? 😅 The musical theatre nerd in me can't help but think about what songs from Wicked each Pedro boy would like the most after seeing the movie (with or without being forced to go against their will LMAO) This is all just for fun, if you have a different suggestion, tell me who, and why!!!

No One Mourns the Wicked- Obyern Martell

Strikes me as a man who lives for a backstory. Very satisfied that he gets all the information he needs to enjoy the movie in the first 15 minutes. Deeply offended that everyone is so mean to Elphaba because she's green, and can't fathom disowning a child for that very reason. Develops a fat crush on everyone in the movie by the time it's over

Dear Old Shiz- ......

This is no one's favorite song, be fr

The Wizard and I- Din Djarin

Loves the song because of how much it makes him think of Grogu. No one is rooting harder for Elphaba than Din because of how excited Grogu is to see another green friend, and how much Elphaba reminds him. He's so proud he is of his kid for all the challenges and obstacles he's overcome. Loses points only because he does have to chase Grogu down the aisles of the movie theatre when he sees the frogs at the beginning of the song.

What is This Feeling?- Javier Peña

Definitely did not come to see this movie by choice. Confused why the original characters from the Wizard of Oz are not in this movie. Also confused why Glinda and Elphaba have to sing an entire song about how they just can't share a room together. Will he admit that this song makes him think of him and Steve Murphy? Over his dead body. Will he quietly tap his foot through the entire song and be humming it to himself days later because it's just so fucking catchy? Absolutely.

Something Bad- Dave York

Though the movie was going to be a lot darker than it actually was because of the title. Humored by the idea of being a hired assassin to a goat so he can keep his voice. Has so much beef with the Wizard (sorry Dave York fans, I know nothing about this man)

Dancing Through Life- Agent Whiskey

Whiskey absolutely loves Fiyero. A carefree, reckless man who doesn't live by the rules AND can ride a horse? Sold, immediately. As soon as the movie is done, he's looking up where he can buy Fiyero boots to add to his collection. Names his next horse Fiyero. Learns the dance not for anyone else, but just for himself, because he thinks it 's cool. The only caveat is that he refuses to listen past the first 3 minutes of the song because Fiyero doesn't sing after that

Popular- Joel Miller

This is the only correct answer to this question. In a happy, blissful world where the outbreak never happens and Sarah is alive and well, you know for a fact she has been playing this soundtrack around the house for WEEKS. No, he doesn't want to go see Wicked (he's heard enough of the soundtrack to last him a lifetime), but he's not telling Sarah no when she asks if he wants to go. By the time Popular comes on, he's completely sucked in, and quite literally giggling throughout the song. There's not a day that goes by that she doesn't hold it over his head. Popular is one of his top 5 songs on Spotify wrapped next year.

I'm Not That Girl- Marcus Pike

While he'd probably rather see a play than a musical, he knows about Wicked and likes it enough to go see it on his own. Has listened to the soundtrack once a while ago, and has a general idea of the plot, but completely forgets about this song. Marcus Pike is literally the definition of not being that girl. Tries his best to keep from crying, but is sobbing by the end of the song. Definitely needs a while to recover after seeing the movie because of how much it made him feel things.

One Short Day- Javi G.

This song is nothing but fun and good vibes. No internal conflict, no turmoil, just two gal pals enjoying their journey to Oz. Very much a fan of the fun colors, can't stop laughing at the guys in the egg shaped suits in the fountain. Didn't know anything about Wicked before he bought tickets, but heard everyone was talking about it, and now he's seen it 7 times and dances around his house to the soundtrack on repeat.

Sentimental Man- Dieter Bravo

This is no one's favorite song. It's not Dieter's, either. But he wasn't paying attention enough to remember any of the names of the songs, so when someone asks him what his favorite is, he points at this one and shrugs, thinking it was Dancing Through Life. He's confused why everyone is so surprised by his response. He watches it 3 more times and still never picks up on it.

Defying Gravity- Frankie Morales

The lyrics to this song hit SO HARD for our sweet boy. "As someone told me lately, everyone deserves a chance to fly?" Do you know how loud he sings this song to himself if he's flying alone in a helicopter? The song truly makes him reflect on a lot of life choices for the better. Already loved the movie up until this point, but this is just the icing on top of the cake. Goes to see it again specifically for this song.

[physalian]

Wicked (part 1) was a solid adaptation

Saw Wicked last night. Only seen the musical once and for a movie longer than both halves of the original combined, the extra added minutes aren’t wasted. I can't exactly praise a movie for storytelling when its legwork was done near beat-for-beat already in the musical, and in the original book, but if you haven't or won't see anything except this film: Yes, it has a very good story.

But I want to talk about what I think is the best example of a “maybe they weren’t so terrible after all” villain redemption retcon, of which Elphaba is kind of the poster child of this whole trend. Why she works, and why something like Cruella did not. Not specific to this version at all.

Quick synopsis: Wicked is an alternate telling of the events before The Wizard of Oz, the backstory of the Good Witch Glinda and the Wicked Witch of The West. It is not the story of how good triumphed over evil, how Elphaba devolved or perhaps was always mean and nasty and underdog Glinda saved the day.

Instead, it’s a deeply political (and whoo boy is it relevant today) smear campaign against the disenfranchised and the minority population of Oz—the talking animals. Elphaba is the underdog, an up-and-coming bright-eyed sorceress taken under the wing of her magic school’s legendary professor, with hopes to one day meet the Great Wizard of Oz. There she meets mean-girl Galinda and for about half a classic mean-girl storyline, the two are enemies. Galinda makes amends, the two become friends, and they go together to Oz to meet the Wizard…

Who is an even worse man behind the curtain than in the ‘39 movie, a charlatan and a fraud, who, when Elphaba refuses to let him abuse her magic to scapegoat the talking animal community, launches said smear campaign, turning Elphaba into a pariah. Galinda (now Glinda) stays behind as the events of Wizard of Oz play out, using her socio-political savviness to help Elphaba where she can. Oh, and the melting? Well, the Wizard isn’t the only master of illusions.

—

The ingredients are all there for a ridiculously base “girl boss” plot about this OP Mary Sue who just will not get taken seriously by the ugh “men” around her (and this is absolutely a feminist storyline screaming high notes from the rooftops) until she shows them all they’re idiots and fools and she’s amazing. The bullying classmates, Glinda’s narcissism, Elphaba’s unprecedented raw power with magic.

Except it has the one thing so many recent “girl boss” movies don’t: You like Elphaba and she’s not perfect, and, you like Glinda (eventually). She’s not arrogant and flawless. She’s introverted and can come off as rude and unfriendly but she just lacks foundational relationships to help her socialize, and in the face of the shallow dipshits at her school, she has every reason to be rude and unfriendly.

Glinda, too, is naïve, but not cruel, save for one moment where she immediately owns up to it once she realizes how badly she screwed up, risking the thing she cares about most—her reputation and popularity and likability—to help a girl who selflessly gave her the other thing she cares about most: The chance to also become a sorceress.

But most importantly: Elphaba is a victim, not the architect of so much of this story. Mary Sues do everything right without any effort, they don’t struggle, they don’t overcome any fears or prejudice or limitations. Elphaba isn’t the one loudly and proudly demanding an audience with the Wizard. She isn’t going around praising herself and her abilities. She has a lot of power, but never learned how to use it, and she doesn’t luck into her story, she’s explicitly, strategically manipulated into her role.

She'd be more of a Mary Sue if the Wizard's offer was genuine and he was actually a good person, then she really would have lucked her way into fortune by virtue of being inexplicably adept at magic. But she's not, and he's not.

The story manages to build her up without dragging everyone else down. Nor does she "turn evil" because the Wizard doesn't respect her for being green, or a woman, he doesn't give a shit, he just wants what she can do for him. She "turns evil" because they have deeply different philosophies and he's standing in her way and she has no other choice but to flee and become a fugitive. She chooses this, the Wizard doesn't kick her out.

But even before that, Elphaba does become popular, her shallow classmates do start to like her (disproving any notion about how the world will hate her no matter what she does, so fuck ‘em), Glinda does actually have a heart and she is smart, just in a very different school of thought from Elphaba. The influence of the Wizard is just so strong that of course they’re going to believe his lies.

It’s not a story about how “this villain was actually the victim of a Tragic Backstory and you should feel bad for them because it’s even sadder than the hero’s” it’s “this villain was actually the victim of a smear campaign, and the heroes are still heroes, but here’s the other side of who they were fighting”.

But it also works because of the story that it is. Ignoring the actual Oz books (and there are many of them): Precedent already exists in the ‘39 movie—the Wizard is already revealed to be a charlatan. Wicked doesn’t rip up the old script, tell you you’re wrong, and then plop in a whole new story that fucks the continuity. Nor does it ask you to change your mind about a villain who doesn’t really deserve redemption in the first place, like, say, one who skins puppies to wear their fur. Instead, it digs into the fissures that were already there and pulls up the rocks to reveal what’s underneath.

And, Elphaba knows she’s going to be seen as a villain, but she’s not happily engaging in “villainy”. She’s doing what she thinks is right, something the audience should agree with, and is choosing to become a pariah to get her way. She never becomes a “villain”, just the antagonist to the hero’s journey, and I don’t remember the ’39 movie perfectly, but “this little rat from another world dropped a house on my sister and is on her way to kill me, too” would make one justifiably upset.

But overall, it’s just a story with layers and nuance that’s sorely missing in its contemporaries, and, like I said, deeply political without strawmanning either side (wellllllllll...). And, it respects the source material.

I also don’t remember the first Maleficent that well, but I think that also did a good job? Back when the live-action remakes weren’t all hot garbage.

So. Yeah. You want to write a powerful female character very explicitly being a feminist icon (and the consequences that come with it)? Elphaba is the perfect example.

[its-your-girl-geekerella]

Wicked Movie Review

Spoilers Ahead. (Obviously)

Okay, I saw it on opening night release day. I've just been busy. And here are my thoughts:

Pre-watch. I was hoping for the best. The trailers were amazing, and the budget seemed sufficient for all it wanted to do. The vocals seemed a little off, but that was only because they had to make it "fit" for the trailer score. So I had high hopes!

But I was also preparing for the worst. After all, movie adaptations of musicals have a bad reputation for a reason. And all the promotion they were doing? I was certain they were compensating for something. And besides that, I had almost no faith (again, aside from what I heard in the trailer) in Ariana Grande. I don't really listen to her music, but I've heard a few of her songs. I honestly didn't think she could do musical theatre.

And boy, was I wrong.

Post-watch. It. Was. Amazing. I absolutely LOVED it. Ariana CRUSHED it! I think she did better than some Glindas on Broadway! In every scene leading up to the Ozdust Ballroom, I hated her. And I LOVED hating her. I think some Glindas just don't have that hateability, or they're too charming. But not Ariana. And during "Popular"? I absolutely loved it! She was great!

Cynthia Erivo did great, too. Her voice singing the riff at the end of "Defying Gravity" will certainly take getting used to, but it was, objectively, good. Her acting was on point, and I absolutely loved watching her. Say what you will about the woman's poster dilemma, the woman has a powerful presence onscreen. I honestly never doubted her ability.

Some random thoughts:

The script. The script was practically word-for-word of the musical. Some people might find it annoying and predictable. I, for one, found it charming and-- frankly-- reassuring. I knew what was coming a lot of the time, even if they did change some minor plot points (if you can even call them "plot points"; like I said, they were minor and didn't change the course of the story at all). For example, Mr. Thropp doesn't already have Elphaba enrolled at the school in the movie. But because I know how the story goes, I was sitting in the theater saying to myself, "He's gonna say 'go with her'". And guess what? He did.

Unfortunately, the script being word-for-word (and a lot of theatre kids knowing certain lines from the musical) partially ruins the impact or comedy of certain lines. The most notable one was when Fiyero and Elphaba are in the woods with the cub. Elphaba informs him that he's bleeding, and says, "It must have scratched you." He replies, a bit disassociated because of her touch, "Yeah... or maybe... it scratched me or something." Typically, in the theater, Broadway, regional, or high school, the audience laughs at this line. You know how many people laughed at it in the movie theater? Zero. Zilch. Except me. The delivery was AWFUL. I honestly can't believe that Jon didn't have that line reshot. Which brings me to Jonathan Bailey.

Jonathan Bailey is... a good actor? I personally haven't seen him in anything other than Wicked. But I do know that he is a good looking actor. However, I do believe that he was miscast for this role for three reasons. 1) Like I said, the comedy was not exactly there. Another example: "I've been thinking" "So I heard" However, I won't count that one against him, as I feel that one was mostly Cynthia's fault. 2) At first, I thought that Cynthia Erivo would look too old to play Elphaba, but I got over it really quickly. It was easy for me to see her as a college-aged student. And let's be honest, Ariana Grande will always look like a child, so that was never a problem. Jonathan Bailey, though? He doesn't look like a college student. He looks like a really hot 36-year-old man. And this kinda goes into my last point. 3) He was too intentional. I think Fiyero's character is dynamic in a variety of ways, and Jonathan's portrayal seems more like "Act II Fiyero" than "Act I Fiyero". Act I Fiyero's whole deal is that he's extremely loose. And while, yes, Elphaba calls it out as a façade, I think it's still a part of him that is a bit dumb (see the disassociated "scratched" comment or the "thinking" comment). I think if Jonathan had tried to play Fiyero more "dumb jock", it would've worked better, because his natural acting inclination would've counteracted it just enough.

I feel bad for complaining about Jonathan Bailey for so long. So onto the songs! The score was amazing. The music was amazing. The vocals were amazing. My favorite song was "What Is This Feeling?" The camera angles in this scene were amazing, and the choreography slaps so hard.

Right before "One Short Day", I thought to myself, "I sure hope we get an Idina and Kristin cameo!" Guess what happened. Truthfully, I barely heard a word they were singing, I was too busy bouncing in my chair and fangirling with one of my friends to hear them.

If there's someone I didn't mention (I'm looking at you Ethan and Michelle), it's because they did a good job and I don't have any particular opinion on them. Overall, I really enjoyed the movie! My favorite song was "What Is This Feeling", Jonathan Bailey was the weakest part of the movie, and it was a lot better than I thought it would be. And it was really fun to fangirl with other theatre kids.

[gayverlyearp]

A Very Good Teacher: Chapter 2

I Want You, All the Time

After their first kissing lesson, Elphaba tried a few times to convince Galinda to kiss her again...Galinda brushed her off at every turn. Galinda figures out what in Oz that feeling was.

A Very Good Teacher: Chapter 1

Word Count: 3,215

Rating: T

Ao3 Link

Chapter title taken from Waxahatchee - Can't Do Much Again, one million and one thanks to @localgaysian for reading this multiple times as I worked on it. Please lurk on my fic any time. My love and gratitude to everyone who left kudos and commented on the first chapter.

After their first kissing lesson, Elphaba tried a few times to convince Galinda to kiss her again. She really was having trouble with the head tilt, she explained, and couldn’t Galinda please help her out. No, Galinda couldn’t possibly, she had dinner plans with Fiyero. 

Then, Elphaba implored Galinda to show that she was serious about Elphaba’s popularity. It was the same line Galinda had used to convince Elphaba to engage in that ridiculodious kissing lesson in the first place, really what had Galinda been thinking, but Galinda made excuses about a paper due for History. Yes, of course prioritizing academics was allowed. 

Even flattering Galinda with a passionate lament that nobody, not even a boy, could possibly teach Elphaba as well as Galinda, did not move her. She almost smiled at that one, was almost tempted to agree. But no, she was busy. Brushed off by Galinda at every turn, Elphaba retreated. 

Galinda was relieved when Elphaba stopped asking. She was truly very busy spending more time with Fiyero. He was her future fiance and she had been squandering precious hours she could have been promenading with him through the quad, letting him feed her little bites of potato in the dining hall, and lying in his arms pretending to study, stealing light kisses at will. His arms were so big and sturdy. She could waste no more time. 

There was still this one pesky problem. When she kissed Fiyero, her mind still wandered. Not to fashion anymore, but to Elphaba. Kissing Elphaba was supposed to be a simple exchange of physical directions on how to lock lips with a man, should one come along who wanted to kiss her. It was supposed to mean nothing; it was supposed to not count. But now, every time Fiyero pulled her face to his, she found herself comparing him to Elphaba. Not just that, but thinking, against her will, that Elphaba was better! The nervacity of the girl, to try to best a prince! 

She tried counting the seconds. She tried focusing on Fiyero in front of her. She even tried imaging the rows of dresses that had flown through her mind when she kissed boys before. No matter what she tried, she found herself remembering how the taste of Elphaba’s mouth had touch of salt to it, savory, that Elphaba’s hand on her neck had slid into her hair just so, her soft stomach under her hand, and oh the way her teeth had caught Galinda’s lower lip. The way it lit up Galinda’s entire body. She had suggested it because it was a thing to be suggested, not because she thought it was something she liked. But she liked it. No, no, that wasn’t it, she assured herself. She was just…surprised.

Galinda calculated ways to avoid Elphaba, thinking if they were apart, she could clear her mind. This proved rather impossible. For one, they still had sorcery lessons together, and by no means was Galinda skipping those. Madame Morrible must have noticed that their near constant quips had been all but extinguished by a blanket of silence, but she looked pleasified when Elphaba was able to send a coin into the air after only a few seconds, requiring nothing more than a glance from Galinda. It flew right into the center of Galinda’s chest and landed in her lap. Elphaba raised an eyebrow and stared at her, her deep green eyes set with a challenge, or was it a question? 

Galinda willed the coin to rise and fly back at Elphaba. It didn’t even start to shake as she held her wand above it and loudly whispered “Move,” so Galinda picked it up and flung it towards Elphaba’s head. Elphaba ducked as the coin crashed through a glass case behind her, and she smothered a smile, eyes still fixed on Galinda. Galinda felt every inch of her skin heat up. Damn Elphaba and her sorcery skills, show off, laughing at Galinda’s strugglations. Madame Morrible folded her hands and called the lesson to a close for the day, mumbling something about certain students.

Even staying with Fiyero late into the night didn’t keep Galinda far enough from Elphaba. How could it? Elphaba was always there when she stepped lightly over the doorstep to their room. Sometimes Elphaba was sitting up under lamp light, long dark hair cascading over her slender green arms, turning the pages of a book. Galinda tried not to stare. 

Those times, Elphaba wouldn’t look up, but would quietly inquire, “A good night with Fiyero?” 

The question made Galinda’s arms itch for some reason. She looked away. “Of course, it’s always a good night with Fiyero.” 

“Sleep well, Galinda,” was all Elphaba would reply.

The nights that Galinda returned late enough that Elphaba was already asleep, thank Oz, Galinda worked to fix her eyes anywhere but the soft curve of the plain white duvet, neat braid draped at the top. Once, her gaze caught on the pointed black hat that she had given Elphaba before the Ozdust. It sat atop Elphaba’s dresser. She had taken to wearing it out around campus. It had looked so hideodious when Pfannee pulled it out, but the hat suited Elphpaba, Galinda had to admit. She certainly cut a striking figure, drawn out taller, all angles. When she wore it, it was hard to look away. 

Staring at the hat, Galinda thought back to the dance at the Ozdust. Galinda caught herself bringing the back of her hand up to her forehead. She huffed and moved her hand to bring it through her hair. She was more annoyed than ever that she hadn’t gotten her private suite. 

Eventually, Galinda decided that thinking so much about avoiding Elphaba was like drawing her, erasing her, and drawing her again, and again, and again. The picture, while messy, was engraved on the page by the worry. She thought she should try returning to their previous patterns, that would surely set things back to normal.

Their lessons continued, but took a sharp turn. They were finally addressing the topic of sports. Galinda thought they could start with an exercise routine, but this was a very strange and sweaterific experience. Elphaba’s arms pumped up and down as she attempted a couple of push ups, breathing a bit harder. A wave of heat washed through Galinda’s body. She didn’t realize she was staring, open mouthed, until Elphaba dropped to the floor and rolled onto her back. 

“Are you leaving me to do this all on my own while you watch?” Elphaba asked, looking up at her.

Pulling books off the shelf in the library and reviewing the history and rules of Hooper Hockey didn’t turn out to be less intimate. Instead, Galinda started sharing stories of her beloved Popsicle. When she was small, she loved to tag along to games, crawl into this lap and scream when their team scored. The pink team, of course. Popsicle would pick her up, swing her around, and she would crash back into his chest wild with giggles, inhaling the sharp spice of his cologne. The roar of the crowd would consume her, even up in their semi-private suite. She would shout at the referee, heckle the other team, and dramatically dip back into her seat when their team made any kind of error. 

As long as she could remember, Galinda was expected to be the good girl: crossed ankles, proper posture, containing herself like those high wire walkers at the fair, every step a careful consideration. Except for on the trips to the stadium. As she got older, she was still able to step into those crowds and scream. She had never talked about this with anyone, so she wasn’t sure why the words came tumbling out as she and Elphaba sat on the floor, Elphaba leaning in to listen. It was nothing though, it was just a lesson. 

Not long after they closed the book on sports, they were up late, talking over some actual academic work. Elphaba had offered to return the favor of teaching by reviewing Galinda’s paper and guiding her to cut the cute turns of phrase in favor of deeper content. They worked atop Galinda’s bed, and as she looped her cursive through her concluding line, on her trademark pink parchment, she squealed and threw herself back on the bed, arms pumping.

“Elphie! It’s done!”

“Oz be damned Galinda, you’re going to spill ink all over your sheets.” Elphaba scooped up the inkwell, snatched the essay out of Galinda’s hands, and delivered both safely to a clear space atop Galinda’s desk. 

Galinda giggled delirioriously. It was half past two in the morning.

“Elphie, come here.” Galinda rolled to her side and reached out her arms.

“Come here? I think it’s well past our bed times Galinda, and my bed is over there.” One hand on her hip and the other pointing across the room, Elphaba regarded Galinda. 

“Elphaba Thropp, come here this instant!” Galinda demanded.

Elphaba stepped closer, slowly, audibly controlling her breath. 

As soon as she was in reach, Galinda grabbed her hands and pulled her back down onto the bed, sitting up herself at the same time. Elphaba settled on the edge of the fluffy pink satin nest, conspicuously keeping space between herself and Galinda without separating their hands. 

“Elphie, thank you for all your help, sinceriously. You are a very good teacher.”

“Well. Thank you, Galinda. You’re a good teacher too,” She risked a wink. “But couldn’t this wait until tomorrow. I’m exhausted.”

Elphaba slumped back and sunk into Galinda’s duvet. Galinda lay down beside her and turned on her side to look at Elphaba.

“Well, this could wait until tomorrow, but I thought you might want to hear this…now.” Galinda’s breath caught on the last word, and Elphaba caught on, her expression softer, but still guarded.

Elphaba hummed in response.

“I have another secret,” Galinda smiled conspiratorially. 

Elphaba pulled her hands back and her knees to her chest, shaking her head.

“No, it’s not…Or, well, it is.” She touched Elphaba’s arm, understanding. “I’m not going to marry Fiyero.”

Elphaba shifted, enough so that her toe tapped against Galinda’s. 

“How?” was all she managed to ask. 

“I asked,” Galinda giggled at the realization. “I asked Fiyero a question.” 

“You did?” Elphaba opened her mouth in mock surprise and set a hand on Galinda’s thigh with a gentle squeeze. “Good girl. That’s growth.”

The delirium must have started to set in as the clock crept toward three, because when she heard those words, Good girl, she could have sworn she felt the bed shake. She certainly felt herself tremble. It took all her restraint to simply set her hand atop Elphaba’s.

“Are you going to let me tell this story?” Galinda admonished Elphaba’s.

Elphaba hummed again, and slid her hand up to Galinda’s waist. Her eyes flicked between hungry and droopy. “Just don’t take too long. Remember, I am exhausted.”

So Galinda began to explain how she had thought to ask Fiyero how kissing was for him. Since she had taught Elphaba, she had started to consider that she may need other perspectives on the whole subject. 

“Who were you going to give lessons to next? You refused me after the first one,” Elphaba interrupted. 

“Well, when word got around that I was such an excellent teacher, I had a full roster of new students,” Galinda joked, then continued seriously. “Please let me finish.” 

Galinda slid her thumb across Elphaba’s cheek, adding, “I am sorry I rebuffed you so severely.” 

Fiyero had described that when he kissed her, he had a feeling of being swept away, a head rush that spread through his entire body, and an intense focus on the feeling of her in his arms, every place they touched turning electric. When Galinda got quiet, he coaxed her to tell him why she had asked. She confessed that she didn’t feel that way when they kissed, in fact, her mind wandered and it took work, counting seconds mostly, to bring her back to Fiyero. She didn’t mention Elphaba. Instead, she commented that it was like that for all girls, wasn’t it, though she knew that wasn’t right. 

Fiyero’s sad look had confirmed it. He had released her gently, assuring her she was still perfect, but she didn’t have to be, and she deserved to be with someone who made that all melt away. Gentle as it was, to Galinda it felt a bit like being dropped off the edge of the cliff above the Impassable Desert, out of Oz, life over. Wasn’t that where she was? No prince, no marriage, sorcery lessons going nowhere. What did she have left? She knew couples broke up every day but, really, how was she going to manage?

Soon after, though, Galinda was sitting on the floor with Elphaba, regaling her with stories of herself as a small screaming sports fanatic, Elphaba chuckling fondly, when Galinda had realized that she was telling Elphaba something that she had never told anyone before. And this time, what she was saying was true. How had that happened? When she was with Elphaba, like when she was at those games, Galinda didn’t have to walk the tightrope. Strange, she hadn’t noticed it before. Maybe her life wasn’t over. Maybe life just had other plans for Galinda Upland, and sitting across from her then, lying next to her now, was the person who could help her figure out what.

The pillow under her was wet, she noticed first. Then, Elphaba’s palm on her cheek, and the tears falling from the tip of Elphaba’s nose.

“Oh, Elphie, don’t cry.” Galinda wiped Elphaba’s cheek with her thumb. 

“Maybe I wouldn’t if you didn’t first,” Elphaba said with a tremor in her voice.

She freed a piece of the sheet below them and tried to dry Galinda’s face. Tears kept falling though, and Galinda didn’t try to stop them. Elphaba kissed her wet chin anyway, and drew Galinda into her arms. The last thing Galinda felt before she fell asleep was the stiff cotton of Elphaba’s dress dampen, and Elphaba wrapping arms, legs, all of her, tighter around her. 

The sun shone above the rooftops, prisming pink through the glass lamp closest to the window, when Galinda awoke. Something felt different as soon as she started to stir, but it wasn’t until she saw the long green fingers on her stomach that she remembered the night before.

Sweet, sweet Elphie was still in her bed and still holding on, even as she slept. Galinda twirled a piece of her golden hair around her finger to stop herself from leaping off the bed, setting her hair, face, and clothes in order. And perhaps running out the door. An uneasy anxiety crept up her spine. She remembered what Fiyero had told her, but she didn’t really deserve to have this mystifying, strong-willed, infuriating, beautiful girl beside her, not after all she had done.

“Will you stop shaking your leg, Galinda.” Elphaba did not open her eyes as she moved her hand down to Galinda’s thigh and gave her a squeeze. Galinda stilled. “I’m still sleeping. Mm. Good, I’m glad you’re still here.” 

Eyes still shut, Elphaba nuzzled her way into the crook of Galinda’s neck. 

“Elphie, it’s almost noon.”

“Do we have to get up?” Elphaba cracked one eye open.

“You’re the one usually up hours before I am. But I suppose not.”

“Good, because I thought of my secret, for you.” Elphaba opened both eyes now, propped herself up against some pillows, and looked directly at Galinda. 

“Oh, you don’t need to tell me a secret this time,” Galinda said, worried Elphaba believed her confession the night before had been predicated on some kind of expectation of exchange.

“I think I do.” Elphaba’s reply was measured.

“Okay, what is your secret?” Galinda’s heart pounded a little louder in her ears.

“All that time you were gone, I was afraid I’d never get to kiss you again,” Elphaba stated. 

“Gone? I was never gone, I was here the whole time,” Galinda argued weakly before biting back. “And how do you know you will get to?”

Elphaba just smirked. “Well I did, last night, if you count a kiss on the chin.” Then added in a more serious tone, “I thought maybe I had hurt you, and you were mad at me for it. I do have sharp teeth. Then you were always with Fiyero so I thought that–”

“I’m not going to marry him,” Galinda interrupted. She had thought she had been wasting her time when she was not with Fiyero, but maybe it had been the other way around. She pressed her lips together as regret nipped at her stomach. She reached out to grab Elphaba’s hands, to steady herself.

“I remember,” Elphaba said, lacing her fingers with Galinda’s. “I hoped that you had felt something like I did when you kissed me, but you disappeared, so how could I know?”

“You were persistent. And patient, how were you so patient?” Galinda’s thumb began to worry at the back of Elphaba’s hand. 

“I wasn’t. Did you forget? I threw a coin at you with my mind,” Elphaba took one hand to poke Galinda in the center of her chest, right where the coin had struck her. Galinda wished her hand had lingered there.

“I threw it right back!” Galinda countered, poking Elphaba in the center of her forehead, though she hadn’t managed to hit her there at all.

“Hm,” Elphaba considered, leaning closer, and smiling. “That gave it away, you know. I knew you still cared.”

“I did not–”

“Galinda.” Elphaba cut her off. She wasn’t going to let Galinda deny it when the truth was so clear. “You can make it up to me.”

“How can I possibly?” Galinda sat up a little straighter to show how seriously she was taking Elphaba now. 

“You can kiss me again.” 

Elphaba looked deeply into Galinda's eyes, placed her hand on Galinda’s thigh, opened her mouth a little, and breathed in. 

Galinda’s body was electric, the pull to Elphaba palpable. Where Elphaba’s hand touched her, she was hot. Galinda knew what wanting felt like. She wanted new shoes every season, she wanted to succeed in sorcery, she wanted a secure position after Shiz. All that want washed away with the wanting of Elphaba, in front of her, immediate. 

Galinda leaned in.

When their lips met, Galinda felt only her own body and Elphaba’s, and all she could think was more, I want more. Elphaba’s hand cradled the back of her head. She opened her mouth to test her tongue on Elphaba’s lips. They parted. As Galinda’s breathing quickened she caught the scent of the oil Elphaba used, maybe it was sage.

Galinda broke the kiss for a moment to lean down into Elphaba’s neck and draw her in, letting Elphaba fill her head. It lit her up; she couldn’t stay still. Galinda moved so she could straddle Elphaba, feel more of the other girl against herself, and Elphaba responded by pulling Galinda closer, hands firmly on Galinda’s hips. They both smiled.

“Hm. I’ll say, Elphaba, I am a very good teacher.” 

Then, with her hand on Elphaba’s neck, she leaned in again.

[ruindunburnit]

Just saw Wicked Part 1 (again)! Here's another thought:

(WARNING: Spoilers for the film)

Did anyone else hear the film version of 'Defying Gravity' and hear a nod to Strauss's 'Also Sprach Zarathustra', right at the very end?

I know, I know, "Kevin, you dumb bitch, it's just Stephen Schwartz taking liberties with the percussion."

I mean, yes, totally.

But also (said Kevin) wouldn't it be so perfect if it is a reference?

See, Also Sprach Zarathustra ("Thus Spoke Zarathustra") is a tone-poem composed by Strauss, inspired by the philosophical novel by Friederich Nietzsche.

For those who don't know, this novel is one of Nietzsche's theses on Nihilism. (See the very short video below for a quick refresher on what that is).

In the novel, Zarathustra is a hermit (often compared to the Zoroaster of old) who descends from his cave to tell people that the God they have been worshipping is dead; there is no "inherent meaning" to life and no God to appease, no purpose but to create meaning for yourself and leave behind better people than yourself (or, "übermensch"). Over the course of the novel, he re-ascends and re-descends from his cave in between periods of solitude, to build upon his teachings and deal with his enemies, including the people who distort his teachings, and the spirit of gravity (who is defeated by Zarathustra's teaching on eternal recurrence - see the video below:)

In the final part, a soothsayer predicts he will be tempted into feeling compassion for this "higher man" -- actually men, who each exemplify but a part of the higher man -- heralded by a lion and a flock of doves. Upon the prophecy coming true, Zarathustra returns once more to his cave, deciding thus that his work is his only concern, and ever will be.

That is, if this is an intended reference, then we are seeing Elphaba's life echoed back: her periods of solitude, coming from a home in a constant state of disconnect from the people who are supposed to love her but only treat her as a burden, and so forcibly divorced from the part of her that deeply cares for other people and wants them to care for her too (because what's the point of loving them if you assume their love was never yours to begin with?), that all falls right on in. Sure.

But let's dig deeper. In this moment, she is an exceptional woman with power beyond imagining and finally at home with who she is, only finally being acknowledged for her worth because a great and powerful Wizard (worshipped by the masses) can use it for his own terrible purposes. Were she the woman she was just minutes before, this could have been a dream come true, her heart's desire, Santa Claus released from his soap bubble and bringing all her Christmases at once.

The only problem is, she's seen behind the curtain now: the Wizard is just a man, a fraud, and he has no real power to speak of. And because he has dictated the meaning of everything to the people, what else will they do but take the meaning he gives them? If he says a green girl is a traitor and terrorist, who are they to argue?

But Elphaba must. God is dead, she is but one woman burdened with her life and her responsibility and no way out of it; there is no meaning but what she makes for herself. She is not the only one who has make this leap; Fiyero has too, but where he chooses to do nothing, offer nothing, dance as much as he can without making a ripple as a passive nihilist, Elphaba is not satisfied with that. She chooses to make something real of it, take a stand for the meaning she creates, for she is the active nihilist, making a better world for Animals, defying gravity itself.

"Boy, that sounds like a reach." Yes, I hear you. You might be saying, "You just remember those beats from 2001: A Space Odyssey, because it was played during the beginning scene with the hominids."

Yes, but that is also my point. In that scene, the hominids' interactions with the monolith allowed them to discover tools, to discover their own brilliance and make that incredible leap forward, to at last reach that boundary line where meet the fallen angel and the rising ape: humanity.

Here is the scene itself:

They evolved, just as Chistery did when Elphaba gave him and his fellow Monkeys wings and the power of flight with it, just as Elphaba did when she attained the Grimmerie and the power of flight for herself. If not becoming the übermensch herself, she took her first steps there.

Which is to say, if this is just a coincidence, and Schwartz didn't mean to invoke the parable of Zarathustra the nihilist in Elphaba's reclamation of her power and herself, then... damn. Good thing I stretched first, because I think I stuck the landing on a damn good coincidence!

[1moreoffkeyanthem]

Fair Maiden!! I come bearing questions!

Specifically because I love domestic OJV Style so much and I need to know!!

7. Who secretly knows all the lyrics to the other’s favorite songs but refuses to expose themselves?

33. Who takes on boring tasks around the house so the other person doesn’t have to do them?

52. Who whines the most when they get sick?

ILY hehehe thank you!!

DARRRRRRLLLLINGGGGGG your local Wizard has summoned the energy to think upon these questions, and the answers actually did require some thot! Because OJV style are very similar in a lot of ways, especially in their dedication to the other’s interests, feelings, and well being. Simps lmao.

7. So I’ve said in an ask a while back that Stan and Kyle like a lot of the same media in general, BUT the biggest difference? Stan gets way more into musical theatre. He does the Annoying Tenor Boy Things. Show tunes are a not-so-guilty pleasure of his, and Kyle absolutely pretends to be irritated by the belting of hero tracks and the “kyyyy c’mon I need you to sing the other half of the duet” but he honestly thinks it’s precious and even if he doesn’t share the same enthusiasm for musicals, he loves that Stan gets excited, but he will deny until the end of time that he does in fact know Elphaba’s part to As Long As You’re Mine.

33. Oh my god they so both try to take on the boring chores to spare each other. It’s like a competition, and they’re both pretty competitive. Kyle usually wins because he’s definitely more stubborn and far better at arguing.

52. You know I was excited to think about this one lmao, but it’s kind of another tie, I think. So yes Stan will whine on the very rare occasion that he gets sick, mostly because, especially later OrangeJuiceVerse, he takes a lot of pride in being healthy and sober and strong, so any reminder that he’s human has the potential to bring up sadsack thoughts (“Staniel you’re literally fine it’s a sore throat happens to everyone”). Now KYLE ohhhhh boy. That man can complain, and he has every right to! I put OJV Kyle through it lmao I don’t blame him for complaining about his shit immune system, chronic pain, diabetes, ed, any of it. And it does amuse me that his first reaction is to be pissed off at his body and his luck before he lets Stan take care of him, and that’s when the “I don’t feel good” “I know baby” “I hate being sick, dude” “I know, Ky” lmao my boys

THANK YOU FOR ASKING MY DUDE I HAD FUN THINKING ABOUT MY BELOVED OJV STYLE

[winterweary]

Barbatos 🌂

Okay so forgive me because all I could think of when I saw this was how much Barbatos probably enjoys the musical Singin' in the Rain. I feel like he secretly (not so secretly?) is a huge broadway/live theater fan. He certainly has memorized the main dance number.

So I'm using this as an excuse to do an entirely indulgent Bros + Extras HC post:

What is their favorite musical?

Lucifer: Les Misérables. Happy endings where? He appreciates the nuanced plot and relates to all the bullshit the leads have to deal with. He gets teary at the end but will never let a soul see. Except perhaps you. Perhaps.

Mammon: Newsies. A bunch of scrappy up start business boys coming together to demand some extra coin for their hard work? What’s not to like? I mean, if you asked him he’d deny enjoying musicals at all, but we’ve all heard him singing the lyrics under his breath.

Leviathan: Six. History but turned into an idol concert? His dream. For a period he got way into learning everything there was to know about Henry VIII’s six wives and he and Satan were insufferable, spouting facts to anyone who would listen.

Satan: Phantom of the Opera. A classic, and for a reason. He admires the impact it had on contemporary theater and he claims to relate to the Phantom…but you know better. Once he admitted to you that his real favorite was Wicked, and you suspect he sees himself in Elphaba more than he may be ready to admit.

Asmodeus: Chicago, of course. Razzle Dazzle? When You’re Good to Mama? CELL BLOCK TANGO? This is the most Asmo-coded musical to ever grace the stage. You know he’s just WAITING for the excuse to force his brothers to dress up and perform with him. He'd be satisfied if you'd settle for a private performance as well.

Beelzebub: Beel has a hard time with live theater, because it’s a long time to sit without any concessions to get him through. Watching a performance on TV or as a movie though he’s happy with. His personal favorite is Peter Pan. He likes the Lost Boys the best, a group of brothers all happy together (and Wendy too of course). Also, he knows it doesn't count...but that food scene in Hook? Nice.

Belphegor: Heathers. What can he say, he likes the bitchiness. Also he always thought J.D kinda had a point. He likes to imagine that he and Veronica blow up the school and run away together to live happily ever after in a sort of a twisted Bonnie and Clyde way. Anyway, how about those uniforms? Any chance of you wearing one of those sometime ha ha…?

Diavolo: The Lion King. Oh man oh man Diavolo loves The Lion King. Does he frequently tease Barbatos (and sometimes Lucifer) about being his Zazu? Absolutely. Was Nala his first not-so-secret crush? Oh yes. Does he wish he had a dad like Mufasa? …Well, let’s not worry about that. Diavolo loves every minute of the play, but he openly weeps at the end when Simba takes his place as king.

Barbatos: Singin’ in the Rain. The classic aesthetic, themes of struggling with adjustment in a changing world, a triumphant ending...it's a bit of an escapism pleasure for Barbatos. Not to mention, he's happy for any excuse to dress up and go out on the town with you on his arm.

Solomon: Moulin Rouge. Solomon is a romantic at heart, but he’s a romantic who knows that all too often, romances are tragedies wearing a mask. He enjoys indulging in the sweetness of the love story, the hopeful crescendo, before the fall into the reality of loss. He finds it depressing in a comforting way, like an old friend waving hello from across the street. As time with you goes on however, he finds it’s becoming harder to watch through to the end…Perhaps Beauty and the Beast is more to his new tastes?

Simeon: Waitress. Simeon, like Lucifer and Solomon, enjoys the bittersweetness. He likes that it doesn’t shy away from the messiness of human connection. As an angel, it’s fascinating, like a fruit he can never know the flavor of. However, unlike the other men, Simeon likes a happy ending, and the ending of Waitress makes him choke up for different reasons. If Luke asks, however, his favorite is Matilda.

Luke: Annie. Little kids being rascals and naughty with the sweetness of a tender adoption story? It makes him feel warm and fuzzy (and mischievous) every time. Knows all the words to every song though he won’t admit it in front of Mammon.

[bdzonthareel]

Wicked part one

So here we go again, another Broadway to Hollywood adaptation. If you have been following the blog long enough, you know that I have some strong opinions and that goes double for anything theatre related. It’s a special interest of mine and one I take very seriously as there is no shortage of misfires in this subgenre of movie musicals; however, that doesn’t mean every single was a faceplant, look no further than the works Lin Manuel Miranda with the adaptation of his first show In The Heights, and his directorial debut with Tick Tick Boom. It is possible to do the source material justice, which is why I was trepidatious about Wicked, so let me spin you a yarn about my experience with part 1.

For the uninitiated, Wicked is an adaptation of author Gregory MacGuire’s first novel in a 4-book series that reimagines the lore of the Wicked witch of the west (who given the name Elphaba, a nod to Oz creator L. Frank Baum). The musical itself reimagines the book significantly as well, focusing on the relationship Elphaba and Glinda the good witch of the North, who are both college roommates and eventually best friends.

So if you’re familiar with the source material, then you’re going to nitpick quite a bit, I mean with a nearly 3 hour run time how could you not? A handful of scenes ran long in the tooth and the padding was painfully obvious, but it didn’t really hurt the end product.

And allow me to put my fan boy goggles on, and what a product it was! I was mesmerized by stunning visuals that made each and every scene come alive! Even that darkest forests felt alive, which is fitting for the wonderful land of Oz. Many of the set pieces felt like they cast members and they felt like they had their own stories to tell, much like how a theatre actor has to make the characters which they play their own.

From the costumes to the props, they all excel at visual storytelling.

Casting was filled with obvious choices such as Cynthia Erivo, Arianna Grande and Jeff Goldblum, and unexpected casting such as Michelle Yeoh… who I had no idea could sing.

Yeoh’s gift for playing both graceful and stoic characters, really shine as the intimidatingly strict Madam Morribel.

Jeff Goldblum was a pique as the Wizard.

Fiyero is one of my dream roles, and Jonathan Bailey of Bridgerton fame, encapsulates why I love the character with his natural charm and swagger. He had many in his numbers questioning their sexuality (and maybe a few audience members...)

Ethan Slater was a lovable simp as the pathetically lovestruck yet kindhearted munchkin Boq.

Marissa Bode was delightful as the tragically beautiful Nessarose, and as I applaud Universal for casting an actual disabled actress for the role as many know how I am a huge champion for representation.

And of our leading ladies own these roles; the outspoken and at times controversial Cynthia Erivo put every ounce of talent into the role of Elphaba, being Broadway Royalty I would expect no less. Grande, who I think is an amazing comedic actress channel her Cat from Victorious/Sam & Cat into the role of Galinda/Glinda, however there were instances where it felt like she was trying to impersonate the original actress to play Galinda, Kristin Chenoweth. But they worked brilliantly as a duo and their chemistry bled over into real life as they became thick as thieves after filming.

And what’s a musical without dancing? Because OH MY GOD was that dance choreography legendary! I was in love and if I had paid for the screening it would more than make up for the abhorrent prices of movie tickets! And besides, this is the filmmakers’ style.

And of course, the most important ingredient being the music, every song is here with little extra, and I am delighted by this fact because adaptations tend to cut songs, characters, etc. To get the full affect I highly recommend watching in IMAX or whatever equivalent your theater has.

This shouldn’t have worked, but Director Jon M. Chu a man who has dance coursing through his veins was determined to bring the modern legend of theatre to life, and this goes for the set pieces, performances and so on. I love his work and if part two is anything like this, it could be his magnum opus.

It won't change anyone's minds about musicals, but for people like me who had to fight the urge to sing out loud, you are going to have a Wicked good time! (I'm sorry)

I give Wicked (part one a 4 out of 5)

[rxshingpxlse]

[ nicholas galitzine, cis man, he/him ] — spotted in the streets of brooklyn, it’s gabriel montgomery. they have lived in the city for his whole life, working as a/an owner of beanz. the 30 year old will probably be seen around bushwick a lot, seeing as that’s where they live. people say they can be a bit fixed and pedantic, but friends know them to be giving and appreciative. you know for sure you’ve found them when you’ve come across the smell of coffee beans brewing, lots of dog hair attached to his clothing, & anything flamingo or pineapple related.. welcome to brooklyn, it’s been waiting for you! — 

character information

name: Gabriel Montgomery

gender & pronouns: cis man & he/him

sexuality: Homosexual

age: 30

birthday: July 10, 1994

place of birth: Bushwick, NY

occupation: Owner of Beanz

borough: Queens

time since arriving in NYC: N/A

aesthetics: the smell of coffee beans brewing, lots of dog hair attached to his clothing, & anything flamingo or pineapple related.

pets: orange tabby named glinda & black cat named elphaba 

appearance:

faceclaim:  Nicholas Galitzine

height:  6’

build: Semi-Built

eyes:  Hazel

hair:  Brown

piercings:  Left nostril & Ear lobes

tattoos:  Pineapple on his calf, Arrow on forearm, Geometric symbol on leg, Butterfly on other calf.

personality:

traits:  Creative, Rational, Spontaneous, Insubordinate, Overthinker

labels / tropes:  Golden Boy

mental health:  Meh

physical health:  Healthy as a horse

likes:  Collecting funko pops, Snow globes, Vinyls

dislikes:  Liars, Wearing snow boots, People who snore (even though he probably does)

fears:  Snakes

phobias:  None

hobbies:  Reading, Singing

skills:  Can Touch his Nose with his Tongue

pet peeves:  People who drive slow in the left lane, Impatient Customers

biography: death tw, parental death tw.

Gabriel is the youngest of three siblings and he’s always made sure to play the youngest card because he knew that he could get whatever he wanted from his parents.

Gabriel spent a great deal of time in the kitchen with his mom and learning how to cook and bake and he has always cherished those moments since he was a little kid. 

While cooking was a hobby of his, he didn’t want it to become his career so what he did was go to school for business and got his degree in hospitality management. 

He was working as a general manager of a small restaurant that was a hole in the wall and nobody else wanted to run it. He found out his mom was ill and she hid it from the rest of the family because she didn’t want to interrupt their lives. 

When Gabriel was twenty-five years old, he lost his mom. She was the owner of Beanz and they always thought that they would take over as a family but in her will she ended up leaving it to Gabriel alone. He wanted to share with everyone in the family but he was afraid that they were going to contradict everything he wanted to do because sometimes he wasn’t taken seriously because of him being the baby of the family. 

When his mom passed, he was in college and he had a boyfriend who he loved dearly and he thought that he could make it work with them, but then he mentioned about wanting to move for his job and Gabriel couldn’t do it. He couldn’t give up Beanz because he knew he was destined to be the owner as it had always been his dream for him to have it passed down to him. 

[tragcdysewn]

under the cut is a little plotting call for the event! like this and i will come to you for plot stuff, or reply for starters!!

abigail mckinnon // paired with dorcas meadowes - oliver mckinnon, marlene mckinnon

abi is really just trying to stay out of this shit beyond her own fucking date drama. she’ll help people where she can but she’s not going out of her way to get in the way of some murder god

open plots: doppelgänger nonsense

ahsoka tano // unaffected - anakin skywalker, luke skywalker, leia organa

will be doing all she can to help people, right in the middle of everything doing what she can to help and being very thankful she did not go out

open plots: minor injuries, trying to patch someone up

allana solo // paired with sella palpatine - tenel ka djo, sella palpatine

one!! nice!! night!! with their girlfriend!! please!! let the gays win just once i am begging. on that note she will be trying to murder their girlfriend so

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

alphonse elric // paired with ami mizuno

a pacifist boy who does not want to fight! except he’s very good at fighting when he wants to be so good luck with that alchemy

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

ariana dumbledore // paired with ben solo - dream, ben solo

first night out with no children and your fiance tries to kill you, damn. tragic. she’s not good at murder girl is running and blocking someone help her

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

bela dimitrescu // paired with rachel green - esther mckinnon

i mean, you’re supposed to take your date for dinner right? chomp chomp it’s dinner time

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

cassie lang // paired with james sirius potter

stature is coming to play, will probably be trying to help her friends take out their dates once she manages hers

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

davina claire // paired with kol mikaelson

davina is a little feral anyways so when she’s allowed to kill the magic is gonna be going a little crazy. can and will boil your blood sorry

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

elphaba thropp // paired with glinda upland

honestly is really bad at murder, and so is her roommate, so there’s not gonna be much happening here but if she sees another florence fc she can make the attempt

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

feng xin // paired with mu qing

is actually very good at murder, but will be trying to fight it because he’s a god?? he should not be committing murder just for funsies??

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

feyre archeron // unaffected - omega archeron

will absolutely be trying to find omega in all this, and helping people where she can, either by fighting someone or helping someone hide

open plots: minor injuries

hallie parker // unaffected

staying the hell out of it!! she is not a fighter by any means she is staying in her freaking apartment and waiting it out!!

howl jenkins pendragon // unaffected - sophie hatter, josh washington, calcifer

will offer to shelter people but if you are putting their family at risk you will be kicked out so fast it’s not even funny

open plots: minor injuries

isolde hufflepuff // unaffected

also staying out of it, she’ll help people who approach her but she’s not a fighter by any means

open plots: minor injuries

james potter // unaffected - sirius black

man wanted a nice quiet night and that’s clearly not happening, but unfortunately he’s incapable of not helping so that’s where he’ll be

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

james witherdale // unaffected - riley biers

this is exactly what james loves about this city. will be chomping on people and probably making out with his girlfriend while covered in blood

open plots: murder

jin zixuan // paired with jiang yanli - jiang yanli, jin ling

will probably break out of it fairly early through the power of simp and is just trying to snap the rest of his family out of it and sighing heavily

open plots: minor injuries, major injuries

korra // paired with asami sato - asami sato

ummm... the avatar is on a rampage, city blocks are getting blown up i am so sorry to anyone nearby

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

lan wangji // paired with wei wuxian

he is very good at murder and also a huge simp so he will be trying to fight it as best he can, how successful he will be is questionable at best

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

lumine // paired with amber

she’s just gonna be chasing after an archer with explosives all night, she’s feral and kinda pissed

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

lyanna stark // unaffected

she’ll do what she can, but girl is not fighting off a witch or anything crazy like that. she will definitely offer to help if possible though

marinette dupain-cheng // paired with adrien agreste

marinette is pretty much solely gonna be focused on taking out her date, full hero mode activated she’s gotta do this and fast

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

mj jones // paired with peter parker

she knows she isn’t gonna be much good against spider-man unarmed, so girl is gonna be running and doing her best to find a weapon

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

mo ran // randomized with killian jones

so... rip to whoever ends up with mo ran, the man is capable of killing a ton of people, he will also help other people take out their dates if the opportunity arises. i am also debating making him aware so hmu

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries, death, murder

mobei-jun // paired with shang qinghua - sha hualing

this is a whole demon king he is ripping apart anything in his path in an attempt to murder the dude. is also absolutely willing to help other people kill someone

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries, murder

nangong jingnu // randomized with rey skywalker

help her. she is running and shrieking girl is not here for combat at all please god help her out

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

nie mingjue // paired with lan xichen - lan xichen

he’s kind of used to randomly going off the rails and attempting murder, does not mean he is happy about it, and will probably try to help other people while going after xichen

open plots: minor injuries

renesmee cullen // paired with omega archeron - alice cullen, omega archeron, tara carpenter

they’re going to be chasing after their date, but she’s definitely easily distracted and could be talked into helping out other people while looking for omega

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

rose weasley // unaffected - victoire weasley, roxanne weasley

rose is hiding girl is not trying to be involved in any more fighting, but will inevitably get pulled into nonsense because she can not help herself

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

sheev palpatine // unaffected - samara palpatine

he doesn’t care man is staying at home unless one of his siblings calls him

shen qingqiu // paired with luo binghe - liu qingge

he is trying really hard to kill his literally unkillable husband, good for him, he will fail miserably.

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

shi wudu // randomized with harriet hook - diana prince, samara palpatine

another one who is a big big rip. he is absolutely a god and while his main weapon has been taken from him, he is still incredibly powerful, though i do definitely have an out if you don’t want him to kill a bitch

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries, murder

thanatos // randomized with myrcella baratheon

they are actually in a relationship rn, but they’re poly and looking for a fun time. they are also the literal incarnation of death so um.... run

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries, murder

wanda maximoff // paired with steve rogers - steve rogers, bucky barnes, natasha romanoff

wanda’s going to be fighting this as hard as she can, she really does not want to hurt steve if she can help it, but we’ll see how she does

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries, murder

wen qing // paired with luo qingyang - luo qingyang, wen ning

wen qing is unarmed and not good at combat, this is going to be absolute slapstick nonsense, but they will absolutely manage to stop and try to patch people up where she can

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

xiao lanhua // paired with dongfang qingcang - dongfang qingcang

she is awful at combat, but the guy trying to kill her literally can’t do anything to her without hurting himself so she will be pausing to help out people where she can

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries

yor forger // paired with loid forger

yor is a whole assassin and will be acting like it. girl is ready for a fight and may be convinced to help other people if she’s given a good reason

open plots: doppelgänger threads, minor injuries, major injuries

[lovesongbracket]

Reminder: Vote based on the song, not the artist or specific recording! The tracks referenced are the original artist, aside from a few rare cases where a cover is the most widely known.

Lyrics, videos, info, and notable covers under the cut. (Spotify playlist available in pinned post)

Work Song

Written By: Hozier

Artist: Hozier

Released: 2014

Alternate version included: Live in America, 2015

This is the only song on Hozier’s self titled album to have a title that is not entirely composed of lyrics from the song. The song is about the love of a worker’s life lending him strength during a hard day’s work. The song encompasses indie with strong influences on folk, blues and negro spirituals.

[Verse 1] Boys, workin' on empty Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat? I just think about my baby I'm so full of love I could barely eat There's nothin' sweeter than my baby I'd never want once from the cherry tree 'Cause my baby's sweet as can be She give me toothaches just from kissin' me [Chorus] When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her [Verse 2] Boys, when my baby found me I was three days on a drunken sin I woke with her walls around me Nothin' in her room but an empty crib And I was burning up a fever I didn't care much how long I lived But I swear, I thought I dreamed her She never asked me once about the wrong I did [Chorus] When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her [Bridge] My babe would never fret none About what my hands and my body done If the Lord don't forgive me I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me When I was kissin' on my baby And she'd put her love down, soft and sweet In the low lamplight, I was free Heaven and hell were words to me [Chorus] When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her

As Long As You're Mine

Written By: Stephen Schwartz

Artist: Idina Menzel & Norbert Leo Butz for Wicked (OBC)

Released: 2003

This song takes place after Fiyero finally tells Elphaba and Glinda that he has feelings for Elphaba so, ending his relationship with Glinda, Elphaba and Fiyero run away together. Elphaba finds it hard to believe that a man like Fiyero could care about a girl like her since all of Oz finds her dangerous and different. Just like in the novel, Elphaba and Fiyero fall in love with each other. But in the novel, the two end up having an intense love affair. While the song greatly reduces the explicit, mature nature of their relationship that occurred in the novel, it hints sexuality.

[ELPHABA] Kiss me too fiercely Hold me too tight I need help believing You're with me tonight My wildest dreamings Could not foresee Lying beside you With you wanting me And just for this moment As long as you're mine I've lost all resistance And crossed some border line And if it turns out It's over too fast I'll make every last moment last As long as you're mine [FIYERO] Maybe I'm brainless Maybe I'm wise But you've got me seeing Through different eyes Somehow I've fallen Under your spell And somehow I'm feeling It's up that I fell [BOTH] Every moment As long as you're mine I'll wake up my body And make up for lost time [FIYERO] Say there's no future For us as a pair [BOTH] And though I may know I don't care Just for this moment As long as you're mine Come be how you want to And see how bright we shine Borrow the moonlight Until it is through And know I'll be here Holding you As long as you're mine [FIYERO] What is it? [ELPHABA] It's just… For the first time… I feel… Wicked!

[the-patchwork-girl-of-oz]

Every version of the tin man is a different part of the LGBTQ+. Boq kinda gives me trans vibes, idk why, maybe because Galinda always gets his name wrong.

Also I feel like he’s either pan and has no idea how to talk to pretty people or he’s just gay because I think it would be hilarious if he thought that he was in love with Galinda and jealous of Fiyero because they were dating but really it’s the other way around and be like “wait a minute… I like boys”

Either that or he knew which one he had a crush on and just deceived the audience until the big reveal.

I can think of two ways of doing this:

A. (Which solves problems but we’d have to find another source of angst and tinmanification) “Listen, Nessa, uh, Nessa, I’ve got something to confess a reason why, well, why I asked you here tonight… now I know it isn’t fair…”

“Oh Boq, I know why. It’s because I’m in this chair and you felt sorry for me. Well, isn’t that right?”

“No it’s just… I’m gay.”

“…what?”

“I’m

🎶GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY🎶”

(He says that part the same as “let’s DAAAAAAANCE”)

Or

B. (Which causes the same problems but it’s a fun plot twist) when Nessa gets to walk

“Oh, Nessa. Surely now I’ll matter less too you

you won’t mind me leaving here tonight”

“Leaving?”

“Yes

The ball that’s being staged

Announcing Glinda is engaged to Fiyero”

“Glinda?!?!?”

“Yes, Nessa. That’s right. I’ve got to go appeal to

Him

Express the way I feel for

Him

“Wait, him?”

“Nessa, I lost my heart to fiyero the first time i saw him!😍”

She would be confused and then absolutely pissed

And boom, you’ve got wicked universe tincrow.

I have this was too thought out.

(Btw I copied the lyrics from here)

Also the existence of Fiyero in later Oz books kinda means he did come back to Oz.

My theory is Elphaba becomes the patchwork girl.

(Wicked the Musical)Boq when he spends the entire musical chasing a pretty girl and having girl problems in general only to be magically transformed into one of the most queer coded characters in one of the queerest classic books:

[joandfriedrich]

What will their costumes this halloween? Are they matching? For Little Women couples, or characters you feel like answering

Ooooh, now that will be a fun one to think of!

Meg x John: I see something wholesome and cutesy, like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, or Herman and Lily Munster. Because they don’t have a ton of money, they can get incredibly creative and everyone in the neighborhood applauds them for having the best ideas on a budget.

Jo x Friedrich: They would be the nerds, picking costume ideas that come from favorite books or movies, like Remus and Tonks, or Han and Leia. Jo loves to dress up and Friedrich, who never did, gets caught up in the excitement with her, and this joy trickles down to their boys, and the possibilities are endless with them.

Amy x Teddy: I can see them doing something kind of extra, certainly fitting in the theme of gothic, like the Phantom and Christine, or Gomez and Morticia Addams. They are the ones to go full out with their costumes, so the possibilities are endless.

And because, why not?

Beth: She doesn’t mind dressing up, but you’ll never see her doing anything risqué or out there, but something nice and simple. She’d probably dress up as someone like Nina Simone or Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. Before she passed, Beth would often dress up with Jo, because she had the best ideas and wanted to try out things with her. They would do like Jo being Elphaba and Beth as Glinda, or Beth as Alice and Jo as the Mad Hatter.

BONUS:

All four of the sisters dressing up as a group, being things like the Rockford Peaches from A League of Their Own, or the main four from The Wizard of Oz, with Meg as the Tin Man, Jo as the Scarecrow, Beth as Dorothy, and Amy as The Lion. Another would be from Hocus Pocus, with Meg, Beth and Amy as the Sanderson Sisters while Jo is Billy.