WICKED Characters

S electing from the 38 speaking characters in Gregory Maguire’s (http://www.musicalschwartz.com/

wicked-maguire.htm) novel WICKED, the writers of WICKED, the musical, decided to focus their show
on eight key characters, plus a few others and the ensemble.

Elphaba (nickname Elphie), the green girl who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.

Origins: She hails from Munchkinland.

Quote: “I’m the other daughter, Elphaba. I’m beautifully tragic.”
Philosophy: “Nobody in all of Oz, no Wizard that there is or was, is ever gonna bring me down.”
WICKED novelist Gregory Maguire invented the witch’s name “Elphaba” based on the name for the author of The Wizard of Oz.
L. F(rank) B(aum). L-F-B = Elphaba.

The first thing you notice about Elphaba is her skin colour – an unconventional shade of green. Somewhat stubborn, she is a
strong character of high moral standing and is not afraid to stand up for what she believes is right and rise above any taunts she
may receive. Elphaba is a naturally good judge of character and has a caring nature, revealed through her love of animals and the
support she gives to her sister, Nessarose, a wheelchair user. She is a brilliant student with a rather exceptional gift for magic that
she tries to hide.

Although Elphaba is the eldest daughter of the Governor of Munchkinland, she knows that her green complexion will make it
impossible for her to ever take over the role of Governor. That role will be reserved for her father’s favourite – her younger sister
Nessarose. Elphaba’s origins are shrouded in mystery, but we do know that her mother received a strange visitor before she was
born. At Shiz University, Elphaba was a brilliant student with magical gifts that she tried to hide. Because of her green skin, the
students, including her roommate, Galinda, shunned her. Elphaba’s momentous meeting with The Wizard in the Emerald City set
her on the fateful path whereby she became “wicked”.

In both the novel and musical, Elphaba is the intense, broody, smart heroine who often carries a sense of burden of her oddness.
In the musical we meet Elphaba for a moment as a baby and then as a teenager. She would like it if Ozians could accept her,
setting aside their prejudice for her natural hue. Everything changes when she meets Galinda, Fiyero and The Wizard. In her

Amanda Harrison as Elphaba. Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.

transition during “Defying Gravity”, she expresses her new goal and role as someone striving to right the wrongs in Oz.

Amanda Harrison (on playing Elphaba in the

Australian production):
“Elphaba is born with emerald green skin and so this
poses many difficulties growing up. In her life she is
faced with ridicule and scorn which causes her to
be very sensitive about being green. She is fiercely
intelligent and has a fire inside, qualities that she uses
to protect herself. She knows a lot about the world and
questions the way things are. This gets her into a lot of
trouble when the Wizard asks her to do something she
finds abhorrent. She is cast out of society and labelled
‘The Wicked Witch of the West’ by the authority of the
land and so she is completely misunderstood. Glinda is
the only friend she ever has, and through this friendship
they both change for the better. Through Glinda,
Elphaba learns how to love and be loved, and the value
of trust and friendship. It’s very exciting to be playing
an amazing, well rounded and exciting character such as
Elphaba. The music is wonderfully challenging and completely inspiring.”

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 Meeting Elphaba for the first time:
Galinda and all the other students covertly stare at Elphaba. She decides to cut to the chase—
ELPHABA
What? What are you all looking at? Oh, do I have something in my teeth?
(puts her suitcase down) Alright, fine, we might as well get this over with:
No, I’m not seasick; yes, I’ve always been green; no, I didn’t eat grass as a child…
(Elphaba’s Father wheels on a beautiful young woman in a wheelchair, Nessarose.)
FATHER

Costume design by Susan Hilferty.

Elphaba!
ELPHABA
Oh, and this is my younger sister, Nessarose! As you can see, she’s a perfectly normal colour.

To read an interview with Idina Menzel (original Elphaba) about

the character Elphaba, go to www.musicalschwartz.com/recordings/menzel-interview.htm
Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.

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 WICKED Characters cont...
Glinda/Galinda the blonde who becomes “Glinda the Good” Witch.
Origins: Upper Uplands of Gillikan.
Quote: “It’s good to see me, isn’t it?”
Philosophy: “It’s all about popular.”
Beautiful, popular and privileged, she’s a bit of a snob and used to getting everything she wants. Not always as sugary sweet
as her appearance would suggest - she leads the class in making rude remarks about Elphaba and is not afraid to use others
to her advantage. She ignores her conscience and is swayed by temptation to join The Wizard’s administration and elevate
her position in Oz.

Galinda couldn’t have had a happier upbringing in the Upper Uplands. She was the ideal of golden girlhood – perfectly
dressed and poised – to which everyone else aspired. At Shiz University, rooming with the artichoke-coloured and bad-
tempered Elphaba, challenged Glinda’s good will. However, the two eventually became friends… then enemies. Glinda
(who changed her name in deference to Doctor Dillamond, who always mispronounced it) joined forces with The Wizard
and Madame Morrible, who unilaterally declared Elphaba to be “wicked”. Ultimately, Glinda saw the truth about Elphaba.

Both the novel and musical introduce Glinda as her younger self, Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands, a blatantly
self-centered young blonde. Gregory Maguire dissociated her from an archetypal “good” to make her a pretentious
goodie goodie. The musical’s writers juxtaposed the two women who were superficially “bad (or misfit)” and “good” but
underneath, were nearly the opposite, until Glinda evolves as a person.

LUCY DURACK (on playing Galinda/Glinda

in the Australian production):

Lucy Durack as Glinda. Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.

“Galinda, later to become Glinda the Good, has
led a sheltered and lovely life where she is the most
special, pretty and popular person she knows, and
I’m sure has been told this by all around her. She
believes in good and people respond to her in a
very strong way without her having to do much. I
think it’s important to remember that she is always
trying to do good, she just sometimes has a strange
way of going about it. She initially has a tendency to
get carried away with the fun, frivilous, privileged
and shallow lifestyle she is able to live and doesn’t
yet understand true goodness. She arrives at Shiz
having never had to think much about where her
actions might leave her or those around her. Glinda
feels a strange sense of loathing toward Elphaba
when she first meets her, I think partly due to jealousy of the
attention Elphaba gets and also for the fact that Elphaba has real magical powers whilst, apart from important social powers,
Glinda does not, I also think it’s perhaps a subconcious thing as it is a time of change in the conciousness of Glinda, she is
beginning a journey of self discovery, responsibility and what it really means to be good. Through her amazing friendship
with Elphaba, she opens herself up to a lot more of what life has to offer, the good and the bad and she eventually harnesses
her natural gift of popularity to take responsiblilty and really look after the citizens of Oz as best she can. Glinda is an
extremely multi faceted and well written character, making her a constant joy to play as there is always something new to
learn about her and I’m always kept happily challenged.”

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 Meeting Galinda for the first time:
SOMEBODY IN THE CROWD
Look! It’s Glinda!
Glinda, resplendent and beautiful in her white gown and tiara,
descends from on high on a mechanical creation that spews soap
bubbles as the Celebrants point and cheer.
VARIOUS FANATICS
Is it really her? It is, it’s her! Glinda! We love yeeew, Glindaaaaa!

Costume design by Susan Hilferty.

GLINDA
It’s good to see me, isn’t it?
FANATICS
(shrieks) Yes!
GLINDA
No need to respond­; that was rhetorical. (She smiles down at them)

To read an interview with Kristin Chenoweth (original Glinda) about

the character Glinda, go to www.musicalschwartz.com/recordings/chenoweth
Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.

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 WICKED Characters cont...
The Wizard
Origins: Unclear. The Wizard came to Oz in a great balloon from another world. He is often heard to mutter “Kansas” under
his breath.
Quote: “Everyone deserves a chance to fly.”
Philosophy: “Where I’m from we believe all sorts of things that aren’t true. We call it – history.”
Elevated with little qualification or experience to the revered position of ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, The Wizard craves
admiration and glory. Calculating and manipulative, his politics might be more accurately described as ‘smoke and mirrors’. He stirs
up fear amongst the citizens of Oz, who look to him for security and hold him in higher regard than he deserves.
Not a lot is known of The Wizard’s life before he came to Oz by hot-air balloon, but once here, he certainly made an impression.
The Wizard added showbiz panache to the Emerald City and started restricting Animal rights. Crossing paths with Elphaba was the
beginning of The Wizard’s downfall. Exploiting The Grimmerie and Elphaba’s magic powers, he tricked her into giving his monkey
servant, Chistery, wings.
BERT NEWTON (on playing The Wizard in the

Bert Newton as The Wizard. Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.

Australian production):
“This is the third time I have played the Wizard – I
played it twice in Wizard of Oz.
WICKED is a different show with more light and
shade, and because of this, the character itself has
many colours. He is a lovable wizard but there’s
more to him than we’ve ever seen before.
In WICKED, the Wizard has much more bi-play
with Glinda and Elphaba, and that helps to define
the character of the wizard much more than how
he has been seen in previous productions.”

Elphaba meets The Wizard for the first time:

(Elphaba and Glinda walk down a hallway. They
round a corner and stop dead in their tracks, seeing
AN ENORMOUS HEAD, on a jewelled encrusted
throne.)
HEAD
I .. am .. Oz. The Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?
HEAD
Oh, is that you, Elphaba? I didn’t realise —
AND WITH AN ODD, MECHANISED SOUND, THE HEAD dissolves, and out from behind the head steps THE WIZARD.

To read more about Joel Grey (the original Wizard) and lyrics to The Wizard’s songs,
go to www.musicalschwartz.com/recordings/grey.htm

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 Rob Mills as Fiyero. Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.
Fiyero, a handsome prince, fellow student,
and love interest.
Origins: Winkie Country.
Quote: “I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and
deeply shallow.”
Philosophy: “Dancing through life, skimming the
surface, gliding where turf is smooth. Life’s more painless
for the brainless. Why think too hard when it’s so soothing
dancing through life…”
Fiyero is a handsome Winkie prince without a care in the world, except for himself and having fun. He’s had it easy in life, usually
gets what he wants and can get away with anything. On the surface he’s very shallow but Elphaba reveals a much deeper, thoughtful
side, allowing him to realise what he truly wants in life.
The Winkies inhabit one of the regions of Oz (as in Frank Baum’s original). When he came to Shiz University, Fiyero brought his
“scandalous” reputation for being a pleasure-loving playboy always getting booted out of schools. However, his life is changed by an
uneasy friendship with Elphaba, then his reluctant alliance with The Wizard and tentative engagement to Glinda. Ultimately, when it
comes to choosing between Glinda and Elphaba, Fiyero gets serious and makes a risky decision.
ROB MILLS (on playing Fiyero in the Australian production):
“Fiyero is the young charming prince (as in most fairy tales), however he goes through a great character change throughout the
show, as with all the wonderful characters of Oz. A young “carefree” Millsy certainly can relate to the character, in the beginning,
Fiyero’s “Dancing Through Life” is all about cruising through life and not taking chances. “Those who don’t try, never look foolish”
epitomises his state of mind. As time passes, Fiyero’s emotional change is one any young person can relate to - including myself,
developing greater maturity and finding out what is most important to you in life, and we see him standing up for the things he
believes in.”

Madame Morrible, the headmistress at

Shiz University.
Origins: Unknown – Madame Morrible’s origins are
shrouded in lies and secrecy.
Quote: “Weather is my specialty.”

Philosophy: “Never apologise for talent! Talent is a gift!

And that is my special talent, encouraging talent.”

When we first meet her, Madame Morrible is the

Maggie Kirkpatrick as Madame Morrible. Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.

Headmistress at Shiz University. There, she’s an eccentric but
likeable mother-figure to the students. She teaches sorcery
to Galinda and Elphaba. However, Madame Morrible makes
a startling career move when she becomes The Wizard’s
press secretary. She amasses great power, which, of course, she abuses mightily. Part of Madame Morrible’s diabolical propagandising
includes labelling Elphaba “wicked”.
In the musical, her talents in sorcery are rather limited, although she recognises talent in others. She doesn’t influence the fate of the
three witches in the musical in the same way as she does in the novel. She pursues her connections with Oz’s chief. Her misuse of
power is her undoing. Morrible is the only classic villain in this musical tale. Carol Kane who played Madame Morrible on Broadway,
bows at the end of a WICKED performance.
MAGGIE KIRKPATRICK (on playing Madame Morrible in the Australian production):
“Playing Madame Morrible is probably one of the more complex roles in musical theatre where roles/characters tend to be one
dimensional. Morrible is not all that she seems; we first see her as a fairly pleasant, bossy Headmistress, Head of Sorcery, at Shiz
University. She herself has limited powers but is desperate to find other people with powers that she can manipulate, so in that regard,
she is a manipulative person, highly ambitious and seeking great power for herself and for The Wizard. So when Elphaba comes along
with her extraordinary power, she is determined to harness it to use it for her own good or evil. Morrible is terribly limited in her
own magical powers, she can control the weather but, that’s about it and perhaps a few spells in the groomery. She changes from
being a relatively pleasant person in the beginning to becoming quieter, stronger and not so much evil as highly manipulative of
Glinda in the Second Act, leading to her down fall.”

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 WICKED Characters cont...
Boq, an unusually tall Munchkin with eyes only for

James Smith as Boq. Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.

Galinda/Glinda.
Origins: Munchkinland.
Quote: “I know I’m just a mere Munchkin. But even a
Munchkin has feelings.”
Philosophy: “I lost my heart to Glinda the first time I
saw her.”
He attends Shiz University, where he falls hopelessly in
love with Galinda. Galinda barely knows he exists. Socially
ambitious Munchkins married into height. As a favour for
Galinda, for whom he would do anything, Boq escorts
Elphaba’s wheelchair-bound sister, Nessarose, to the
Ozdust ballroom dance. Nessarose mistakenly thinks Boq is
in love with her. When Nessarose becomes the Governor
of Munchkinland, she retains Boq as a manservant. His life
is utterly changed when Elphaba comes back to visit. Boq,
along with Fiyero and the lion cub, provide one of the
significant links back to the original story of The Wizard of Oz.
JAMES SMITH (on playing the Boq in the Australian production):
“Boq is a quirky munchkin who is absolutely in love with Galinda, unfortunately for him, she doesn’t feel the same way, so she
tries to set him up with Nessarose (Elphaba’s sister). Nessa ends up falling in love with him and enslaves him when she becomes the
governor of Munchkinland. Boq has two sides; in the first act he is a happy, easy-going, lovable, friendly character, this changes in
the second act where he becomes bitter and angry and resentful. For me, being able to play these two different emotions with the
one character is both challenging and fun.”

Doctor Dillamond, a professor at Shiz University who is a talking Goat, and someone
Elphaba befriends.
Origins: Doctor Dillamond is a goat, but he is an Animal – a sentient being not unlike you or I.
Quote: “Something bad is happening in Oz.”
Philosophy: “Animals should be seen and not heard” – not.
Doctor Dillamond is a respected historian at Shiz University. He is a passionate civil rights defender, yet even he falls before the
repressive policies of The Wizard who has convinced the people of Oz that allowing animals to talk and enjoy social equality is a
national danger.
Doctor Dillamond is WICKED’s main Animal representative and its most passionate civil rights defender. Unlike most of the other
Animals represented in the production (an Antelope midwife, a Rat waiter and Monkey servants), Doctor Dillamond occupies
a position of authority as a respected historian at Shiz University. Yet, even he falls before the
repressive policies of The Wizard, who has convinced Ozians that allowing Animals to
Rodney Dobson as Doctor Dillamond. Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.

talk and enjoy social equality is a national danger. “The best way to bring folks
together,” The Wizard says ominously, “is to give them a really good enemy.”
In Gregory Maguire’s novel, this political tragedy is elaborated more fully,
and the parallel between Animal subjugation in Oz and the reality
of human persecution is more pronounced. However, in
WICKED, the Animal subplot is extremely important;
it supplies Elphaba with her motivation to oppose The
Wizard and it gives the fantasy world of Oz a gritty and
thought-provoking new dimension.
RODNEY DOBSON (on playing Doctor
Dillamond in the Australian production):
“Doctor Dillamond shares a passion for knowledge and
truth with Elphaba, and in WICKED, triggers her journey
to protect animal rights. However, he becomes oppressed
by the powers that be and represents the oppressed in the
modern world.”

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 Penny McNamee as Nessarose. Photo of Australian Production by Jeff Busby.
Nessarose, the Witch’s invalid sister.
Origins: Munchkinland.
Quote: “You (Elphaba) fly around Oz trying to rescue
Animals you’ve never even met – and not once have
you ever thought to use your power to rescue me.”
Philosophy: “Alone and loveless here, with just the girl
in the mirror. Just her and me – the Wicked Witch of
the East! We deserve each other…”
Nessarose Thropp is Elphaba’s sister. Gregory Maguire
named her after Virginia Woolf ’s sister Vanessa, known
as ‘Nessa’. She is the “tragically beautiful” daughter
of the Governor of Munchkinland. Because her older
sister, Elphaba, was born green, her mother chewed
too many milk flowers to ensure a dermatologically correct second baby. Unfortunately, Nessarose was born with deformed legs.
Still, Nessarose is her father’s favourite; he gives her beautiful silver slippers when she goes to Shiz. At school, Nessarose becomes
convinced that Boq loves her because Galinda tells Boq to pay attention to her. Later in life, when she becomes the cruel and
reclusive Governor of Munchkinland, Nessarose crosses paths with her sister, now the Wicked Witch of the West. She learns the
power of The Grimmerie and becomes “The Wicked Witch of the East” who is killed when Dorothy’s house from Kansas falls
on her.
Penny McNamee (on playing Nessarose in the Australian production):
“Nessarose is the wheelchair-bound younger sister of Elphaba. Her journey in WICKED is an extreme one, beginning as a shy,
sweet girl constantly battling with sympathy for her sister and frustration at Elphaba’s embarrassing and extreme behaviour. Nessa
falls in love with the munchkin character Boq, who leads her to believe he also loves her. However, she soon learns that he is only
trying to prove his loyalty and love to Glinda. By the time Nessa comes to understand that Boq is actually in love with Glinda, her
bitterness and rage overcomes her and she loses the two people she loves the most.”

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