WICKED

Some bring home souvenirs in the form of T-shirts and coffee mugs.
On the other hand, the musician might opt for the original cast recording . . .
and Stephen Schwartz's own piano adaptation of his great songs, including:

The Wizard and I
What is this Feeling?
Dancing Through Life
Popular
I'm Not That Girl
Defying Gravity
Wonderful
As Long As You're Mine
For Good



~ FURTHER READING ~

"Defying Gravity" vis-à-vis "Let It Go"

Each song is from a story featuring two central female characters that might be characterized as heroine & antiheroine. The Point Of View is that of the antiheroine, which I will refer to as "the subject."

The subject’s name follows the pattern EL__A. In "Wicked," she is named Elphaba. In "Frozen," she is named Elsa.

These stories are spin-offs of old fairy tales. In L. Frank Baum's stories, the witch of the west was wicked. In Hans Christian Andersen's stories, the snow queen was malevolent. However, in the new stories, the subject is portrayed as misunderstood, rather than villainous.

Her father is a government official. She has a sister that she sometimes supervises.

The subject has inherent supernatural power not possessed by others in her family. It takes time for her to learn how to control her power. Early on, she tries to use it for good—with unintended consequences. Others misinterpret her use of power, and she is labeled as evil.

This theme song marks a shift in the subject’s attitude and a turning point in the story. It is not a conscious decision to become bad, but a rejection of the "Establishment" and a withdrawal from its society.

The original recording artist for both of these songs is Idina Menzel!

"Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked "Let It Go" from the movie Frozen
music & lyrics: Stephen Schwartz music & lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert J. Lopez
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game. No right, no wrong, no rules for me. I'm free!
I'm through accepting limits 'cause someone says they're so. Can't hold it back anymore.... I don't care what they're going to say.
It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap! It's time to see what I can do, to test the limits and break through.
Too long I've been afraid . . . The fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all.
Kiss me goodbye! I'm never going back!