Tragically Beautiful and Beautifully Tragic

Musical obsession comes in all shape and forms and... colors. This week I cannot get enough of the soundtrack to Wicked. Yes, okay, I'll wait for the snickering to subside. I like Broadway... okay? I went to see the musical this week with my parents and my two lovely nieces, ages 9 and 12. While the acting, singing, stage production and overall energy of the performance was absolutely top notch, it's the story that is sticking with me. It's the proposed story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good and everything that happened before Dorothy's house fell out of the sky. There are abstract themes throughout the plot that hit home in so many ways. What is truth and what is beauty? What about good and evil? These things are changeable depending on your perspective and what is "popular" in society. And what you always thought you knew could be just what someone wanted you to believe for their own purposes.

Both the musical and the book by Gregory Maguire are highly recommended. He also wrote the untold story about Cinderella's ugly stepsisters. These stories create the urge to look beyond the surface of things - a great life lesson for children of all ages!