<P> The book, lyrics and score for the musical were developed through a series of readings . For these developmental workshops, Kristin Chenoweth, the Tony Award--winning actress whom Stephen Schwartz had in mind while composing the music for the character, joined the project as Glinda . Stephanie J. Block played Elphaba in all of the workshops, (she was the original Elphaba in the 1st National Tour and joined the Broadway cast later on) before fellow performer Idina Menzel was cast in the role in late 2000 . In early 2000, the creators recruited New York producer David Stone, who began the transition of the workshop production into a full Broadway production . Joe Mantello was brought in as director and Wayne Cilento as choreographer while Tony Award--winning designer Eugene Lee created the set and visual style for the production based on both W.W. Denslow's original illustrations for Baum's novels and Maguire's concept of the story being told through a giant clock . Costume designer Susan Hilferty created a "twisted Edwardian" style through more than 200 costumes, while lighting designer Kenneth Posner used more than 800 individual lights to give each of the 54 distinct scenes and locations "its own mood". By April 2003, a full cast had been assembled and the show readied its debut . </P> <P> On May 28, 2003, the first performance of Wicked was held at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, as the start of SHN pre-Broadway tryouts . After officially opening on June 10, 2003, it ran there for the month and finished on June 29, 2003 . Audience reaction was mostly positive and although critics tended to compliment the aesthetic and spectacle of the show, they disparaged the state of its book, score, and choreography . Dennis Harvey of Variety commented positively of the "sleekly directed", "snazzily designed" and "smartly cast" production yet still disapproved of its "mediocre" book, "trite" lyrics and "largely generic" music while Karen D'Souza of the San Jose Mercury News wrote that "Style over substance is the real theme in this Emerald City ." Noting mixed response, the creative team started making extensive changes, tweaking it before its transfer to Broadway . Winnie Holzman stated, "Stephen (Schwartz) wisely had insisted on having three months to rewrite in - between the time we closed in San Francisco and when we were to go back into rehearsals in New York . That was crucial; that was the thing that made the biggest difference in the life of the show . That time is what made the show work ." </P> <P> Elements of the book were rewritten while several songs underwent minor transformations . This included the excision of "Which Way is the Party?", the introductory song to the character Fiyero, which was subsequently replaced by "Dancing Through Life" in Schwartz's fear that the former failed to be a clear "statement of Fiyero's philosophy of life". In addition, there was concern that Menzel's Elphaba "got a little overshadowed" by Chenoweth's Glinda . San Francisco Chronicle critic Robert Hurwitt wrote, "Menzel's brightly intense Elphaba the Wicked Witch (needs) a chance of holding her own alongside Chenoweth's gloriously, insidiously bubbly Glinda", so the creative team set about making her character "more prominent". On the subject of the Broadway revisions, Schwartz recalled, "It was clear there was work to be done and revisions to be made in the book and the score . The critical community was, frankly, very helpful to us . We learned a lot from the reviews, which were honest and constructive in the aggregate, unlike New York, where the critics make up their minds before they come to the theatre ." On October 30, 2003, the musical opened on Broadway . </P> <P> In the Land of Oz, there is a lot of celebrating; the Ozians are rejoicing over the demise of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West ("No One Mourns the Wicked"). Glinda arrives to congratulate Dorothy Gale for restoring peace to the Land until an Ozian asks her if she and Elphaba were friends . She reluctantly admits that they were, leading Glinda to tell them the story of how they became best friends . A flashback starts with a scene at school, Shiz University, when Elphaba arrives . Elphaba was the daughter of the governor of Munchkinland - but it is heavily implied that she is the product of an affair between the governor's wife and a mysterious stranger who plied her with "green elixir ." As a result, Elphaba was born with green skin . Her father resented her and showered his affection on her younger sister, Nessarose, who is physically disabled and uses a wheelchair . The two sisters both go to Shiz University, where the beautiful and popular Glinda, formerly known as Galinda, is also in their class ("Dear Old Shiz"). As their father says goodbye, he gives Nessarose a pair of silver slippers . The headmistress, Madame Morrible, decides to take Nessarose under her protection, leaving Elphaba and Galinda as roommates to their chagrin . Elphaba attempts to take back her sister, and her anger manifests physically in an explosion . Madame Morrible recognizes that Elphaba has special powers and decides to teach her sorcery . She tells Elphaba her powers might allow her to one day work with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, something Elphaba has dreamed of her whole life ("The Wizard and I"). All of this does little to endear Elphaba to Galinda, and the feeling is mutual ("What is this Feeling?"). They fight constantly, even in their classes, such as their history class with Dr. Dillamond, the only Animal professor at the university who is beginning to suffer from discrimination . He tells Elphaba there is a conspiracy to stop animals from speaking, and she wants to let the Wizard know, for he would surely stop it ("Something Bad"). </P>

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