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Wicked: The Grimmerie
So much happened before Dorothy dropped in. Two girls quite accidentally crossed paths: one, pretty and popular; the other smart and . . . green. The story of how these two unlikely friends became Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West has made for the most spellbinding musical in years: Wicked
Wicked: The Grimmerie is the behind-the-scenes story of the hit that has captivated Broadway—and now the world. Designed to resemble the ancient book of spells that changes Ozian history, Wicked: The Grimmerie includes profiles of the cast and creative team, the complete, illustrated lyrics to all the songs, and more than 200 full-color photographs. Packed with thrillifying details, Wicked: The Grimmerie is also full of bonus features that will delight fans of the show, from an Ozian Glossararium and an Oz travelogue to a step-by-step look at how Elphaba gets green. No need for innuendo or outuendo: This is a must-have for Wicked fans of all ages.
Wicked: The Grimmerie is the behind-the-scenes story of the hit that has captivated Broadway—and now the world. Designed to resemble the ancient book of spells that changes Ozian history, Wicked: The Grimmerie includes profiles of the cast and creative team, the complete, illustrated lyrics to all the songs, and more than 200 full-color photographs. Packed with thrillifying details, Wicked: The Grimmerie is also full of bonus features that will delight fans of the show, from an Ozian Glossararium and an Oz travelogue to a step-by-step look at how Elphaba gets green. No need for innuendo or outuendo: This is a must-have for Wicked fans of all ages.
191 pages, Hardcover
First published October 26, 2005
179 people are currently reading
16967 people want to read
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November 26, 2011
I got WICKED: THE GRIMMERIE for Christmas two years ago, and I sat there on the couch reading the whole thing while everyone else was trying to talk to me. Needless to say, I am a HUGE fan of Wicked the musical. I also got tickets again that year. The Grimmerie is something that every Wicked fan should have. It gives insight on how the musical came to be, the language (and yes Galindafied is in there), and of course the OBC. For me, the Original Broadway Cast was the best, and I was very interested in how they felt about the musical. It has awesome pictures in it as well, and other fun facts.
I do agree that they should have put the WHOLE script in the back, I was extremely disappointed when I found that some of my FAVORITE lines had been cut from the back. That would have been a plus for me. I liked that they had the background information on the songs as well. I thought that that was wicked interesting.
Every die-hard Wicked fan should own this. It makes your experience with the musical complete.
When I got this book, I couldn't have been happier! :)
I do agree that they should have put the WHOLE script in the back, I was extremely disappointed when I found that some of my FAVORITE lines had been cut from the back. That would have been a plus for me. I liked that they had the background information on the songs as well. I thought that that was wicked interesting.
Every die-hard Wicked fan should own this. It makes your experience with the musical complete.
When I got this book, I couldn't have been happier! :)
Read
April 6, 2013After seeing this musical twice in the space of a year, I realized that I really am enough of a fan to track down the companion book. (I love Maguire's book, too. And they are going to make a movie! Maybe.)
So, this is a coffee table book. It is completely gorgeous and very well-designed, with lots of beautiful photographs and sketches and overall a great layout. Which I guess is the point of musical companion books?--I don't know; the other companion books I've read are all for fantasy book series.
Anyway, there is a little less content than there might be. There is not a full libretto, although most of the script is here, illustrated with really great pictures. It's kind of weird when there's a break in the script and part of a scene is just summarized. I guess there are copyright reasons for this, but then other musical companion books evidently do have a full libretto (the Rent book for instance). Maybe they are worried about community playhouses stealing their show. I mean, it's such an easy set to put together, right? There's a lot in here about the set and costuming and such--I am genuinely impressed by how much attention is put into detail that random audience members don't even notice. Or at least there was a lot of stuff I hadn't noticed.
Other things I learned from this book:
- Gregory Maguire is not really a fan of the ending. He had to do some mental gymnastics to convince himself that it's sad enough. [I actually don't think the musical has a particularly happy ending. The first time I did because it wasn't what I was expecting. The second time I thought it was more of a downer, although not for exactly the same reasons as Maguire.]
- They did once have a black guy play Fiyero on Broadway. Not in the original cast though. [Why is it that you can paint a main character green but yet having an actor who is not Caucasian is so difficult?]
- Broadway musicals go through a really long production process, including lots of readings for small audiences (with real actors who might or might not end up actually playing those parts) and then real unofficial performances, where they look at what's working for the audience and what isn't and change stuff. Really, it's a wonder Broadway ever produces a flop. I wish I lived in a city where this stuff happened. (Well, not really. But it would be cool to go to an early performance and then see how things had changed.)
What I didn't really get from this book, and was hoping to get (perhaps unrealistically), was more of a sense of how they developed the plot and characters and why they made the decisions they did. There's this part where the actress who played Glinda in the readings and the original cast (everybody who had anything to do with the musical is interviewed in this book, although in very short snippets) says that Glinda was hardly in the original script. Well, that's very different from how it turned out--what was in the original script?
I mean, maybe this is just me, I love to analyze stuff that I love (it's a pity I don't love very much classic literature), but I find it fascinating how much the Wizard of Oz/Wicked story changes with each adaptation and yet how each new version is in conversation with the ones that came before it. So you'll see a Chekhov's gun in one version that won't fire until the next one--for instance, the way the Scarecrow in Baum's book talks loudly and often about how vulnerable he is to fire, but nothing comes of that, at least until the 1939 movie, where the Witch keeps throwing fireballs at him. Then in Maguire's book, Elphaba thinks the Scarecrow might be Fiyero, but only because she's having a nervous breakdown and is delusional--but in the musical, he is the Scarecrow.
And I wonder if the people who made the musical realized they were making the same changes in the hero/villain dynamic from Maguire's book that were made when Baum's book was turned into a movie. Both take a story whose heroine goes voluntarily into a confrontation with a villain who doesn't know she exists, and turn it into a story where the villain hounds her into it--is it the moral ambiguity the developers are afraid audiences won't like, or is it just a matter of getting villains onstage more? There are a lot of similar things that I wonder about. I kind of hope that if they do make a movie, they adapt it all over again, just to see what they do. In Baum's book we're told in a brief aside that the Witch had used the flying monkeys to drive the Wizard out of the West--doesn't somebody want to do something with that? Because I want to see it.
Anyway, this is going far afield from the companion book, which obviously is not some kind of literary analysis. Get it for the pictures.
They're really pretty.
So, this is a coffee table book. It is completely gorgeous and very well-designed, with lots of beautiful photographs and sketches and overall a great layout. Which I guess is the point of musical companion books?--I don't know; the other companion books I've read are all for fantasy book series.
Anyway, there is a little less content than there might be. There is not a full libretto, although most of the script is here, illustrated with really great pictures. It's kind of weird when there's a break in the script and part of a scene is just summarized. I guess there are copyright reasons for this, but then other musical companion books evidently do have a full libretto (the Rent book for instance). Maybe they are worried about community playhouses stealing their show. I mean, it's such an easy set to put together, right? There's a lot in here about the set and costuming and such--I am genuinely impressed by how much attention is put into detail that random audience members don't even notice. Or at least there was a lot of stuff I hadn't noticed.
Other things I learned from this book:
- Gregory Maguire is not really a fan of the ending. He had to do some mental gymnastics to convince himself that it's sad enough. [I actually don't think the musical has a particularly happy ending. The first time I did because it wasn't what I was expecting. The second time I thought it was more of a downer, although not for exactly the same reasons as Maguire.]
- They did once have a black guy play Fiyero on Broadway. Not in the original cast though. [Why is it that you can paint a main character green but yet having an actor who is not Caucasian is so difficult?]
- Broadway musicals go through a really long production process, including lots of readings for small audiences (with real actors who might or might not end up actually playing those parts) and then real unofficial performances, where they look at what's working for the audience and what isn't and change stuff. Really, it's a wonder Broadway ever produces a flop. I wish I lived in a city where this stuff happened. (Well, not really. But it would be cool to go to an early performance and then see how things had changed.)
What I didn't really get from this book, and was hoping to get (perhaps unrealistically), was more of a sense of how they developed the plot and characters and why they made the decisions they did. There's this part where the actress who played Glinda in the readings and the original cast (everybody who had anything to do with the musical is interviewed in this book, although in very short snippets) says that Glinda was hardly in the original script. Well, that's very different from how it turned out--what was in the original script?
I mean, maybe this is just me, I love to analyze stuff that I love (it's a pity I don't love very much classic literature), but I find it fascinating how much the Wizard of Oz/Wicked story changes with each adaptation and yet how each new version is in conversation with the ones that came before it. So you'll see a Chekhov's gun in one version that won't fire until the next one--for instance, the way the Scarecrow in Baum's book talks loudly and often about how vulnerable he is to fire, but nothing comes of that, at least until the 1939 movie, where the Witch keeps throwing fireballs at him. Then in Maguire's book, Elphaba thinks the Scarecrow might be Fiyero, but only because she's having a nervous breakdown and is delusional--but in the musical, he is the Scarecrow.
And I wonder if the people who made the musical realized they were making the same changes in the hero/villain dynamic from Maguire's book that were made when Baum's book was turned into a movie. Both take a story whose heroine goes voluntarily into a confrontation with a villain who doesn't know she exists, and turn it into a story where the villain hounds her into it--is it the moral ambiguity the developers are afraid audiences won't like, or is it just a matter of getting villains onstage more? There are a lot of similar things that I wonder about. I kind of hope that if they do make a movie, they adapt it all over again, just to see what they do. In Baum's book we're told in a brief aside that the Witch had used the flying monkeys to drive the Wizard out of the West--doesn't somebody want to do something with that? Because I want to see it.
Anyway, this is going far afield from the companion book, which obviously is not some kind of literary analysis. Get it for the pictures.
They're really pretty.
December 10, 2024
Since theatre is my field, I've read quite a few of these deluxe commemorative coffee-table books on various Broadway hit shows, and they all pretty much contain the same elements: lavish color photographs, details on the creation of the show from the various creative team members and stars, trivia and behind-the-scenes tidbits, and often times the full libretto (sadly, this only contains the words to the songs, and truncated linking material; they could have easily jettisoned some of the unnecessary flotsam - Ozian Travelogue and Glossary anyone? - and included the full script) . Wicked was never one of my fave shows, but given the inescapable onslaught of the current movie version of the first act, I thought it might be fun to give this a whirl.
And it is a fast, entertaining and enlightening look at how the show came together. Who would have guessed it only takes about 7 minutes for the make-up artist to apply Elphaba's iconic green make-up? And having read the original (long, tedious, boring) Gregory McGuire novel it's based on, I was curious how they whittled it down to a more manageable entity. And it was also nice that they included both original cast members and replacements in the reminiscences and pictures. Perhaps only an essential read for mega-fans, but I enjoyed the time spent learning about the show's origins.
And it is a fast, entertaining and enlightening look at how the show came together. Who would have guessed it only takes about 7 minutes for the make-up artist to apply Elphaba's iconic green make-up? And having read the original (long, tedious, boring) Gregory McGuire novel it's based on, I was curious how they whittled it down to a more manageable entity. And it was also nice that they included both original cast members and replacements in the reminiscences and pictures. Perhaps only an essential read for mega-fans, but I enjoyed the time spent learning about the show's origins.
October 24, 2017
I got this one from my brother after watching the show for the second time.
the first time I watched it was the summer of 2012 in London. The second was on the 21st of December 2012 and in the Netherlands.
17th of October 2014.
16th of November 2016.
24th of October 2017
the first time I watched it was the summer of 2012 in London. The second was on the 21st of December 2012 and in the Netherlands.
17th of October 2014.
16th of November 2016.
24th of October 2017
October 20, 2010
Ello Ozheads!!
This book is wonderful. Utterly wonderful. As a fifteen-year-old Wicked fan, I only have so much opportunity to express the depth of my (admittedly unhealthy) passion for Wicked. This book is fantastic and very obsession-worthy. It features firsthand commentary from Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Stephen Schwartz, Gregory Maguire, Winnie Holzman, director Joe Mantello, and loads of other people/cast members. It is very satisfying.
There were one or two things that bothered me... Hold on, lemme go grab my Grimmerieee... Here we go. (The cover is also very squishy and huggable <3).
Here it is: "A Quiz: Are You More Glinda or More Elphaba?" Some of these characteristics just did not delve deep enough to satisfy.
For example, Glinda: "Your brain is always craving more knowledge."
I'm not sure if that's truly a Glinda trait. Elphaba is the one who wants to see the world, learn, and share her ideas with anyone who will listen. Glinda, quite honestly, is scared of adventure, scared of confrontation (except with Elphie), and scared of things she doesn't have control over. Glinda will stop and back away when things get too rough. That's why she stayed with the Wizard despite his fraud. That's why Elphaba was the one to fly off into the sunset, screaming her passionate defiance into the heavens. Glinda might want knowledge to an extent, but Elphaba is the one who really craves it.
(I have a couple rants like this, but let's just do one Elphaba trait and move on)
Elphaba: "Your friends would describe you as a rebel."
Listen to the song "The Wizard and I". Elphaba is NOT a rebel by choice. She's not trying to stir up rebellion or band the people together to start a revolution just because she feels like it. She is, however, a girl who thinks for herself. She has a strong mind, which makes up for her damaged emotions. She also has the benefit of a heart that works with her mind, as opposed to against it. For example, her heart tells her not to trust the Wizard's fraud, and her mind works out the logic behind his phony smile. She understands the Wizard, and therefore detests him and his methods. Her heart breaks, and because she cannot bear to be dishonest to herself, she runs away. Do you think she wants to run away from her dream? No. In the moment, it was a clear choice to her, but in the long run, it was the hardest thing she had ever done. The only people who would say that Elphie is a rebel are the ones who do not understand her motivation.
Again, aside from the quiz, I am in total love with this book. The commentary from several cast members about their roles is completely fascinating. One of my favorites is from Ms. Carole Shelley. What an intelligent, experienced actress. I also love Kendra Kassebaum's commentary on Glinda. She uses the best words, like "innocent snobbery" and "It's about finding the truth in the story, never playing for the laughs".
Also, there's an original hand-written copy of an early draft of Defying Gravity, and Mr. Maguire's very first hand-written draft of the beginning of the book. Wow.
All in all, this book is about the journey. And as you read it, the interviews, the commentary, and you see scribbly notecards containing the very first plot ideas, and you look at early set design sketches, there's something wonderful there. Something that you can't believe the Wicked community would want to share with the public because it seems so personal. This book is a true journey, and I so don't care that I sound corny. Lots of love to everyone in the Wicked family, the writers, directors, actors, stage hands, the guy who programs the spotlights for the end of Defying Gravity, Idina, Kristin, every other wonderful cast member, and OBVIOUSLY, their kickass fans.
This book is wonderful. Utterly wonderful. As a fifteen-year-old Wicked fan, I only have so much opportunity to express the depth of my (admittedly unhealthy) passion for Wicked. This book is fantastic and very obsession-worthy. It features firsthand commentary from Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Stephen Schwartz, Gregory Maguire, Winnie Holzman, director Joe Mantello, and loads of other people/cast members. It is very satisfying.
There were one or two things that bothered me... Hold on, lemme go grab my Grimmerieee... Here we go. (The cover is also very squishy and huggable <3).
Here it is: "A Quiz: Are You More Glinda or More Elphaba?" Some of these characteristics just did not delve deep enough to satisfy.
For example, Glinda: "Your brain is always craving more knowledge."
I'm not sure if that's truly a Glinda trait. Elphaba is the one who wants to see the world, learn, and share her ideas with anyone who will listen. Glinda, quite honestly, is scared of adventure, scared of confrontation (except with Elphie), and scared of things she doesn't have control over. Glinda will stop and back away when things get too rough. That's why she stayed with the Wizard despite his fraud. That's why Elphaba was the one to fly off into the sunset, screaming her passionate defiance into the heavens. Glinda might want knowledge to an extent, but Elphaba is the one who really craves it.
(I have a couple rants like this, but let's just do one Elphaba trait and move on)
Elphaba: "Your friends would describe you as a rebel."
Listen to the song "The Wizard and I". Elphaba is NOT a rebel by choice. She's not trying to stir up rebellion or band the people together to start a revolution just because she feels like it. She is, however, a girl who thinks for herself. She has a strong mind, which makes up for her damaged emotions. She also has the benefit of a heart that works with her mind, as opposed to against it. For example, her heart tells her not to trust the Wizard's fraud, and her mind works out the logic behind his phony smile. She understands the Wizard, and therefore detests him and his methods. Her heart breaks, and because she cannot bear to be dishonest to herself, she runs away. Do you think she wants to run away from her dream? No. In the moment, it was a clear choice to her, but in the long run, it was the hardest thing she had ever done. The only people who would say that Elphie is a rebel are the ones who do not understand her motivation.
Again, aside from the quiz, I am in total love with this book. The commentary from several cast members about their roles is completely fascinating. One of my favorites is from Ms. Carole Shelley. What an intelligent, experienced actress. I also love Kendra Kassebaum's commentary on Glinda. She uses the best words, like "innocent snobbery" and "It's about finding the truth in the story, never playing for the laughs".
Also, there's an original hand-written copy of an early draft of Defying Gravity, and Mr. Maguire's very first hand-written draft of the beginning of the book. Wow.
All in all, this book is about the journey. And as you read it, the interviews, the commentary, and you see scribbly notecards containing the very first plot ideas, and you look at early set design sketches, there's something wonderful there. Something that you can't believe the Wicked community would want to share with the public because it seems so personal. This book is a true journey, and I so don't care that I sound corny. Lots of love to everyone in the Wicked family, the writers, directors, actors, stage hands, the guy who programs the spotlights for the end of Defying Gravity, Idina, Kristin, every other wonderful cast member, and OBVIOUSLY, their kickass fans.
December 16, 2017
Fantastic insight into the wonderful world of Oz ehm Wicked. Unfortunately not the full libretto was put into the Grimmerie which was disappointing. Nevertheless a must read for every fan of the musical.
December 19, 2011
Ahhh! What a gorgeous, gorgeous book- everything about it is just beautiful, from the thick, softly-cushioned hard cover, to the rich colour design inside to the texture of the paper. When I went to see Wicked last year, I just knew I had to get this. And given I'm such a fan of the novel... well, it was inevitable.
I love companion books to films, TV shows (and, I suppose, theatre!). I love hearing how plots got developed, reading about how actors approach characters. The detail that goes into costuming (my favourite aspect of any piece of theatre), set design, music, lighting, whatever. This covers so much, and is a necessary piece for an big fan of Wicked.
I would have liked to have read more about the San Francisco portion of creating the musical. I know Galinda's Popular dress was original blue, not pink (see: http://www.galindaswardrobe.com/pictu...), and I would have liked to hear more about what got taken out, what was added... that sort of thing. More of the deconstruction process, really. But still, given what this book offers, it's not that big a grumble.
Ahh, beauty- so lovely!
I love companion books to films, TV shows (and, I suppose, theatre!). I love hearing how plots got developed, reading about how actors approach characters. The detail that goes into costuming (my favourite aspect of any piece of theatre), set design, music, lighting, whatever. This covers so much, and is a necessary piece for an big fan of Wicked.
I would have liked to have read more about the San Francisco portion of creating the musical. I know Galinda's Popular dress was original blue, not pink (see: http://www.galindaswardrobe.com/pictu...), and I would have liked to hear more about what got taken out, what was added... that sort of thing. More of the deconstruction process, really. But still, given what this book offers, it's not that big a grumble.
Ahh, beauty- so lovely!
August 22, 2017
I just feel like I should put this out here, because I noticed some people are confusing this book with the book WICKED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST by Gregory Maguire. They are NOT the same book. The book by Maguire is the original novel on which the musical WICKED was based; THE GRIMMERIE is a companion piece to the musical with behind-the-scenes information for fans of the show. Just to clear things up!
As a huge fan of the musical WICKED (bordering on an obsession, really), how could I possibly not love THE GRIMMERIE? I've been wanting to buy it for ages, but I always lacked the money; and now, somehow, I finally got to have it and it's every bit as wonderful as I hoped it would be. The book gives a lot of insight into the process of creating the miracle that is WICKED, a peek into the brains of the masterminds behind the musical, and several fun facts and interviews. THE GRIMMERIE is definishly (see what I did there?) a must-have for every WICKED fan!
As a huge fan of the musical WICKED (bordering on an obsession, really), how could I possibly not love THE GRIMMERIE? I've been wanting to buy it for ages, but I always lacked the money; and now, somehow, I finally got to have it and it's every bit as wonderful as I hoped it would be. The book gives a lot of insight into the process of creating the miracle that is WICKED, a peek into the brains of the masterminds behind the musical, and several fun facts and interviews. THE GRIMMERIE is definishly (see what I did there?) a must-have for every WICKED fan!
May 1, 2019
This book is all about how Wicked became a musical. It contains information on the original Wizard of Oz, Wicked book and then how this has been transformed for the stage. Costume, lighting, lyrics, dancing and script it all covered.
I did like this book and am a fan of the musical however this was one of the first books made when books about musicals started taking off and it is interesting to compare to more recent musical books such as Hamilton which contain a lot more information and is far more in-depth.
I did like this book and am a fan of the musical however this was one of the first books made when books about musicals started taking off and it is interesting to compare to more recent musical books such as Hamilton which contain a lot more information and is far more in-depth.
June 9, 2014
I'll be the less than popular reviewer on this one. Sure I've heard the play is terrific but I thought the bk was just weird and a little creepy.
November 16, 2024
Just brushing up on my Wicked knowledge before the big day next week ✨🫧
December 25, 2024
Best christmas gift
September 2, 2024
One of my favorite production history books! It was so fun to re-read this. This show really is so amazing :)
December 11, 2024
The only thing that would have made this better was the full script.
Beautiful in depth look into the world of Wicked and how it came to be!
Beautiful in depth look into the world of Wicked and how it came to be!
July 31, 2017
AMAZING (obviously). Being a drama student, this book is everything I dreamt it would be. Inspiring, insightful, funny, charming, clever, just AMAZING. It has everything a Wicked fan would want. Copies of original draft scores, quotes form Gregory, Idina, Kristin and everyone. It has explanation of stage set (some magic may be spoilt!), costume, scenography, sound, lighting, everything. The bound up is beautiful and is just like Elphie's Grimmerie. A great gift for any Wicked fan and a MUST read for any musical theatre lover!
February 21, 2020
I got tickets to go see Wicked for Christmas and so I wanted to find the book, right? I freaking love these kinds of books but this one was...not my favorite, mostly for two reasons: (1) THERE WERE NO FOOTNOTES! Like, what? That's why I get these books! For the footnotes! and (2) the script wasn't actually all written out. Like instead of the whole script it would just say something like "Galinda and Elphaba confront each other. They argue". I hated that because I needed the script...so I don't think I'll be buying this one anytime soon :(
November 24, 2021
I have a thing for these Broadway musical nonfiction books. I’ve only read 2, but I love the way the authors show the sets and costumes and include interviews from the cast and crew. This one had multiple actors from each character answer the questions and more fun illustrations than the last one I read (Hamilton). It also includes fan letters in the back. Hamilton did not do that, but I hope the other books that I own in this genre so that!
June 4, 2024
Bookish serendipity courtesy of the Millard Public LIbrary librarians! PIcked up several unexpected treasures from the Tonys display. Wicked is one of my favorite musicals. Comes close to my love for Hamilton 😊 Never thought to look for a book about it though. I’m very glad I found this. One of the truly magical things about Wicked is how layered it is. On the surface it’s a retelling of the Wizard of Oz. Look a little deeper and there are questions of nature vs nurture. Can one truly be born wicked? Or does how the person is treated make them become wicked? Dig a little deeper and there are plenty of points made about society. What makes the story so fascinating is that both adults and kids can enjoy and get a meaning appropriate for them out of the show. Underneath all of that are themes of love and friendship. All of this is wrapped up in an entertaining, sparkly package. The book explored the decisions about what to take from the source book from Gregory Maguire. Not everything could be included. Originally a movie was being explored before the musical was developed. And now we have come full circle with a movie based on the musical coming out this year. The themes and elements of this musical are still relevant 20 years later.
Gorgeous photos! Behind the scenes look at the writing of the songs, rehearsal and development of the show. Any fan of musical and Wicked will enjoy this. Many of the actors in the original show provide their thoughts on why the experience was special. Loved it!
Gorgeous photos! Behind the scenes look at the writing of the songs, rehearsal and development of the show. Any fan of musical and Wicked will enjoy this. Many of the actors in the original show provide their thoughts on why the experience was special. Loved it!
January 19, 2025
Eleka nahmen nahmen ah tum ah tum elaka nahmen
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2024
Forever my favourite musical 💚
January 3, 2014
In the first part of the book Wicked by Gregory Maguire, the witch is spying on the girl Dorthy. She can only see the back of Dorthy's head and didn't know that it was her at the time, but she was eavesdroping on them. But the Lion, Tinman, Scarecrow, and Dorthy, were gossiping about the with and how she was an abused child and that how she was so wicked. But within that the witch is in the tree not being able to see the red dazzling shoes that Dorthy was wearing. So when she finally sees that Dorthy is wearing them she plan to get them form her. She wanted to go after her, but she was not able to because it started raining . But they were going down the yellow brick road. Then it goes into how there was a woman who was pregnant with a mans baby. His name was Frex. But she ends up getting upset because Frex saying the devil is coming on the day of the child's birth. Plus he was going to leave before he could meet his child for the first time.88 But he promises to come back to see his child for the first time. She just wanted him to be safe and careful.
February 21, 2021
Listen, I love Wicked. Does that make me basic? Maybe. It doesn't change the fact that I've seen it multiple times and that it's one of the most prominent soundtracks on my musicals playlist.
This is a lovely collector's item. Reading this in 2021 is leaving such a huge, gaping hole in my heart where live musical theatre used to reside. Can I finally go back to the West End please?
That being said, I'll have to give it 4 stars just because:
a) the script isn't printed in its entirety? Why not? Give me the full script, please!
b) there were no footnotes whatsoever and isn't that the point of this kind of book? To give fans insight into what changed throughout the process of writing a full musical show? Just me? Huh.
I still love it. And the cover alone is already worth the money I paid for it.
This is a lovely collector's item. Reading this in 2021 is leaving such a huge, gaping hole in my heart where live musical theatre used to reside. Can I finally go back to the West End please?
That being said, I'll have to give it 4 stars just because:
a) the script isn't printed in its entirety? Why not? Give me the full script, please!
b) there were no footnotes whatsoever and isn't that the point of this kind of book? To give fans insight into what changed throughout the process of writing a full musical show? Just me? Huh.
I still love it. And the cover alone is already worth the money I paid for it.
April 13, 2009
I had read Wicked before there was any audible talk of turning it into a musical. When I found out about the musical, I was excited and intrigued. I couldn't imagine how they would turn such a rich and layered book into a Broadway show. The Grimmerie gives an excellent glimpse into how they managed to do exactly that. It is chock full of pictures, interviews and all the information you need to vicariously experience the show. The book includes the text of the musical as well as essays on each major song performed. The only musicals I've ever seen are on the silver screen. This book makes me wish I could travel back in time to see Wicked with its original Broadway cast.
February 28, 2015
OMG I absolutely LOOOOVED the musical and this book was an amazing introduction to how the musical started and has some wonderful information about the whole musical in general. The pictures are fantastic, the book looks super cool, and just reading about the musical makes me feel a just a little bit closer to the characters, the musical itself, and to the world of Oz. Definitely a worthwhile buy for a fan and it looks super fancy!
July 6, 2009
+I LOVED this book! It brought back so many memories! My parents gave me the book Christmas '06 but I didn't want to read it until AFTER I saw the musical in case it contained spoilers! My boyfriend took me to see Wicked Vday 2008 :)
+I loved reading about the start of the musical!
+Beautiful photos!
+I loved reading about the start of the musical!
+Beautiful photos!
May 26, 2010
191 pages
Okay, I know you're going to start thinking I'm obsessed - and maybe I am a bit (with the MUSICAL!) - but this is the book I should've started with. Full of pictures and stories about the development of this story inspired by but separate from Maguire's book... I loved it! It made me relive my time in the theater and learn even more about the writers, producers and characters.
Okay, I know you're going to start thinking I'm obsessed - and maybe I am a bit (with the MUSICAL!) - but this is the book I should've started with. Full of pictures and stories about the development of this story inspired by but separate from Maguire's book... I loved it! It made me relive my time in the theater and learn even more about the writers, producers and characters.
February 27, 2015
YAY!, and finally, some years later, I've finished this amazing book, the book all Wicked fans MUST have, I've bought it when I went to London with a friend to see this musical, I am so much in love with it, Kerry Ellis was superb in the role of Elphaba.
If you are Wicked fan you should also read the book of Gregory Maguire, the musical is based on his novel.
If you are Wicked fan you should also read the book of Gregory Maguire, the musical is based on his novel.
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January 14, 2018A thorough and intricate companion piece to the hit Broadway musical, 'Wicked the Grimmerie' goes behind the scenes in making the musical, includes portions of the script and sheet music, beautiful photographs of the various productions, and fascinating trivia for the die-hard 'Wicked' fan. An excellent coffee table book!
September 1, 2024
i hadn't read this since i was first gifted it for christmas by a friend in 2016. after getting numerous cast members of the australian wicked tour to sign it this year i figured i should refresh my memory. spoiler alert: i cried! i love this musical, i am so grateful this musical exists and i want to learn every single piece of information i possibly can about this musical
March 21, 2009
I absolutely love this show. First of all it is MUCH better than the book. This book give you the behind the scenes look at how it was made and the idea came about. It talks about all aspects of the show and how they were developed. This is a must have for all Wicked fans.
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