Wicked the Musical and Disability

5/26/09

~Spoiler Alert!~

I took my mother to see Wicked for her Birthday and Mother’s Day. It was fabulous! I loved it! There were many times where disability issues were brought up. I wonder if the writer has anybody close to them with a disability? I’m not sure if the writers intended to touch on disability issues. This is only my interpretation.

When the Wicked Witch of the West was born it was a tragic time in the musical. They sang a song along the lines of Nobody Wants a Wicked. Here was this green baby that had just been delivered being carried around on stage as this thing. All were saddened the baby was green. It seemed nobody wanted her. I asked my mother later if that scene had bothered her. I had a feeling it did and I was right.

I didn’t mean to draw up bad memories for my mom. But the story of the Wicked is some ways parallels my life and I really identified with it. Wicked astonished everybody with what she could do. People have sometimes underestimated me too. So even though what started out as a tragedy, turned out as a wonderful surprise for all.

In the musical the Wicked Witch had a twin sister with a disability. Somehow, because she was green it had done damage to her sister in the womb. She had this elaborate manual wheelchair, which I thought was pretty snazzy!

The Wicked Witch had thought her father hated her for causing her sister’s disability. I sometimes feel guilty by making life more difficult for my loved ones too. She also had guilt towards her sister’s disability. She felt like she had to be at her sisters side at all times. The dimension of guilt also reminded me of my life. My parents and my brother probably sometimes feel guilty. It’s only natural I believe, but how you handle the guilt is what matters.

Glinda the Good Witch pitied the sister with a disability so much; she manipulated a Munchkin boy to take her to the school dance. Or not so much pitied, but wanted to do a good deed. The sister with a disability had thought the guy had just been interested in her. She didn’t know he was only doing it as a favor to Glinda. THAT reminded me of my Senior Prom. My Physical Therapist’s son took me. Only I had no delusions. I knew it was a sweet gesture and nothing more.

The Munchkin stayed with her much longer than the dance. He turned into a type of servant for the sister with a disability. That also struck a cord with me. I have tried my best not to let my significant other to become my personal care aide. When I see it happen with couples I get a little angry. Don’t let your mate become a 24/7 aide! That’s a sure fire way to kill your relationship.

The last time the musical struck me as disability related is when the Wicked Witch came back after many years and wanted to do something good for her sister. She finally had the idea to cure her disability with her magical powers! Only in Oz! I enjoyed seeing the sister rise up out of the wheelchair and take her first steps. But it bothered me when the sister was ungrateful. Her sister had cured her and it still wasn’t enough. I hope I’m not seen as some unpleaseable person with always a gripe to complain about.

In all I take away the hopefulness in the story. The Wicked Witch found her way through life despite being different. She fell in love and got her man in the end. There were many who loved her. She was not alone.