The Wizard and I

The Wizard and I is the song that is performed in the beginning of the first act of the musical.

It is also known as Der Zauberer Und Ich in the German production, Wicked Die Hexen Von Oz, where the title translates to The Wizard and I. It is also known as Mahoutsukai to Watashi in Wicked in Tokyo, where the title also translates to The Wizard and I.

In it, Madame Morrible tells Elphaba of her talents, and tells her that she will arrange a meeting with the Wizard of Oz. This begins Elphaba's desire to change herself, with the aid of the Wizard, who she still believes to be genuine, and can help her with all of her problems. Elphaba also sings about redeeming herself in her father, Frex and her sister Nessarose's eyes, and having the Wizard cure her of her sickly green appearance. Also, Elphaba dreams about becoming a new person, not only on the outside, but doing great deeds in league with the Wizard, and forming Oz's "favorite team."

Music

"The Wizard and I" features the "Unlimited" theme present throughout the musical (featured in Defying Gravity, No One Mourns the Wicked, Wonderful, and For Good). In this piece, Elphaba prophesizes a celebration throughout Oz regarding her, though she does not know it regards her "death" at the end of the musical, after being "melted" by Dorothy, which Elphaba ironically sings about in saying that she is "so happy I could melt." "The Wizard and I" features many elements of the song "Making Good," which was cut from the final drafts of the musical. According to the biography Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godpsell to Wicked, the song was created as the "I Want" song for Elphaba following the decision that "Making Good" was not serving the needs of the musical. The creators considered what Elphaba wanted and realized that her desire was the same as that of the other citizens of Oz: to meet the Wizard, be liked and respected by him, and have him solve her problems.

Lyrics

MADAME MORRIBLE:

(spoken) Oh, Miss Elphaba

(sung/spoken) Many years

I have waited

For a gift like yours to appear

Why, I predict the Wizard

Could make you his

Magic grand vizier!

My dear, my dear

I'll write at once to the Wizard

Tell him of you in advance

With a talent like yours, dear

There is a defint-ish chance

If you work as you should

You'll be making good:

ELPHABA:

Did that really just happen?

Have I actually understood?

This weird quirk I've tried

To suppress or hide

Is a talent that could

Help me meet the Wizard

If I make good

So I'll make good;

When I meet the Wizard,

Once I prove my worth,

And then I meet the Wizard

What I've waited for since,

(Spoken:) Since birth!

And with all his Wizard wisdom,

By my looks, he won't be blinded.

Do you think the Wizard is

(Spoken:) dumb?

Or, like Munchkins, so small-minded?

(Spoken:) No!

He'll say to me, "I see who you truly are -

A girl of whom I can rely!"

And that's how we'll begin

The Wizard and I:

Once I'm with the Wizard

My whole life will change

'Cuz once you're with the Wizard

No one thinks you're strange!

No father is not proud of you,

No sister acts ashamed

And all of Oz has to love you

When by the Wizard, you're acclaimed

And this gift or this curse I have inside

Maybe at last, I'll know why

When we are hand in hand -

The Wizard and I!

And one day, he'll say to me,

"Elphaba, A girl who is so superior,

Shouldn't a girl who's so good inside

Have a matching exterior?

And since folks here to an absurd degree

Seem fixated on your verdigris.

Would it be all right by you

If I de-greenify you?"

And though of course, That's not important to me.

"All right, why not?" I'll reply

Oh, what a pair we'll be The Wizard and I;

Yes, what a pair we'll be The Wizard and...

Unlimited

My future is unlimited

And I've just had a vision

Almost like a prophecy I know - it sounds truly crazy

And true, the vision's hazy

But I swear, someday there'll be

A celebration throughout Oz

That's all to do with me!

And I'll stand there with the Wizard,

Feeling things I've never felt.

And though I'd never show it,

I'll be so happy, I could melt!

And so it will be

For the rest of my life,

And I'll want nothing else

Till I die.

Held in such high esteem.

When people see me, they will scream

For half of Oz's favorite team;

The Wizard And I!!!!

The Wizard and I

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