‘Wicked’: The Secret Connection Between Elphaba’s Name and Original ‘Wizard of Oz’ Author

The Wicked movie and Broadway musical of the same name have some similarities to the original children’s story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. While the 1900 novel is centered around the main character of Dorothy, the movie and play tell the story of life in Oz before her arrival.

However, there are many elements of the play that tie back to the original book, including Elphaba’s name and its connection to the book’s author.

‘Wicked’ author reveals Elphaba’s name is deeply connected to the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ author

In 1995, Gregory Maguire wrote the book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum’s original story.

The book was adapted into a Broadway musical in 2003 and a feature film in 2024. As Maguire created the characters for his retelling of Baum’s story, he wanted to pay homage to the original version. Therefore, he found a way for Elphaba’s name to identify with Baum, without naming him directly.

In an interview with GBH, the author decided to give the Wicked Witch of the West a name, something she didn’t have in the original book or movie versions of The Wizard of Oz. Maguire wanted to name this dark character to humanize her.

“I invented the name by playing with the initials of the author, Lyman Frank Baum,” Maguire explained. “I tried Lafaba, I tried Lafeyba. And then I tried Elphaba. As soon as I got Elphaba, I thought, oh, that’s it.”

‘Wicked’s’ Elphaba is more than just the witch presented in the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ book

Beyond giving Elphaba a name, Gregory Maguire gave her an identity. Elphaba Thropp was born in the land of Oz with florescent bright green skin. She is highly intelligent, ambitious, and cynical.

She never felt true love from her father, Frexspar, who was horrified at his daughter’s appearance. Instead, he doted on her wheelchair-bound sister, Nessarose, leaving Elphaba neglected.

Elphaba’s green skin color came after Oscar Zoroaster Diggs, who would one day be known as the Wizard of Oz, drugged her mother, Melena, then with a green “Miracle Elixir,” and seduced her.

After being ostracised for most of her life due to her skin color, Elphaba looks for a new life at Shiz University. However, she’s not sent there due to her innate magical powers, but to take care of Nessarose.

When Elphaba’s powers presented themselves at orientation at Shiz, Elphaba apologized to her fellow students and sister, who was ashamed of Elphaba’s behavior. However, the school’s headmistress, Madame Morrible, believed in Elphaba’s abilities and privately tutored her in magic.

For the first time, Elphaba didn’t feel different. Instead, she was respected for her powers. But she continued to be bullied by others at the school who didn’t understand her before being befriended by Glinda, one of the school’s most popular students.

Elphaba and Glinda dislike each other at first but soon form an unlikely bond. The story follows their friendship and explains how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch and Glinda, the Good Witch. 

What characters are in both the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Wicked’?

Several characters from The Wizard of Oz also appear in Wicked, as the story serves as a prequel and alternative perspective to the classic Oz tale. Here are the main characters that overlap.

Wicked‘s Elphaba is known as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Glinda, her best friend in the movie and Broadway play is the Good Witch of the North in The Wizard of Oz.

In both stories, the wizard is the ruler of Oz. In Wicked, his darker sides and motives are revealed, while in the book he’s just seen as a fake.

Nessarose is Elphaba’s younger sister in Wicked. However, in The Wizard of Oz, she’s the Wicked Witch of the East who dies at the beginning of the story when Dorothy’s house lands on her.

Finally, in The Wizard of Oz, Boq is Munckinland’s mayor. In Wicked, he has a larger role as Elphaba and Glinda’s friend.

Wicked premieres Nov. 22, 2024. The sequel, Wicked Part Two, is scheduled to be released on Nov. 21, 2025. The film stars Cynthia Errivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.