Defying Gravity

Ok, I need to preface this a bit so you know why I would subject you to Josh (aka Wickedboi). I have loved the musical "Wicked" since I first heard the soundtrack in 2004. Some music requires time to be fully appreciated as a piece of work but "Wicked" had me from the first listen. As with many of "Wicked's" gay fans I related to Elphaba, who by the end of the show becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. She is a talented and ambitious young lady who dreams of meeting the Wizard of Oz. The Wizard, she believes can "ungreen" her. and make her more socially acceptable. She does end up meeting the wizard but alas, the reality of the meeting fell short of her idylic fantasy. In fact, it goes very wrong and the wizard's PR director goes into damage control mode by attacking Elphaba's credability with the townspeople and even going so far as to declare her Wicked.

At the end of act 1, Elphaba is being hunted by the wizard's men. Glinda is with her trying to talk some sense into her. Elphaba is determined to defy gravity as a means of escape and urges Galinda to join her. She doesn't. The pivotal point of the scene is when Elphaba successfully executes her levitation spell and rises about the crowd chasing her. The gays just go crazy at this point. I mean, the misunderstood hero rises above those who now persecute her over lies and for being different and now thought to be wicked. I'm misty just typing this!

So anyway, that brings me to 21yr old Josh. I admire Josh. I admire the balls of steel that Josh has for posting himself on youtube singing both Elphaba's part as well as that of Glinda. The end is vocally challenging but God bless him, he goes for it. I don't think Josh will be the next Elphaba or Glinda but let's not forget what it took for Josh to share this with the world. It has certainly made me giggle. Well, I've rambled, it's late at night, heaven forbid I should actually live up to my own blog description. So all I'll say is...Go Josh!