Wicked’s Ruby Slippers

Wicked is a story that continues a tradition in American literature, theater, and possibly someday in film as well, that been carried down since the beginning of the 20th Century. The tradition began with American writer L. Frank Baum, who essentially helped to create the American fairytale when he published the first book of the series The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in 1901. One of the most important icons of the story is the Ruby Slippers, which first became famous as the most recognizable shoes ever to appear on television, when the movie based on the book was first released in 1939. Incidentally, the shoes in the book were not ruby, but silver, as they are in the newest book in the saga Wicked: The Life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West. However, screenwriter Noel Langley decided to change the shoes to ruby in the movie, as he believed that silver would not stand out on screen as much.

In Wicked, the show that is currently enjoying monumental success on Broadway and on stages around the world, the musical again unveils the ruby slippers that were first created by the pen of Noel Langley. This musical is based on the book Wicked: The Life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West, written by Gregory Maguire, but as Maguires book is a response to the book by Baum, the musical is a response to the Wizard of Oz, the 1939 movie. Having already run for more the five years on Broadway, and appeared in numerous cities around the US as well as a number of stages abroad, this musical promises to be one of the longest running musicals in Broadway history. So far it is the largest grossing musical currently on stage. Get your Wicked tickets soon, as they sell out fast.

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