I've stewed about this for a week. I'm never going to be able to respond to this woman because she is so narrow minded that she'll never even consider another opinion. I was one of the "sisters" who attended the musical, Wicked, with her. It was my third time and I went because a group was going and I thought it would be a nice way to become better acquainted with some of the women in my new ward (we've been here a year now!) I'm pretty sure she will not be my new best friend.... After the show was over she announced that she hated it and tried to convince some of us of her crazy ideas (explained in detail below!) but I explained that the play was about the universal struggle that many people have had for their rights... blacks, Mormons, Jews...and being misunderstood/hated for their differences and that she and I would just have to disagree. But she didn't stop there. She sent this email out to about 50 people in our stake. It will make me feel better if I put down my rebuttal (in red) since I can't send it back to her. (More on how that went for one woman to follow.)
My dear sisters, I’ve spent two sleepless nights and I know I need to send this to finally feel some peace. Several months ago I was invited by a very sweet sister to attend the play Wicked with some other sisters in our ward. The plans were made and the tickets were purchased. In anticipation of this play that I had heard so many good members rave about, I bought the book. Much to my dismay, the book is pure trash. I read part of the book before throwing it in the trash,. In the book, Elphaba ( the wicked witch) is a lesbian and much of the story has to do with promoting the gay rights agenda. (Three people who have actually read the book all of the way through say that she was NOT lesbian--she ended up with Fiyero, for heaven's sake) I questioned those who had seen the play and was assured that there was nothing like that in the play. I’m sorry to say they were mistaken. It is very cleverly and cunningly disguised in the message of tolerance for those who are “different.” I told my family in the days before I went that I was heavy hearted, fearing that many good, even the very elect (Oh, please, since when were you elected to receive revelation?) were being deceived and sadly I was right. The hidden agenda is much easier to spot if you view the play as I did, aware of what the book was about. Someone said that what difference did it make if viewers didn’t see the hidden agenda. The difference is that they are still getting the message that we should be tolerant of wickedness and then they innocently tell others to go see the play and more and more are being deceived. I have since found out that the author of wicked is gay, lives in
The play asks “are people born wicked or do they become that way” The wicked witch is born with green skin (which in my opinion is symbolic of homosexuality or bisexuality) (This was from the original book. So L. Frank Baum was gay, TOO?!?)
Madame Morrible is a high government official who announces from the balcony that Elphaba is wicked and that we shouldn’t tolerate her “twisted nature” Her words exactly. She is the one who has the courage to stand up for what is moral. Moral equals horrible, thus she is Morrible. (Madame Morrible DID have horrible morals, she falsely acuses Elfaba)
The good witch Glinda is portrayed as vain, shallow and stupid. (She WAS at first. I'm sorry the irony escaped you that good is not always all good and different isn't always all bad)
When Elphaba sings her song about defying gravity, she is actually defying society and God’s laws. As she rises on her broomstick, she is surrounded by rainbow spotlights. Homosexuals have pirated the rainbow as their symbol.(The lights were blue and green--hardly a rainbow)
After Elfie has gone into hiding because she has been labeled as wicked, she goes to visit her sister Nessa. Elfie doesn’t come in through the door or step out behind a curtain. She literally comes out of the closet in her sisters room. Gays use the phrase coming out of the closet when they disclose their homosexuality to others. (Yeah, and Phantom came through the closet as well as the children in Narnia. Oh and they caused the death of Christ, so I'm sure you can find some hidden meaning there.)
Elfie tells her sister Nessa that she needs her and their fathers (her father happened to be the governor) support, to stand by her. Nessa then proceeds to chew her out and tells her that she is a terrible embarrassment to the family and that their father couldn’t deal with it and now he is dead. Nessa then informs Elphaba that Nessa is now the governor., Nessa’s servant Boq then tells Elfie that Nessa is the most evil governor they have ever had because she is taking their rights away and they didn’t have that many to begin with., (This is more representative of the Jews in Nazi Germany whose rights were slowly taken away.)
Glinda and Eflie dance together in one scene,. It is not slow dancing however. If their hidden message was obvious they would have a very limited audience who would actually pay to see it.(No more all girl production numbers! It might indicate a gay agenda.)
They sing a song to each other called what is this feeling? (This one cracks me up the most. Did you listen to the words? The feeling is LOATHING! Not homosexuality.)
When they visit Oz they are holding hands much of the time. Their relationship is being billed as dear friends, but IMO dear friends don’t act that way. We don’t walk around holding hands, dancing together singing romantic love songs to one another,(In real life we don't break into song and dance wherever or whenever--that's why musicals AREN"T REAL LIFE!)
When they visit Oz Elfie is so happy because she feels like her green skin fits right in since they are in the Emerald city. IMO that represents SF. BTW the play premiered in SF.(I'm shaking my head, I'm so amazed at how stupid this is.)
The citizens of Oz who oppose wickedness are portrayed as a mob with pitchforks and torches.(So were the ones in Beauty and the Beast. They thought the Beast was wicked. Most mobs THINK they are right. And your point is?)
In the end Dorothy’s house falls on Nessa and they sing about the wickedest witch that ever was is dead. (Remember she took their rights away)(So did Hitler--are you trying to say that Nessa WASN'T wicked?)
Madame Morrible is put in prison.
Wicked does triumph over good and they all live happily ever after.(Glinda triumped, so was she wicked? I'm so confused.)
There is also a book called the grimmery which is the ancient book of texts No one but Elfie can understand it. IMO that is symbolic of the Bible and how its teachings are being twisted. It’s as though the wicked can put their own interpretation on what God has clearly stated and everyone else is too stupid to understand what it really means,(This is so idiotic, I can't believe it.)
Many people see this as a play about cheering on the underdog and being kind to those who are different which is all well and good, That’s what many see on the surface while being subtly given the message that we shouldn’t label people as wicked, but instead tolerate their behavior and differences., There is also a song that talks about a new way of thinking,(Are you talking about "I Have Been Changed for Good"? Because now I just want to punch you.)
I was very uncomfortable there and couldn’t wait for it to end, I was also annoyed because I felt as though I had written a 100 dollar check to the no on 8 group when I bought the ticket and bart fare.
If you’ve already bought tickets or choose to see it, please view it with your eyes wide open,. Please think about what I have told you and carefully consider if you should encourage others to see this play, even though you may have watched it with innocent eyes. IMO we shouldn’t be innocently promoting something that is truly…wicked.
Love (?)to you all, Molly (not her real name)
***************
One woman did write a rebuttal and told her that she didn't appreciate her trying to ruin the musical for others and that she didn't like Molly cramming her agenda down our throats. She argued against some of Molly's points and then told her what she saw was beautiful scenery, great acting, wonderful voices, etc. She only included the email addresses of those in our little company, not the 50 original recipients. But it didn't end there. Molly responded once again, this time copying the bishop and stake president. When the woman who wrote the rebuttal emailed back saying how inappropriate it was to include the bishop and stake president, Molly responded with " I know the bishop wants ward unity and I felt he needed to know what was going on." Oh please. She is so righteous, I can't stand it. The bishop's wife actually got the email, because it is the family's account and she wrote a very nice email about how the contention in the emails was really yucky feeling and if something is keeping you up at night, talk to your husband about it or put it in an email to your husband so you can get it off your chest, but don't send it, and to please just agree to disagree. Oh, and their family had seen the play 3 years ago and really liked it and please do not repsond to this email.
Did Molly stop there? Of course not. She got the bishop's correct email and said:
" I included you and Pres. _____ on the email,(although yours went to your wife because I didn’t realize your email address was different) NOT because I want you to intervene, comment or take sides. I do feel very strongly that you have a right to know what is going on, what is being vigorously defended as good and why. .......and this is something that is influencing our members as well as society in general.. I’m grateful I’ve rec’d more replies of appreciation than upset. In fact I’ve only rec’d two that are upset and sadly they both live in (our ward)."
Our stake conference theme at the adult meeting last night was "Unity". I'm sure this woman felt vindicated, because she was right and we were wrong. I'm sure she doesn't think that she was the one that started all the contention. I'm sure she self-righteously believes that she is standing up against evil. In one of the emails she commented that 'even the title is Wicked'. Sigh. Now my friend who tried to defend the musical is feeling chastised by the message at stake conference. Oh and one of the times we went to see the musical, we went with an Area Authority and his wife. And a friend told me that the entire Chicago mission went to see the musical (all of the missionaries.) How wicked is that?
I wonder if she is one of the ones who thought Harry Potter was a terrible series because it glorifies witchcraft?
