Wicked Act I Overview
In the first act of the musical Wicked, the story of Elphaba unfolds as a tragic, unpopular, yet highly proficient witch in the land of Oz. She and her sister Nessarose begin attending Shiz University where they meet an array of characters reminiscent of the original show, the Wizard of Oz. When Elphaba first meets Galinda (the destined Good Witch) she views her as snotty and stuck up with only limited magical ability. However, after the two of them get to talking shortly after meeting their mutual love interest at a school dance, Fiyero, they become friends and begin to confide in one another. However, life is not perfect in the Land of Oz, trouble is brewing as a new ordinance is put into place that animals must be kept in cages and never learn to talk. This disturbs Elphaba whose favorite teacher is a bipedal goat by the name of Professor Dillamond.
One day, in the middle of class, the Wizard’s secret police come to arrest Dillamond for speaking, this angers Elphaba who believes that all creatures should have equal rights, she then incapacitates all in the classroom with her powerful innate magical abilities and runs off with Fiyero with a captured lion cub being displayed as a captive slave, this cub is thought to represent the future Cowardly Lion in the traditional tale. After this happens, Elphaba is summoned to the Wizard who wishes to see if rumors of her powers are true. He tricks Elphaba and, after Elphaba realizes this, he has her labeled the "Wicked Witch."
Wicked Act II Overview
The second Act takes place sometime after the end of the first Act. Elphaba is labeled Oz-wide as the Wicked Witch, though her sister has become a tyrannical governor of a Munchkin Province. Elphaba goes there to seek refuge; however, Nessarose is angry with Elphaba claiming that she is the cause of their father’s death. Ashamed, Elphaba enchants Nessa’s slippers, giving her the ability to walk. Boq soon enters saying that he will no longer be a slave and is going to confess his feelings for Galinda. Angered at this, Nessa accidentally shrinks his heart.
In desperation, Elphaba turns him to tin to save him. Angry at this, Boq leads a witch hunting army against the castle of Fiyero where Elphaba is taking refuge. Fiyero is caught and tortured for helping Elphaba while Nessa is killed as a ploy to discover where Elphaba is hiding. Elphaba, soon after this, Elphaba is "melted" by Dorothy and left for dead. Galinda then orders the Wizard to leave Oz, taking Dorothy back to her world. Elphaba is declared dead. However, toward the end, it is revealed that Fiyero was turned into the Scarecrow to save him from death and Elphaba was simply hiding.