I am a forever fan of Wicked. One of my fondest childhood memories is going to the Straz Center with my mom and seeing the musical live on the grand stage. I loved everything about it, from the theatrical storytelling to the fantastical eccentricity of Oz. I would listen to the Broadway soundtrack for hours on end. I would sing alongside Idina Menzel in Defying Gravity and Kristin Chenoweth in Popular for many years. Wicked was undoubtedly my favorite musical then and remains so today. Elphaba’s story was captivating to me. From a young age, I felt connected to her as she and I both struggled to find acceptance. The discovery of Wicked and Elphaba’s journey helped me learn to seek that acceptance in myself rather than others. I can say confidently that Wicked was formative in my realization of self-love and joy. It was truly incredible to see Elphaba find her strength and power in the most difficult times, and it allowed me to believe that I could do the same. I am incredibly grateful for Wicked and the confidence it helped me gain at a young age. Beyond the Broadway musical that I saw growing up, the story of Wicked has expanded into many new mediums. While the Broadway adaptation of Wicked became an instant favorite of mine, with the new and inspired Wicked movie the same will now be true for so many others. More so, I think that generations to come will be able to appreciate this amazing story and its wonderful theme because of this revitalization of the classic tale. I do not believe that any other Broadway musical deserves to be honored in such a beautiful way as much as Wicked did. I am incredibly excited to be able to share my love for this fascinating story with new audiences and their fresh eyes. Though I know Wicked well and true, I believe it will be a joy to watch the new rendition of it and find more things to love about it. The amazing possibility for discovery still, after decades, is why it will always hold a special place in my heart and why I am a forever fan of Wicked.