L writes: "I was wondering what your thoughts are regarding the play Wicked.  It has recently come to my town and is creating quite the buzz.  I have an idea that it is probably not the best play to see (given the name Wicked and the Witch theme).  However, I have never heard a Catholic perspective of this play. " Wicked is a musical that premiered at San Francisco’s Curran Theater in May, 2003 and is based on the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North from the Wizard of Oz movie. The play takes place just before Dorothy’s arrival from Kansas and details the rivalry between the two witches. Not surprisingly, Wicked is breaking all box office records because it continues the Potteresque fascination with magic and the occult that has gripped the West for years now. Both of the female protagonists in this story – Elphaba (Wicked Witch) and Galinda (Good Witch) – possess supernatural powers. The story is about them becoming college roommates at Shiz University where they vie to be invited into the headmistress’ coveted “Sorcery Seminar.” Elphaba dreams of “all the glamour and glory” of working her magic alongside the revered Wizard of Oz (who turns out to be her long lost father).  Of course we all know how the movie ends – with Elphaba lying crushed beneath a house. The play posits that her death was faked and that she secretly escapes with her lover, leaving Galinda to rule Oz.  Just like any other occult-based fiction, this story goes to great lengths to hide any semblance of truth about magick and the occult arts by making it appear to be something everyone would want to become involved in. For instance, notice how the whole play is based upon the erroneous concept of a “good” witch and a “bad” witch even though tthere’s no such thing as a good witch. Seemingly harmless distortions like these are enough to convince many people (especially children)– who are not well read on the subject – that it’s okay to dabble in sorcery. It’s definitely not okay, which is why the Church teaches that “all practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others . . . are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion.” (Catechism No. 2117) I vehemently refuse to patronize anything that either trivializes or glorifies the occult – first, because it offends my God and, second, because I have read too many stories about the enormously terrifying consequences of dabbling in the dark arts. This is not something any responsible person should ever trivialize. For an even more chilling expose of the dangers of magick, see the booklet on Magick in our Learn to Discern: Is it Christian or New Age series which is available by clicking on the “New Age Resources” link on the navigation bar above. Send your New Age question to newage@womenofgrace.com