I grew up as a shy, awkward, closeted gay boy who did musical theatre. I had a passion for the arts and performing. I even pursued it professionally at one point before I entered politics as my career. As a kid I always fought for the chance to get my parents to take me to go see musicals. One of them was “Wicked,” which debuted in 2003. I saw it once on Broadway and a second time in San Francisco. It has always been one of my favorites. Just the story itself draws you in. We all know the story of “The Wizard of Oz,” but the musical “Wicked” (based on Gregory Maguire’s book of the same name) really turns the classic tale on its head. It makes you look at the main villain, the Wicked Witch of the West, with a completely different perspective. Forcing us as the audience to ask the question: Who or what decides if someone is wicked?
Fast forward to 2024,…
