THE ROAD FROM ‘OZ’ TO ‘WICKED’

In the beginning, there was Oz. Then it got complicated.

A series of children’s books, “The Wizard of Oz” story was made into one of the greatest movie musicals of all time —- after some whopping alterations were made.

Almost a century later, author L. Frank Baum’s creation entered the public domain, which allowed author Gregory Maguire to turn everything we thought we knew about Oz on its head in his novel “Wicked.” And behold, “Wicked” was made into one of the most beloved Broadway musicals. which comes to the Fox Theatre for a four-week run this week; it bears little resemblance to Baum’s original. And yet it’s more popular than ever. Here are just a few mileposts along the yellow brick road of change.

1900: L. Frank Baum (right) publishes “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

> The children’s book introduces Dorothy Gale, a girl who travels from Kansas to a land called Oz with her dog Toto, where she meets a scarecrow, tin man, cowardly lion, wizard, wicked witch, flying monkeys and more.

> Years later, some scholars hypothesize the book is also a commentary on late 19th-century politics, with the yellow-brick road symbolizing the gold standard, etc.

> Baum writes 13 more “Oz” books.

1920: “Glinda of Oz,” last of the “Oz” books, is published posthumously.

1939: MGM releases “The Wizard of Oz,” starring Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr (shown at right) and Margaret Hamilton.

> Biggest change: “Oz” is a dream Dorothy has, not a real place as in the books.

> Other changes: Dorothy’s silver slippers in the book become ruby, and the Wicked Witch gets green skin, in order to show off MGM’s then-new Technicolor.

> Although it loses best picture Oscar to “Gone With the Wind,” the movie wins best song for “Over the Rainbow.” “Oz” becomes one of the best-known, most-loved movies of all time.

1956: “The Wizard of Oz” is first shown on TV and runs roughly once a year through the 1970s, becoming “event television” for baby boomers.

1975: “The Wiz,” a musical version with an African-American cast, opens on Broadway. A movie version follows in 1978.

1995: Gregory Maguire publishes “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” Aimed at adults, not children, it presents Oz and its familiar inhabitants in a political context inspired in part by “1984.”

> Maguire’s heroine is Elphaba (pronounced EL-fa-ba, and derived from LFB —- Lyman Frank Baum), the so-called Wicked Witch of the West, now a strong-willed activist and social outcast. The Wizard is a dictator, Glinda the Good Witch is a shallow social climber and Dorothy’s visit is a smaller part of the story.

> “Wicked” has sold more than 3 million copies; more than 2.5 million of those have been sold since the musical opened in 2003.

1997: HBO premieres “Oz,” a violent prison drama set in a jail called Emerald City.

2003: Broadway debut of “Wicked,” an adaptation of Maguire’s novel, with music by Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell”) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So-Called Life”).

> Maguire’s book is streamlined and depoliticized for the musical, becoming more focused on the friendship and rivalry of Glinda and Elphaba. Two major characters who die in the novel live in the musical.

> “Wicked” gets mixed reviews, but word-of-mouth is tremendous and it sets Broadway box-office records. Young girls in particular are drawn to its complicated, green-skinned heroine.

2008: “Wicked” has three U.S. shows (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles) and one national tour; more than 7 million people have seen it.

> Touring show has four-week run at Fox Theatre, presented by Broadway Across America. Oct. 25 will be its 1,500th performance.

> Opens Wednesday and runs through Nov. 2. 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 1:30 and 6 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $34-$125. Online at www.ticketmaster.com.

> A ticket lottery will be held every day 2 1/2 hours before showtime, available only in person at the Fox box office. A limited number of orchestra seats will be available for $25.