Boq

Boq
Oz character
First appearance	The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
Last appearance	Wicked (musical) 2003
Created by	L. Frank Baum
Information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Occupation	Farmer
Nationality	Munchkin

Boq is a minor character in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. He becomes a more prominent character in Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which purports to show the lives of some of Baum's characters from another perspective, and more prominent still in the Broadway musical Wicked which is based on Maguire's novel.

In Baum's novel, Boq is a rich Munchkin who provides shelter for Dorothy on her journey to the Emerald City. While the novel initially depicts Dorothy meeting only three Munchkins when she meets the Good Witch of the North, there is a small party at Boq's mansion (consisting of his closest friends and five fiddlers) celebrating the witch's demise that welcomes Dorothy as guest of honor. Boq waits upon her himself, offering her fruit, nuts, cakes, and pies. He is also the one who informs her that only witches and sorceresses wear white, and that combined with Munchkin blue in her gingham dress, this implies to them that she is a friendly witch. He tells Dorothy that he has never been to the Emerald City and does not know exactly how far away that it is, for he believes that one should never go there unless one has business with the great Oz.

In Wicked, Boq is a Munchkin who attends Shiz University with Elphaba and Galinda (who would grow up to become The Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch respectively). In the musical adaptation of Wicked (but not in Baum's or Maguire's books), Boq becomes the Tin Woodman.

Boq in the novel Wicked

In Maguire's novel, Boq has very little interaction with Nessarose, and while he does fancy Galinda, he does not become involved with either girl. Boq narrates a whole section of the book in the Shiz University section of the novel. However, Boq befriends Elphaba, as they were childhood playmates, and assists her in doing research for Doctor Dillamond. Boq becomes friends with Crope, Tibbett, and Avaric, although he appears to be jealous of Avaric, due to his good looks, charm, and money. His infatuation with Galinda, which never comes to more than a brief kiss, gradually lifts and they become friends. Boq eventually marries Milla, one of Galinda's classmates at Crage Hall. The two wed and return to Boq's Munchkindland farm. Elphaba encounters Boq not long after Nessarose's funeral, as she inquires after Dorothy, and again after her assault on Madame Morrible.

Boq in the musical Wicked

In the musical, Boq is the love interest of Elphaba's younger sister, Nessarose (who would later become The Wicked Witch of the East). However, the feeling is not mutual; Boq only became involved with Nessarose in hopes of impressing Galinda, on whom he truly has his heart set. Unfortunately, Galinda has so little regard for him that she cannot remember his name (calling him Biq). When Nessarose eventually becomes the governor of Munchkinland, she uses her power to enslave Boq as her personal servant. When Boq confesses his love for Glinda, Nessarose becomes extremely angry with him. At that point, she casts a spell on him from Elphaba's spell book, the Grimmrie, but mispronounces it. This causes Boq's heart to shrink until it is completely gone. In a desperate attempt to save Boq's life, Elphaba turns Boq into the Tin Woodman. Unlike in the novel, Boq plays a considerably condensed role in the stage production.

In the original Broadway production, he was played by Christopher Fitzgerald.

Other notable actors to star in the role include Randy Harrison and Robb Sapp (Broadway), James Gillan, Jeremy Legat and George Ure (West End) and Anthony Callea (Australia).