Defying Gravity: the Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked by Carol de Giere
A Broadway and film songwriter's creative journey
Defying Gravity takes readers into the creative world of Broadway and film composer Stephen Schwartz, from his experiences writing Godspell's score at age 23 through the collaborative journey for the making of the mega-hit musical Wicked.
More About Defying Gravity
- It features 130 pages on the fascinating development of Wicked.
- It includes 50 pages on the musical Godspell.
- It includes many never-before-told stories about the genesis of Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker's Wife, Working, Rags, Pocahontas, The Hunback of Notre Dame, The Prince of Egypt and Enchanted.
- For this first authorized career biography of Stephen Schwartz, Carol de Giere draws from eighty hours of interviews with Schwartz, as well as from over 100 interviews with his colleagues, friends, and family members. Her sympathetic yet frank narrative delves into the challenging issues of collaboration and the decisions that led to phenomenal hits as well as expensive flops.
- Named after the exhilarating first act climax of Wicked when the show's heroine sings "Defying Gravity," the book attests to Schwartz's determination to follow his vision despite setbacks and negative criticism.
- Ms. de Giere shares Schwartz's insights for artistic life in a series of "Creativity Notes." He describes tapping the subconscious mind, overcoming creative blocks, writing for character detail, surviving countless rewrites, working with feedback, and other topics.
Table of Contents, Praise and Reviews, Back Cover
Table of Contents for Defying Gravity
Back Cover for Defying Gravity
More Praise
Reviews
Autographs and Book Signings - Carol de Giere and (in some locations) Stephen Schwartz
Carol de Giere and Stephen Schwartz appearances
The Musicals of Stephen Schwartz
- Musicals by Opening Date
- 1971: Godspell (music and new lyrics)
- 1971: Bernstein’s Mass (additional lyrics)
- 1972: Pippin (music & lyrics)
- 1974: The Magic Show (music & lyrics)
- 1976: The Baker’s Wife (music & lyrics)
- 1978: Working (four songs, direction)
- 1985: Personals (music for three songs)
- 1986: Rags (lyrics)
- 1991: Children of Eden (music & lyrics)
- 1995: Pocahontas (film) (lyrics)
- 1996: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (film) (lyrics)
- 1998: The Prince of Egypt (film) (music & lyrics)
- 1999: Der Glockner von Notre Dame (German stage) (English version of lyrics)
- 2000: Geppetto (TV) (music & lyrics)
- 2003: Wicked (music & lyrics)
- 2005: Captain Louie (music & lyrics)
- 2005: Mit Eventyr (My Fairy Tale for Danish stage) (music and English version of lyrics)
- 2006: Geppetto & Son (revised stage version of Geppetto: music & lyrics)
- 2007: Enchanted (film) (lyrics)
- 2008: Snapshots (compilation revue) (music and new lyrics)
Product Details for this Stephen Schwartz Biography
- Defying Gravity: the Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked
- Release date September 2008
- Musical Theatre
- ISBN: 978-1-55783-745-5
- 544 pages
- 7-1/2" x 9"
- Paperback Original
- Over 200 Black and White Photos and Illustrations Throughout
- HL 00314791
- US $24.95
- Book Cover Credits:
- Margo Mooney mm DESIGN, cover design
- Scott Mullin, photograph of Stephen Schwartz
- Martha Swope, photograph of Ben Vereen performing as the Leading Player in Pippin (top right)
- Joan Marcus, photograph of Eden Espinosa performing as Elphaba in Wicked
- Martha Swope, photograph of Doug Henning and Dale Soules performing as Doug and Cal in The Magic Show
- Theatre Maximus, Godspell logo
- Book Design:
- V Paul Smith Jr
