Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked features never-before-told-stories about the making of Wicked and all Schwartz musicals. A full 150 pages about Wicked and much more, based on the author's 80-hours of interviews with Stephen Schwartz and 100 of his colleages, friends and family. 200 photos and illustrations.
Available here:
Sample Chapter: Stephen Schwartz's decision to write a musical Wicked - Defying Gravity Chapter 16
Stephen Schwartz is likely to return to Australia in future years. Subscribe to this unique newsletter/ezine and stay updated about his news and events, including the opening of his opera in Brisbane. Please fill out the subscribe form at The Schwartz Scene newsletter (at musicalschwartz.com) - A free quarterly online publication.
Here are some press reports related to Stephen Schwartz's summer 2010 trip to Hobart, Sydney, and Adelaide Australia.
Songwriter Stephen Schwartz started his career in 1971 by writing music and new lyrics for Godspell. Next he wrote music and lyrics for Pippin and The Magic Show. When Godspell moved from off-Broadway to Broadway in 1976, Schwartz then had three successful shows running on Broadway at the same time.
His songs on the cast albums for The Baker's Wife helped keep the show in motion after it failed to reach Broadway in 1976. Children of Eden is his second most popular show for regional theatres. He co-adapted Working and wrote lyrics for Rags before transferring some of his creative energy to Hollywood. Schwartz's musical Wicked is a hit on Broadway, on tour, and in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Germany, and Japan.
Schwartz wrote lyrics for the film scores for Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and songs for The Prince of Egypt. He wrote songs for a Disney television movie Geppetto. In 2006, Schwartz collaborated with Alan Menken on Disney's Enchanted.
Mr. Schwartz is the recipient of three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, four Drama Desk Awards, and a tiny handful of tennis trophies. In June 2009 he is being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
His first opera is Séance on a Wet Afternoon
Stephen Schwartz: "This is an honest, detailed, and well-told account of how Wicked made its journey, complete with inspirations and speed bumps. I'm delighted at how accurately Carol de Giere has captured the experience of the making of Wicked."
Winnie Holzman, bookwriter for Wicked (the musical): "Trying to reconstruct the writing process of a musical is nearly impossible. Carol de Giere has captured it."
Wicked novelist Gregory Maguire: "A wonderful read. And the Wicked section provides a comprehensive account of a thoroughly recondite and even mysterious event: the gestation and birth of a phenomenon."
NOTE: Wicked was just chosen for the "Best Musical" Helpmann Award.
Stay up to date with Wicked in Australia at the official website - It's moving from Sydney to Brisbane in 2011 and then Adelaide. www.wickedthemusical.com.au