His name now appears in gold on the wall of Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre, where Wicked has played since 2003. Composer Stephen Schwartz was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame on January 25, 2010. (Photo by Michael Cole.)
Schwartz formulated his dream of writing musical scores when he was a nine-year-old child watching a Broadway show for the first time. After writing four original shows in college, he had expectations for a successful career. He naturally hoped that his contribution would be acknowledged by his peers. He missed out on Tony Awards, and his work was often dismissed by critics.
This recent induction is a rare honor that Schwartz greatly appreciates. It is reserved for those with five Broadway credits to their name, whose work on Broadway encompasses at least a quarter of a century, and who are chosen by the membership for the Hall of Fame. For more about his Broadway shows, see Godspell The Magic Show Pippin Rags Wicked Working
Friday, March 5, Stephen Schwartz and Friends in Concert - New Canaan CT
Stephen Schwartz, Grammy Award, Academy Award and Drama Desk Award winning superstar composer and lyricist, (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell & Disney Movies) will perform a concert with his friend and Broadway Tony Winner Debbie Gravitte and Broadway & Concert Singer and Actor Scott Coulter to benefit this regional theater company. Summer Theatre of New Canaan. Also meet Stephen, Scott, and Debbie at a special post concert reception. Schwartz Biographer Carol de Giere will also be there selling copies of Defying Gravity autographed by Schwartz. (photo by Maryann Lopinto)
Snapshots
Celebrated composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz will host a “talk-back” after the 2pm matinee performance of SNAPSHOTS, A Musical Scrapbook on February 6th at Lyric Theatre. This event is free of charge, but reservations are required. To reserve a seat, call (405) 524-9312. To read about the production go to: Snapshots in OK or read more about Snapshots at
Katie Rose Clark descends in her Glinda bubble during the Wicked tour on stages from Omaha to Seattle. She travels with Donna Vivino as Elphaba and the full large cast and crew. Another touring Glinda is Heléne Yorke who is paired with Marci Dodd as the green-skinned Witch.
Producer David Stone recently accepted the award for “Best Long-Running Touring Musical” for Wicked during the Broadway League’s 2009 spring conference. For the third year in a row, Wicked also received the “Touring Broadway Audience Choice Award.” These are among the many awards for the Stephen Schwartz/Winnie Holzman musical, one whose complete development has been revealed in a new book “Defying Gravity” named after a song from the show. http://www.defyinggravitythebook.com/
As announced earlier, two tours are now bringing their emerald green dazzle around North America. In this year that The Wizard of Oz movie celebrates its 70th anniversary, this musical can really show off its Wizard of Oz prequel story.
First tour with Donna Vivino and Katie Rose Clarke as Elphaba and Glinda:May 6-31 in Omaha at the Orpheum Theatre
June 3-28 in San Antonio at the Majestic Theatre
July 1-26 in Tempe at Gammage Auditorium
July 29-Aug. 23 in San Diego at the Civic Theatre
Aug. 26-Sept. 27 in Seattle at the Paramount
Second Tour gets Marci Dodd and Heléne Yorke as Elphaba and Glinda:
April 23-May 10 in Jacksonville at the Times Union Center
May 13-31 in Norfolk at Chrysler Hall
June 3-21 in Indianapolis at the Murat Centre
June 24-July 12 in Memphis at the Orpheum Theatre
July 15-Aug. 9 in Tulsa at the Chapman Music Hall
Aug. 12-30 in Austin at Bass Hall
Sept. 2-20 in Nashville at TPAC
Sept. 23-Oct. 18 in Des Moines at the Civic Center
Oct. 21-Nov. 8 in Wichita at the Century II Concert Hall
Newspaper reports have been trickling in for new tour cities for 2010:
This will be a LONG blog post because there are so many events for and about Broadway songwriter Stephen Schwartz. He will be honored in New York and Pittsburgh, and will appear in events in Kentucky, New York, California, and Connecticut.
Also, I’m speaking at several Schwartz-related events during which I’ll be sharing stories from my book. Some of the original cast members I interviewed will be sharing Schwartz songs at my events. See details below.
By the way, if you haven’t seen Schwartz’s biggest hit musical, Wicked, the tour schedule has been expanding - soon Wicked will be everywhere. So click around the Wicked home page at http://www.musicalschwartz.com/wicked.htm
2009-2010 North American Tour Cities announced in the press so far: Austin, Charlotte, Dayton, Denver, Des Moines, Durham, Greenville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Memphis, Nashville, Norfolk, Omaha, Providence, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, Schenectady, Seattle, Tempe, Tulsa, Wichita
SCHWARTZ HONORS - SPRING 2009
OPERA MAY 1st
Stephen Schwartz was honored to have his opera selected for partial performance by the New York City Opera as part of a 10th anniversary celebration.
Schedule Friday, May 1
5:00pm
Roundtable Discussion:
All 11 composers featured in VOX 2009
Moderator: Yuval Sharon, Project Director
7:00pm-8:10pm
Katrina Ballads, Ted Hearne
No Easy Walk to Freedom, Chandler Carter
8:30pm-9:30pm
Mosheh, Yoav Gal
The Rat Land, Gordon Beeferman & Charlotte Jackson
Award-winning composer and lyricist and Carnegie Mellon University graduate Stephen Schwartz will be the 12th recipient of the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theater.
Established in 1988, the award recognizes the lifetime contributions of outstanding talents in musical theater. Awardees have included Mary Martin (1988), Dame Julie Andrews (1989), Harold Prince (1991), Cameron Mackintosh (1992), Stephen Sondheim (1993), Andrew Lloyd Webber (1996), Gwen Verdon (2000), Bernadette Peters (2002), Shirley Jones (2007), Kathleen Marshall (2008) and Rob Marshall (2008).
The Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, along with the families of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II and the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, will present the award to Schwartz at Civic Light Opera Guild’s Pink Frolic Ball on May 9 at the Omni William Penn Hotel, Downtown. The evening includes a gala dinner with performances honoring Schwartz’s career. Composer, author, and screenwriter Mary Rodgers Guettel, who composed a song for Schwartz’s 1978 Broadway musical “Working” and is the daughter of the late Richard Rodgers, will present the award. For information on tickets for the presentation, contact Stephanie Snyder at 412-281-3973, ext. 234.
Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction June 18, 2009
Tony Award nominees Stephen Schwartz, best known for smash stage hits including Wicked, and Galt MacDermot, James Rado and the late Gerome Ragni, all of the soon-to-be-revived Hair, will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 18, 2009. The ceremony for the honorees will take place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, marking the 40th anniversary of the Hall of Fame. The tunesmiths will join such famed inductees as Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Sir Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Cy Coleman and Hal David, among many others.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 by Johnny Mercer, Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The organization works to educate the public about the work of great songwriters, producing a spectrum of professional programs devoted to the development of new talent through workshops, showcases and scholarships.
Schwartz Becomes President of Dramatists Guild
On March 19, 2009, it was announced that Stephen Schwartz has become the president of the Dramatists Guild of America, the national association of playwrights, composers and lyricists. Schwartz commented: “I’m extremely honored my fellow dramatists have chosen me to be the president of their Guild. On behalf of all of my fellow Guild members, I would like to thank John Weidman [former president] and Marsha Norman [former vice president] and the other officers for their amazingly productive work and the dedication that they’ve shown over the last ten years. I hope to continue to move the Guild forward in the direction they have led and to try to live up to their very high standards.”
EVENTS
April 20th, at 7:00 p.m. “May the Schwartz Be With You” concert at Don’t Tell Mama
Here’s our press release for a very special NYC event. Stephen won’t be there but many great singers will be:
This show presents three true Broadway luminaries with unrivaled pedigree. Carole Demas is known to all as Sandy in the original production of Grease, as well as Genevieve in the original production of The Baker’s Wife. Teri Ralston comes to us from the original companies of Company, A Little Night Music, as well as The Baker’s Wife. Dale Soules starred opposite Doug Henning in the original cast of The Magic Show, and played Big Edie in Grey Gardens on Broadway.
This all-star line up is joined by Shorey Walker, Kathleen Hennesy, Lara Janine, James Reimer, Natalie Ryder, and a performance by The Treats featuring Brooke Lyn Hetrick, Katie Danielowski & Emily Zempel. Musical direction is by BJ Gandolfo. Morgan LaVere is directing.
Project Open, the outreach program for Lincoln Towers’ elder residents and their families, provides a range of social, educational and assistance programs regardless of income. From counseling, social activities and referral services to assistance with grocery shopping, home delivery of meals or aid in securing home and long term care, Project Open provides essential services to help older residents live with comfort and dignity in their own homes.
May The Schwartz Be With You, plays Don’t Tell Mama on Monday, April 20th, at 7:00 p.m. Don’t Tell Mama is located at 343 West 46th Street. There is a $25 cover charge, and a two drink minimum. All proceeds will go to benefit Project Open. Reservations required. Phone 212-757-0788 (after 4:00 PM daily).
Louisville, Kentucky May 2
“Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz will attend the Kentucky Derby and perform a concert after the race for the Louisville-based charity Operation Open Arms. Schwartz will be joined in the concert by his wife and other singers who will come with him to Kentucky (including Liz Callaway).
May 9, The Creativity of Stephen Schwartz: Tarrytown, NY
Photo: Author Carol de Giere speaking about her book.
MAY 9 EVENT: Carol de Giere, Carole Demas, and Lara Janine are appearing from 3:30 to 4:30 pm as part of the “Third Annual Meet The Authors @ Warner Library, Readings, Signings & Discussions.”
Carol de Giere, author of Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked, will share behind the scenes stories. Carole Demas, known for her role as “Sandy” in the original production of Grease, as well as Genevieve in the original production of The Baker’s Wife, will perform the original “Meadowlark” and also “With You” from Pippin. Lara Janine, who performed the role of Elphaba in production of Wicked in Japan, will sing “The Wizard and I” and “Defying Gravity” at this event.
Photo: Lara Janine
It will be a full day of readings, signings, Q&A and Broadway musical numbers on May 9th at Warner Library in Tarrytown as 13 local authors and poets come together to share their stories and broaden your horizons. Check later on the Warner Library site for details: Warner Library Tarrytown
May 16, 2009 Schwartz at Andrea Marcovicci’s 60th Birthday Concert - Town Hall.
Join three-time Academy Award winner, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and Grammy award-winner Julie Gold, along with other noted ASCAP composers Francesca Blumenthal, John Bucchino, Craig Carnelia, Babbie Green, and Christine Lavin and as they celebrate Andrea’s dedication to the Great American Songbook. The evening not only includes contemporary songs from these guest artists but Andrea performs classic standards from Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, and more. The Town Hall is located in Manhattan at 123 West 43rd Street. TICKETS: Ticketmaster for Town Hall concert or call (212) 307-4100
May 29 - Schwartz appears in Danbury CT
“Musicals at Richter”, Connecticut’s longest running outdoor summer theatre located in Danbury, Connecticut, will be celebrating its 25th season of Broadway musicals “under the stars” with a pre-season gala featuring award winning composer, Stephen Schwartz, as their very special musical guest. One of “Musicals at Richter’s” 25th season productions will be Mr. Schwartz’s own Children of Eden
The gala event, “25 Summers Under the Stars” will be held at The Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury, CT on May 29, 2009. There will be a performance by Stephen Schwartz (including a selection from Children of Eden), as well as music and entertainment provided by “Musicals at Richter” performers and alumni. A very special evening, indeed! Please visit M.A.R.’s website for more information on the 25th anniversary season and to buy your tickets now (either online or by check) to this very special event. Visit: www.musicalsatrichter.org
August 2009 in Los Angeles
Upright Cabaret’s Wicked Summer Nights includes Espinosa, Bean, and Stephen Schwartz
Beyond the Yellow Brick Road at the Ford Amphitheater.
A trio of shows directed by Billy Porter that celebrate life beyond the Wicked stage, starring pivotal figures who have created and defined this musical phenomenon. Former Elphabas Shoshana Bean and Eden Espinosa will be performing their own shows followed by a special cabaret with Stephen Schwartz.
–Shoshana Bean: A Happening at the Ford. Thu. June 11 at 8:30 p.m
–Eden Espinosa: ME. Fri. July 24 at 8:30 p.m.
–Stephen Schwartz: Making Good. On Sun. August 23 at 7:30 p.m, Oscar and Grammy award-winner Stephen Schwartz presents a sneak peak of his new opera while Upright Cabaret All-Stars interpret some of his hits from productions such as Pippin and Wicked.
Photo: Godspell movie star Katie Hanley made plans with me to surprise Stephen when he came to Chicago for a January book signing. She and Stephen went to college together at Carnegie Mellon University in the 1960s. She’s holding my book.
In January, Stephen and I also spoke in San Francisco at the Museum of Performance and design where we also signed autographs for Defying Gravity.
KEEP UP WITH SCHWARTZ AND WICKED
The Schwartz Scene quarterly newsletter provides more detailed information about Schwartz’s schedule and also the latest news from Wicked and other shows. If you have not yet signed up for this free newsletter/ezine, or if you didn’t get a recent issue, please fill in the form at http://www.musicalschwartz.com/newsletter.htm
This January, Stephen Schwartz and I will be reprising our presentation from October 30th in two new locations: Chicago and San Francisco. See details below.
PHOTO:
Wearing lime green on Wicked’s 5th Anniversary October 30th, 2008, Stephen Schwartz came out to Barnes and Noble in New York City near Lincoln Center to talk about his songwriting process. The gathered audience of about 220 people listened to him play “Corner of the Sky” and “For Good.”
I managed to catch a corner of Stephen’s busy schedule to fit in the two upcoming events.
I’ll put the details in here in press release form. Note that the Skokie event is early evening so you can still make it to Wicked or another show that night. Stephen himself plans to attend Wicked that evening - the last time he’ll see the Chicago production before it closes on January 25th.
Meet Wicked’s Stephen Schwartz in Skokie Illinois
Two weeks before Wicked closes after its long run in Chicago, the show’s composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz will appear in Skokie on January 10, 2009, with host Carol de Giere, author of Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked. Schwartz will discuss his work, answer questions and perform several of his songs at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 55 Old Orchard Center in Skokie at 5:30 pm. He will join Ms. de Giere in autographing the book, and will also sign other memorabilia for those who purchase the book.
Defying Gravity takes readers behind the scenes for the making of Schwartz-related musicals from Godspell in 1971 through Wicked in 2003. The Wicked section of the book spans 150 pages and covers the story of the show’s developmental stages.
Schwartz, whose hit musicals Pippin, The Magic Show, and Wicked have each run more than 1900 performances on Broadway, also holds three Academy Awards. He recently received a Grammy Award nomination for songs for Disney’s Enchanted, which he wrote with Alan Menken.
Stephen Schwartz In Conversation and Song in San Francisco
Monday, January 26, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Stephen Schwartz, composer-lyricist of the international blockbuster musical Wicked, will appear for an evening of conversation, song, and book signing at the Museum of Performance & Design (MPD) asWicked returns home to San Francisco on January 27 for an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre.In conversation with host Carol de Giere, author of the new biography Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked, Schwartz will describe some of his songwriting methods, answer questions about his work and the making of Wicked, and perform several of his popular pieces at the piano.Following the presentation, he will join Ms. de Giere in autographing the book.
The event takes place on Monday, January 26, 2009 at 7:00 pm at the Museum of Performance & Design (MPD), located on the Fourth Floor of the Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue (@ McAllister) in San Francisco. Admission is free, but space is limited and reservations are recommended — call 415-255-4800, ext. *810. For more information, visit the Museum’s website, www.mpdsf.org. Book sales for this event are courtesy of Books, Inc. in Opera Plaza (www.booksinc.net).
Defying Gravity takes readers behind the scenes for the making of Schwartz-related musicals from Godspell in 1971 through Wicked in 2003. The Wicked section of the book spans 150 pages and covers the story of the show’s developmental stages. More information is available on the book’s website at www.defyinggravitythebook.com
In 2008 at age sixty, Stephen Schwartz reached a new threshold. In July, Wicked passed Pippin and The Magic Show in number of continuous performances on Broadway. All three have run over 1900 performances, making Schwartz the only songwriter in Broadway history with three shows that have reached this milestone. He also holds three Academy Awards. He recently received a Grammy Award nomination for songs for Disney’s Enchanted, which he wrote with Alan Menken. Come meet this living legend.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, had its world premiere at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre on May 28, 2003. This opening followed a long development process during which the entire creative team and cast immersed themselves in the brand-new material at the Curran Theatre to launch a spectacular phenomenon that has since redefined theatrical pop culture. Since having its official Broadway opening at the Gershwin Theatre on October 30, 2003, Wicked has been sold out at virtually every performance, breaking house records with box office receipts of over $1.4 million per week. It has been called “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster” by the New York Times and “a cultural phenomenon” by Variety. Wicked returns home to San Francisco on January 27 for an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre.
MORE ABOUT WICKED
Read all about Wicked on my Stephen Schwartz fan site Wicked pages!
Although he never won a Tony Award, songwriter Stephen Schwartz may be able to add another Grammy to his trophy case. His collection already includes 4 of them: Godspell (2 - producer and composer), Pocahontas “Colors of the Wind”, Wicked (producer and songwriter for Best Musical Show Album).
Below is the list of nominees for the 51st Grammy Awards season:
Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media (A Songwriter(s) award. For a song (melody & lyrics) written specifically for a motion picture, television or other visual media, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
* Ever Ever After (From Enchanted)
Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Enchanted
[Walt Disney Records; Publishers: Wonderland Music & Walt Disney Music]
* That’s How You Know (From Enchanted)
Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, songwriters (Amy Adams)
Track from: Enchanted
[Walt Disney Records; Publishers: Wonderland Music & Walt Disney Music]
ALSO NOMINATED:
* Down To Earth (From Wall-E)
Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, songwriters (Peter Gabriel)
Track from: Wall-E
[Walt Disney Records/Pixar; Publishers: Walt Disney Music, Wonderland Music/Pixar Talking Pictures/Pixar Music]
* Say (From The Bucket List)
John Mayer, songwriter (John Mayer)
Track from: Continuum
[Aware/Columbia; Publishers: Sony/ATV Tunes, Specific Harm Music]
* Walk Hard (From Walk Hard — The Dewey Cox Story)
Judd Apatow, Marshall Crenshaw, Jake Kasdan & John C. Reilly, songwriters (John C. Reilly)
Track from: Walk Hard The Dewey Cox Story
[Columbia; Publishers: Murder by Television/Apatow Music/Popular Misconception/New Columbia Pictures Music/Colpix Music]
Stephen Schwartz won his first Grammys for the cast album for the 1971 hit musical Godspell. He was 23 years old when he wrote the score. Now at sixty, Schwartz’s work continues to earn acclaim. For more information about Schwartz’s role in Enchanted, see the new career biography Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, form Godspell to Wicked
Stephen Schwartz, songwriter for Wicked, Godspell, and other musicals, helped launch the new book Defying Gravityat Barnes and Noble in October 2008. Photo by Terence de Giere
Meet Stephen in Los Angeles - Star-filled Event Monday November 24th, 2008
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL with STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, an Actor’s Fund benefit event in the lobby of the Pantages Theatre with an opportunity to meet and mingle. Starring: Stephen Schwartz, Jason Alexander, Susan Eagan, Jason Graae, Debbie Gravitte,Karen Morrow, Hila Plitmann, plus a few surprises!
Moderated by Michael A Kerker, Musical Director Georgia Stitt
7:30 pm Cocktail reception
8:30 pm Performance
Post show dessert reception with the performers
Schwartz Opera Reading November 21 and 22, 2008 in New York
New Yorkers get early listen of first opera by Stephen Schwartz, Séance on a Wet Afternoon American Opera Projects hosts New York workshop November 21 & 22. Opera Santa Barbara to present world premiere in 2009.
After each performance, audience members who make an additional donation of $100 dollars will be given the opportunity to attend a reception with the composer and cast of Séance on a Wet Afternoon. Find out more about the opera and any opera events on www.musicalschwartz.com/schwartz-opera.htm
Defying Gravity events coming up in San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC
Defying Gravity autographed copies for holiday gifts
I’m selling a limited number of autographed copies of this first authorized career biography of Schwartz signed by both of Stephen Schwartz and myself (as author). Did you know that the book also includes over 200 photographs and illustrations, such as handwritten music from “The Wicked Witch of The East” song from Wicked, a new music for a segment of Godspell, and more? Please write to carol@defyinggravitythebook.com if you’re interested and visit the “About the Book” section of the book site: www.defyinggravitythebook.com/ to learn more.
Enjoy a delightful evening with songwriter Stephen Schwartz and his talented friends in “Stephen Schwartz & Friends” concerts. Hear songs from Godspell, Wicked, Pippin, and other musicals played and sung by the composer-lyricist. He shares the stage with Broadway performers Debbie Gravitte or Liz Callaway, and award-winning cabaret singer Scott Coulter. (Photo by Maryann Lopinto)
September 25th — The Overture Center, Madison, WI (with Stephen, Debbie and Scott) Madison tickets and details
September 26th — The Wilson Center, Brookfield, WI [Milwaukee area] (with Stephen, Debbie and Scott) Milwaukee tickets and details
MORE NEWS
I haven’t been posting on the blog because I’ve been finishing my book. It is being published by Applause Theatre and Cinema Books with a “September” release date. Read all about Stephen Schwartz’s career and the making of each of his musicals in Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked. Please visit the official book site at http://www.defyinggravitythebook.com/
This podcast with Stephen Schwartz is about his lyrics for the songs from Disney’s Enchanted, and is part of the 30th issue of The Schwartz Scene newsletter. It was recorded on February 15, 2008
Listen to the podcast by clicking the arrow button immediately below (Internet Explorer and Opera browser users click the button twice):
Carol de Giere: Welcome to this podcast about Disney’s Enchanted. I’m Carol de Giere and with me is songwriter Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the lyrics for the songs of this movie. We’re recording this for The Schwartz Scene from www.theschwartzscene.com.
Stephen, I’m hoping you can share a few comments for our listeners who may either be songwriters themselves or who are interested in the craft of writing songs.
First of all, let’s talk about the assignment you and Alan Menken were given and how you conceptually approach writing songs for movies. Was it up to you to discover the ways that songs might advance the story?
Stephen Schwartz: In the case of Enchanted, a screenplay existed, a screenplay that had been worked on for many, many drafts and through many, many writers until they finally came back to the original conceiver and original writer Bill Kelly. The screenplay that we received and that I read was not only terrific, but very, very close to the screenplay that was actually shot. This wasn’t one of those cases where a great deal changed during the writing and filming process, because that screenplay had been gone over and worked over by Kevin Lima, the director, with Bill, so it was more of a shooting script, in a way, than perhaps other cases might be.
And there were places for songs already built into the screenplay. They knew that they wanted to open in the whole animated world with a song [”True Love’s Kiss”]. The idea of Giselle cleaning up the apartment and having the vermin come and help her was already in the screenplay [”Happy Working Song”]. I’m not really sure whether they knew that was going to be a song or not. I don’t really remember if it said “song here” or just a scene and Alan and I decided that should be a song.
Definitely [with] “So Close,” the idea for it was not only already in the script, but the title was in the script. Kevin suggested the title, “So Close,” which I really liked.
We added “That’s How You Know.” That scene was in the script, and maybe there was an idea that it was a musical number, but we added the whole idea of her singing, and Robert being embarrassed about it and asking her not to sing, and gradually all the different people in the park joining in. We added the idea of the steel drum guy who would play along with her, etc. That was all something that Alan and I came up with. But I think that spot for a song already existed in the script.
And then the last number, “Ever Ever After,” which is the voiceover, that was something that I felt very strongly about. That was not in the script and I kept saying to the director, to Kevin, “Look, you have to close this movie musically. You cannot just close in a scene.” And ultimately, after a few false starts and cul-de-sacs, we discovered a way to do that.
Carol de Giere: I guess there’s this whole evolution that you’ve talked about before about how it begins with the old Disney.
Stephen Schwartz: Classic Disney.
Carol de Giere: Could you explain that?
Stephen Schwartz: One of the ideas which sort of emerged a little bit, it wasn’t something that was that conscious from the very beginning, but we knew that we wanted to start in really Classic Disney. This was something that I felt strongly about and sort of pushed towards, because for a while there was a discussion of, should the opening number that became “True Love’s Kiss” -Oh that was also Kevin’s title, which I liked and wanted to keep, and kept through several versions, and Alan kept saying, “Maybe we should have a different title” as we were struggling to solve the song, and I kept saying, “No, no, no, I really like the title, we just have to figure out how to do it better”-there was some talk about whether or not that should be more of an “Alan Menken style” number, like “Belle” from Beauty and the Beast.
I felt very strongly that we wanted to be in the world of Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. And so Alan and I watched those movies and looked at the opening numbers, or first couple of numbers, and really tried to be in that sensibility, both musically and lyrically. I mean I made fun of it a little bit. But basically the idea was to both honor and send up the songs for Sleeping Beauty, well, not Sleeping Beauty so much as Cinderella and particularly Snow White.
Carol de Giere: And then you moved forward.
Stephen Schwartz: Then we moved forward so the second song is also [a send-up from] Snow White. “Happy Working Song” is basically the sensibility of Snow White transported to modern day New York, and that’s what’s funny about it. She’s dealing with rats and pigeons and cockroaches, but she’s still singing as if they were adorable furry bunnies and little fluffy rabbits and elves and birds, etc.
But then we started moving forward in time, in a way. As the character Giselle develops as a character and becomes more of a contemporary young woman, the score becomes increasingly contemporary. So “That’s How You Know,” which is kind of the centerpiece, that is an Alan Menken number. That’s meant to send up “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl” [from The Little Mermaid] and to some extent send up “Topsy-Turvy” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and all the sort of big Disney production numbers that came in with the new golden age of animation that Alan started with Howard Ashman. And I think the idea of the Caribbean quality, or in this case, Jamaican, that starts “That’s How You Know” was directly related to the fact that we wanted to send up “Under the Sea” a little bit.
So by that time, therefore, we’re sort of in the 90s Disney. And then “So Close” is deliberately meant to refer to the title song of Beauty and the Beast. And, in fact, Kevin Lima always planned to have the famous camera move that was built into Beauty and the Beast where they are dancing and the fake camera in animation, or the digital camera, swirls around them; he wanted to recreate that camera move live. So part of the assignment was to build in a dance section where that camera move could take place.
Finally, at the very end, the solution to “Ever Ever After” was to do it like real contemporary animation where the characters aren’t even singing on screen-it’s a voice over and the action is happening while you’re hearing the voice over, so you’ve come all the way to our contemporary sensibility.
Carol de Giere: You’ve talked before about starting with titles and you’ve mentioned that a couple were provided. So I’m curious about the advantage that it gives you to start with a title, and also, for the ones we don’t know, like “Happy Working Song,” did you start with that first before you wrote the song? And for “That’s How You Know?”
Stephen Schwartz: “That’s How You Know?”-definitely I had the title, without question. “Happy Working Song” I’m not sure whether I had the title or more the idea that it was going to be “Whistle While You Work”-that kind of song-so I knew it would have work in it, and then Alan had that tune, and it sort of suggested, “…happy little working song” was just built into the music.
For me, the advantage of starting with a title-and I want to emphasize that it’s not arbitrary, that I don’t just say, “Oh, I’m looking at a vase of flowers, so let’s call the song “A Vase of Flowers,” a lot of thought goes into what is the title- but that thought and then the ultimate decision of what the title is going to be, focuses what the song is about. It helps to define for me what the content of the song is, so the lyrics aren’t all over the map. I’ve just found over the years that as I’ve gained experience as a songwriter, knowing the title is very helpful for me in focusing the song.
Carol de Giere: I’m curious, we know that journalists are taught to look for the who, what, when, where, and why of their story. I wonder if songwriters do that. And I was thinking about like with “Happy Working Song,” okay, who: my little friends-”Come my little friends,” and the what is clean the crud up and the where is the kitchen. Do you ever consciously do that?
Stephen Schwartz: Not at all. No. Until you said it this second it never entered my mind. I see now that you point out in “Happy Working Song” that that exists. But it’s news to me. I never thought about that at all.
Carol de Giere: It just happens.
Stephen Schwartz: It just was accident.
Carol de Giere: It helps to establish a place.
Stephen Schwartz: Sometimes a song demands that. With “Happy Working Song” that sort of demands it. “That’s How You Know” doesn’t really refer to the place, it doesn’t say here I am in the park singing this song.
I think the content of the song and what it’s about will make its demands. You’re really not writing a newspaper article. Sometimes that aspect of it is important to the story. In Sweeney Todd it’s important that when Anthony and Sweeney are singing about London at the beginning that they are referring to London. I mean, that’s part of the story and it’s important for Sondheim to establish that. But then in other songs, that doesn’t necessarily occur.
Carol de Giere: But in “That’s How You Know” it’s kind of interesting because you start out with “How does she know you love her?” and then after a chorus or a bridge or something it becomes “That’s how you know.” Do you remember consciously working with this?
Stephen Schwartz: I remember worrying about it. Because I had the title “That’s How You Know” but when we started it because of the scene that it was coming out of, the first question had to be “How does she know?” And I thought about changing the title to “That’s How She Knows” but it’s just not a good title. “That’s How You Know” is just a better title. So I tried to structure the lyrics so it could go to the real title, “That’s How You Know,” without it being too big a glitch or a speed bump, and I think I was pretty successful in doing that.
Carol de Giere: It kind of becomes a song that, she is singing it to all of us.
Stephen Schwartz: Yeah. It just seemed it needed to be more of a general statement than “That’s How She Knows” so I really didn’t want to change the title.
Carol de Giere: You’ve said before that you don’t love to write love songs.
Stephen Schwartz: No I don’t.
Carol de Giere: So how did “So Close” come out for you. It’s not exactly a love song. It’s a discovery of love, isn’t it?
Stephen Schwartz: Yeah, I think it’s definitely a love song. I mean, well, I had the title, and Kevin really wanted the last line to be “So close and still so far.” Which in a way, I mean, that song, which I think works really well in the movie, I think has little bit of a problem as a stand-alone song because it shifts gears in the middle of the song. Like the whole first part of the song, which ends with “So far we are so close,” is one idea. And then at the end of the song, which accompanies a scene where she’s now leaving, the idea changes to “So close and still so far,” which works for the movie but makes the song just a little bit of a split personality.
But anyway, the title “So Close” and where we were going with it, helped to define what the words of the song would be. And then it was such a specific situation that they were going to be physically in contact for the first time. And I had the idea, which I really had to fight for at one point-not with Kevin but because Patrick Dempsey didn’t want to sing-I had the idea that it was imperative that Robert sing along at a certain point, and so part of the song was written so the words would reflect exactly what Robert was feeling at that time, the Patrick Demsey character, and would sing that into her ear.
That was a bit of a war to get Patrick to do that. And then later on, when I saw Patrick after the movie came out, he said to me, “Why didn’t I have a song,” and I said, “Patrick, it was all we could do to get you to sing those two lines!”
Carol de Giere: Interesting. I wonder if you could talk about “bridge.” I don’t remember if you’ve talked about what a bridge in a song does. So let’s look at “Happy Working Song.” I suppose we would say it’s
Oh, how strange a place to be
Till Edward comes for me
My heart is sighing
Stephen Schwartz: Definitely. That whole section.
Carol de Giere: What’s the role of that?
Stephen Schwartz: A bridge in general, just to talk in general terms, the other term for bridge is the release. And I think that’s the more accurate term. It sort of refreshes the ear. It takes you somewhere different musically and therefore slightly different lyrically usually before you return to the tune. That’s the AABA structure. The reason for the B is that AAA can be kind of dull, though if it’s “Both Sides Now” it’s not so dull. It’s different from a verse/chorus structure which is what “Both Sides Now” or “Corner of the Sky,” for instance, is, but many, many classic songs are first verse, second verse which is musically identical to the first verse, then a release that takes you somewhere else, and then a last verse that’s an A again.
So that’s the first thing about it. And then when the music changes, then you want to go someplace lyrically that supports the change of music. In the case of “Happy Working Song,” we wanted to catch up with her story. And so there’s a little storytelling element to it. And, of course, it’s also satirical of Beauty and the Beast because musically it suggests, “I want adventure in the great wide somewhere.” It has that moment that occurs in “Belle”-it’s a similar structure, so we were sort of spoofing a little bit.
And then in “So Close” that’s really a musical choice. I basically said to Alan, “We just need to go somewhere else here. And he felt it too. It wasn’t like I was there telling him something he didn’t already know. And then he wrote that really beautiful little music, and because it was more melancholy, it suggested the lyrics that ultimately wound up there:
How could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now?
And that was just really based on my emotional response to the music Alan wrote.
Carol de Giere: Great line. It’s a great line.
Stephen Schwartz: Thank you.
Carol de Giere: Lastly, let’s talk about writing comic songs in general and specifically the “Happy Working Song.” That’s like a “wink,” I guess, so it’s a funny situation?
Stephen Schwartz: Well, it’s a really funny idea. And full marks to Kevin Lima because it was his conception. Once you have the idea that you’re going to do “Whistle While You Work” or whatever they sing in Snow White where they’re washing the dishes, once you have the idea that you’re going to do that with rats, and, pigeons, etc., then it’s just a matter of sort of thinking of that situation.
One of the things I did for that song that inspired it was, many, many years ago there was a television special with Julia Andrews and Carol Burnett, called Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, and one of the things they did in it was they made fun of The Sound of Music and they sang a song that satirized “My Favorite Things.” And it was called “Pigs Feet and Cheese.” And again, it was a very similar sensibility to “Happy Working Song” in that, particularly Julie Andrews just sang everything so sweetly and she would sing lines like “Knitting and tatting and cleaning the barn” and I just found that song so hilarious that I remembered it for thirty years, or however long it’s been, since that television show. And so I thought a funny thing to do would be to do exactly what they did in that-to take the Snow White super sweet sensibility and put a lot of words in there like “toilet” and “vermin” and, you know, I just tried to think of a lot of ugly words and then just put them into the song, so she could be singing about these smelly socks and things, but with her incredibly sweet attitude. That just seemed really funny to me. But it’s all contained in the conception of the song.
That really was an easy song to write because the idea is so funny and it’s much, much easier to be funny if the idea is funny to begin with.
Carol de Giere: Great. Well, thank you so much for your time.
The new DVD ShowBusiness is a “must have” for Wicked fans. In this blog post you’ll find many details about the DVD that may help you decide about buying it, or get more from your viewing once you have it.
This documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes for producers, writers, actors, designers, marketing teams to develop and deliver Broadway shows. From the press release: “Allowed unprecedented backstage access, director Dori Berinstein casts a camera’s eye on rehearsals, backstage dramas, and the mysteriously wondrous creative process.” With its running time of 104 minutes, a full-length Audio Commentary, and over 60 minutes of extras, it will take you several sittings to savor everything.
You will feel like a Broadway insider by the time you
watch the main feature’s back stage clips and interviews with actors and producers who speak about the 2003/2004 Broadway season as they make it happen,
go back and play the Audio Commentary by director Dori Berinstein, actor Alan Cumming & Avenue Q co-creator Jeff Marx (especially note their comments about the New York Posts’ trouble-making columnist Michael Reidel as well as the other Broadway critics),
watch the additional clips including over 60 minutes of Deleted Scenes, Tony Award® Promotional Spots, and a trailer,
step into the recording studio with Stephen Schwartz, Kristin Chenoweth, and others as they record “Popular” for the Wicked cast album (that’s part of the main feature, chapter 10),
listen to critics chatting on about their prejudices, likes and dislikes, and their often-wrong predictions for the Broadway season 2003/2004.
Note: this is not for the very young or faint hearted, as swear words are not withheld and it shows how really tough the Broadway life can sometimes be.
Wicked special feature: Stephen Schwartz allowed the filmmakers to come to Connecticut to record footage both in his home office and his upstairs studio. In the studio footage, Stephen plays some of the first chords he wrote for Wicked and then shows how they became the accompaniment for “No Good Deed.” [Read more about Wicked composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz] [Read more about No Good Deed]
THINGS TO NOTE ONCE YOU HAVE THE SHOWBUSINESS DVD AT HOME
For the section mentioned above in Stephen’s home, the photo at the piano is of his agent, Shirley Bernstein, who was Leonard Bernstein’s sister. Schwartz attributes much of his career success to the connections with producers that she made for him. The studio space you see there is where he wrote most of the songs for Wicked.
One of the best clips is easy to miss. It’s in the DVD Special Feature sections about Tony Awards. Play the part about “The Nominees” to hear funny stories about what the Tony nominees were doing when they found out they had been nominated. You will see Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz joking and laughing as they did during their work on Wicked. It’s a great mini-portrait of the cheerier side of show business. Their sense of humor certainly contributed to the success of the show. [Read more about the Wicked script and the playful vocabulary.]
In November 2003 after Wicked opened, Stephen Schwartz lead the cast and orchestra through three days of recording sessions at Right Track Studio for the cast album. This photo is from one session when some press and friends were invited into the control room. On the left is Stephen’s assistant Michael Cole. Next is me, Carol de Giere, in the white turtleneck. I’m busily taking notes for an article about the cast recording session experience (I’ll let you know when that’s available.) In front is Stephen Schwartz. The Berinstein film captures a moment when Wicked’s composer is catching a wrong note being played by one violinist. Schwartz was born with perfect pitch and is obviously highly sensitive to music, as this clip reveals. This Wicked recording session clip also shows how recordings are made, with Kristin Chenoweth singing in a separate sound booth from the rest of the orchestra.
The DVD includes several scenes with Wicked and Avenue Q’s music director Stephen Oremus. [Read more about Stephen Oremus]
This photo of Idina Menzel was taken in the rehearsal room at 890 Broadway before Wicked traveled to San Francisco for the out-of-town try out. Idina is piecing together the script, integrating changes that had just been written. Idina joined the cast as the original Elphaba in the fall of 2001, so she had seen many revisions of the script by then.
Idina Menzel fans: Be sure to listen to the credits all the way through to the end. As the second song running over the credits, Idina sings “Lullaby of Broadway” in a special arrangement written especially for her voice. Also enjoy the Special Features clip of a tour through her dressing room at Wicked. This and other sections of Showsbusiness give audiences a feeling for what it’s like to prepare for a Broadway performance eight times a week.
Note that the spray painted green make up shown in SHOWBUSINESS was an early attempt to get green. Shortly after the clip was filmed, she switched to using make up that is painted on with brushes.
Was Dori Berinstein biased in choosing shows and material? When she directed the film, she had no idea how the season would play out. She ended up creating the film from over 250 hours of footage. She said she was inspired by William Goldman’s book, The Season, which tracked Broadway shows from 1967 to 1968. [The Season is one of Stephen Schwartz’s favorite book about theatre. Read about the making of musicals http://www.musicalwriters.com/resources/books/making-of-musicals.htm]
She told a Los Angeles reporter, “I wanted it to be a celebration about theater and the incredible talent onstage and behind the curtain. I wanted it to be really, really honest. It was a particularly brutal season.” Watching the Tony Award section of the film towards the end, Showbusiness comes off somewhat as a celebration of Avenue Q. But there is still plenty of material for theatre enthusiasts who appreciate the other shows. Once you listen to the audio commentary by Berinstein, you’ll feel her love and affection for all parts of the business of show.
This autumn, as Broadway’s Wicked approaches its 4th anniversary, the musical welcomes new leading ladies.
Stephanie J. Block joins the Broadway company of the Stephen Schwartz musical in the role of that green-faced witch Oct. 9, 2007, when Julia Murney exists after a long stint as Elphaba on Broadway and on the tour. The new Glinda as of October 9th is Annaleigh Ashford, who recently made her Broadway debut as Margot in Legally Blonde. The actress also understudied the role of Glinda in the show’s national tour. The original Madame Morrible, Carole Shelley, has returned to the Wicked cast on Broadway for the autumn.
Wicked’s composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz will be out traveling and perhaps you will be able to say hello.
As noted in the previous blog post, Schwartz is being interviewed in New York City on “Stephen Schwartz Night” October 1st and also will be attending a giant tribute concert on the 19th, and he’ll be in Dayton, Ohio Sept. 20th. for Snapshots. Schwartz flies to Chicago October 12 and 13.
Here’s something new: He’s traveling to Pittsburgh around October 20th, for a reading of a new musical Alive at Ten presented as part of a collaboration with Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Carnegie-Mellon University, and ASCAP. There’s no info online yet so you’ll have to check later.
November 21st, 2007 Disney’s Enchanted opens in movie theaters, with songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. For comments on Menken and Schwartz’s collaborative efforts, see http://www.musicalschwartz.com/disney-movies-enchanted.htm
To Stay updated about Schwartz’s activities, be sure and subscribe to The Schwartz Scene http://www.theschwartzscene.com/ quarterly email newsletter, and keep checking back on this blog.
This autumn, as Broadway’s Wicked approaches its 4th anniversary, the musical welcomes new leading ladies.
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