Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked (Applause Books)

Stephen Schwartz is among the rare American composer-lyricists whose Broadway musicals have inspired passionate followings, resulting in blockbuster hits like Wicked, Godspell, and Pippin. Movie musical fans know that Disney's pairing of Schwartz with composer Alan Menken led to award-winning movie musicals like Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted. He's achieved unparalleled success, with a discography vast enough to deem him a musical icon. Carol de Giere's Defying Gravity includes the story of Schwartz's commercially unsuccessful shows, how he coped, and how he gave himself another chance. It renders a rich portrait of this complex and gifted artist with photographs, Schwartz's handwritten notes and highlighted quotations, and extensive interviews with Schwartz himself, as well as his family members, friends, and colleagues (librettists, composers, directors, producers, and actors). Those who read Defying Gravity amid the world's current Wicked phenomenon will be treated to a revealing, in-depth account of the show's evolution that takes readers from developmental workshops to productions around the world. With a foreword from one of Schwartz's many creative partners, Disney's Alan Menken, this second edition of Defying Gravity reveals how Schwartz's beloved musicals came to life and includes four new chapters that shed light on both the continuing Wicked craze and his other exciting projects. Read more