Defying Gravity

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 Disneys pairing of Schwartz with composer Alan Menken led to award-winning movie musicals like Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted. Hes achieved unparalleled success, with a discography vast enough to deem him a musical icon.

Carol de Gieres Defying Gravity includes the story of Schwartzs 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, Schwartzs 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 worlds current Wicked phenomenon will be treated to a revealing, in-depth account of the shows evolution that takes readers from developmental workshops to productions around the world.

With a foreword from one of Schwartzs many creative partners, Disneys Alan Menken, this second edition of Defying Gravity reveals how Schwartzs beloved musicals came to life and includes four new chapters that shed light on both the continuing Wicked craze and his other exciting projects.