Stephen Schwartz


One of the most versatile modern composers
of musical theatre, film music and
contemporary music
Stephen Schwartz

 Born in 1948 in New York City
 Studied Piano and Composition at The
Julliard School while still in High School
 Attended Carnegie Mellon University
and began writing “Pippin” while there
 Wrote for stage, film, television,
contemporary popular music, children’s
book
 One of only four composers to have at
least three shows last over 1000
performances on Broadway (Jerry
Herman, ALW, Richard Rodgers)
 Schwartz Shows

Written for the stage Written for the screen
 GODSPELL  THE PRINCE OF EGYPT
 PIPPIN  POCOHANTAS
 THE MAGIC SHOW  ENCHANTED
 THE BAKERS WIFE  GEPETTO
 WORKING  JOHNNY & THE
 CHILDREN OF EDEN SPRITES (theme song)
 WICKED  HUNCHBACK OF
 CAPTAIN LOUIE NOTRE DAME
 GODSPELL

 Written in 1971 – Premiered Off-Broadway
(First Broadway production 1976)
 Film released in 1973
 Major revival in 2011
 Tells the story of Christ from the Book of
Matthew thru non-Biblical character/actors
portrayal
 “Clown” theatre – confused with Hippy
culture
 Rock opera – similar to Jesus Christ
Superstar
 PIPPIN

 Originally written while Schwartz was
in college (none of original material is
in Broadway version)
 Premiered in 1972 with Bob Fosse as
the director
 Major revival in 2013
 Show within a Show – Story of Pippin,
son of Charlemagne
 Similar to Godspell – use of theatre
troupe
THE MAGIC SHOW

 Premiered in 1974, ran for 1920
performances
 Starred Doug Henning, magician
 One act show
WORKING

 Opened in Chicago in 1977 and moved
to Broadway in 1978 and ran for 24
performances
 Based on the Studs Terkel book 
Working: People Talk About What They Do
All Day and How They Feel About What T
hey Do
 Revised many times including 2009 which
included 2 new songs by Lin Manuel
Miranda
CHILDREN OF EDEN

 Originated in 1986 as “Family Tree”, written
for a summer camp – full length version
adapted from there
 No Broadway premiere. Opened in London
at Royal Shakespeare Company and ran for 4
months in 1991
 American “version” of the recording at Paper
Mill Playhouse in 1997
 Based on the Book of Genesis, with Act I
telling the story of Adam and Eve, Cain, and 
Abel, while Act II deals with Noah and the
Flood. 
WICKED

 Opened on Broadway in 2003; Still
currently running on Broadway
 Surpassed A Chorus Line in 2013 as the
6th longest running Broadway musical
 Surpassed Phantom of the Opera in 2017
as the 2nd highest grossing musical
world-wide (Lion King is #1)
 Based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the
Wicked Witch of the West 
 Film version announced for 2021
 MUSICAL FILMS

* The Prince of Egypt
* Pocohantas
* The Hunchback of
Notre Dame
* Enchanted
 Stephen Schwartz

One of the most versatile modern composers
of musical theatre, film music and
contemporary music