Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked

by Carol de Giere

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. In the revised and updated second edition of Defying Gravity, biographer Carol de Giere reveals how Schwartz’s beloved musicals came to life, adding four new chapters that shed light on the continuing Wicked phenomenon and exciting projects that include stage adaptations of The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Alan Menken and The Prince of Egypt.

A popular feature of the first edition remains intact for the the story of Schwartz’s commercially unsuccessful shows, how he coped, and how he gave himself another chance. The new edition also features an acclaimed series of “Creativity Notes” with insights about the creative process. Wicked enthusiasts are treated to a revealing, in-depth account of the show’s evolution that takes readers from developmental workshops, to the pre-Broadway tryout in San Francisco, through the arguments over changes for Broadway, and finally to productions around the world.

Movie musical fans know that Disney’s pairing of Stephen Schwartz (for lyrics) with composer Alan Menken (for music) led to award-winning movie musicals “Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted. Menken’s revelatory “Foreword” that introduces the second edition of Defying Gravity explores their “wonderful chemistry” and creative challenges.

The abundance of behind-the-scenes stories in this Stephen Schwartz biography came by way of the author’s unprecedented access to this legendary songwriter for interviews. She also drew from conversations with his family members, friends, and colleagues (librettists, composers, directors, producers, and actors) to render a rich portrait of this complex and gifted artist. She rounds out the book with photographs, Schwartz’s handwritten notes, and highlighted quotations.

Performers and others involved in productions of Godspell, Pippin, Children of Eden, Working, Rags, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, will discover the intentions of the shows’ creators. Singers, writers, fans, and anyone interested in the development of stage and film musicals will enjoy multiple insights from this backstage journey, from Godspell to Wicked, and beyond.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Theatre, Music, Memoir, Musicals, Collections

512 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

After "meeting" Stephen Schwartz by way of his website, Carol de Giere began writing the authorized career biography of this award-winning Broadway and film songwriter (who wrote scores for Godspell, Pippin, Wicked, and more). A former librarian, Carol studied writing and launched her freelance career with this project that involved over 80 hours of interviews with Schwartz as well as with his colleagues. She and her husband Terry reside in Connecticut. "

Reviews

[Kirstin Dobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than I expected. Interesting for a musical person with some experience with theater, particularly many of the works discussed here. Got a little technical and bogged down for even me in places, though.

[Ian Gupton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a complete novice to the world of performing arts, but one that I'm learning more about at the high school where I teach where we have an outstanding program, I thought that the pains and triumphs of the theater industry were extremely well-detailed through the perspective of Broadway lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz. It was obvious that the author, Carol de Giere, spent a tremendous amount of time (8 years of research!!!) digging deep for details to create a narrative that not only shows how challenging working in this career field can be, but also what kind of character it takes to survive; Stephen Schwartz is revealed, bumps, bruises and all, to be a dynamic character who strives for the best but is continually faced with the challenges of collaborating with others who feel differently about what "the best" is. From an emotional intelligence standpoint, I feel that this book could be generalized to reflect the skills necessary to succeed in a global eonomy, including the rewards and frustrations of working with a variety of people and their various visions and personalities. The book is written as a painstakingly detailed anecdotal journey of a man who compares himself to the main character of Elphaba from his pinnacle musical "Wicked:" as someone who is often misunderstood, and even punished, for simply trying to do the best he can (similar to your average, ordinary, every day superhero). The book is written with many layers, so there's something for everyone, including quotes, extras, and "Creative Notes" that go behind the scenes and helped an outsider like myself understand the process of musical composition. As an English teacher, there are a number of "Creative Notes" that I thought were extremely relevant and authentic specific to teaching writing that I am planning on integrating into my instruction. All in all, a very entertaining and informational read that can be read for multiple purposes in a way that anyone can thoroughly understand and appreciate.

[Christopher Kuczewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved the music, lyrics, and creative mind of Stephen Schwartz, writer of the scores for GODSPELL, PIPPIN, THE MAGIC SHOW, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, Disney's POCAHONTAS and HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE-DAME, and the mega-hit WICKED. In fact, WICKED fast became my favorite musical theatre piece. But how did this musical go from the page to the stage? How do musicals go from an idea to readings and workshops to full productions?

The answer to these and many other questions lies in Carol De Giere's wonderfully captivating DEFYING GRAVITY: THE CREATIVE CAREER OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, FROM GODSPELL TO WICKED. If you've ever wondered about Schwartz's personal life, its influence on his writing, and his creative process, this book is for you. Filled with stories, some extremely touching, many humorous, DEFYING GRAVITY offers a rather candid look at a brilliant composer...one who has experienced both triumph and failure, but one whose creative process has always been strong. You will learn some interesting details about his collaborators, his family, his friends, and his shows. Never boring, always engaging, and littered with many black-and-white photos (from Schwartz's personal file as well as from productions of his shows), DEFYING GRAVITY is a treat for anyone who's ever wondered about the creative journey of a musical theatre/film writer...or ANY creative person, for that matter.

In a way, DEFYING GRAVITY is a story anyone can relate to: De Giere dedicates her work to the creative spirit that inspires each and every one of us. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Schwartz, WICKED, musical theatre, or creating something out of nothing. Bravo, Ms. De Giere!

[Jeff Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed the deep insight into Stephen Schwartz's creative works and his creative process. There are certainly gems to be found for creative individuals to find. It was also satisfying to relive through the feelings evoked by some of his older songs that I'm familiar with. I wish I was more familiar with Stephen's earliest work before reading the book because the high praise and elaborate descriptions fell on deaf ears; I longed to hear the songs playing in the back of my mind while reading about them. Perhaps this book would do better as an audiobook that mixed in song interjections as well as lightly playing other songs of Stephen's behind the narrator!
Due to the fact that Stephen has collaborated on such a broad list of projects, there were a lot of names of collaborators to introduce and keep in your head, which made the read a little bit difficult to stick with, especially if you didn't already know who the individuals were. The author did try to give helpful pointers to past sections when the same individual reappeared later in the narrative.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe their is a musical geek inside every single one of us. There is definitely one inside of me and she came out while reading Defying Gravity. Some of Stephen's creations my high school has done including Working and The Children of Eden and they were a blast to do and the music was incredible. Also, I loved how he went into creating one of my favorite musicals and stories of all time Wicked and all the work that went behind the scenes until it has reached a world platform that changed the world of musicals forever. Thank you Hal Leonard for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. We will definitely consider this title for our biography collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars!

[Carolyn McAllaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this deep dive into Steven Schwartz's life and body of work-Godspell, Pippin, Wicked etc. Reading Defying Gravity gave me a new appreciation for the hard work, creativity and serendipity that goes into bringing a show to Broadway. Really fun to read about it the process that was involved in creating some of my favorite musicals.

[Michael Thomas Angelo]

I am obsessed with Wicked ever since I waited tables on the original Tony award winning cast that opened the show in San Francisco in 2003 while it was still in experimental stages. This book chronicles that journey that I was so fortunate to view from the fringes of fandom.

[Dinosaur · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this primarily for the Wicked portion (the only parts I've read so far) which was interesting especially from this perspective, but I still have to go through the rest of it pertaining to his other work.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Schwartz wrote the musical "Wicked"...This book talkes about his career starting with his first musical "Godspell"....I'm finding it very interesting

[David Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a lifelong fan of Stephen Schwartz from my childhood in the 1970s where I learned to play piano largely from trying to play songs from the scores of Godspell, Pippin and The Magic Show (which was the first Broadway show I ever saw at eight years old!). This book is not an in depth biography and not a 'tell-all' style book either (although there are some juicy stories about Bob Fosse) but mostly a look at his career along with biographical sections which are mostly in the beginning of his life through college and directly afterwards. For me, it was a perfect choice on the part of the author as I found the stories of his early years very interesting and the section about his time at Carnegie Mellon leading the theater club and eventually writing songs/shows for the group to perform. Also fascinating was the connection between his first hit show - Godspell - and Carnegie Mellon. The book covers the quieter part of his career and then his comeback with writing for Disney and eventually - Wicked. A lot is covered about the beginnings of Wicked the Musical, the writing process and then casting and production. It was thrilling to watch Schwartz apply all the lessons he had learned the hard way in his early years as the Wunderkind of Broadway to Wicked where he truly defied gravity.

[Mediaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely long overview of Stephen Schwartz's creative career with an entire book-within-a-book about Wicked (taking up almost half of the pages) and not enough information about some of the shows (wish there was more about Godspell). There are plenty of details about some productions but at times it can be confusing with so many names or bringing up something you read about hundreds of pages earlier.

At over 500 pages this is simply too long and should have been better edited or split into two books where one was just devoted to Wicked. Even at that many chapters end too abruptly and we're left wondering about the aftermath or history of post-Broadway debuts. What's here is fine but pick through the interesting stuff and be aware that it will be challenging to read it in its entirety. The book is like that almost four-hour in initial production of Wicked--too long, emphasizing unnecessary details, and definitely not always defying gravity.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book contained some interesting information about Schwartz's career and work, but overall it read like a puff piece commissioned by Schwartz and written by a high schooler, complete with "statement of intent" and "concluding sentence/restatement" at the end of each "essay section". I am a long-time fan of the Godspell and Pippin cast recordings as well as Wicked and some of the lesser known musicals that I hadn't realized were Schwartz's, but I hadn't known his full output, particularly the Disney movies. So that and some of the parts about writing and rewriting (and rewriting!) a musical were worth reading. But the near constant "Schwartz said" and "Schwartz thought" and "this is how it affected Schwartz" made him seem deeply unlikeable and the book both superficial and very long. Sigh

[Selena Schulz · Rating 5 out of 5]

well this was inevitably going to be a 5 star review because the wicked content had me SO INVESTED. not to dismiss the rest of schwartz’s career at all because i truly found it fascinating, but all the little insights into the emerald city on stage had me on the edge of my seat.

there were a few typos and editing errors that threw me off and some of the biography just DRAGGED but that’s probably because i was slogging through with a one-track mind (towards the green girl). i will say though, i found his early career stories so cool, especially that of pippin considering my involvement with the show in high school.

such a long read but such a good read. point to note also i read the second edition which is a tad different but not listed on goodreads. yay for conquering another full length non fiction adventure!!

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Occasionally I go down a rabbit hole and decide to read a random small press book that's the only existing book-length deep dive into something extremely niche. This is one of those!

[Jacquelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curious about Schwarz shows or curious about creativity in general, this book is (long) but fascinating. While the author is clearly biased towards her subject, it is an interesting story of how luck, hard work, skill, and timing all play a vital role in commercial success of musicals. It really is a biography of Schwartz's process, not so much a biography of the man.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about the process of bringing a musical to the stage (or screen). Children of Eden and Godspell are two of my favorite musicals and the songs by Schwartz have been inspirational to me. He certainly is a talent to be appreciated. Sometimes things got a bit dry or too detailed, but for the most part followed logically and gave a good sense of the trajectory of a career.

[Chuck Zeitvogel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Read for Stephen Schwartz Fans

If you love Godspell and/or Wicked, this book is a must read. I learned so many things about those shoes and their creator.

[Facundo Esposito · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the Creativity Notes! I even applied them as exercises for my literary works.

[Alison Boole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful for research prior to directing Pippin

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable book with plenty of insight into the creative process. The only downside for me is that there are now several more recordings I need to acquire!!

[Jessica Desrochers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I learned a lot of the musical writing process and the genius that is Stephen Schwartz. highly recommend for musical lovers.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

a concise summary of stephen schwartz’s many career accomplishments, with little insight otherwise

[Britni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazon does a good job giving a brief synopsis of the book. Defying Gravity takes readers into the creative world of Broadway and film composer Stephen Schwartz, from writing Godspell's score at age 23 through the making of the megahit Wicked. For this first authorized biography, de Giere draws from 80 hours of interviews with Schwartz and over 100 interviews with his colleagues, friends, and family. Her sympathetic yet frank narrative reveals never-before-told stories and explores both Schwartz's phenomenal hits and expensive flops. The book also includes a series of “Creativity Notes” with insights about artistic life, and more than 200 photographs and illustrations.

I love musicals and Wicked is one of my favorites. I'll admit that I quickly skipped through the first half of the book to get to the section on the making of Wicked so this review is based on the sections on Wicked. And if the other sections of the book are as good as the section on Wicked, I'll definitely be returning to read those skipped sections. When I first received Defying Gravity in the mail I began to regret agreeing to review it because well, it looks like a textbook and with the index it is over 500 pages long. But I'm glad I did because honestly while it looks like a textbook, it reads nothing like one and the word that comes to mind to describe it is fantastical.

Defying Gravity takes you not only into the inner workings of Wicked but into the inner workings of how any musical is put together. There's a new TV show called Smash that does the same thing and I just think it's fascinating. Carol describes in very easy to read and understand prose the entire journey of Wicked from its conception during a trip Stephen took to Hawaii, to drafting the music and book, to casting the incredible Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel as the best friends, to writing and rewriting, and finally to opening night on Broadway. I've seen Wicked five times now (including with the original cast) and know all of the music by heart so it was incredible for me to read where Stephen started with the original concept and how the team together made it into the incredible piece of art it is now.

If you like Wicked or musicals in general this is a book you want to read. It's an easy but fascinating read and really gives you insight into Wicked and the musical creation process like no other book I've read. 5 stars.

[John Kunich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the finest book ever written about the creative process in musical theatre. Carol de Giere has done an enormous service for all composers, lyricists, playwrights, and theatre-lovers with this intimate and in-depth examination of how Stephen Schwartz brought some of the greatest musicals to life.

If the book contained nothing more than the "Creativity Notes," it would still be worth ten times the retail price. These concise practical asides are overflowing with illuminating insights into how anyone can improve his or her artistic work. Ms. de Giere made me feel as if I had Stephen Schwartz right there in my home as my personal creative mentor, sharing his hard-won lessons learned from a remarkable lifetime in the theatre. As a playwright and composer/lyricist myself, I can testify that my own work has been immeasurably enriched from this input.

Although the book rightly devotes much space to the unmatched "Wicked," I learned just as much from reading about Stephen's struggles with rejection and even failure. Every artist can find an "unlimited" trove of treasure here, in studying a career that spans the vast gaps from early fame to decades-long doldrums and all the way back to unprecedented triumph.

In this magnificent book, Carol de Giere has changed us all for the better, and, yes, for good.

[Digne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

It's very straight forward and easy to read. But for a Creative biography, as opposed to a straight biography, I really got a feeling of who Schwartz is as a person. I enjoyed his frank comments on the difficulties he has faced in his career. The epilogue is fantastic (although I know he later got his name on that wall).

I've had this book for some time now and I've read bits of it before but this is the first time I have read it straight through. I felt that de Giere did a fine job of tying together all the various projects into a compelling narrative.

If the book has a fault it is that at times I felt de Giere was a little too partisan in Schwartz's camp. De Giere's case would have come across stronger had she adopted a more neutral tone at times (cut a lot of the adjectives).

Even with minor flaws, this book is easily one of the 5 most enjoyable books I've read all year.

[Brent Ranalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up with Godspell and Pippin, and only recently I was delighted to discover, thanks in part to this book, just how much additional writing and composing Stephen Schwartz has has done. The book is a little homely (I hope no one will take offense at this observation), written as it is by an emerging author who came to the project with no musical or theater background to speak of, as she herself acknowledges. But Stephen Schwartz is a perennial outsider himself, so why not? He has his own loyal following, and if many of his fans are introduced to a love of musical theater by Wicked and this book, that is entirely to his and de Giere's credit. I enjoyed the inside view of Schwartz's creative process, including the stories behind some of my favorite songs, and the glimpses into the triumphs and heartbreaks in the life of this consummate artist.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. I bought it after seeing a Stephen Schwartz concert and he signed the book for me. I did find some of the better jokes/stories that are in the book were familiar because Stephen had talked of them in the concert but there was still plenty of new information and anecdotes to keep my interest. Particularly, I enjoyed the extensive section charting the process of creating "Wicked" and the section on "Baker's Wife", which is a show I am very fond of.

What I liked most about this books was the fact that the author knew Stephen and had written it with this warm openess, as opposed to some biographies that just come across as dry and factual with no life.

Worth reading for fans of Stephen's work.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm amused by the fact that WICKED tix are going on sale the day I get to the part where Stephen starts writing WICKED! A friend who had read an early draft of my own musical sent me Maguire's book around the time Schwartz aquired the rights... so I feel like we're kindred spirits. This is a great learning experience for me!

[Garry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book - I loved it! I enjoyed getting the insider look at the creative career of Stephen Schwartz. If you're familiar with his work, you'll appreciate learning behind-the-scenes information directly from the source (for me, the Wicked section was especially enjoyable). It is inspirational, informative, and a valuable resource for me. It’s well written, enjoyable and I revisit it often.

[Randee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really shouldn't rate this as I am not interested in such detailed analysis of composing though I certainly had no idea of the complexity involved in writing for Broadway or movies. I read it to see how many references were made to Carnegie Mellon and to people I might have known. How I loved those years and having "dramat" roommates and friends.