Stephen Schwartz Biography

Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz

Born in New York City, Schwartz studied piano and composition at the Juilliard School of Music while still in high school and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1968 with a B.F.A. in Drama. Upon returning to live in New York City, he went to work as a producer for RCA Records, but shortly thereafter began to work in Broadway theater.

His first major credit was the title song for the play Butterflies Are Free, which was heard in the movie version as well. In 1971, he wrote the music and new lyrics for Godspell, for which he won several awards, including two Grammys®. This was followed by the English texts, in collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, for Bernstein's Mass, which opened the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

The following year, he wrote the music and lyrics for Pippin; and, two years later, The Magic Show. Next came the music and lyrics for The Baker's Wife and the musical version of Studs Terkel's Working, which he adapted, directed, and contributed four songs to the score. That effort earned him a Drama Desk Award for Best Director. Following these was a one-act musical for children entitled The Trip. In 1986, Schwartz provided lyrics for Charles Strouse's music for Rags.

Schwartz's most recent work for the theater is the score for Children of Eden, book by John Caird. He has taken an active interest in discovering and developing new musical talents and, toward that end, recently joined forces with Disney and ASCAP to oversee the first West Coast Musical Theater Workshop. His current assignments also include writing words and music for a non-Disney animated project, Prince of Egypt, that is now in production.

---Provided by Disney Records

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Recent Performances of works by Stephen Schwartz
Production/Credit WhereOpening Night
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Readington Community Theatre 5/10/2019
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Premier Theater Company 4/5/2019
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Country Gate Players 12/1/2018
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Eagle Theatre 11/5/2016
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Middlebush Reformed Church 9/19/2014
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Blue State Productions 3/15/2013
Working ...... (Book, Music & Lyrics) Attic Ensemble 4/23/2010
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Cumberland Players 12/1/2006
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Barn Theatre 11/17/2006
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Cranford Drama Club 10/13/2006
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) St. Catherine's Performing Arts Guild 7/27/2006
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) HTC Productions 5/11/2006
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Chatham Players 5/5/2006
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Over The Rainbow Productions 4/7/2006
Working ...... (Book, Music & Lyrics) Livingston Theatre Company 11/17/2005
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Studio Players 9/16/2005
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Trinity Players of Mullica Hill 7/15/2005
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Premier Theater Company 6/10/2005
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Y-PAC 6/3/2005
Working ...... (Book, Music & Lyrics) Park Players Productions Inc 5/13/2005
The Baker's Wife ...... (Music & Lyrics) Paper Mill Playhouse 4/13/2005
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Triple Threat Foundation for the Arts 4/1/2005
Working ...... (Book, Music & Lyrics) Sketch Club Players 6/4/2004
Personals ...... (Music) Hudson Theatre Ensemble 6/4/2004
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Livingston Theatre Company 10/23/2003
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Cabaret Theatre 10/9/2003
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Marlboro Players 7/25/2003
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Saint Genesius Players 7/11/2003
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) MOC Musical Theatre 4/4/2003
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) The Belleville High School Stagecraft Club 4/3/2003
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) St. Anne Stages 3/21/2003
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Saint Genesius Players 8/16/2002
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) St. Catherine's Performing Arts Guild 8/2/2002
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Trinity Players of Mullica Hill 6/28/2002
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Morris County College 4/11/2002
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Pegasus Production Company 3/7/2002
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Main Street Theatre Company 2/28/2002
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Rhino Theatre Company 2/22/2002
Working ...... (Book, Music & Lyrics) East Brunswick Community Players 2/1/2002
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Main Street Theatre Company 8/10/2001
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Mystic Vision Players 7/27/2001
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Spotlight Performers 7/25/2001
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Bergen Performing Arts Center 6/8/2001
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Drew University Theatre Arts Department 4/25/2001
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Mercer County Community College 3/30/2001
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) St. Paul's Players Community Theater Group 3/16/2001
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Glassboro Center for the Arts 10/18/2000
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Villagers Theatre 7/28/2000
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Cumberland Players 7/21/2000
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Montage Theater Group 7/14/2000
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Circle Players 7/14/2000
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) Paper Mill Playhouse 6/7/2000
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Road Company 5/5/2000
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) East Brunswick Community Players 3/24/2000
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Main Street Theatre Company 3/10/2000
Personals ...... (Music) Old Library Theatre 2/5/2000
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Allegro Productions 12/3/1999
Rags ...... (Lyrics) Paper Mill Playhouse 11/3/1999
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) 4th Wall Theatre 9/30/1999
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Spirit Players 4/23/1999
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Trinity Players of Mullica Hill 7/16/1998
Pippin ...... (Music & Lyrics) 4th Wall Theatre 2/1/1998
Children of Eden ...... (Music & Lyrics) Paper Mill Playhouse 11/5/1997
Working ...... (Book, Music & Lyrics) 4th Wall Theatre 10/1/1997
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) St. Paul's Players Community Theater Group 2/1/1995
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) Chatham Players 5/1/1992
Godspell ...... (Music & Lyrics) North Brunswick Young Adult Drama Group 8/10/1989
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