In October of 2003, a show opened that would quickly become one of the biggest phenomena Broadway has ever seen.  The musical WICKED, an alternative look at L. Frank Baum's THE WIZARD OF OZ, struck a chord in theatregoers across the country.  Teenage and college-age girls were particularly drawn to the complex relationship between Elphaba, the misunderstood green witch, and the seemingly perfect Glinda.  Over six years later, WICKED continues to touch the hearts and minds of audiences in productions all over the country and the world.

As the composer/lyricist of WICKED, Stephen Schwartz - along with his collaborator, bookwriter Winnie Holtzman (best known for her work on the popular MTV series, MY SO-CALLED LIFE) - has enjoyed tremendous success with WICKED. But Schwartz had been working in musical theatre - on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in London's West End - for decades, starting with the hit GODSPELL.

A recent biography walks the reader through Stephen Schwartz's career, from his childhood in New York and his college days at Carnegie Mellon University to his Broadway and London shows to his critically acclaimed scores for animated feature films, such as POCAHONTAS and THE PRINCE OF EGYPT.  In DEFYING GRAVITY: THE CREATIVE CAREER OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, FROM GODSPELL TO WICKED, author Carol de Giere presents an incredibly in depth look at Schwartz' life, career, and creative process.  Over 80 hours of interviews with Schwartz, 100 hours of interviews with his friends and family, and over 200 photographs and illustrations give de Giere's narrative an engaging, conversational tone, with many passages directly from Schwartz himself.  DEFYING GRAVITY is a must for any Schwartz fan - and for anyone interested in modern musical theatre.

Click here for more information on Stephen Schwartz and to license his shows. Click here to purchase DEFYING GRAVITY: THE CREATIVE CAREER OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, FROM GODSPELL TO WICKED from Amazon.com.