How do you define success? With more than 30 million people seeing the musical Wicked, you’d assume that’s it, but for composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz having people enjoy his musicals is just an added bonus.
The Grammy, Tony and Oscar winner has been writing songs since the ‘70s - his earlier works include Pippin and Godspell. Around that time he worked with Leonard Bernstein, then, in the ‘90s, on Disney Soundtracks with Alan Menkin. He’s mentored Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton.
Stephen Schwartz Photo: Ralf Rühmeier
But it’s Broadway musical Wicked - that has recently made its New Zealand company debut in Christchurch - which is arguably his most successful piece of work to date.
“You can’t get hung up on failure and you can’t get dazzled and seduced by success,” Schwartz says in regards to Wicked.
The untold story of the witches of Oz is the basis of the musical. Schwartz drew inspiration from the original Wicked novel by Gregory McGuire and from his own family.
The musical features a number of recognisable hits, including ‘Popular’, ‘Defying Gravity’, and ‘For Good’ which tells the story of a friendship his daughter had.
He asked her about what she’d say to her friend if she never got to see her again. What she said made up the basis of the song. “It’s one of the reasons the song resonates because it’s true in terms of a real friendship instead of something I’ve imagined,” he says.
‘Defying Gravity’ is one of the most popular tunes in musical theatre repertoire, and Schwartz has heard some interesting interpretations. “I like hearing versions that are unusual or different,” he says. “Sometimes you hear terrible versions and you think ‘oh my, that’s not very good’, but it’s always fun to hear someone else’s take.”
He does allow some artistic license when performers are belting out the big notes, but he says it’s important to think about telling the story. He has said something to actors when things have gone a little “Australian Idoly”.
“You can’t just do riffs for their own sake,” he says. “They have to have some meaning in terms of character, story or plot.”
Showbiz Christchurch production of Wicked Photo: Danielle Colvin
Telling interesting stories is at the heart of everything Schwartz does. Sometimes those stories fail and others, like Wicked, succeed.
And what’s the secret to writing a hit? “If there was a secret we all knew everyone would be writing them all the time!” he laughs. “If you write about characters and subject matter that is important to you as a writer that helps a lot. If it’s something you care about … are passionate about or interested in … it will translate to the audience.”
There’s also no secret behind writing catchy, story-rich tunes. “Tell the truth and make it rhyme,” Schwartz says. “As a writer [if] I can get to an emotional truth for the character and also myself … that will communicate to others.”
His tunes also have underlying messages. During his Disney years, he wrote ‘Colours of the Wind’ from Pocahontas, with Alan Menkin. The lyrics are strongly rooted in Native American philosophy and attitudes towards ecology.
Climate change is an important topic to Schwartz. “Climate change is a controversial topic… in America. It’s pretty clear it’s going on,” he says. “It’s pretty clear that we better do something about it or we’ll be in a lot more trouble than we already are.”
Showbiz Christchurch production of Wicked Photo: Danielle Colvin
Schwartz is very conscious of the world around him. He knows he’s been fortunate enough to work with some of the best people in the industry, and in turn, he’s following in the footsteps of those who have gone before him to help develop musical theatre.
In his early 20s, he worked with Leonard Bernstein, who was first a hero, then a mentor to Schwartz. He learnt a lot from the world famous composer. “He was perhaps the most famous musician in the world. He [had] enormous generosity towards other people and the kindness and interest he showed in others.”
Like Bernstein, Schwartz has been open to the next generation of musical theatre composers, having worked with “genius” Hamilton composer Lin-Manuel Miranda and Paul & Pasek whose compositions were featured in the film La La Land. “Talent is rare. You can spot really great talent right away,” he says.
Schwartz continues to draw on Bernstein for his success and the success of others. “I made a vow… if I ever became partly as famous as him… I’d try to remember that’s the way one behaves towards people and I’ve tried to live up to that.”
Wicked runs until April 21 in Christchurch.
