Book Review: Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked by Carol De Giere
Book Review: Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked by Carol De Giere - Author Carol de Giere has dedicated her book to "the creative spirit within each of us." It is a foreshadowing of the real message she wants to convey through this authorized biography of one of Broadway's most noted composers.
Giere followed Stephen Schwartz through eight years and over 80 interview sessions to compile this book about his career, his writing, and more importantly, his intimate thoughts about the creative process. Though currently riding high with the success of his Broadway smash hit Wicked, Schwartz has seen many ups and downs in a songwriting career spanning over 40 years.
Giere details Schwartz's early success with Godspell in 1971 and the mixed reviews for Pippin and The Magic Show that followed. She covers in depth the production problems that led to box office flops for The Baker's Wife, Rags, Working, and Children of Eden. One of the most fascinating parts of the book tells how Schwartz dealt with these setbacks, as he questioned his ability to write songs.
His salvation came from a leap into animated films. Writing lyrics for Disney's Pocohontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame led to music and lyrics for another animated project, The Prince of Egypt. Soon it was back to Broadway for Wicked, a project that would take over 6 years to complete.
Giere delves into the musings that made these projects happen. Each chapter ends with a sidebar - "Creativity Notes" - where Giere shares the ideas of Schwartz (and others) that define the pieces of the puzzle that any artist must assemble. The backstage tidbits and thoughts that are revealed in these sections of the book open a window for the reader to learn about the creative process. We see Schwartz visiting the pyramids to get a feel for Egypt and learn how he was greatly influenced by songwriters of the 1960's like Laura Nyro and James Taylor, in addition to Sondheim, Motown, and classical works. We see the path a song takes as it goes from a mere spark of an idea to its eventual life in front of an audience.
Giere followed Stephen Schwartz through eight years and over 80 interview sessions to compile this book about his career, his writing, and more importantly, his intimate thoughts about the creative process. Though currently riding high with the success of his Broadway smash hit Wicked, Schwartz has seen many ups and downs in a songwriting career spanning over 40 years.
Giere details Schwartz's early success with Godspell in 1971 and the mixed reviews for Pippin and The Magic Show that followed. She covers in depth the production problems that led to box office flops for The Baker's Wife, Rags, Working, and Children of Eden. One of the most fascinating parts of the book tells how Schwartz dealt with these setbacks, as he questioned his ability to write songs.
His salvation came from a leap into animated films. Writing lyrics for Disney's Pocohontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame led to music and lyrics for another animated project, The Prince of Egypt. Soon it was back to Broadway for Wicked, a project that would take over 6 years to complete.
Giere delves into the musings that made these projects happen. Each chapter ends with a sidebar - "Creativity Notes" - where Giere shares the ideas of Schwartz (and others) that define the pieces of the puzzle that any artist must assemble. The backstage tidbits and thoughts that are revealed in these sections of the book open a window for the reader to learn about the creative process. We see Schwartz visiting the pyramids to get a feel for Egypt and learn how he was greatly influenced by songwriters of the 1960's like Laura Nyro and James Taylor, in addition to Sondheim, Motown, and classical works. We see the path a song takes as it goes from a mere spark of an idea to its eventual life in front of an audience.
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