And Prince of Egypt was either Jeffrey Katzenberg or Stephen Spielberg's idea. Children of Eden was suggested to me by a friend in California, and in the early stages he was working on it. It even already had songs - by cast members. John-Michael's work was already in existence. "In every single instance, I didn't initiate those projects," he said. In a 1995 interview with Playbill On-Line, Schwartz tried to downplay the notion that he has a particularly spiritual bent in his work.
Secularly, Schwartz also wrote The Magic Show and The Baker's Wife. He is composer/lyricist of Godspell and Children of Eden, and wrote lyrics to Leonard Bernstein's Mass. Schwartz is no stranger to Biblical stories. The film is expected in Christmas 1998 from DreamWorks, the $1 billion entertainment consortium of Stephen Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. Schwartz, who shared two 1996 Oscars March 25 with Alan Menken for their Pocahontas score, wrote both music and lyrics for the story of Moses, the Biblical leader who guided the Jews out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land.
Michelle Pfeiffer and Sandra Bullock have been signed to provide voices for the animated musical The Prince of Egypt with Ralph Fiennes and Val Kilmer expected to join the cast of the Schwartz piece as well. These tastes come out in what I write, even if the structure is more traditionally theatrical because I'm older I'm not gonna write as if I'm 23 or even 33." Though the cabaret gigs and CD are consuming Schwartz's time, Schwartz's most high-profile work is being done for Disney movies, such as The Hunchback Of Notre Dame. For pleasure, however, I listen to Mary Chapin Carpenter or Ani DiFranco. I'm not that into show music anymore, though I'm a big fan of Ragtime, which I think is marvelous. "I didn't get into late 50s rock, but with the advent of the Motown sound and folk-rock and the Beatles, Mamas and Papas, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro - all those people - I think my taste underwent a shift in college that, frankly, remains to this day. Though he grew up playing classical music and listening to Broadway show tunes, Schwartz was also strongly influenced by folk music, because his parents liked it a lot. Percussion and synth will also be at the concert." The CD's guitarist (Jay Condiotti) will be playing at the gig, as is my friend Ann Marie to sing back-up. Mostly what I'm doing are new songs from the CD. "I had my first rehearsal with my band yesterday. "I've done concerts before, usually as part of something where people were doing other stuff as well, so I'm a bit nervous," Schwartz told Playbill On Line, April 25. It played at Virginia Stage Company through Nov.
His most recent stage project was Snapshots, conceived by Michael Scheman and David Stern, with a book by Stern. Schwartz also wrote lyrics for the animated Disney films The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas the latter won him an Oscar. The recording goes on sale in stores June 15 but will be available at the concert or through Midder Music at (212) 665-0699 / e-mail: The occasion is the release of the songwriter's first solo CD, Reluctant Pilgrim, on Midder Music Records. For tickets to the Rainbow event ($20 cover, $15 minimum) and information call (212) 632-5000. He'll also bring the show to the Tilles Center on Long Island, N.Y., May 16. Stephen Schwartz, composer of Godspell and Pippin fame, performed several of his old and new songs in a cabaret gig at NY's Rainbow & Stars, April 27.
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