Stephen Schwartz News

Dazzling acrobatics, insightful direction, shrewd performances, and rich new orchestrations make this creaky 1970s pop musical a timely and timeless exploration of personal fulfillment and existential angst

The Straz Center welcomes the national tour of the iconic Broadway hit WICKED, for a two week-long stay next winter. The show is slated to play from tonight, January 9th, 2013 through the 27th.

Rachel Potter recently released her debut country EP, 'Live the Dream,' and the music video for the title song has finally been released! Featuring the talents of such Broadway veterans as Ricky Martin, Michael Cerveris, Max von Essen, Constantine Maroulis, and Orfeh, the video was directed by Patryk Larney and you can check it out below!

On December 14, 2012, tragedy struck Sandy Hook Elementary School and our nation mourned with the residents of Newtown, Connecticut. As the town slowly attempts to recover, Broadway stars, producers, writers, and directors will lend their voices in support. 'From Broadway with Love: A Benefit Concert For Sandy Hook' will take place on January 28, 2013 at 7:00 pm at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT, 20 minutes from Newtown.

An exclusive ticket pre-sale through Audience Rewards began today at 10 a.m. for the American Repertory Theater's 40th Anniversary production of Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz's PIPPIN, directed by Diane Paulus, produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Howard & Janet Kagan. During this pre-sale period, tickets can be purchased at www.AudienceRewards.com. Single tickets go on sale Monday, January 14. PIPPIN will begin preview performances on Broadway Saturday, March 23, 2013 and officially open Thursday, April 25, 2013 at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). PIPPIN is currently playing through January 20, 2013 at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA, where Diane Paulus serves as Artistic Director. The beloved coming-of-age musical PIPPIN, with a book by Roger O. Hirson, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, is directed by Diane Paulus with circus creation by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers) and choreography by Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse. Set design for the A.R.T. production of PIPPIN is by Tony Award-winning designer Scott Pask, costume design by Dominique Lemieux, lighting design by Tony Award-winning designer Kenneth Posner, and sound design by Tony winner and A.R.T. Resident Sound Designer Clive Goodwin. Orchestration is by Larry Hochman (Tony winner for The Book of Mormon), Music Supervision by Nadia Di Giallonardo, and the Music Director is Charlie Alterman. Royal heir Pippin is spurred on by a mysterious group of performers to embark on a death-defying journey to find his "corner of the sky." The original production of PIPPIN, directed by Bob Fosse, premiered on Broadway in 1972. It won five Tony Awards and five Drama Desk Awards, and ran for close to 2000 performances before closing in 1977. PIPPIN is noted for many Broadway standards including "Corner of the Sky," "Magic To Do," "l Guess I'll Miss The Man," "Glory," "No Time at All," "Morning Glow," and "Love Song."

Oscar and Tony Award-winning composer Alan Menken, director Jeff Calhoun and producer Thomas Schumacher will join Kara Lindsay, Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Mike Faist, stars of the Tony award-winning Broadway musical, Newsies, for a special presentation to 4,000 students and teachers representing 82 groups from 23 states at the 2013 Junior Theater Festival, it was announced today by Theater of the Stars President Nick Manos and Timothy Allen McDonald, founding Chairman of iTheatrics. The Junior Theater Festival is being held January 18, 19 and 20 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.

The Brigham Young University Young Ambassadors are coming to Nampa, Idaho for a stellar performance: 'HARMONY-THE MUSIC OF LIFE'. This polished and rousing musical production blends the best of Broadway with favorite radio hits for every generation and will be performed by the Young Ambassadors at the Nampa Civic Center on Friday, February 22, 2013; two productions at 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm

Just days after producers Barry & Fran Weissler and Howard & Janet Kagan announced that American Repertory Theater's 40th Anniversary production of Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz's PIPPIN, directed by Diane Paulus, is headed to Broadway in Spring of 2013, the musical has created official pages on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

New BroadwayWorld.com Poll - Which 1970's musical should be revived on Broadway next?

Lincoln Amphitheatre ‘s 2013 lineup includes the second season of A. Lincoln: A Pioneer Tale along with other theatrical productions, concerts, and a Halloween event.

As BroadwayWorld reported last night, producers Barry & Fran Weissler and Howard & Janet Kagan will present the American Repertory Theater's 40th Anniversary production of Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz's Pippin, directed by Diane Paulus, on Broadway in the Spring of 2013. PIPPIN will begin preview performances on Broadway on Saturday, March 23, 2013 and officially open on Thursday, April 25, 2013 at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street).

Producers Barry & Fran Weissler and Howard & Janet Kagan present the American Repertory Theater's 40th Anniversary production of Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz's PIPPIN, directed by Diane Paulus, on Broadway in the Spring of 2013.

Mika just released his new single 'Popular Song' which features Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande. The track samples the song 'Popular' from the musical WICKED. It's an inspiring and invigorating pop anthem that encourages the bullied and unpopular to rise above. Check out the single below!

The blockbuster musical WICKED has achieved an unprecedented Broadway milestone as it enters its 10th Anniversary year, becoming the first Broadway musical ever to remain the highest grossing production for a record-breaking nine consecutive years. Since opening in 2004, its first full year at the Gershwin Theatre, WICKED has remained at the top of the Broadway grosses.

On Monday, January 14th at 9:30 three Wicked alumni will present Glitter and Be Green, an intimate cabaret at the Laurie Beechman Theater. The evening, starring Stefanie Brown, Lesley McKinnell, and Stephanie Torns, will feature plenty of trios, medleys and mash-ups, including many Stephen Schwartz tunes, musical theater classics, Disney favorites, and fun pop tunes.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) opens its production of Pippin tonight, January 3, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Roger O. Hirson, directed by A.R.T. Artistic Director Diane Paulus. The show runs through January 20, 2013.

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose...you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy is a new, 90-minute documentary by Michael Kantor, creator of the Emmy-winning series, Broadway: The American Musical. The special just aired on Great Performances yesterday, January 1 on PBS. Click below to watch!

After locking up its strongest year-on-year growth among the key demographics in 10+ years in 2012, the curtain opened on Lifetime's New Year in true fashion last night when the 90-minute season three premiere of its hit docusoap Dance Moms, starring Abby Lee Miller, hit a series best 2.8 million Total Viewers, a +33% jump versus the program's Summer 2012 season premiere in June. In the first of 26 episodes this season, Dance Moms also averaged 1.4 million Adults 18-49 viewers (+27%), 1.3 million Adults 25-54 viewers (+45%), 1.1 million Women 18-49 viewers (+26%) and 999,000 Women 25-54 viewers (+41%), with a 1.9 Household rating (+19%), according to Nielsen Research.

Entering its 10th Anniversary year, the hit Broadway musical Wicked has set a new Broadway record for the highest one-week gross with a box office take of $2,947,172, for the week ending December 30, 2012. The blockbuster musical has been Broadway's #1 show for an unprecedented nine consecutive years, annually out-grossing all other productions since 2004, its first full year on Broadway.

Broadway favorite Lin-Manuel Miranda is currently being represented on Broadway with Bring It On- for which he is the co-composer and lyricist. In this second part of a two part interview, Richard chats with Miranda about working on Encores! MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, creating his newest project THE HAMILTON MIXTAPE, and so much more. Click below to watch PART 2!