WICKED Fans Should Watch This Other Fairy Tale Musical From Stephen Schwartz

The 2024 release of the Wicked movie has brought a legion of both seasoned and new viewers back to the world of Oz. Thanks largely to Stephen Schwartz's memorable songs, the first part of the two-film adaptation has become one of the most successful movie musicals in recent years, and continues to be a hit on Peacock. As fans count down the days until Wicked: For Good, now is a perfect opportunity to revisit an entirely different fairy tale musical, with more than a few things in common with Wicked.

Though casual musical enthusiasts may not be familiar with Schwartz's entire body of work, they have likely crossed paths with his other projects in addition to Wicked. Godspell and Pippin are obvious stage examples (both of which have also been filmed for the screen), but some of his most widely known work has been produced for Disney. The songwriter collaborated with Alan Menken on Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, both well-known (if not underrated) entries in the Disney animated canon. 

However, for all of his popular work, the composer and lyricist does have a few deep cuts, among them the 2000 television musical Geppetto and its later stage adaptation. With Wicked reimagining The Wizard of Oz from the point of view of Elphaba and Glinda, Geppetto takes on the character of Pinocchio's father of the same name, offering viewers a chance to learn his story while Pinocchio is off navigating the harsh world of show business and the sinister Pleasure Island after becoming a real boy.

The tale of Geppetto's journey to the screen starts in the late 1990s. During this time, Disney aimed to reclaim the television success that the studio was known for in its earlier days. In 1996, they purchased the ABC channel and rebooted the popular anthology series The Wonderful World of Disney. With an approach that did indeed harken back to the Walt-era years, the network quickly made an impact by producing major television musicals like Annie and Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Led by Brandy, Cinderella had an all-star cast, including Broadway luminaries such as Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, Victor Garber, and more. Both projects proved to be a success, cementing the studios' pursuit of more musicals on TV.

Around the same time, composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz separately had the inklings for an idea that would explore the character of Geppetto from Pinocchio. Schwartz, along with writer David I. Stern, was brainstorming ways to bring this idea to fruition, whether that be on stage or in an animated form. It wasn't until the pair spoke to executive producer Michael Karz that a live-action TV musical for Disney seemed the natural way forward.

The musical features an entirely new score by Schwartz, save for "I've Got No Strings," which was first heard in the 1940 Disney classic. Allegedly, the songwriter first intended the songs to serve as a reunion vehicle for Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, but the plan was dropped following Andrews' vocal damage in 1997. Instead, the production went in an entirely different casting direction. Capitalizing on their respective successes with The Drew Carey Show and Seinfeld, comedians Drew Carey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus were cast in the roles of Geppetto and the Blue Fairy. 

Attached as director was Tom Moore, who had recently directed the Broadway production of Moon Over Buffalo starring Carol Burnett. He had previously received two Tony nominations, one of which was for Marsha Norman's Pulitzer Prize-winning play 'night, Mother. Jerry Mitchell served as Geppetto's choreographer, having since achieved massive success on Broadway, going on to win Tony Awards for La Cage aux Folles and Kinky Boots. Other Broadway alums rounded out Geppetto's cast, such as Brent Spiner as the villainous Stromboli and René Auberjonois as a new character named Professor Buonragazzo. Future Broadway favorites Ana Gasteyer and Wayne Brady also appear, as does a young Usher, performing the new song "Pleasure Island."

Standout songs include two early numbers, "Toys" and "Empty Heart," both of which highlight Geppetto's desire to have a child. "Just Because It's Magic" offers Carey and Dreyfus a chance to show off their dancing skills, and the movie comes to an emotional finale with the ballad, "Since I Gave My Heart Away." A pop version of the latter song was also performed by country singer Sonya Isaacs over the end credits, arguably making it the only song that has had anything close to a life outside of the context of the musical.

After its premiere on ABC in 2000, the movie was released on home video, but remained mostly forgotten until 2006, when Schwartz reunited with Stern to bring the story to the stage. By this time, the musician had seen massive success with Wicked on Broadway, his first major work in more than ten years. Observant viewers can see the thematic link between Geppetto and Wicked, with their reframing of familiar stories and exploring the complexity of parent and child relationships. Schwartz himself confirmed this connection in an issue of The Schwartz Scene newsletter.

The stage version of Geppetto, developed for young audiences with The Coterie Theatre in Kansas City, included all of the songs from the 2000 film, along with new numbers, including the Disney staple "When You Wish Upon a Star." Officially titled Disney's My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto's Musical Tale, the musical never made its way to Broadway or the West End, but can be licensed for performance from Musical Theatre International alongside a Jr. version.

In the years since its premiere on television, Geppetto has remained a relatively hidden title in both Disney's and Stephen Schwartz's musical catalogs. This could be because neither the movie nor its soundtrack is widely available. After all, it isn't available to stream on Disney+ or elsewhere. However, with its similarity to Wicked in concept, along with its set of original Stephen Schwartz songs, Geppetto proves a fascinating entry in the vast world of television musicals.

Photo Credit: Disney