Review: Defying Gravity - An Evening with Stephen Schwartz Flies to the Irvine Barclay

It's a very rare treat—particularly all the way here in Orange County, California—to hear Broadway songs and the stories behind them performed directly by the legendary composer himself, even for just a one-night-only event. But that is exactly the gift bestowed upon a rapt audience recently when the Irvine Barclay Theatre presented DEFYING GRAVITY: AN EVENING WITH Stephen Schwartz & FRIENDS to a sold-out crowd on the evening of May 23, 2026.

Produced by Spot-On Entertainment, the concert showcased Schwartz's hits from the stage to the screen, which, of course, included tunes from his global hit stage musical WICKED, which recently became a two-part cinematic hit. Along with pianist John Boswell (who alternated with Schwartz behind the piano), Schwartz was also joined on stage by a talented foursome that included Erik Altemus, Kelli Rabke, Nita Whitaker, and Scott Coulter.

Arguably, few contemporary musical theater composers have left as indelible a mark on the art form as Schwartz, a notably prolific songwriter whose gift for melding soaring melodies with deeply human storytelling has captivated audiences for more than five decades. A three-time Academy Award winner as well as a multiple Grammy Award recipient and Tony Award nominee (he received an honorary Tony Award in 2015), Schwartz first burst onto the theatrical scene with his groundbreaking musical GODSPELL in 1971, a show with which he quickly established himself as a singular creative voice capable of blending contemporary musical sensibilities with timeless emotional resonance. 

His subsequent musicals—which include the hit PIPPIN (1972), THE MAGIC SHOW (1974), THE BAKER'S WIFE (1976), CHILDREN OF EDEN (1991), and the global phenomenon WICKED (2003)—have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to craft songs that are at once relatable and accessible, emotionally rich, and dramatically potent. His most recent Broadway musical was last year's THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES starring the original Galinda from WICKED, Kristin Chenoweth.

Beyond the Broadway stage, Schwartz's signature style has also enjoyed remarkable success in film, contributing unforgettable songs to animated classics such as Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Prince of Egypt as well as the live action musical Enchanted and its sequel. His work consistently reflects a fascination with themes of identity, faith, ambition, and personal transformation, lending his musicals an enduring relevance that continues to resonate across generations. Adored by performers, directors, and audiences alike, Schwartz remains one of the most influential composers and lyricists in modern musical theater, a visionary artist whose body of work has helped define the contemporary American musical.

For his first-ever appearance on the Irvine Barclay Stage (which, by sheer coincidence, this writer also performed on just the night before), Schwartz came with stories and personal anecdotes about his work, along with an arsenal of talented vocalists who brought that work to life.

The concert, appropriately enough, opened with "Magic to Do" the welcoming opening number from PIPPIN where Schwartz was joined by the entire cast. The foursome would intermittently return for individual songs and duets for the rest of the concert, all equipped with Broadway-honed voices that shot up to stratosphere. 

But the main attraction here, natch, is Schwartz himself who, at times, sang from behind the piano, other times standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his fellow performers. Some of the show's best moments involved Schwartz divulging some insider, behind-the-scenes anecdotes that many fans may not have known. One particular interesting revelation was an early out-of-town song from WICKED called "Making Good," which Schwartz performed live.

According to the composer, his own son Scott didn't like the tune—which turned out to be good advice since the song was later refined and replaced by the much more highly regarded "The Wizard and I," which has since become one of musical theater's most beloved "I Want" songs.

Other first act highlights include Altemus' version of "Extraordinary" from PIPPIN (he played Lewis in the show's 2013 Revival—which I actually saw him in at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway!), Coulter's impressive mashup of "Just Around the River Bend" (from Pocahontas) and "Corner of the Sky" (from PIPPIN), and Rabke's belt-tastic "Stranger to the Rain" (from CHILDREN OF EDEN, in which she played Yonah). But, more than anything, I was definitely in awe of Whitaker's take on "Meadowlark" (from THE BAKER'S WIFE) which, honestly, was the best rendition of the song I have ever heard sung live. 

The cast ended the first act with, yes, "Defying Gravity" from WICKED complete with expected soaring vocals—but, alas, no one, not even Mr. Schwartz, was levitated up high with wires.

The second act featured themed medleys that involved Hope—"Morning Glow" from PIPPIN and "Beautiful City" from GODSPELL, and Love—"As Long As You're Mine" from WICKED and "In Whatever Time We Have" from CHILDREN OF EDEN, the latter of which has apparently become a popular wedding song despite its context in the show. 

Mixed in between were Coulter's superb take on "Out There" (from Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and Boswell's cheery "No Time At All" (from PIPPIN). Schwartz, back behind the piano, then offered a moving solo piece "Forgiveness' Embrace" to address where our world is today. Rabke then followed—curiously—with a lovely "Caviar Dreams" from Schwartz's most recent show THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES.

The concert began to wind down with some uplifting, stirring vocals courtesy of Whitaker in "Colors of the Wind" (from Pocahontas) who was then joined by Coulter and others with a rousing "When You Believe" (from The Prince of Egypt). So gorgeous. 

To end the show, Schwartz offered a tender solo of "For Good" from WICKED, followed by the entire cast singing shortened selections from GODSPELL to close out the show: "Prepare Ye" (featuring Altemus' leads), "Bless the Lord" (featuring Rabke), and finally "Day by Day" (featuring Whitaker). 

While the show felt somewhat abbreviated—to be honest, I have not seen other iterations of this presented concert so am not sure if this Irvine show was shorter than it normally should be—overall, the concert was a satisfying snippet into the mind of one of our living legends in the world of modern musical theater. Judging from the amount of WICKED merch adorning many of the patrons in attendance (including haha myself), it is clear what kind of impact Schwartz has already given to our world. Here's hoping for more encores in our neck of the woods soon.

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Tickets to upcoming future performances at the Irvine Barclay Theatre can be purchased online at www.theBarclay.org, by phone at 949-854-4646 or in person at the box office located at 4242 Campus Drive in Irvine, on the campus of UC Irvine.