Stephen Schwartz on Screen

Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz has had work on Broadway, film and television over the decades. Through his musicals and Disney lyrics, his work is known around the world. Here's a sampling of his work on the screen.

Godspell (1973)

The 1971 off-Broadway musical Godspell, based on the Gospel of St. Matthew. The show toured the world, made it to Broadway in 1976. The 1973 film version featured actors from the original and Canadian casts. Some songs were cut and abridged, but Schwartz added "Beautiful City" which has been added in subsequent stage versions. 

Pocahontas (1995)

Looking for a new lyricist, Alan Menken was suggested Schwartz, entering his first foray into Disney animation. He did research into Native American imagery as the studio tried to be culturally sensitive. Together Menken and Schwartz wrote "The Virginia Company", "Steady As The Beating Drum", "Just Around The Riverbend", "Mine, Mine, Mine", "Listen With Your Heart", "Colors of the Wind", "Savages," "If I Never Knew You". They won a Grammy, Golden Globe and at the Oscars won Best Original Music or Comedy Score and Best Original Song for Colors of the Wind. The end credits pop version sung by Vanessa Williams also became a Billboard hit.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Schwartz continued his collaboration with Menken on the next Disney film, this time helping the story team. Containing some of Disney's darkest lyrics and largest choir, they wrote the songs "The Bells of Notre Dame", "Out There", "Topsy Turvy", "God Help the Outcasts", "Heaven's Light/Hellfire", "A Guy Like You", "The Court of Miracles", and "Someday". Their work was nominated for the Best Original Musical or Comedy Score Oscar.  A darker take on the story was expanded and presented on stage in Germany in 1999 and New Jersey in 2014.

The Prince of Egypt (1998)

Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for the second DreamWorks Animation film. Telling the story of Moses, he wrote the songs "Deliver Us", "All I Ever Wanted", "Through Heaven's Eyes", "Playing with the Big Boys", "The Plagues", and "When You Believe". Songs were covered by pop artists while the Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey version of "When You Believe" became a successful single. The song went on to win Schwartz an Oscar for Best Original Song. It was later adapted and expanded for the London stage in 2020. 

Enchanted (2007)

Collaborating again with Alan Menken for this lovely and humorous homage/send-up of several Disney films. "True Love's Kiss", "Happy Working Song", "That's How You Know", "So Close", and "Ever Ever After".

Disenchanted (2022)

Menken and Schwartz reunited for the long awaited sequel. They built on the first film with more songs and more screen time for supporting actors like Idina Menzel. Together they wrote "Andalasia", "Even More Enchanted", "The Magic of Andalasia", "Fairytale Life", "Perfect", "Badder", and "Love Power" but didn't quite capture the magic of the original.

Wicked (2024)

The Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Schwartz opened in 2003 just celebrated its 20th anniversary on stage. Act 1 of the musical has stayed pretty much intact for the Part I of the film adaptation with all songs returning in their proper order. The songs include "No One Mourns the Wicked", "Dear Old Shiz", "The Wizard and I", "What Is This Feeling?", "Something Bad", "Dancing Through Life", "Popular", "I'm Not That Girl", "One Short Day", "A Sentimental Man", and "Defying Gravity". Eagle eyed viewers may catch a cameo by Schwartz in the film.

Wicked: Part II (2025)
To be continued.....

Speaking of cameos, in director Lin-Manuel Miranda's love letter to theater and mentors, Schwartz can be seen in the scene of Aspiring Composer and Lyricists in tick, tick...BOOM! (2021).

Schwartz's music and lyrics have been heard on TV for the TV musical movie Geppetto (2000) and the theme song to kid's puppet series Johnny and the Sprites (2005).

His work appeared as the title song in Butterflies are Free (1969), the songs "Time Out of Mind", "Tailspin" and "A Night on the Town" in Echoes (1982). He also provided lyrics to non-musicals with Alan Menken for "Cold Enough to Snow" from Life with Mikey (1993) and "Winter Light" from Noel (2004).