“Normally, for a musical, the first step with my collaborators is to figure out the story and the outline and really be clear about the structure. But then, by that point, ideas for musical numbers will have emerged and I can pretty well start on musical numbers.”

American musical theatre composer and lyricist

Stephen Schwartz is an American musical theatre composer and lyricist whose career has spanned more than five decades. He is known for writing stage musicals such as Godspell, Pippin, and Wicked. Schwartz has also written lyrics for films, including Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Prince of Egypt, Enchanted, Disenchanted, and the two-part adaptation of Wicked. His work moves between stage and screen, with songs and shows that have reached broad audiences over many years.