Stephen Schwartz- Page 2

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 12:54pm

gabybon - No need to apologize. Most Americans are not even fluent in one language.

I love how people constantly like to misquote the "confess-a" lyric as a jab at Schwartz's lyrics. Sorry, but you haven't proved anything other than you're not listening to the lyrics at all.

[broadwayalto01]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 1:05pm

Amen Mister Matt

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 1:06pm

"Uh, Nessa I have something to confess
A reason why, well, why I asked you here tonight"

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 1:11pm

I think Wicked is a lot better than Avenue Q as far as music goes; and I think like David Yazbek, Schwartz was royally screwed.

Avenue Q is fun at first. But then it become annoying, irritating, and makes me want to inflict pain upon myself. If I take a break from it, and return, it isn't so bad. It is much much much better live.

I know that it's the point, but Avenue Q is too much like Sesame Street to be considered Tony-worthy, in my opinion. But obvioulsy Schwartz can gloat that he wrote the show that sells-out 1809 seats almost 8 times a week.

Updated On: 5/25/05 at 01:11 PM

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 1:17pm

Please, do we have to turn this into an AVENUE Q vs. WICKED thread? It's not the first time Schwartz has lost the Tony (although the first time he's been such a public sore loser about it). Frankly, I think his score was the weakest of the nominees, which also included CAROLINE OR CHANGE and TABOO.

Reading through these posts, it's clear that the arguments against AVENUE Q's win are weak and motivated solely by an anger that WICKED lost. AVENUE Q shouldn't have won because its music is too much like Sesame Street? That's like saying HAIRSPRAY shouldn't have won Best Score because its music is a pastiche of 1960s rock and roll. Ridiculous argument.

At least Marx and Lopez can write a proper rhyme. The day a rhyme like "Nessa-confessa" wins a Tony for Best Score is the day the award becomes moot.

Updated On: 5/25/05 at 01:17 PM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 1:19pm

Someone else brought up Avenue Q.

All I'm saying, his scores aren't that bad.

[Practically Perfect]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 2:07pm

It was me who brought up Avenue Q - not trying to bring up the whole Avenue Q v. Wicked thing (again), but I was just saying that I personally think he was robbed last year, as I feel his music is excellent, and deserves to be rewarded with such an award. I've really enjoyed all of his music that I've heard particularly the Disney stuff for Pocahontas with Alan Menken. Children of Eden and Pippin are great.

Mary P x

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 2:41pm

Other writers have had three shows running at once (Simon, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Webber, Wildhorn), some have even had four at once. Schwartz was merely to youngest to do it.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 2:50pm

Still nothing to sneeze at, Margo

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 2:53pm

Thank you for the clarification Margo..
I guess the 1974 Pippin Playbill I was quoting from was wrong.

I was only referring to composers here, so that leaves Simon and Hammerstein out as they are both book writers last time I checked. Webber and Wildhorn came after Schwartz. Richard Rodgers did seem to accomplish this due to my reasearch however.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 2:55pm

I love Avenue Q and I love Wicked. But The Baker's Wife is my favorite Schwartz score, and my favorite Schwartz work is Leonard Bernstein's Mass

[Practically Perfect]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 3:25pm

And of course The Baker's Wife, I love that too. Stephen's great.

Mary P x

[DivaMommy]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 3:39pm

In response to the post that calls Mr. Schwartz arrogant and that some collaborator of his would never work with him - I say - welcome to the theatre world!

I have had the privelage of meeting Mr. Schwartz and I found him to be kind, warm and very much a supporter of the theatre and someone who loves what he does. He was also very confident and obviosly proud of his work - especially excited about the new little show he was working on that was the Wizard of Oz told from the witches point of view called Wicked.

So - perhaps someone found him to be arrogant. Most everyone in this busines have EGO's and if they are rubbed the wrong way or have competing EGO's - someone is arrogant or not particularly nice to work with. The more I get involved in theatre even on a small scale community level - the more I realize this is just what happens in this business. "I'll never work with her again!" BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

I like Ave Q. I really like Wicked. SO WHAT! I don't think it's luck that Mr. Schwartz has not only created a very successful Broadway production, but has also created a musical that appeals to the masses. Of course, it's popular appeal will alienate it from many "Broadway Purists", but he has done the musical theatre world a great service by putting out a show that people who don't normally follow the theatre buy the soundtrack to and count the days until the tour reaches their city. I belong to a few Disney related Message boards and everyone there knows Wicked and has the CD and is buying tickets for the tour. I once brought up Ave Q and they were all stumped.

Whether or not you likes Schwartz's work - to each his own. We all have our opinions. But to call him plain "Lucky" or to diminish him as a composer despite what he has done for the Musical Theatre in general - shame on you.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 5/25/05 at 4:23pm

And, DivaMommy, I recognize your signature line from Children of Eden. A beautiful (and true) song!

[alterego]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 1:41am

I once read (somewhere) that Stephen Schwartz' biggest musical influence was Carol King. Listen to Godspell, Pippin and the Magic Show (even some of Wicked)and you can hear the similarities. That's not criticism just an observation.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 6:58am

His shows bore me to death - they're too schmaltzy and trite - the lyrics are just so lame. and the tunes...oy...Give me Stephen Sondheim's work anyday over Schwartz, Wildhorn and the like....

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 6:21pm

i personally love his shows. i grew an even greater respect for them after he came in and spoke to my school. he was very interesting and really nice to everybody as well.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 7:25pm

The point of the prior post concerning the lyrics is to prove that he actually rhymed Nessa with 'a'. One needs not 'listen' to the lyrics BUT recognize what he is rhyming the words with.

"Uh, Nessa I have something to confess
A reason why, well, why I asked you here tonight"

Yeah, I'm not a fan of him AT ALL! Its all the hype of his songs I don't get. His lyrics are so simplistic (defying gravity). I need not compare it to something such as "children will listen". The quality of lyrics aren't there.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/28/05 at 10:52am

"Did we mention we won the Tony?"

I just love it how Q is on the defensive...

[idinamenzelfan500109]

Posted: 5/28/05 at 11:25am

excuse me, wicked is the best musical ever
i WORSHIP it
i even have my own Wicked shrine

[idinamenzelfan500109]

Posted: 5/28/05 at 11:34am

(stephen shwartz is like a god to me as well as Idina)

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 5/28/05 at 12:19pm

"Did we mention we won the Tony?"
I just love it how Q is on the defensive...

I wouldn't say it's defensive as it is snide. It's a rather arrogant promo campaign that doesn't suit AVENUE Q.

excuse me, wicked is the best musical ever
i WORSHIP it
i even have my own Wicked shrine

Now THAT is scary.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/28/05 at 12:26pm

BlueWizard, I agree - of course its snide, and a bit arrogant. But I don't think that Q would have had to launch an ad campaign like that if Wicked wasn't so successful. So, in that way it sort of is on the defensive. Saying that, it is an incredibly funny show - I can't wait to see it.