Special Episode: Stephen Schwartz

He’s the Academy, Grammy and Tony-winning lyricist and composer of Wicked, the musical that has been the soundtrack to our lives in London for almost 20 years, as the West End production steps into its 20th anniversary year this September. To celebrate two decades of performances at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, it’s time to head back to 2006 and explore how London helped shape Wicked into one of the biggest theatrical hits of all time. Speaking direct from his home, the genius himself explains how introducing the untold story of the Witches of Oz to a new, non-American audience was a “nervous” challenge for its leading creatives, who all reunited for the first time since opening on Broadway. He reveals how they implemented changes to the show that began in London, why they felt it was important to workshop those changes with a British cast, and why the epic scale of Wicked in London is all thanks to the beauty of the Apollo Victoria Theatre. He celebrates some of the remarkable women who have starred in the show in London – and in the recent two-part movie! – and recalls what it was like reuniting with his Tony-winning colleague and friend Idina Menzel as she returned to the show for its London opening in 2006, describing her as an “absolute powerhouse voice and persona” when remembering her time leading the show. He also shares his memories of hearing her sing his anthem “Defying Gravity” live night after night, the audience response to the song at its first preview in the West End, and why hearing it remains “exhilarating” for its musical creator, from that first night in 2006 all the way to today. Plus, he opens up about the growing cultural and political relevance of the musical, the secret sauce of director Joe Mantello, and why everything in Wicked ultimately comes back to the power of great vulnerability and authenticity – both in its leading characters and in the remarkable women who have played them over the last 20 years. Twenty years of Wicked in London? Even he can’t quite believe it! Host: William J Connolly Produced by: William J Connolly/Darren Bell wickedthemusical.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices