Stephen Schwartz (born March 6, 1948, New York City) is an American composer and lyricist whose work has shaped musical theatre for over five decades. He wrote the music and lyrics for Godspell (1971), Pippin (1972), and Wicked (2003), and collaborated with Alan Menken on the Disney films Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted. His awards include three Academy Awards, four Grammys, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; he is also a member of both the Theatre Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Schwartz personally presented the 2026 Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award to Shawn Hann of Denver School of the Arts at the Educational Theatre Association Conference in New York.
Schwartz publicly stated he would not participate in a planned Washington National Opera event at the Kennedy Center in May 2026, citing the changed leadership of the institution.
Schwartz was announced as a keynote speaker for the ASCAP Experience 2026 summit, held in February 2026 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
Wicked: For Good, the second film based on Schwartz's stage musical, opened to $226 million globally - the biggest opening weekend ever for a Broadway adaptation.
The first Wicked film adaptation, featuring Schwartz's music, opened to $114 million domestically - the biggest opening weekend ever for a Broadway musical adaptation at the time.
