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It was a packed weekend leading up to Sunday’s Golden Globes ceremony, and among the events kicking off Saturday morning was A Celebration with Stephen Schwartz.
Schwartz, who has spent the last two decades with “Wicked,” as the show’s composer and lyricist, was in town to treat a select crowd of about 70 people — which included Jimmy Jam, Siedah Garrett and “Wicked” producer Marc Platt — to a greatest hits concert at Steinway Piano in Beverly Hills.
The performance featured renditions of his two Oscar-shortlisted original songs, “The Girl in the Bubble” performed by Ariana Grande, and “No Place Like Home” performed by Cynthia Erivo. Emceeing the event was “Wicked: For Good” director Jon M. Chu.
He kicked off with a rendition of “Colors of the Wind” from Disney’s “Pocahontas” before performing “When You Believe,” the Oscar winning original song performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.
Chu came on stage to discuss the songwriting process behind “No Place Like Home,” a song that Elphaba sings early in the movie. It comes as the animals of Oz are leaving and going underground due to the Wizard’s growing power. Elphaba also has to come to terms with the sacrifice she is making by leaving Oz forever.
While Schwartz explained the song’s themes — addressing belonging and the meaning of home — he noted how it seemed to reflect the current political divisions in today’s America.
Schwartz told Chu, “Elphaba makes this enormous sacrifice, and she has to leave Oz forever. She has to be thought of forever as the villain who was conquered, who was ousted. In order to save Oz itself, she has to essentially sacrifice herself.”
The creative liberty of making two movies was being able to explore the true cost of sacrifice – something they could only imply in the Broadway show. “We thought it was important that there be a moment where we see how much she loves her home, how much she loves Oz, even though it hasn’t been a particularly kind or welcoming place to her.” Discussions with the creative team led to the idea of showing how oppressed the animals were. Schwartz explained, “Many of them are feeling they have to escape. Elphaba tries to persuade them not to, and stay and fight for their home. And one of them says to her, ‘Why are you doing this? Nobody here is going to be happy until you’re dead. Why do you want to stay?’”
This moment forces Elphaba to reckon with her decision, ultimately choosing to stay and fight for her homeland.
The song was written a few years ago, but even then, political division could be felt. “Are we going to be turned against one another, so that there’s always this huge divide, and Americans are hating their fellow Americans because of their ideologies, what is our responsibility to that?” He went on to say, “It’s a lot safer to just keep your head down, go about your life. Don’t do anything, don’t say anything. Maybe it’s the smarter choice, but for Elphaba, that’s not a choice she can make.”
In writing the lyrics, he noted “No Place Like Home” was the obvious title, it was important for him to capture the philosophical idea of the responsibility in saving your home. It also reflected Elphaba’s struggle as she tries to understand why she even cares at all when she’s hated.
Schwartz further revealed that Marc Platt, who produced both films and the Broadway musical shared that Oz was not just a place, “It’s an idea. It’s a promise. And that found its way into the song. I feel that’s what America is too. America is not just a place, it is an idea.”
The composer went on to discussing the process behind “The Girl in a Bubble,” which he described as a metaphor for Grande’s character. Schwartz called it the moment where “Glinda gets real.” He went on to say, “She drops all the artifice that she has carried as a character, both as the popular girl, and then also as Glinda the Good who floats around in this bubble and sings to people in soprano.”
In the film, Glinda sees her reflection in mirrors and bubbles. Schwartz explained, “When you’re watching it, you keep getting fooled. You think you’re looking at Glinda, and then you realize you’re just seeing a reflection of Glinda.”
As the performance came to a close, Chu knocked on the Steinway piano, and said, “This machine kills facists,” which led to huge applause.
Watch the performance below.
English (US) ·