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Westminster College Celebrity Series to Present “Stephen Schwartz and Friends”

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Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Westminster College’s Celebrity Series will present “Defying Gravity: Stephen Schwartz and Friends” Thursday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Orr Auditorium. The show is sponsored by Huntington Bank.

Schwartz, the celebrated Oscar- and Grammy-winning Broadway composer of Wicked, Godspell and Pippin, will be joined on stage by Broadway vocalists Debbie Gravitte, a Tony winner, and rising star Scott Coulter. Featuring songs from the animated films Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Prince of Egypt as well as Schwartz’ musicals, the trio will create an unforgettable evening of musical theatre.

Schwartz studied piano and composition at the Juilliard School of Music while in high school and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a bachelor of fine art degree in drama. Music and new lyrics for Godspell were followed by Pippin and The Magic Show. At one point, all three shows were running on Broadway simultaneously.

He collaborated with composer Alan Menken on Pocahontas, which earned him two Oscars and a Grammy; The Hunchback of Notre Dame; and most recently, Enchanted. He provided songs for The Prince of Egypt, winning an Academy Award for “When You Believe.”

His most recent musical, Wicked, opened in 2003 and is currently running on Broadway as well as in national and international productions. When the musical reached its 1,900th performance on Broadway, Schwartz became the only songwriter in Broadway history to have three shows run in more than 1,900 performances.

Gravitte won a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, a Drama Desk Award nomination and the New York Showstopper Award for her performance in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. She has taken her nightclub act worldwide, including performances in Atlantic City where she shared the stage with Jay Leno, Harry Anderson and the legendary George Burns.

Coulter, one of New York’s most honored vocalists, has earned five MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs) Awards, five Bistro Awards and two Nightlife Awards. He regularly performs in concert both as a solo artist and with a variety of performers including Tony winner Ben Vereen and Grammy winner Sheena Easton. His symphony concerts include San Francisco, Baltimore, Seattle, Phoenix, Winnipeg, St. Louis and Calgary.

Ticket prices start at $35, with special pricing for school- and college-age students.

Contact Georgene Gib, box office manager, at 724-946-7354, email gibg@westminster.edu or visit www.westminster.edu/celebrity for additional information or to purchase tickets.