Princess Cruises has announced a partnership with three-time Oscar winner and composer of "Wicked," "Pippin" and "Godspell" Stephen Schwartz on four new musicals to debut across the Princess fleet over the next several years.
Schwartz's first musical for Princess, called "Magic to Do," will combine thrilling magic with some of Schwartz’s most famous songs and a brand new song written exclusively for Princess. The show will debut aboard Crown Princess in the fall.
Schwartz will oversee the creative development for all four shows, bringing together a cadre of Broadway talent to support the productions through direction and design. The "Magic to Do" team includes: Don Frantz, associate producer of "The Lion King" and "Beauty and the Beast on Broadway", among others; Gabriel Barre, whose credits include the national tour of "Pippin" and the current Broadway-bound musical, "Amazing Grace"; Jeremy Railton, a four-time Emmy winner whose background includes the 2002 Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies and the Academy Awards; Ken Billington, a Tony award-winning lighting designer with nearly 100 Broadway show credits to his name, including "Sweeney Todd" and the current production of "Chicago"; Mark Hartman, a music director with numerous Broadway credits, including "Sondheim on Sondheim," "Avenue Q" and the national tour of "Pippin"; and Jennifer Paulson-Lee, a choreographer with credits including "Enter Laughing, the Musical," "A Rockin’ Midsummer Night’s Dream," "101 Dalmatians" and "Seussical."
In addition, Jim Steinmeyer will create the magic experience in "Magic to Do." Steinmeyer has worked with notable magicians, including Doug Henning, Siegfried & Roy and David Copperfield.
Theater Producer Jayson Raitt will be working closely with Schwartz and consulting on the creative development of the three additional shows.
During his 40-year career, Schwartz has won four Grammys, three Academy Awards for “Best Song” and “Best Score” for Pocahontas and “Best Song” for The Prince of Egypt, and has been nominated for six Tony Awards. He is the only songwriter in Broadway history to ever have three shows run more than 1,900 performances.