Princess Cruises and Wicked Composer Stephen Schwartz Announce Partnership

Princess Cruises has announced a first-of-its-kind cruise industry partnership with three-time Oscar-winner and composer of Wicked, Pippin and Godspell Stephen Schwartz. The new relationship with such a major creative talent from Broadway and Hollywood includes a multi-year agreement to oversee the creative development of four new musicals to debut across the fleet over the next several years.

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.

His first musical for Princess Cruises will celebrate Schwartz’s lifelong fascination with magic. Called, Magic to Do, the show 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.

“Stephen is hands down one of the most talented and accomplished Broadway composers of all time and we couldn’t be more honored to partner with him to create memorable entertainment experiences for our guests,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “Princess is known for introducing product innovations and we’re thrilled to embark on this extraordinary new live-show entertainment, unlike anything any cruise line has ever before offered.”

“I’m excited about the possibility of using the enormous resources available with Princess to create new and innovative theatrical entertainment,” said Schwartz. “Their onboard theatres are Broadway-caliber venues with state-of-the-art technical capability, and coupled with their access to first-rate performers, I see it as an extraordinary and almost irresistible opportunity. I have already received overwhelming and enthusiastic interest from talented colleagues – writers, directors, and designers to whom I have spoken – and I hope together we will create new kinds of cruise ship shows to entertain and inspire Princess guests unlike any other productions at sea.”

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.

Those artists include:

Alex Calle
Alex has designed for numerous film and television productions, including the MTV Movie Awards, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean II and III, and Starz’s Magic City. He has also served as Co-Production Designer and Art Director on EDC’s last seven designs for Princess Cruises.

Don Frantz
Broadway’s Associate Producer of The Lion King & Beauty and the Beast, as well as General Manager of Broadway’s A Tale of Two Cities, Soul of Shaolin, and A Class Act

Gabriel Barre
Gabriel Barre is an internationally acclaimed director whose work includes the current, Broadway bound musical, Amazing Grace and the off-Broadway production of The Wild Party by Andrew Lippa which was nominated for five Outer Critics Circle Awards and thirteen Drama Desk Awards; US national tour of Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s, Cinderella, starring Eartha Kitt; and the national tour of Pippin.

Jayson Raitt
Jayson Raitt is an independent producer with extensive background in producing and developing new musical theatre, events and live performances. Jayson produced the hit musical Murder for Two which played over a year in New York City and is currently on a national tour. On Broadway, Jayson was a producer of the hit musical Rock of Ages (nominated for five Tony Awards).

Jeremy Railton
Jeremy Railton’s extensive background in theatre, film, television and multi media design, has contributed to his recognition as one of Hollywood’s most innovative and prolific designers of themed entertainment. He has worked on projects in Italy, Monaco, Israel, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Korea, India, Japan, China and Singapore.

Jim Steinmeyer
According to The New York Times, Jim Steinmeyer is the “celebrated invisible man, designer and creative brain behind many of the great stage magicians of the last quarter century.” His illusions have been featured by magicians Doug Henning, Siegfried and Roy, David Copperfield, Ricky Jay and many others; they’ve been featured in the 139th edition of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and for Broadway, Off-Broadway, West End, and Las Vegas shows, including Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods, The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins and the current Broadway hit, Aladdin. Steinmeyer, the mastermind behind many of the great magic illusions over the last 25 years, will create the magic experience in Magic to Do. Steinmeyer has worked with some of the greatest magicians of all time including Doug Henning, Siegfried & Roy and David Copperfield.

Ken Bilington
Ken Billington (Lighting Designer) has almost 100 Broadway shows to his credit including such theatre milestones as Sweeney Todd and the current Chicago. Many touring productions have included Chicago (worldwide), Riverdance (lighting supervisor), White Christmas, High School Musical, and Annie to name a few.

Mark Hartman
Mark Hartman (Music Director) Broadway: Sondheim On Sondheim, Avenue Q, Miss Saigon, 1776 (Roundabout).

We’ll have more details as they become available.