Hunter Parrish, Kate Flannery, Andrea McArdle Honor Stephen Schwartz at When You Believe Concert May 19

By Michael Gioia
19 May 2012

Andrea McArdle
Andrea McArdle
Photo by Robert Mannis

Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz is honored with Desert Ensemble Theatre Company's inaugural Melpomai Award at When You Believe: A Conversation With and Tribute To Stephen Schwartz May 19 in Palm Springs.

The 8 PM event, which is held in the Annenberg Theater at the Palm Springs Art Museum, features a conversation with Schwartz as well as performances of his stage and movie musical hits.

Directed and moderated by Scott Logsdon (Les Miserables), the evening includes performances from Tony nominee Andrea McArdle (Annie), Hunter Parrish (Spring Awakening, "Weeds"), Haviland Stillwell (Les Misérables), Kate Flannery ("The Office"), Pamla Vale Abramson, Melissa Batalles, Garrett Hoy, Ben Reece and Laura L.Thomas. Joel Baker is the musical director and accompanist.

The Melpomai Award—which is Greek for "Celebration With Song and Dacne"—will be given annually to honor excellence in the development of theatre nationally. The award will be presented to Schwartz by Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford ("Fame," "Footloose," Godspell); Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet has declared May 19 as "Stephen Schwartz Day" in Palm Springs.

Schwartz, who is currently represented on Broadway with the long-running musical Wicked and the revival of Godspell, is also known for his work on Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker's Wife, Working, Children of Eden and his recent opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon, among others. He has won Academy Awards for his work on "Pocahontas" and "The Prince of Egypt" and is also a five-time Tony nominee and four-time Grammy winner. For more on Schwartz's theatrical history, visit the Playbill Vault.

The Annenberg Theater is located at 101 Museum Drive in Palm Springs, CA. For more information and tickets, call (760) 325-4490 or visit PSMuseum.org.