The 7 PM event, titled "Stephen Schwartz: In Conversation and Song" is scheduled for Jan. 26, 2009, at the California venue. Schwartz will discuss his work, answer questions and perform several of his tunes. He will also join de Giere, who is the author of "Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked," for a book signing. "Defying Gravity," according to press notes, "takes readers behind the scenes for the making of Schwartz-related musicals from Godspell (1971) through Wicked (2003) and everything in between. The section completely dedicated to Wicked of the book spans 150 pages and covers the story of the show's developmental stages."

The open-ended San Francisco engagement of Wicked — co-starring Teal Wicks and Kendra Kassebaum — begins performances Jan. 27, 2009, at the Orpheum Theatre.

The Museum of Performance & Design is located on the Fourth Floor of the Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue (at McAllister) in San Francisco, CA. Admission is free, but space is limited and reservations are recommended: call (415) 255-4800, ext. 810. For more information visit www.mpdsf.org.