'Increasing Empathy'-- An Interview with Stephen Schwartz

Being part of the first New York Musical Theatre Festival is also important for Schwartz. "I think it's great that it's happening," he says eagerly, and chuckles. "It's new, so I'm sure it'll be chaotic this first time out." The NYMF, as it is being called, will present more than 30 musicals over three weeks in September. "I think [the Festival is] very smart... I hope that it will yield some results to the point that it becomes a tradition that's there every year."

With a career spanning almost four decades, Stephen Schwartz has developed a simple and humble philosophy about his work. "Every project has challenges and every project has its rewards," he says of his long list of credits. "I wouldn't do a project if it weren't a story I wanted to tell. That's rewarding in itself, as a writer, if you're working on a story that you enjoy telling."