Musical Theatre Masterclass
Remember a few months ago when I said ‘Everybody is working on a musical’? It’s true. Well almost everyone. Some of us are working on two. Or three! After decades of pop-songwriting the Musical Theatre space is an understandable exciting pivot.
This past April my collaborators and I submitted our Musical to the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop. There was no doubt in our minds we’d be one of the 4 shows (out of over 100 submissions) chosen to be seen at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in front of an audience of peers and mentors. And then ‘Goddess’ said “ha.” (Doesn’t she always?) We were not chosen. But I have to tell you — it’s all good. In fact I’m relieved. Because…
Last week for 4 nights in a row the eyes and ears of my fellow composers (Lucy Levinsohn and Adam Gorgoni) and I have been glued to a stage on which the selected participants presented the first act of their Musical. We were blown away. But my attention was more acutely focused on the illuminating conversations that followed —feedback from the workshop’s director, the renowned Tony, Oscar, GRAMMY Award winning Stephen (Wicked) Schwartz — and his esteemed colleagues: Kevin Bannerman, Zina Goldrich, Winnie Holzman Stephen Bray, Karey Kirkpatrick, Alan Zachary and Cinco Paul. Praise was given as well as unexpected extensive (constructive) critique. It made me realize that perhaps we weren’t as ready for prime time (or the hot seat) as we thought we were. 😳
Maybe it was Goddess’s plan to have me watch and learn. Which I did. With humility.
Here are my most memorable words to the wise from the well-seasoned professionals. If you’ve got the Musical Theatre bug this is for you.
Four questions the audience has to be able to answer:
1-What is the show about?
2-Who am I rooting for?
3-Why should I care?
4-When do I get to go home?
You would think principles are a given. So check your work. And at first I thought they were joking about #4 but now I think it’s about giving the audience closure.
Conflict is everything.
The story should tell us who wants what really badly and why can’t they get it? 🤪
There’s very little real estate in a Musical so it behooves a “librettist” (the book/script writer — a new word for me too) to be economical. That said a scene shouldn’t be able to be removed and have the story continue to make sense.
People come to a Musical to hear music (duh). We’re in trouble if characters are talking for too long in which case the experience will seem like a play with songs. (WOW! I thought a Musical WAS a play with songs. Apparently NOT).
Yet, it’s all about the book (the script) and the songs are there to move the story forward.
If the composer is too preoccupied with melodic intervals, rhymes, and modulations he/she/they may miss writing a song that’s memorable — a song people leave the theatre singing — the kind they came for! All these clever techniques may be fun for the ear but they won’t necessarily make the audience care about the character.
Specificity is your friend. It will lead to fresh rhyming. (That’s true in the pop music too. I tell my students that all the time!) So … don’t hit the nail on the head. Zina Goldrich suggested coming at a song from the “side door” like in Fun Home when the young yet-to come-out Alison notices a masculine delivery woman and feels a connection with the "Ring of Keys” on her belt.
Unlike pop songwriting, lyric repetition (except in the song’s title), is frowned upon (WHAT?) Too much repetition stops the story from telling more story. Ticket buyers want bang for their buck. (This one was big for me because the current trend in the pop world is not only repeating hooks but B-section lyrics as well. Not In Musicals! More is more.)
A whole bunch of solos in a row means lack of variety. Yawn.
“Hit your buttons.” By this Stephen S. meant … end your songs with a bang. Let the audience revel. Don’t rob them of pleasure. Not every song, of course because … again… variety. But one must embrace the Musical Theatre spirit! “If you’re shy about this don’t do a Musical.”
And this doozy:
Beware of “expensive laughs” — bits that make the audience laugh because they’re funny but at the expense of serving the story. For example, Stephen explained: he once wrote a song called (I paraphrase) “I’m in Love For the 23rd Time.” Funny idea. It got a huge laugh. But the romantic confession would be one where the character reveals they fell for the first time. Or that it feels like the first time. If they’ve been falling over and over again (23 times to be exact) how does that make the receiver of the love feel? Not so special. Stephen wound up rewriting the number. He kept everything except for the title. The rewrite wasn’t as funny, but it was sincere. And that’s what matters!
The 4-night program was a lot to absorb. I’m still absorbing. Many only came for a night or 2. I couldn’t get enough. I’m extremely grateful that these expert panelists were so generous with their time and illuminating feedback. I’ll be thinking about all of it in Kenya where I’ll be on Safari for the next couple of weeks. 🦒🐘 When I return I’ll head back to the drawing board and take out my Sharpie. Maybe we’ll submit again next year! Regardless of whether or not we get in I’m certain we’ll have a tighter show.
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