Hamilton cast on SGN.
Usually in April, I’m gearing up for summer workshops and shows. I’ve taught musical theater writing for the past decade at regional theaters and national festivals, so I thought I’d do it virtually this year, during our collective self-isolation. I’ll offer advice over the next 20 posts, including production and competition opportunities, to help you develop a 15-minute musical. I’ll lean on my training in the BMI workshop, but I’ll also share links to other sources. If you have questions, send a comment. I’ll try to answer you in subsequent posts.
Now, let’s begin. First, what elements make up a musical? There are two primary pieces. One is the script (also called the book or libretto). It’s the words not only for what’s said but also for what’s done. Stage directions often reveal what’s really happening underneath the spoken words.
The other primary piece is the score. It’s the music not only for singing and dancing but also for atmosphere, similar to underscoring in films.
Those are the two main ingredients, but there is no single recipe. Your taste is unique. “You are what you eat,” Tom Jones said in his book Making Musicals (1998). “You only know what you know, so be curious.” In other words, don’t be afraid to try new cuisines and spices to find the ones you like.
So, how do those elements make a compelling story? Well, your recipe, how you organize the ingredients in your story, is the most important thing to figure out. You will be writing and rewriting, adding and subtracting, until you’re ready to serve. You are the chef, so you can adjust the dish any way you’d like. One thing to remember as you work is to “Write ‘hot,’” Tom Jones said. “That is, know where you’re going, but take advantage of the side roads.” A good chef knows when to improvise.
Before I close, here’s advice from Stephen Sondheim’s Finishing the Hat (2011) to keep in mind over the next few weeks. “There are only three principles … to be written in stone – Content Dictates Form, Less Is More, God Is in the Details – all in the service of Clarity, without which nothing else matters.”
As you begin, I recommend watching Ken Davenport’s video chats. So far, he’s talked with composers Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Flaherty, Steven Sater, and Jeanine Tesori. You’ll find inspiration, answers about writer’s block, and more. Note that technical issues delay the start of the feed on some of these livestreams.
To learn what a short musical feels like, listen to the BBC series 15 Minute Musical (2004), each episode in a different musical style, including “Barack of Ages.” You can also watch some of the 10-minute musicals that are final first-year assignments in the BMI workshop. Then there’s the 2017 Thespian Musicalworks finalist, Guilty, by Michael Banwarth and Eric Leigh, which I produced.
Finally, if you haven’t seen the Hamilton “Zoom bomb” of John Krasinski’s new vlog Some Good News, watch it. The segment starts about 8:30 into the video.