How do small/unknown composers get big Broadway names for their studio albums?

[SomeOtherMe]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 9:08am

I have been listening to a few studio cast albums lately and always been very impressed when a composer with no big credits to their name gets a "legit" Broadway name on their album. Sheryl Lee Ralph in the new Goosebumps album, for example. Also tons of musical theater composers albums (Scott Alan, Jonathan Read Gealt, Joey Contreras, etc). In situations like this, do they just pay the artist a reasonable amount of money to join in, or are most actors just easily persuaded to do this for cheap cause it’s an album, easy work and it will last forever and always be used as the reference any time anyone does a production or sings the song at a show?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 10:00am

Social networking, amigo. These composers know these artists in some way or another, etc. If your work has weight, they will gladly be involved with your project and will reach out to other friends of theirs. This support system on projects has been going on for centuries so it’s not a new bit of advice. Networking is the key to everything. Sucks if you’re shy, but it’s how the game is played.

85-90% of the work is the hustle and getting your work noticed which means getting invited to certain events, meeting the right people, having your work showcased somewhere, being a musician for some artist, etc. Doesn’t matter how great your work is or which school you attended - if no one knows you exist, how the hell are they going to be aware of your music?!

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 10:53am

^ this is all true. But the more pure answer is this: actors love new work. They're willing to support an up and coming composer because the idea of originating a new piece or song cycle really is rewarding. And you never really know when that composer with "no big credits" is going to be hired to write the next stage adaptation, or develop something that will take off. Pasek and Paul are a perfect example of why the culture to support new writers is so strong in the community. Building a relationship with new writers absolutely has mutual benefits

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 11:03am

Also: a no-name composer (me) writing a musical in my office in Pittsburgh based on a public domain film is very different than a no-name composer (them) writing a licensed and sanctioned musical commissioned by the second most famous children’s book series ever, even featuring a cameo by the nostalgia-beloved author. They’ve got money and clout behind them to make this happen.

[themadmarchhare]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 11:10am

The pandemic has also meant more smaller-scale projects have gotten the chance to work with bigger names.
If you’re looking for another smaller project to listen to I HIGHLY recommend Falling In Love With Mr Dellamort. It was a stage musical but when the pandemic happened they adapted it as a radio show, and it’s got James Monroe Iglehart, Lena Hall, Telly Leung, Jackie Hoffman, Gavin Lee and Courtney Reed.

https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcast/falling-in-love-with-mr-dellamort/

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 12:37pm

Falsettolands gets it right. In any given moment, actors would rather be acting than not acting. Just as athletes would rather be tossing a ball around (or whatever) than sitting on their butt. And networking is additive. Even if the composer is not all that well connected, they know SOMEONE who knows someone who knows someone else. You snag one well-connected actor (director, or other creative) and the next thing you know you have a room full of people you are surprised to be working with. This is why people (who can) come to New York. 

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 2:48pm

When I did my album, which had 12 different singers for 12 different songs (you can hear it here, always be closing), it was a combination of friends, friends of friends, and people I just blindly reached out to. I don't mean I randomly chose people; just that I knew who I wanted but had no real connection to them other than, "Hey, we have lots of friends in common, would you like to be a part of this album?" You can probably figure out which was which.

Some of them charged, and some of them didn't. Again, it really depended on how well I knew them, and whether it had a "Cool, I'd love to help you out" feel vs. a "Sure, this is what I charge for that" feel. But yes, at the end of the day networking is key, because I doubt some of those people would have responded, much less recorded the song, if I hadn't had the "Hey, we have tons of friends in common" opener.

P.S. I should add: even if they didn't "charge" I still paid them, because, I mean, come on.

Updated On: 10/31/21 at 02:48 PM

[akhoya87]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 2:58pm

DooWahDiddy said: "When I did my album, which had 12 different singers for 12 different songs (you can hear it here, always be closing), it was a combination of friends, friends of friends, and people I just blindly reached out to. I don't mean I randomly chose people; just that I knew who I wanted but had no real connection to them other than, "Hey, we have lots of friends in common, would you like to be a part of this album?" You can probably figure out which was which.

Some of them charged, and some of them didn't. Again, it really depended on how well I knew them, and whether it had a "Cool, I'd love to help you out" feel vs. a "Sure, this is what I charge for that" feel. But yes, at the end of the day networking is key, because I doubt some of those people would have responded, much less recorded the song, if I hadn't had the "Hey, we have tons of friends in common" opener.

P.S. I should add: even if they didn't "charge" I still paid them, because, I mean, come on."

This is very cool.  Just out of curiosity (and if you're allowed/willing to share), how much do folks charge for this sort of thing, generally speaking?

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 4:56pm

akhoya87 said: This is very cool. Just out of curiosity (and if you're allowed/willing to share), how much do folks charge for this sort of thing, generally speaking?"

I'll say this: nobody was over a 3-digit number. Of course, this was five years ago; some of those people would probably command more now.

 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 10/31/21 at 7:17pm

Just because someone becomes famous and successful doesn’t mean they forgot their friends who were with them at the bottom. I have friends who are very successful and I’m still very good friends with them. If I ever wrote an album I’m almost certain most of them would agree to appear on it.