What do you think is the first step in.....
What do you think is the first step in.....
fiyero8132
Broadway Star Joined: 4/27/05
#0What do you think is the first step in.....
Posted: 4/23/06 at 2:52pmwriting a musical? I'm just starting. I've got a basic plot template. That's it. I was getting nowhere with the music/lyrics when I sat down at the piano so I decided to make character charts. I can built the score and book using that information. Does anyone have any suggestions or other starting procedures?
mejusthavingfun
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/12/06
#1re: What do you think is the first step in.....
Posted: 4/23/06 at 3:26pm
well the old joke is "what comes first the music or lyrics" a: "THE BOOK!"
I would say have as much of the book written as possible before you start the lyric and music writing. No one really likes to work that way cause the song writing seems to be so much fun. The book is so important though, that is where the story is and songs will come from it.
#2re: What do you think is the first step in.....
Posted: 4/23/06 at 3:46pmGood luck! :)
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird
mrslovett7
Leading Actor Joined: 3/18/06
#3re: What do you think is the first step in.....
Posted: 4/23/06 at 5:48pm
What is the musical about?
yes and good luck!
~H*
"I slept through the nominations, as I always do. Anything I need to know, I'll find out when I get up at a reasonable hour!"
-Michael Cerveris
Hawker
Featured Actor Joined: 2/23/04
#4re: What do you think is the first step in.....
Posted: 4/23/06 at 6:42pm
Start with the reason the piece is being written to begin with. That doesn't have to be a theme or anything highminded. It can be an image; a snatch of dialogue; the "10:30" song."
In any work of art there is a fundamental element that is indespensable. Remove it and the whole thing collapses. You have to find that aspect of your work and allow things to grow organically in concentric circles around it.
Jazzysuite82
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/6/05
#5re: What do you think is the first step in.....
Posted: 4/23/06 at 7:27pmno I disagree it does have to be a theme or something high minded like that. You want to know the thesis of the piece. Whats the point of it (as stated before). Why are you telling it? What's the message. I would start an outline which is what the framework of the book will be (which is the most important aspect of the musical). Start there. What happens? how do these characters change and develop? I mean you need to know what happens so you know WHERE and WHAT to write. I mean, which is harder to write; a number about 2 people who end up falling in love, or right a number about 2 people from opposite worlds, have fallen in love, and are now social outcasts because of it? I'm coming up with this stuff out of my ass but you get the point. Specificity is the key. The more you know these people and their situation, the easier it will be to write for them (and the better the material will be). The book MUST come first. This is provided you're doing the LaChiusa method and writing Book music and lyrics. THAT'S hard. If you're collarborating that's a whole other can of worms. But take your time and don't stop writing any part of it until you're completely satisfied. That's advice from Jason Robert Brown. Never settle. Good luck and don't get discouraged. YOu've got the odds stacked against you so be prepared for some hard work. It can pay off.
Videos