VERY OT: Anyone know how to write a musical?

[Herbwoman39]

I had a dream that I want to try to turn into a musical but I have no idea where to begin. Does anyone know how to write a script for a musical or know where I can find info on how to start?

Thanks.

[flexuality]

I just gotta ask....what was the dream about??? :tong: hehehee!!

One of my cousins directs and produces musicals locally...he does an awesome job of it too.....but that's not much help to you is it?

I have spent a lot of years on this planet.....and that is the first time I have ever heard that question asked! lol!

I am intrigued...... :bigrin:

[mindfinding]

1, Start with your story line. Build a base for the story.

2. When you have your story line and basic concepts of characters, begin writing the basic body of the lines each person will say.

3. Write songs for the lines of the people you need to talk.

4. You need music, so score the heck out of it!

I must say, its best to start with something small and build your way up. Write a 5 or 10 minute musical and build up to your Opus. Don't try and bag a huge one for a first, trust me. :)

I've written a great deal and thats typically a good method I use. Remember, when your writing, keep your ducks lined up and it should come together. Best to ya!

[Herbwoman39]

I only have a little bit of it worked out because, well, it was a dream. I dreamed I was directing choreography for "Zombies: The Musical". So far I've figured out it's a series of vignettes. One of them will be a love story where one of the characters is a doctor looking for a cure the other is someone in early stages of infection. They have a fight, the doctor storms off and the infected one sings "I'm Falling Apart Without You".

The other vignette deals with office politics and is based on a song called "Re Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton (Google the lyrics, it's hilarious)

[mistymockingbird]

1, Start with your story line. Build a base for the story.

2. When you have your story line and basic concepts of characters, begin writing the basic body of the lines each person will say.

3. Write songs for the lines of the people you need to talk.

4. You need music, so score the heck out of it!

I must say, its best to start with something small and build your way up. Write a 5 or 10 minute musical and build up to your Opus. Don't try and bag a huge one for a first, trust me. :)

I've written a great deal and thats typically a good method I use. Remember, when your writing, keep your ducks lined up and it should come together. Best to ya!

Ditto all that. It always starts with the story first. Figure out what you want to say and go from there. It has to have a logical story line to carry it through. And find a collaborator if you're not a musician or if lyrics and story aren't your thing. Common for one person to do the "book" and another to do the music.

I've only written or arranged individual pieces myself, but I've produced or been a part of workshopping my fair share of musicals and plays. Most full length productions take several years from start to finish. There's lots of discussion, research, workshops, rewrites, etc before they get finished.

Good luck with it.

[yoyo4u]

I only have a little bit of it worked out because, well, it was a dream. I dreamed I was directing choreography for "Zombies: The Musical". So far I've figured out it's a series of vignettes. One of them will be a love story where one of the characters is a doctor looking for a cure the other is someone in early stages of infection. They have a fight, the doctor storms off and the infected one sings "I'm Falling Apart Without You".

The other vignette deals with office politics and is based on a song called "Re Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton (Google the lyrics, it's hilarious)

Thanks for the idea!
I can already see the headlines : Zombies: The Musical by yoyo :tongue:

Hopefully people will not get dizzy with all those "y"-s.
Hey, There is another idea!!!
Perhaps I should put more of them in there to make people really dizzy.

But than again, with today's theater ticket prices, a nice smoke costs a way lot less and you can do it in your kitchen if you wanted to :)

OK-OK! Enough about me!

:tongue:

If you want to undertake all that, you better be everybody in one person. Not only that you don't have to fight the ideas and egos, but it is way less expensive.

Up to a few years ago I used to work with inventors, you know helping them develop their ideas. Offered my designing, engineering services, made blueprints, prototypes and stuff like that.

But that is not even the beginning.......were is production, packaging, marketing and the many-many things.
Things that are not cheap!
So, you have to be rich (to be my girl) too!

I dont mean to discourage you, in fact I encourage you to make the musical happen.
You'll enjoy all the thrills the ride will give you and when you finally see people waiting in line to see it.... and calp their hands........well, priceless.

love,
yoyo

PS. Weed's gotten more expensive just like theater tickets! :rolleyes:

[billy_campbell]

http://www.musicals101.com/write.htm

[Herbwoman39]

Thanks! You've all been great; Billy, you've been the biggest help. Looks like I'm in for a long haul but if we make it all the way to new York with the production, I'm sending you all tickets!