How to write a musical

How to write a musical NOT a definitive guide!

The Showtune Structure 

Verse and chorus (refrain) structure (such as the title song of Oklahoma!)

Brand new state! Brand new state, gonna treat you great! Gonna give you barley, carrots and pertaters, Pasture fer the cattle, Spinach and termayters! Flowers on the prarie where the June bugs zoom, Plen'y of air and plen'y of room, Plen'y of room to swing a rope! Plen'y of heart and plen'y of hope. Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet When the wind comes right behind the rain. Oklahoma, Ev'ry night my honey lamb and I Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk Makin' lazy circles in the sky. We know we belong to the land And the land we belong to is grand! And when we say Yeeow! Ayipioeeay! We're only sayin' you're doin' fine, Oklahoma! Oklahoma O.K.

Showtune Structure - AABA 

Gershwin’s ‘I Got Rhythm’ from Crazy for

You)

A – main melody (repeated)  B – ‘release’ or bridge – contrast  A – with a twist at the end 

A

I got rhythm, I got music I got my man Who could ask for anything more?

A

I got daisies, in green pastures I got my man Who could ask for anything more?

B

Old man trouble I don't mind him You won't find him 'round my door

A

I got starlight I got sweet dreams I got my man Who could ask for anything more ? Who could ask for anything more?

Twist

Song Types in a Musical 

Transition songs

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Realisation songs

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Decision songs

Song types in My Fair Lady

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Ballads – love songs (‘On the street where you live’) and emotional songs (‘I’ve grown accustomed to her face’)

Charm songs (‘Wouldn’t it be loverly’)  Comedy songs (‘A little bit of luck’)  Musical scenes (‘You did it’) 

Bob Fosse’s three song types

‘I am’ songs 

‘Jet Song’

When you're a Jet, You're a Jet all the way From your first cigarette To your last dyin' day. When you're a Jet, If the spit hits the fan, You got brothers around, You're a family man!

You're never alone, You're never disconnected! You're home with your own: When company's expected, You're well protected! Then you are set With a capital J, Which you'll never forget Till they cart you away. When you're a Jet, You stay a Jet!

‘I want’ songs 

Love songs like ‘Something’s coming’

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Dramatic songs like the ensemble reprise of ‘Tonight’

(see next slide for words)

RIFF The Jets are gonna have their day Tonight. BERNARDO The Sharks are gonna have their way Tonight. RIFF The Puerto Ricans grumble: "Fair fight." But if they start a rumble, We'll rumble 'em right. BERNARDO We're gonna hand 'em a surprise Tonight. RIFF AND JETS We're gonna cut 'em down to size Tonight.

BERNARDO AND SHARKS We said, "O.K., no rumpus, No tricks." But just in case they jump us, We're ready to mix Tonight. ALL We're gonna rock it tonight, We're gonna jazz it up and have us a ball! They're gonna get it tonight; The more they turn it on the harder they'll fall! RIFF AND JETS Well, they began it! BERNARDO AND SHARKS Well, they began it! ALL And we're the ones to stop 'em once and for all, Tonight!

ANITA Anita's gonna get her kicks Tonight. We'll have our private little mix Tonight. He'll walk in hot and tired, So what? Don't matter if he's tired, As long as he's hot Tonight! TONY Tonight, tonight, Won't be just any night, Tonight there will be no morning star. Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight. And for us, stars will stop where they are. Today , The minutes seem like hours, The hours go so slowly, And still the sky is light . . . Oh moon, grow bright, And make this endless day endless night!

RIFF I'm counting on you to be there Tonight. When Diesel wins it fair and square Tonight. That Puerto Rican punk'll Go down. And when he's hollered "Uncle" We'll tear up the town! RIFF (MARIA sings ‘Tonight’) So I can count on you, boy? TONY All right. RIFF We're gonna have us a ball. TONY All right. RIFF Womb to tomb! TONY Sperm to worm! RIFF I'll see you there about eight.

(JETS, SHARKS, MARIA, TONY, and ANITA sing simultaneously) SHARKS We're gonna rock it tonight! They're gonna get it tonight, They began it, They began it, The began it. We'll stop 'em once and for all. The Sharks are gonna have their way, The Sharks are gonna have their day, We're gonna rock it tonight. Tonight! JETS We're gonna jazz it tonight! Tonight! They began it, And we're the ones to stop 'em Once and for all! The Jets are gonna have their way, The Jets are gonna have their day. We're gonna rock it tonight. Tonight!

ANITA Tonight, tonight, Late tonight, We're gonna mix it tonight. Anita's gonna have her day, Anita's gonna have her day, Bernardo's gonna have his way Tonight, tonight, Tonight, this very night, We're gonna rock it tonight! MARIA Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight. And for us, stars will stop where they are. MARIA AND TONY Today the minutes seem like hours. The hours go so slowly, And still the skiy is light. Oh moon, grow bright, And make this endless day endless night, ALL Tonight!

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Another type of ‘I want’ song is ‘A boy like that’, where Anita and Maria clash, only to wind up in harmonious agreement on the power of lov

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New songs which serve special dramatic needs (such as light relief, in ‘Gee Officer Krupke’)

Song placement in a show 

Emotional high points – when dialogue isn’t enough (such as in ‘Hello Dolly’)

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Characterisation – making stronger points than mere words can (such as ‘Pineapple Song’ in Cabaret)

Important points in a show 

Opening number (an example of a ‘Production Number’) – either to wow the audience, or to set the scene (such as ‘Tradition’ in Fiddler on the Roof)

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The main ‘I want’ song – usually early in Act 1 such as ‘I have confidence’ from The

Sound of Music

or ‘King of Broadway’ from The Producers

MAX: I used to be the king... WORKMAN, BUM, BAG LADY: The King? MAX: The king of old Broadway... My praises they would sing A Ziegfeld so they'd say

My shows were always filled with class The best champagnes would fill my glass My lap was filled with gorgeous ass You couldn't call me crass in any way! We We We We

believe believe believe believe

you, thousands wouldn't you, ev'ry word you, thousands couldn't each word we've heard

MAX: There was a time When I was young and gay... But straight There was a time when I was bold There was a time When each and ev'ry play I touched Would turn to gold CHORUS: There was a time He wore the finest clothes His shoes were always new Ahh! MAX: Now I wear a rented tux That's two weeks overdue! CHORUS: Poor Bialy, what a shmoozer Poor Bialy, what a shame Poor Bialy, what a loser Poor Bialy, goodbye fame

The ‘Ten o’clock number’ – towards the end, in order to keep audience interest (ballads such as ‘Memory’ in Cats or comedy showpieces like ‘Brush up your Shakespeare’ from Kiss me Kate)  The Finale - an emotional wallop, leaving a powerful last impression (often a reprise, like ‘Old Man River’ in Showboat) 

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The reprise – when all or part of a song is repeated to make a dramatic point (such as ‘I don’t know how to love him’ in Jesus Christ Superstar)

(see video clip)

Composers’ considerations 

Composers must be careful to make sure they do not mask the lyrics (listen to the clarity of ‘Mix Tape’ from Avenue Q)

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Showstoppers – all musicals must have one! Sometimes these will be a chart hit and earn more money for the show. Often, they can make or break a musical (e.g. ‘The Circle of Life’ from The Lion

King)

To rhyme or not to rhyme? 

Rhyme is one of a lyricist’s most potent tools

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Watch to the clever internal rhymes in ‘You won’t succeed on Broadway’ from

Spamalot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHwjmyGP1N4

ROBIN: Well...let me put it like this. In any great adventure, that you don't want to lose, victory depends upon the people that you choose. So, listen, Arthur darling, closely to this news: We won't succeed on Broadway, If you don't have any Jews.

You may have the finest sets, Fill the stage with penthouse pets, You may have the loveliest costumes and best shoes. You my dance and you may sing, But I'm sorry, Arthur king, You'll hear no cheers, Just lots and lots of boos. ENSEMBLE: Boo.

ROBIN: You may have butch men by the score Whom the audience adore, You may even have some animals from zoos, Though you've holes and krauts instead, You may have unleavened bread, But I tell you, you are dead, If you don't have any Jews. They won't care if it's witty, or everything looks pretty, They'll simply say it's shitty and profuse. Nobody will go, sir, If it's not kosher then no show, sir, Even Goyem won't be dim enough to choose! Put on shows that make men stare, With lots of girls in underwear, You may even have the finest of reviews. The audience won't care, sir, As long as you don't dare, sir, To open up on Broadway If you don't have any Jews.

You may have dramatic lighting, Or lots of horrid fighting, You may even have some white men sing the blues! Your knights might be nice boys, But sadly we're all goys, And that noise that you call singing you must lose. So, despite your pretty lights, and naughty girls in nasty tights, and the most impressive scenery you use... You may have dancing mana-mano, You may bring on a piano, But they will not give a damn-o If you don't have any Jews!

Once in every show There comes a song like this It starts off soft and low And ends up with a kiss Oh where is the song That goes like this? Where is it? Where? Where?

A sentimental song That casts a magic spell They all will hum along We'll overact like hell For this is the song that goes like this Yes it is! Yes it is! Now we can go straight Right down the middle eight A bridge that is too far for me

I'll sing it in your face While we both embrace And then We change The key Now we're into E! *hem* That's awfully high for me But as everyone can see We should have stayed in D For this is our song that goes like this! I'm feeling very proud You're singing far too loud That's the way that this song goes You're standing on my toes Singing our song that goes like this!

I can't believe there's more It's far too long, I'm sure That's the trouble with this song It goes on and on and on For this is our song that is too long!

We'll be singing this til dawn You'll wish that you weren't born Let's stop this damn refrain Before we go insane For this is our song that ends like this!

END