Consider why an idea might work better in the musical format than in the short story or novel format. Music and singing need to feel necessary to the story idea in some way. For example, you may realize that you can only tell the story of your parents’ meeting in New York in the 70s through the music they loved in that time period. You may also try going for a walk in a park or sitting in a public square to get inspiration. Watch people interact and notice any behaviors or actions that seem interesting to you. You could then create a storyline based on the lives of other people in your everyday life. Try to choose a story idea that you are truly passionate about. Having a story that you really care about can help you stay motivated to write the musical and see it performed one day on stage.
For example, a one line story summary for the musical Fiddler on the Roof could be, “A Jewish peasant tries to marry off three of his daughters and deal with anti-Semitic values that threaten his village and their way of life. ” This summary includes the major plot points and also includes key themes, such as a “way of life” and “anti-Semitism”, that play out in the musical.
Cats Fiddler on the Roof The Phantom of the Opera My Fair Lady Sweeney Todd Guys and Dolls Hamilton The Greatest Showman Into the Woods Dear Evan Hansen Wicked “Six”
For example, the musical Sweeney Todd is, at the surface, about a Victorian barber out to kill the men who stole his wife and sent him to prison on false charges. But at the heart, the musical is about the high cost of revenge and how anger and resentment can ruin your present day life.
You may try writing down a rough list of scenes and then creating storyboards for each scene. Try to get the essential visual elements for each scene on the storyboard. Don’t be afraid to use many storyboards for each scene, as the more detailed you are, the more depth the musical will have.
If you have written music before, you may try writing music for each scene that you have storyboarded. Or you may start by writing one to two pieces that you feel are key, such as the theme for the show. You may also try using music writing software on your computer that helps you translate humming, singing, or whistling into written music. This may be ideal if you have never composed music before but are musically inclined and want to somehow translate your ideas into a score.
Once you have written the music, you should create a list of songs. Notice if you have more songs than scenes. Having many songs is not a bad thing, but you want to be sure that the musical flows well from dialogue to song and from scene to scene.
For example, you may notice that you have a scene between a father and daughter, followed by a song that is sung by the daughter. You should make sure the song relates somehow to the scene and that the daughter addresses her relationship with her father in the song. This will make the musical flow smoothly.
You may underline or mark any sections that feel off to you. You can then go back and revise them so until they are at their best.
For example, if you want to notate that there is going to be a number in a scene, you would add in “Music starts playing (insert musical number here)” into the script. This will signal to the actors that a song is going to be performed. You should also include details about where the actors enter from into a scene, such as STAGE RIGHT or STAGE LEFT. You should include notes about a character’s reaction, but only if it is an important reaction in the scene. For example, “VELMA (aghast) How could you do that?” or “JOHN (crying) I can’t sing anymore. ”
You may also seek out actors and playwrights who have had success to get advice on how you can get your musical produced.
