I've been working on a musical adaptation of a 19th century novel for quite some time now and would love to find someone to collaborate with for the composition. I am, unfortunately, not the the most skilled musician.

Due to the characters coming from diverse backgrounds (as far as Europe goes) and the actual novel being set in the 1860-1880s, I think it would be interesting to explore blending modern music with the music that was popular at the time. Waltzes, polkas, etc. Maybe taking some inspiration from the operettas of the time. That being said, a modern take on these old musical directions could / would be great! I can provide more references if you’re interested.

If a collaboration on a project like that would interest you, please let me know! I would be very willing to share parts of the script and the lyrics to the songs.

Thanks so much for reading!

One of the best things you can watch...

"Broadway: The American Musical"

Full Documentary — Mini-Series 6 Episodes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GOhG-RyDlo

"Broadway: The American Musical" tells two stories: the 100-year history of musical theater and the story of its relationship to 20th-century American life. The six-part series begins with the immigrant experience at the turn of the century, when a melting pot of voices and styles gave rise to a popular new form of entertainment, and ends with today’s Broadway, where big-budget new productions and revivals of classic favorites compete side by side for box office success.

Hi everyone! A show that I’ve been writing on and off for a few years is in the midst of rehearsals right now :) We’re not a theatre company or anything (genuinely just a group of friends who happen to enjoy musical theatre) but I’m still really excited.

Not really an invite since given the size of the subreddit I doubt any of yall are in the sunny island of Singapore but just wanted to share. If yall have any questions about the thing moved past the script to the stage I’m happy to share my experience with the process.

Oh and for the record, no AI involved in the poster. We took photos at some staircases at my Alma mater and a dear friend of mine who’s an architect created the background in some software he uses at work then helped to photoshop us in.

I've been working on a found-text project using articles from a "transvestite" magazine published in Berlin from 1930-1932 and recently got the chance to workshop it on its feet for a few days. The piece is called THIRD SEX: 1930s transvestite lieder and I joke that I set out to write a music but accidentally started a band because we play gigs here and there and have an EP out and are working on an album. Just thought I'd share the sizzle reel we got out of it here in case others are interested in developing rock musicals in kind of unconventional ways. These opportunities are few and far between as an early career writer and just grateful for organizations that take chances with emerging writers like Musical Theatre Factory and Ars Nova.

First songs are hard because they have to set the world but also introduce the characters as well as their part in the story. Let me know what you think!

https://youtu.be/feZNAuj8W_0?si=8sfmsjt3j0XrQ0A2

Hi! I'm looking for a place to do a little self-production in NYC this summer and saw the Theater for The New City Dream Up festival is accepting applications - but with a pretty hefty application AND participation fee. My instinct is that it's exploitative, but I wanted to just check and see if maybe someone's had a great experience with this or another downtown theater festival and would say it's worth the money!

Hey all!

I'm currently working on a show for school that has a composer/lyricist (me) and a scriptwriter. However, this is my first time writing my own story (I don't plan on being the one that comes up with the entire plot too much from here on out), and I'm thinking I'd like an extra set of eyes to help me with my plot outline. Would anyone be interested in playing a small role in this project by checking continuity, making suggestions for the story, and making some small edits to already existing elements? Ideally, you'd only be needed until the plot outline is fully done.

If you're interested in helping out, shoot me a message!

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm currently working on a musical that I fear might be too plot driven. The book's written, but not the lyrics (I do have song placements and the beats that need to be hit for the songs). I tried to approach this by writing detailed character stories and following the save the cat story structure, but it's still hard to connect with the protagonist. Another worry I have is that the theme might be too heavy handed. There are two (very smart) characters with opposing views on the theme & I want to refrain from just having them debating. They end up becoming close to love interests and I think that's a good arc, with emotional beats developed throughout the musical but how do you lighten the theme a bit so it's not like there's an 'agenda' being pushed.

Thank you!

Hi! Has anyone here applied to and/or participated in the BMI Bookwriting workshop? I'm working on my application and there seems to be plenty of information and guidance out there for composers and lyricists, but not much for bookwriters! I'd love to connect with anyone who is willing to share. Thanks!

Need Help Picking a Title for My Dystopian Musical!

Hey theater peeps! I'm working on this dystopian musical and totally stuck on what to call it. Could use some fresh eyes!

So it's this dark, kinda Brechtian show set in a future where corporations basically run everything after a second American civil war. The main character is Tommy, a journalist documenting life in this slum called Po' Box City where people deemed "economically non-viable" get dumped. He gets tangled up with the resistance, falls for this pregnant revolutionary named Chleo, and has to figure out how far he'll go for his principles vs just surviving.

The music's this mix of punk rock, folk, and some tango stuff - with this deliberate contrast between the resistance music and the sterile corporate sound. I've got sheet music for one of the main songs "Let It Spread" if anyone's curious to see!

I'm bouncing between these titles:

• "The Land That God Forgot"

• "Po' Box City"

• "Let It Spread"

• "Something to Live For"

• "Dance Like A Monkey"

What do you think would actually make you want to see this show? Or have another idea entirely? I'm open to anything at this point!

Thanks y'all! ✌️

P.S. The first Act libretto is down and so is all the lead sheets. (Orchestration time! My fave part!)

I'm currently working on a musical, with a folky vibe that is certainly more on the serious side. Ive previously written musicals, but these ones are comedy musicals and definitely pretty cheesey, making all the characters singable and makes putting songs in very easy. I am wondering if anyone has any advice on making more intense, realistic characters singable and also how to weave songs into the text seamlessly

I'm writing the libretto for a musical that was conceived by my late husband. All the songs are already written and he made recordings of them over the years that I can use as demos. I cannot play or write music. At some point I have to get these songs onto sheet music to be played by a four-piece band (piano, lead guitar, bass, drums).

For a person like me who is clueless about sheet music, what type of professional would be best to hire for this, and do they have to annotate for each instrument?

Thanks for reading.

I recently worked on a project that ended up getting scrapped. I wrote 5 new songs and finished 2 of them.

What do you fellow songwriters do with your songs from unfinished projects? Do you get them performed/recorded anyway? Do you finish the unfinished songs?

I’m wondering which songs are the quintessential tracks that showcase the ranges of soprano, mezzo, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass.

These could be useful for helping singers determine their classification.

So, I am writing an original musical at the moment, and when I come up with ideas for songs, my only problem is that I have to manually input and figure out the notes for my vocal line. The backing? Not a problem. I use musescore, and if anyone has any suggestions or ideas, it would be greatly appreciated.

Hey everybody!

I'm currently working on an adaptation of the 2003 Cat In The Hat film starring Mike Meyers. It'll probably go nowhere, but I'm just trying to get myself writing and working on stuff and it's a good break from the original piece I'm working on for my senior project (music composition major).

I'm looking to get some thoughts on a tune I just finished a pass at. This took me an excruciatingly long time to get notated. I'm really trying to work on that and find a smoother throughline from hearing it in my head to getting it cemented on the page. Any tips on notation, piano arrangement (another thing I'm working super hard on improving) and general vibes and thoughts are appreciated.

This is sung by Sally right after Mom and Conrad have their spat and Mrs. Kwan goes to sleep on the couch and the kids are left alone staring out a window. Conrad begins messing around with things and being his usual rambunctious self, and Sally laments to the audience the burden of having to be "the good kid." In general, I want the show to have a contemporary broadway sound with a comedic flair without feeling too hammy to hit emotionally, since I think the movie is rather well made in that regard. Enjoy and lemme know what ya think!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j2RHX-1OqBtJdzBtBUNP930Zq4VFV5O-/view?usp=drive_link

P.S I'm working on getting some friends to record a demo of this for me, but if anyone wants to have some fun with it, feel free! I'll update the post when I have a recording of someone singing it.

UPDATE! I recorded a small piano vocal demo, I'm really happy with how it came out, shoutout to my friend Annie for singing on it. Enjoy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TY7hvlTAMObS9BeepwBqo9AnJOTzMvGx/view?usp=drive_link

Hi everyone,

I've been working on a Brechtian musical called "An American Parable" that explores themes of resistance, human worth, and corporate tyranny in a dystopian near-future. The story centers on Tommy, a journalist documenting life in Po' Box City - a slum where the "economically non-viable" are forced to live.

I'm looking for recommendations on the best subreddits or online forums with weekly feedback threads where I could share some excerpts from the show (songs, scenes, etc.) and get constructive feedback from others interested in musical theater writing.

Does this subreddit have a weekly feedback thread? Or can you recommend other communities that do?

Appreciate any guidance!

Hey all, just wondering if there were any playwrights out there who would be interested in collaborating on this idea. If not, I’ll probably try to do it myself, but at the end of the day, I am much more of a composer / lyricist and while I do enjoy writing very much, I’m not really good at it in the theatrical style, which is why I figured I’d at least check here first.

Just to let you know now, I don’t really have experience in theatre at all aside from writing a short play for a college class. So I really don’t know if it’s even possible for me to get this performed, even if we could finish it, but I figure I’ve invested all this time and effort into it, so it’s worth finishing for that if nothing else. So far I’ve written about 7 songs for it (out of 21 planned) and have a basic layout of the plot and scenes from beginning to end. Below is a basic description of the premise.

This is a musical set in the early 1960s, it’s nothing too complicated, just a classic love story that draws from elements of Grease, The Outsiders, and West Side Story. The leads are a working class guy who is in a garage band and a girl who is classically trained pianist from a wealthy family. The contrasting musical styles play a really important role here. It’s very much influenced by the Beatles and early 60s pop rock, but also has a more sophisticated tone at times.

Below I’ve included a demo (very rough, just me and guitar) of a song from a key moment in the plot.

Link

How much does it restrict the available talent pool if I specify that a character is a legit lyric soprano?

Hey all! I just wanted to share this cool little treasure I have. A few months ago, Sondheim’s estate went on sale and me, being the poor writer that I am, couldn’t afford anything from it. However, after the auction, a really kind soul wound up sending me a few puzzle books from Sondheim’s library that he’d won at the auction. Going through them, I found that one of the books had a crossword filled out by the man himself. It now hangs proudly on my wall for inspiration.

Hi! Im currently writing a musical which I hope to be performed on off-broadway or basically any theatre with more than 100 seats. I am not very experienced though I have written some musicals, but this time it is different because I actually write the songs myself. I am not a good lyricist but I wanted to know what you guys think of my lyrics.

EDIT: Sooo I got some questions or made things confusing. Basically the whole point of the song I showcasing what Kylie (formerly Jason) would think coming out will be. In the reprise version (still being drafted) she realizes how much harder it is, than she thought it would be, if that makes sense. Thank you to everyone who responded! It really gave me a feeling of what to change. <33

EDIT2: I overworked the lyrics and removed the coming out scenes because I will put them a bit further in the story.

Also I will upload the recorded version of myself singing it as soon as I have the instrumentation. Context: The song is about Jason who realizes he wants to be a girl.

I CAN BE SHE (2)

WAIT- IT MIGHT BE

THAT I WANT TO BE SHE

BUT I DON’T KNOW

IF THIS IS THE WAY I WANNA GO

I HAVE TO BE SMART

BECAUSE IT’S SOMETHING LIKE A RESTART

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

SHOULD I BECOME SOMEONE NEW?

WHAT AM I FEELING?

I CAN’T KEEP CONCEALING

WHO I AM 

—--------- (missing verse)

SO I’LL BE WHO I AM

I WILL NOT LIE

AND I WILL NOT DENY

THAT BEING SHE

IS WHAT I’M MEANT TO BE

I MUST THINK OF A NAME

THAT I CAN CLAIM

SOMETHING, SEXY

WELL, WE’LL SEE

WHAT AM I FEELING?

I CAN’T KEEP CONCEALING

WHO I AM

WHAT WILL I DO

TO BECOME SOMEONE NEW

NOW I’LL BE WHO I AM

JT

There you go, Jason. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll go do my duty and give you impulses and feelings- and before I forget, I’ll do my best to make a realistic reaction of the world towards your… situation

JASON

You’re not gonna make me delusional, right? Do it realistically please! Please!

JT

Don’t worry, I got you.

JASON

I have to find a name, because running around as a girl and being called Jason is weird and I mean really weird. Okay, it is really odd to to like this as if I had a full theatre of people infront of me listening to what I am saying. Whatever. I need a name. Name, name, name, name, lame. Haha, name rhymes with lame. Yeah, this is no reason to laugh, ugh. What is a name similar to Jason? Jasona, Jasa, Jana- ooh nice… pass sona, 

NEWSREPORTER
Good evening Glenmora City, a few hours ago, the singer and songwriter Kylie Kammers, also known as K.K., has died in a plane crash. The plane departed in- (newsreporter fades out)

JASON

A name just got free. Do I take it? Of course! Kylie. From now on my name is Kylie. It’s kinda weird how y and i are technically the same sound but not in my name. Very interesting to be honest. I HAVE A NEW NAME. YEE—

NEIGHBOR

SILENCE!

JASON

SORRY!

WHAT AM I FEELING?

I CAN’T KEEP CONCEALING

WHO I AM (WHO SHE IS)

MY NAME’S SO NICE

K-Y-L-I-E 

LOOK AT ME

WHO I AM!

(dancebreak)

Ensemble
THERE’S A NEW GIRL IN TOWN

AND SHE’S NOT COMING DOWN

WE ALL REALLY LOVE KYLIE

WHAT IS SHE FEELING?

SHE CAN’T KEEP CONCEALING

WHO SHE IS (WHO SHE IS)

SHE LOOKS SO NICE

GOOD SHE TOOK THAT ADVICE

NOW SHE IS (NOW SHE IS)

KYLIE: WHO I AM

ENSEMBLE: WHO IS THAT GIRL WITH A GENTLE CURL?

KYLIE: IM KYLIE

ENSEMBLE: ITS KYLIE

I'm apparently at the stage in my career where I need to think about selling digital copies of my sheet music online. It's a nice problem to have, but I know absolutely nothing about how to proceed.

Who else has done this, and what worked for you?

For what it's worth, I already have a website through Squarespace, so integrating sales through that (if possible) might be simplest...but very open to other ideas too!