How Musicals Work: And How to Write Your Own

How Musicals Work: And How to Write Your Own

<div><p>Musicals are the most popular form of stage entertainment today, with the West End and Broadway dominated by numerous long-running hits. But for every <I>Wicked</I> or <I>Phantom of the Opera</I>, there are dozens of casualties that didn't fare quite so well. In this book, Julian Woolford explores the musical-theatre canon to explain why and how some musicals work, why some don't, and what you should (and shouldn't) do if you're thinking of writing your own.</p> <p>Drawing on his experience as a successful writer and director of musicals, and as a lecturer in writing musicals at the University of London, Woolford outlines every step of the creative process, from hatching the initial idea and developing a structure for the work, through creating the book, the music and the lyri, and on to the crucial process of rewriting. He then guides the reader through getting a musical produced, with invaluable advice about generating future productions and sustaining a career.</p> <p>The book includes dozens of exercises to assist the novice writer in developing their craft, and detailed case studies of well-known musicals such as <I>Les Miserables</I>, <I>The Sound of Music</I>, <I>Miss Saigon</I>, <I>Little Shop of Horrors</I>, <I>Godspel</I> and <I>Evita</I>.</p> <p>An essential guide for any writers (or would-be writers) of musicals, <I>How Musicals Work</I> is a fascinating insight for anyone interested in the art form or who has ever wondered what it takes to get from first idea to first night.</p> <p>'If anyone knows how musicals work (I'm not sure I do), this highly entertaining dissection of every aspect of that bewildering art form reveals that Julian Woolford does.' Tim Rice</p> <p>'Excellent... a useful source of information' <I>The Stage</I></p></div>