What to Consider When Constructing a Musical Book

Cost: $400

Sundays

Starts June 19, 2022 (no class July 3)

Maximum students:  15

Six-Week Online Course

Time

Atlantic Time: 4pm-7pm

Eastern Time: 3pm-6pm

Central Time: 2pm-5pm

Mountain Daylight Time: 1pm-4pm

Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Time: 12pm-3pm

Summary

Pulitzer and Tony Award winning playwright, lyricist, and librettist Marsha Norman, author and collaborator of such acclaimed Broadway and regional theatre mainstays as The Bridges of Madison County, The Color Purple, The Secret Garden, ‘night Mother, and Getting Out, will offer a workshop on the intricacies of writing the book for a musical.

This class will focus on knowing which stories to write and how to get them produced. Over the six-week semester, Marsha will also discuss how to find material to musicalize, how to collaborate with composers, lyricists, and production teams, how to build story, how to craft character and dialogue, and how to decide where to submit your work. She will offer examples from her work throughout the years, and share writing prompts that will point students towards the most successful way to tell their stories.

Requirements for this Class

You are not required to purchase any materials for this class. Marsha suggests this class is best for playwrights who wish to turn their play (or other public domain material into a musical) and for librettists who are looking for new ways into their existing work.

Expectations for this Class

You will be asked to take part in exercises, to participate in class discussions, and to present work for class discussion. You will also be expected to offer empathetic feedback to your fellow students.

After Completion of Class

Students will have a better understanding of how to construct a musical. They will also have an outline for a musical of their own.