Friday, April 27, 2012

Musicals, Musicals, Musicals


Playwrights Foundation is excited about Dominic Orlando's upcoming classes!  On April 29th, Dominic is holding his "Everybody's Writing A Musical, Why Shouldn't You?" class! It's your LAST chance to sign up!  Only FIVE spots remain!!



To get an idea about the musical theater industry, Playwrights Foundation asked Dominic how he feels musicals are different from general theatre.  Here's what he had to say:

 "It’s very difficult for a smartass like myself not to say, “music-theater is the one with the songs in it”, but in a way, that is the answer to part one of [your] question.  Everyone loves to sound smart, so you’ll hear people say “the songs should advance the action”, but if you look at classic music-theatre, that’s often not the case.  It’s more precise to say if you find yourself writing a monologue or an intense exchange between the characters you should stop writing and ask yourself, Is this a moment to be musicalized?  Transforming drama/character into a musical moment that actually works can be a real challenge, and I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s more difficult because from the beginning you’re working with a partner—either the composer, if it’s a team, or the music itself if you’re working alone. Music can do a lot of the work—but that means the lyrics have to take the music into account, often before the music is written.  A non-musical piece has to leave room for the actor, a musical piece has to leave room both for the performer and the music.  It’s tricky."

"Everybody's Writing A Musical, Why Shouldn't You?"
Sunday April 29th, 2012
Playwrights Foundation-1616 16th Street SF, CA
5:00-8:00pm

For more information about Dominic's classes, please visit: http://www.playwrightsfoundation.org/index.php?p=257

And, as always, please check out Playwrights Foundation for upcoming events, readings, and classes at: http://playwrightsfoundation.org/

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