Musical Writers | Articles by Carol de Giere

Writing Songs for Villains: An Interview with Stephen Schwartz

1 |

Sometimes we must put ourselves in the shoes of the “baddy” to create Villain songs—at least that’s what Stephen Schwartz does—and loves it!

How Opening Numbers Reveal a World or Launch the Story

1 |

Carol de Giere and Stephen Schwartz discuss the importance (and challenge) of constructing successful opening numbers — and offer a few tips!

How Musicals Make the Most of Time: Montage, Backstory, Memories, and Ticking Clocks

0 |

Today’s musicals journey through time with concentrated stories and employ devices like montages, backstory, and ticking clocks to keep audiences engaged.

How Musicals Make the Most of Time – A Conversation with Stephen Schwartz

0 |

Carol de Giere and Stephen Schwartz explore how musicals convey time through backstory, memories, and compressed action.

By the Light of Metaphor: Improving the Odds of Making Good Metaphors

0 |

In Part I, we discovered how Stephen Schwartz developed metaphorical language based on research, observation, and character inspiration. In Part II, we explore ways to enhance your own image-making abilities in order to amplify the emotional impact of your lyrics or dialogue.