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26 Musical Theatre Books, Librettos, and Biographies You can Borrow for FREE (save $468)

As a musical theatre writer, your craft is both an art and a science. You need to have a strong...

Book Review: Working on a Song: The Lyrics of HADESTOWN

Anais Mitchell’s “Working on a Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown” gives insights into lyric-writing, book-writing and story-crafting.

Summer Reading Books for Musical Writers in 2020

Catch up on relevant musical writing books this summer, including ideas for public domain material, how-to books, and books on “the making of a musical.”

Put On Your Sunday Clothes: “The Noise” (Production Numbers)

In a musical, big, showy production numbers are present for pure enjoyment and a reward for the audience staying with you thus far.

Curtain Up, Light the Lights – Writing Opening Numbers

When constructing “curtain up” moments and opening numbers, you must be clear, clever, and able to convince the audience to stay with you for the ride.

Review: Stephen Schwartz Biography “Defying Gravity” Looks Behind the Scenes

An aspiring theater composer myself, I looked to Carol de Giere’s Defying Gravity, (2nd ed.) for insight on Schwartz’s creative process, a history of his entire career, and details on “the musical theater business.” But that is just a sampling of what awaits the reader.

Release of Updated Edition of Defying Gravity

Just in time for Wicked’s 15th anniversary of opening on Broadway! The only book-length biography of Stephen Schwartz, covering his legendary career up through 2018, written by MusicalWriters.com founder Carol de Giere.

Book Review: Writing the Broadway Musical by Aaron Frankel

‘Making Musicals’ is book writer and lyricist Tom Jones’ intimate introduction to the business that he and composer Harvey Schmidt have been associated with since their first collaboration at the University of Texas in the late 1940’s. ‘Making Musicals’ is a very readable work. Genial wisdom tumbles out of the author like apples from an overturned basket. Jones relates the struggles of other well-known writers with a been-there-done-that sense of kinship. “The best a ‘teacher’ can do,” he states modestly, “Is to point out the problems and possibilities.” And so he does.

In the Books: Writing the Musical Book

In this list, William Squier cites books and pages on writing the musical book and structuring your story.

In the Books: Writing Music & Lyrics

Finding a Musical Style: How Do You Find the Right Sound for Your Score?

In the Books: Getting Started

We can all use a bit of expert advice from time to time. But, unless you’re as fortunate as...

Book Review: Writing Musical Theatre by Allen Cohen and Steven Rosenhaus

About midway through their appealing new book ‘Writing Musical Theater,’ authors Allen Cohen and Steven L. Rosenhaus set down three principles for writing an effective theater lyric. It must be concise, comprehensible and specific. That struck me as the perfect way to describe this practical guide for beginning and journeymen writers.

Book Review: Making Musicals by Tom Jones

‘Making Musicals’ is book writer and lyricist Tom Jones’ intimate introduction to the business that he and composer Harvey Schmidt have been associated with since their first collaboration at the University of Texas in the late 1940’s. ‘Making Musicals’ is a very readable work. Genial wisdom tumbles out of the author like apples from an overturned basket. Jones relates the struggles of other well-known writers with a been-there-done-that sense of kinship. “The best a ‘teacher’ can do,” he states modestly, “Is to point out the problems and possibilities.” And so he does.