Wicked Archives | MusicalWriters.com

How Opening Numbers Reveal a World or Launch the Story

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

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

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

Feedback: What ACTORS Want You to Know

Magic happens when an ACTOR breathes life into a character. Welcoming their input will help you make giant strides in your show’s development. Here are some wise insights from veteran Broadway actors.

Wicked the Musical’s Groundbreaking Score – Act 2

Robert Vieira shares his analysis of the breathtaking and complex musical score of Act II of Wicked the musical by composer Stephen Schwartz.

The Wizard and I – The “I Want” Song

The “I Want” song, usually the second number in a show, tells us who the story is about and the thing they’re willing to risk everything to pursue.

Wicked the Musical’s Groundbreaking Score – Act 1

The score of the musical sensation Wicked is groundbreaking because it brilliantly melds pop idioms with sophisticated musical theater song construction.

Five I Want Songs That Work

As every musical theater writer knows, the “I want” song is central to our craft. The stage may be full of people singing and dancing, but the I Want song tells the audience, “Watch this one. This is the important one. This is the one with the superhuman passion.”