Beating Broadway
Subtitle: how to create stories for musicals that get standing ovations
By: Steve Cuden
Publisher: Cudwerks Productions
Published: 2013
Place of publication: [United States]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 433
ISBN-13: 9781481223027
Subjects: Playwriting; Writing and publishing; Musicals
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Elements of story construction for musicals. What is a musical?; title: Rules for writing musicals; title: Form vs. formula; title: Where most musical story ideas come from; title: Building the beast; title: Three movements to a story, no more, no less; title: Stepping-stones : plots and subplots; title: Seven plot points and a little more; title: The production's "Act One" : the story's first movement : the beginning. Plot point one. Normal world ; Plot point two. Inciting incident; title: The story's second movement : the middle. Plot point three. Point of no return ; Plot point four. Midpoint begins ; Intermission; title: The production's "Act Two." Midpoint continues ; Plot point five. The big gloom; title: The story's third movement : the end. Plot point six. Climax into resolution ; Plot point seven. New normal; title: Opening and closing moments; title: The seven plot points in a nutshell : a review of a typical musical's structure; title: Epiphanies; title: Conflict; title: Character development; title: Whose story is it, and why must we care?; title: Whose story is it not, but we must care anyway?; title: Three-dimensional characters; title: Staying on target; title: Making a scene memorable; title: Why write a song when you can just say it in dialogue?; title: Lyrics and subtext; title: Dance; title: Whenever possible, show, don't tell; title: Believability; title: Developing a voice of your own; title: Steps toward assembly; title: Rewriting; title: Fail upward!; title: The narrative beats. Beating up the beats; title: Ladies and gentlemen, presenting... Thirty-five Broadway musicals. Avenue Q ; The book of Mormon ; Cabaret ; Camelot ; Cats ; Chicago ; A chorus line ; Evita ; The fantasticks ; Fiddler on the roof ; The full monty ; A funny thing happened on the way to the forum ; Grease ; Gypsy ; Hairspray ; Hello, Dolly ; Jekyll & Hyde ; Jersey boys ; The king and I ; Les misérables ; Man of La Mancha ; The music man ; My fair lady ; Oklahoma! ; The phantom of the Opera ; The producers ; Rent ; The sound of music ; South Pacific ; Spring awakening ; Sweeney Todd ; Titanic ; Urinetown ; West Side story ; Wicked; title: Five movie musicals. Beauty and the beast ; Jesus Christ Superstar ; The Lion King ; Singin' in the rain ; The wizard of Oz.