Musicals: They Ain't Just Plays with Songs

Recently, a novelist who is writing a musical based on a book she wrote, asked for general advice from those who've written musicals.  What I told her is this ...

While it is possible for folks to give you a valuable pointer or two about writing the book (script) for a musical, if you've never done it before you'll need more than a handful of tips from colleagues.  The expectations and constraints that relate to the writing musicals are different from those concerning the writing of a play.  As the author of the critically acclaimed show, The Devil's Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, and Playwriting for Dummies, I would strongly suggest you go to Amazon.com for a book or two about writing musicals.  There are lots of them, like The Musical Theatre Writer's Survival Guide by David Spencer or Making Musicals by Tom Jones.  If you're a beginner when it comes to musicals, it almost doesn't matter which book on musicals you read, but do do your homework. 

All that being said, I do have one important piece of advice:  remember that the songs in a musical are part of the storytelling.  Songs (and dances) are not thrown in randomly for the purpose entertainment only.  The songs in a musical are, in effect, musical dialogue, and must either reveal character or advance the plot.  If you can take a song out or move it to another spot in the show with no impact on the show, then that song is superfluous.  If you were to take "I Feel Pretty" out of West Side Story, you would not understand the depth of Maria's elation and the validation she is experiencing over having connected with Tony the night before.  And the song helps explain why she is willing to so quickly and fully commit herself to Tony.  In other words "I Feel Pretty" is a wonderful song and dance, but it serves an important dramaturgical purpose.