Stage 5: Sing, sing a song!

Once you have a good book to base your script upon then you need to organize your story so that all the fun of the book can be enjoyed in an evening’s entertainment. As you structure the musical the places where a song is appropriate to enhance the moment and continue the story along become apparent. Or at least you hope your audience will agree that here’s where a good song should be.

Sometimes the music will come first, sometimes the lyrics, and sometimes it feels as if the music and lyrics come simultaneously. You want to explore every aspect of the topic of the song without losing the intent or the attention of your audience. Also, you want to include dance wherever possible as you want your audience to feel moved by and with the performers and be uplifted by them. 

To just put in a song because you want to or like the song yourself doesn’t work. Letting the story take its own journey without forcing the direction makes it flow as if your audience is traveling smoothly down a river yet allowing them to be surprised, intrigued and delighted by each turn along the way. You just have to remember where everything is headed and get your actors and audience there at the same time.

Stage Left: You’re a character all right!!! Character Development!

Stage 4: Book’em Dano!!!

It always surprises me that many people do not realize that when someone says the Book, Music and Lyrics of a show, that the Book means the script. Of course, in a musical, the music and lyrics are extremely important, but so too is the book. If you don’t have an interesting story to tell then your audience quickly loses interest and no matter how good the music and lyrics are they can’t save a show without a good book. That’s why so many great musicals are based on successful books that people have already come to love and enjoy.

How lucky was I to have my own brother, Don, write a funny, warm, attention grabbing novel and allow me to attempt to turn it into a musical. I have tried to stay as true to his story as possible but this is a musical and poetic license allows me to make changes where I deem fit.

Sometimes the changes are not what the author expected (which did happen at one point in the show) and there can be a conflict between playwright and author. You will have to see the musical to learn which scene that is. It all did work out in the end.

Ah, the end. There is also a surprise ending that I told Don would be in the musical but I think he really didn’t expect I would end the show the way I did. It seemed so appropriate and perfect an ending that he has agreed to let it stand the way it is. To tell you how our musical ends would be to spoil the evening for you. So please come see the show and let us know what you think.

If you can, read Don’s book, Friends Are Thicker Than Water, and then compare it to the show, SAINTS the Musical, and let us know how we did with both book and show.We will look forward to your evaluation. We truly value your opinion. 

Better still, if you have talent and would like to be involved in the creation of the show there are auditions March 28^th and 29^th. For audition info please call 401-942-3637. I would love to see some of our performers and/or past performers for Kaleidoscope Theatre at the auditions.

Stage Left: If there’s a song in your heart! “Sing out Louise!!!”