NOMTI Open Seminar on Musical Theater


Home *Advanced Writers Lab* Musical Theater Writing Seminar Resources Contact us	MUSICAL THEATER WRITING SEMINAR NOMTI's Musical Theater Writing Seminar is an intensive two-day instructional seminar covering the most critical elements of writing for musical theater. When Annually, most recently on Saturday/Sunday, March 27-28, 2010 This event has also been held in late October/early November. Where Berklee School of Music 150 Mass Ave Boston, MA Room TBA Directions at bottom of page How much (March 2010 Seminar) $195 for non-students advance registration, $250 after 3/15/10 $95 with student ID advance registration, $150 after 3/15/10 Checks made payable to "NOMTI" Covers tuition, handouts and coffee Lunch is on your own For whom The Seminar is open to writers of all levels, but it is geared toward writers with some previous experience. It is not an introductory overview but an intensive workshop on the essentials of writing for musical theater. By whom Michael Wartofsky: MICHAEL WARTOFSKY’s music and lyrics were featured in THE MAN IN MY HEAD at the 2006 NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL starring DARIUS DE HAAS. Broadway.com called the score a “percolating delight.” Michael is developing RUNNING BACK with librettist MARCUS GARDLEY and THE RIVER IS ME with Sukari Jones (Equity reading starring TITUSS BURGESS in 2009). For North Shore Music Theater, Michael composed music for THE NAVIGATOR (Equity reading directed by DANIELLA TOPOL) and FRIENDSHIP OF THE SEA with KATHLEEN CAHILL (Equity and non-Equity touring productions for young audiences). THE BROADWAY BOYS have performed "Possibilities" at Birdland and the Zipper Factory, and Darius de Haas has performed Michael’s songs in his opening act for VANESSA WILLIAMS and in concert at Birdland and the Triad. Currently Associate Professor, Berklee College of Music; alumnus of NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing ’97, where he also serves as Adjunct Faculty. Founding Artistic Director, NOMTI (New Opera & Musical Theater Initiative). David Reiffel: For five years, David Reiffel was composer in residence for the nationally-acclaimed Cornerstone Theater Company. With them, he created full scores for sixteen adaptations of classic plays, of which his favorites were The House on Walker River (based on the Oresteia), The Good Person of Long Creek, and Pier Gynt (a Downeast adaptation of Ibsen's epic). His murder mystery musical Say Goodbye was selected as the inaugural Louis B. Mayer Memorial Production at Harvard University. He has created music and sound design at the Court Theater in Chicago, the Chautauqua Festival in Chautauqua, NY, and the Stoneham Theater in Stoneham, MA. He has served as musical director for JoAnne Akalaitis’s production of The Iphigenia Cycle, both in Chicago and in New York City. Over the past several years, he has collaborated with poet/librettist Mary-Ann Greanier on The Underpants and Chairman of the Board, two adaptations of plays by Carl Sternheim whose development began with Cornerstone. He has also worked with director/playwright Timothy Banker on several productions, including The Lady From Maxim’s. He is Program Director for the New Opera and Musical Theatre Initiative (NOMTI), which selected The Lady from Maxim’s for its Birth of a Musical festival in both 2001 and 2003. He is presently working with the NOMTI Advanced Writers’ Lab on Glory, his latest musical. Nancy Rexford: Nancy Rexford has been active in NOMTI since 2001, where she cleverly made herself indispensable by taking responsibility for NOMTI’s financial records and reporting, a job no one else ever wants. Nancy became notorious within the group for insisting that everyone focus just as much on book as on music, having discovered that pretty music ain’t enough. After slogging for a few years as NOMTI’s executive director, she resigned in order to force a change in the way NOMTI’s activities were structured. The Advanced Writers’ Lab and this Open Seminar, inaugurated in 2007, are the happy result. When life permits, she practices what she preaches, and has written the libretto for an opera (Komachi, based on a 14th century Japanese Noh play) and also the book, music and lyrics for two musicals (George Sand and Princess and the Goblin), all three of these in collaboration with composer Charles Turner. She is the organist at Holy Trinity UMC in Danvers, where she also runs a small improv group for kids and assists with the adult choir, for whom she enjoys writing mildly comic anthems reflecting a more liberal theology. She also teaches piano to people she likes. How to Register Download and fill out the Registration Form. Send filled-out form and check to: NOMTI c/o David Reiffel 2 Greenough Avenue, No. 1 Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Questions: dreiffel "at" nomti.org Last Year's Program (watch this space for developments) SATURDAY: Day-long program of intensive lecture and discussion covers the principles, standards and skills most widely recognized as central in the field of musical theater. If you want to write a musical that someone will want to produce, then these are the tools that you will need to use. The skills and standards discussed in this seminar are also those that NOMTI considers when assessing applicants to the Advanced Writers Lab. Admission to the Lab depends on your presenting work that shows that you understand these issues and are learning to master these skills. The program will cover the following topics: Designing the book What "book" really is Recognizing stories that would make a good musical Using inner and outer stories to add depth to your musical Thinking presentationally Finding the spine of the story Beginnings, middles, ends Developing conflict Finding the crisis Scene writing Subtext Compressing the scene High-context and low-context dialogue How songs underline story structure Where to put the songs Audience-friendly put-together Songs and lyrics Creating a memorable tune Forwarding plot, revealing character through songs Knowing when to start singing, knowing when to stop Engaging the audience through subtext Giving the title and hook staying power Telling clear, compelling stories through song Mastering standard song forms in the theatrical context Differentiating lyrics from poetry Using anthems to create the world of the play Using harmony functionally to amplify the storytelling Creating variety within the song Creating larger musical structures within the play Case Study: Wicked We recommend that seminar participants become familiar with this show through the recording, and if possible by reading those portions of the script included in The Grimmerie. The full script of Wicked has not yet been published. SUNDAY: At the end of Saturday's class, the seminar participants will be divided into teams and given an assignment (short scene with song with set parameters) so that they can practice some of the concepts explained in the seminar. Collaborating teams will have access to workrooms at Berklee on Sunday morning and will present their work to the reassembled group on Sunday afternoon from 1-5pm. Directions to Berklee meeting space: Room TBA: When information is available, this site will be updated. T stop: Hynes Convention Center Parking: On-street parking is extemely limited. Allow at least 30 minutes to find a space (meters in effect through 8pm, 25c for each 15 minutes). Or park at any of the adjacent lots (on Hemenway or Boylston or on Dalton Street between Boylston and Scotia).