Imagine you have a poster up in Shubert Alley of a show you wrote that is supposed to open on Broadway in just a few months.

Then imagine that show suddenly gets canceled.

It might make you want to pack it all in, move back to the small town you’re from, and become a lawyer or doctor or anything but a musical theater writer.

And no one would blame you for it.

Well, that happened to Chad.  But he decided to tough it out and double down on his desire to write for the theater.

And we’re all luckier for it.

The show was The Rhythm Club (it was terrific, by the way).  Chad, the multi-talented and multi-nominated book writer/lyricist of shows like Aladdin, The Wedding Singer, Elf, and this season’s breakout original hit, The Prom, talked about that difficult experience as well as:

• The pros and cons of writing original musicals versus adaptations of big, branded source material.
• How he settles “differences of opinions” with his collaborators . . . from Alan Menken to Matt Sklar.
• The importance of having confidence as a writer, even when you are just starting out, and when those around you have more experience.
• What award season is like when you’re up against your friends and peers.
• What he looks for in a producer and why.

Enjoy the podcast here and wish Chad luck on Sunday night!

Listen to it on iTunes here. (And if you like the podcast, give it a great review while you’re there!)

Download it here.

IMPORTANT PODCAST NEWS:  As the current Broadway season comes to an end, so does this season of The Producer’s Perspective podcast!  We’ll be back in the fall with a new look, new sound, and new super-powered guests.  Sign up here to be the first to know when the next episode is released, or click here to subscribe in iTunes.  And if you’re looking for a podcast fix in the meantime, check out the archives here.