Learn How To Write A Musical In Person from The Man Who Wrote The Book On It.
One of the first pieces of advice I give to writers struggling to improve their scripts is simple . . .
Read Jack Viertel’s The Secret Life of the American Musical.
It’s a genius book that breaks down the structure of the classic American musical. It diagnoses problems in your own scripts by demonstrating how the masters did it.
I re-read it every year.
I’m also lucky enough to call Jack a peer and a friend. And recently, while we were jawing over a new musical I was working on, I got to thinking . . . the book is great and all, but hearing him talk in person is priceless for anyone looking to get better. And aren’t we all?
Since my mission is to help people like you get your shows off the ground, I asked Jack if he’d ever teach a LIVE workshop for my readers.
And he said yes.
So we’re doing it!
On Sunday, December 8th, from 2-6 PM, Mr. Jack Viertel, Broadway Producer, Writer, former Critic, now head of Encores (for a little while longer anyway) and so much more, will be teaching an intensive workshop on the structure of a musical.
It’s a four-hour class that will be split in two parts. The first will be Jack deconstructing a musical for you like he does in his book, but more in-depth.
The second part . . . and oh this is where the fun begins . . . we’re hiring actors to play Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow and they’re going to perform the famous “If I Loved You” scene. Jack will go through it line by line, starting and stopping, to demonstrate why it is one of the most perfect scenes there is in all of musical theater . . . and how knowing why it’s so good, will help you write classic scenes of your own.
There will be time for questions, and a big networking opp as well. So come!
This is a small workshop for the serious minded students of musical theater, so seats are limited. Click here and get one today.
Whether you are a Producer, Director or of course, a writer . . . your career will thank you for it.
And I will see you there, and I can’t wait to learn more from this Musical Whisperer.
Date: December 8th
Time: 2pm-6pm
Location: Theater District
Podcasting
Ken created one of the first Broadway podcasts, recording over 250 episodes over 7 years. It features interviews with A-listers in the theater about how they “made it”, including 2 Pulitzer Prize Winners, 7 Academy Award Winners and 76 Tony Award winners. Notable guests include Pasek & Paul, Kenny Leon, Lynn Ahrens and more.
