INTRODUCTIONS
-Background of production opportunities, purpose of clinic, introduce “Support Group”
Clinic Materials: Clinic Notes, website: www.musicalsinschools.wikispaces.com, contact information
GAME: The Machine (prepare tennis balls, a variety of other balls, plain paper)
-8 Volunteers, each a “cog in the machine,” participate in activity, ask for educational goal and
performance skills practiced
How to Get Started
“You’ve accepted a position in the school musical, you know you have the knowledge and
experience to do it, but where do you start??”
-Find people you want to work with: Production Team! “Watch out for, If you want something
done right, do it yourself! mentality…”
-Producer/Business Manager, Stage Director, Vocal Director, Choreographer, Music
Director, Technical Director, Parent Coordinators, Committee Chairs
-Look into District supplied Supplemental Contracts
-Importance of Trust, Respect, and Mutual Support
-Talk to other Teachers and Staff in your building: they don’t necessarily need a
background in music or performance to be helpful
-Get Permission: RED TAPE--> LBHS Indoor Drumline story...
-Submit a typed proposal
-Outline your rationale for starting and/or maintaining a musical theater program
-Include your Educational Philosophy
-Don’t expect students to come in knowing what to do
-What do you want students to learn?
-What do you want students to get out of the experience?
-Who are you trying to reach? Don’t forget the “students in the
middle” and the importance of catching the “students falling
through the cracks.” Don’t underestimate the power of musical
theater performance for your most troubled students, students with
disabilities, or other students with special needs.
-List the benefits to students and the community
-If you know your tentative show title, production team, rehearsal/performance
dates, include those as well
-Present to Administrators: Principal, Board of Education
-Get the word out
-Discuss with associated teachers and how they can be involved: Choir, Band, Drama,
Dance, Art, Computer/Technology, Agriculture, etc.
-Gauge the level of student/community interest: You will need help to get started
-Talk about musical theater in performance classes, add to curriculum
-Offer a trip to a local musical performance
-Find a local school with a strong musical theater program to partner with
-Publicity, get the community excited We’ll talk about this more later...
-Start-Up Funding: Need about $2,000 for HS/$1,000 for MS to pay for Scripts/Scores
-Petition community organizations: Rotary, Kiwanis, Lion’s Club, Elks, Masons,
Knights of Columbus, local Community Theater Organizations, etc.
-can use same proposal you wrote up for your administration!
-Cabaret/Student Showcase Fundraiser, possibly with Dinner or Deserts
-Garage Sale (Funds, Supplies, and Service!)
-Publicize donation collection information: when and where to donate, where to
store, someone to call to pick up larger items, etc.
-Organize and price items in a large room: need tables, clothing racks, check out
-2 shopping days for community members
-Mark items you are interested in for your program (costumes, props, sets)
-Arrange for Salvation Army/Goodwill to bring a truck to collect unsold items
-Unsold marked items become part of your new theatrical collection: you need to
find storage...good luck!
Picking a Show
-STEP 1: Examine your strengths and weaknesses, skill sets, budget, space, resources, etc.
-You are NOT pre-casting the show, just making sure you have students and resources
to select from (“Oklahoma” story…)
-Pre-casting is dangerous for many reasons, and you might miss a surprise auditioned
-STEP 2: Musical Licensing Companies
-Musical Theater International (www.mtishows.com)
-Wide selection of popular shows, Many useful resources, Easy to work with
-School, Junior, and Kids versions available
-Tams-Witmark Music LIbrary (www.tams-witmark.com)
-Many classic selections, Few resources, Outdated materials
-Samuel French (www.samuelfrench.com)
-Edgy/Modern shows, Purchase scrips, Rent Scores
-Rodgers and Hammerstein Theatricals (www.rnh.com)
-Retains the rights to their classic shows
-G2K (Getting to Know…) collection for young performers
-Find reference materials online or at your local library
-www.musicals101.com for Musical List with licenser information, other resources
-STEP 3: Order Perusals from the licensers: these are usually cheap (or free) and can come with
Script, Score, Resource information, Cast Recording
-Good FIRST Shows
-Annie, Bye Bye Birdie, Charlie Brown, Cinderella, Fame: The Musical, Godspell, Grease:
The School Edition, Little Shop of Horrors, Music Man, Schoolhouse Rock Live,
Seussical, South Pacific, The Wiz
-You want something recognizable, fun for students, will bring in a large audience,
promotes success to create a viable program
-AVOID shows that your community may think are controversial!! KNOW YOUR
COMMUNITY! Don’t know your community yet? PLAY IT SAFE!!!
The Importance of Communication
-Have everything in writing
-Student Contract: expectations for attendance, rehearsals, personal contributions, etc.
-Schedule: detailed and complete for whole rehearsal process, keep each week similar,
over-schedule, plan in make-up days: it’s easier to cancel a rehearsal than to add an
extra!
-Color-coded Forms: Student Information, Parent Info/Volunteer, Patrons, Absences,
Biographies, Ticket Orders, T-Shirt Orders, etc.
-Student/Parent Contact Info: Try Google Docs-Forms (demonstration)
-Website (wikispaces vs school website)
-Weekly Email Newsletter
-Production Meetings: Get the production staff together on a regular basis to make sure everyone
is on the same page and all aspects of the show are taken care of so nothing falls through the
cracks
-Don’t forget your Administration, Staff, Secretaries, Custodians, etc.
-AVOID DRAMA at all costs! Keep a cool and steady head, be organized, plan ahead, say
please and thank you, and always be nice
Get Creative
-Small or awkward performance space: Bring the action out into the seating area, Break up a
large cast into 2 choruses, Minimal sets, Lighting Design (BATB Belle’s Bedroom…)
-Lack of storage: Rent or borrow materials, Break down materials to store more efficiently, Seek
out every nook and cranny in the school!
-Look for shows that allow for creativity (traditional shows come with expectations…)
-Fiddler on the Roof vs. Once On This Island
-Other ideas: Minimalism, Human Sets, Use what you have!
Use the K.I.S.S. Method (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
-Don’t go over the top: let the STUDENTS shine! Keep sets and costumes minimal, forcing
students to create the plot and characters through their acting. Elaborate sets/costumes might be
impressive, but if that’s all your audience remembers, you haven’t done your job for the students.
-Pros of Keeping It Simple: Costs less, takes less time/people/effort to prepare, reduces stress
(you can always beef it up once the program is rolling for several years)
-Find simple ways to make a show appear professional: Professional printing for posters/
programs, Corporate Sponsorship, Dressed up Ushers, etc.
Getting Everyone Involved
-Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
-Previous Director, Director in the area that you respect
-Area College Theater Department, Technical Director specifically for help with lighting
and sound design
-Area Theater Company, Community Theater, Arts Programs
-Parents, Staff Members, Custodians
-Anyone you know who has theatrical experience
-Student Involvement: Singers, Dancers, Actors, Student Director, Stage Manager, Tech Crew
-Technical Students:
-Vocational/Agriculture Program: Set Construction, Props
-Art Classes: Set/Drop Painting, Poster/T-Shirt/Program Logo Design
-Computer Classes: Format the Program, Format Personal Advertisements
-Home Economics: Costume design and building
-Adults (Staff/Parents): Production Team, Committee Chairs
-Area Businesses: Financial Sponsors, Patrons
-Cross-Curricular Opportunities: History/Culture, Language Arts, Foreign Language, etc.
TIMELINE
-Go over detailed timeline on the back of the handout
-Based on 8 Week Rehearsal Process
Musical Theater as an Educational Experience (Ohio State Standards)
1. Historical, Cultural, and Social Contexts: Students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a
variety of music styles and cultures and the context of musical expression or events, both past and
present. Students identify significant contributions of composers and performers to music heritage.
Students analyze the historical, social and political forces that have influenced the function and role of
music in the lives of people.
a. (6-8) Compare and contrast styles and forms of music from various historical periods. (912) Identify music forms from various cultures and historical periods and create or
perform representative repertoire with stylistic accuracy. *Ethnic shows, Period shows,
Culture-based shows, etc.
b. (6-8) Identify composers and classify them according to chronological historical periods.
(9-12) Research and explain how music and composers both influence and are
influenced by society and culture. *Important Composer List: George Gershwin,
Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers, Leonard Berstein, Stephen Sondheim, Steven
Schwartz, Jason Robert Brown, etc. *Shows that advance the medium of musical
theater: Show Boat, Oklahoma, etc.
c. (6-8) Describe how events during various historical periods have influenced the
development of music. *The Depression, period shows, etc.
2. Creative Expression and Communication: Students sing, play instruments, improvise, compose,
read and notate music.
d. (6-8) Perform a piece of music, independently or in a group, with technical accuracy and
expression. (9-12) Sing and/or play, independently or in ensembles, demonstrating
technical and stylistic accuracy and musical expressiveness with appropriate responses
to a leader's cues and gestures. *Student performers as soloists, duets, small
ensembles, and large groups; Student pit orchestra; Technical accuracy in 2-4 part
harmony; etc.
e. (6-8) Improvise or compose a short melody that includes key signature and meter signature
with proper notation in treble or bass clef. (9-12) Read, perform or compose music
repertoire using a variety of tonalities while demonstrating an understanding of the
language of music. *Read and perform music, tonality based on type of show
performed (“Fiddler on the Roof” vs. “Grease”), musical terms identified
throughout score
f. (6-8) Identify and recognize in a piece of music the following: clef, key signature, meter
signature, tempo, dynamic markings and note values. *Musical terms/symbols found
and used in the score
3. Analyzing and Responding: Students listen to a varied repertoire of music and respond by analyzing
and describing music using correct terminology. Students evaluate the creating and performing of music
by using appropriate criteria.
g. (6-8) Describe and evaluate a piece of music using developed criteria based on elements of
music and music vocabulary. (9-12) Analyze and evaluate music selections based upon
established criteria. *Go beyond just learning the notes/rhythms to fully
understanding their musical nature: form, key relationships, tonality, tone, mood,
etc. and discuss the musical purpose within the larger whole
h. (6-8) the structure of larger music works and the sections comprised within. *Placement
of different songs throughout the larger work. (9-12) Analyze and respond to
conducting patterns and gestures in relation to interpretation of music performance
literature. *Conducting used in rehearsal and performance to aid student
performance.
i.
(6-8) Apply appropriate criteria to support personal preferences for music choice and
evaluate the quality and effectiveness of a music performance. *Discuss which pieces
you like/don’t like and why based on their quality and effectiveness. (9-12) Analyze
common harmonic progressions in selected repertoire aurally. *Students listen for
cadences, transitions, modulations as memory clues for performance
j.
(9-12) Apply appropriate, established criteria to evaluate a variety of music performances.
*Students self-evaluate their own performances. Students evaluate other
performances of the same work in relation to their own performance (major motion
picture, other school performances, YouTube, etc.).
4. Valuing Music/Aesthetic Reflection: Students demonstrate an understanding of reasons why people
value music and a respect for diverse opinions regarding music preferences. Students articulate the
significance of music in their lives.
k. (6-8) Reflect on and describe how music performance and settings affect audience
response. *Discuss the importance of setting a mood, what that mood should be,
and how the audience might react. (9-12) Articulate and justify personal philosophies
regarding music in their lives and cite examples that contributed to this thinking.
*Discuss how music has made a difference in students’ lives through personal
experience.
l.
(6-8) Reflect on why others may have different music preferences. (9-12) Explain how
people differ in their music preferences based on their personal experiences. *Discuss
how people with different backgrounds may interpret music differently and how all
audience members can be reached emotionally.
m. (6-8) Justify one's personal preference of music choice using music vocabulary. (9-12)
Develop and apply specific criteria for making informed, critical judgments about quality
and effectiveness of music works both written and performed. *Discuss and evaluate
the music from the show for its quality and effectiveness prior to and following
performance.
5. Connections, Relationships, and Applications: Students identify similarities and differences between
music and other arts disciplines. Students recognize the relationship between concepts and skills
learned through music with knowledge learned in other curricular subjects, life experiences and
potential careers in and outside the arts. Students develop a desire for lifelong learning in music.
n. (6-8) Compare and contrast common terms used in and for the interpretation of music and
other arts disciplines. (9-12) similarities and differences between music and other
content areas. *Demonstrate and discuss how musical theater combines various
arts toward a common affective goal.
o. (6-8) Demonstrate ways that subject matter of other disciplines is interrelated with that of
music. *Discuss how the interrelation of different arts effect an overall
performance; how music improves dance and dance improves music, etc. (9-12)
Apply technology in creating, performing and/or researching music. *Students research
historical, cultural, and social background of the show and help educate the
audience through various means. *Create a pre-show/intermission slide-show.
*Groups of students create informational presentation tables.
p. (6-8) Identify various ways music affects their lives. *Students discuss how this
performance has changed them in some way (student testimonials during
informational meeting or awards banquet). (9-12) Compare and contrast several
cultures' music works based on the function music serves, role of the musicians and
conditions under which the music is performed. *Discuss musicals performed over a
period of time and how music is used differently.
q. (6-8) Identify various careers in music. *Students brainstorm the many professional
opportunities presented through musical theater performance. (9-12) Articulate
music avocation and career opportunities found in various cultures and music settings
and identify experiences necessary for success. *Students brainstorm the many
professional opportunities present through musical theater performance and
connect the appropriate training/experience required for each. Students could
even contact and interview a professional in their chosen field.
-You should look up Dance, Drama, and Visual Arts Standards as well!
Questions?