Musical Theatre Creation

Overview

Theatre Alberta, Alberta Playwrights’ Network, and Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity are proud to welcome Bob Martin and Lisa Lambert, creators of the award-winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone, for a master class in Musical Theatre Creation. 

We are in a new golden age of musical theatre. Writers and composers are exploring daring topics, forms, and styles. This three-day workshop will provide playwrights and theatre creators with tools and insights that can be applied to their own writing practice, and an opportunity to learn about Martin and Lambert’s’ unique and collaborative style of musical theatre creation.

Long-time collaborators Martin and Lambert created The Drowsy Chaperone with writer Don McKellar and composer Greg Morrison. The play opened on Broadway in 2006 and went on to receive multiple Tony and Drama Desk awards, including awards for both book and score. 

What does the program offer?

Participants in Musical Theatre Creation will learn methods and practice skills necessary for creating original work. Topics will include the relationship between book writer and lyricist, the importance of identifying and embracing a personal writing process, and original works versus adaptations (and the challenges that each pose). Participants are asked to bring work-in-progress material to discuss and to receive feedback from the instructors.

Who should apply?

This program is intended for experienced playwrights and theatre creators with a strong interest in musical theatre creation. Individual artists, as well as those working as part of writing teams, are welcome to apply. Songwriting experience is an asset but not a requirement. Please note that this class will not cover musical composition.

Artists residing outside Alberta will be required to pay an out-of-province fee of $100.

This master class is presented by Theatre Alberta, Alberta Paywrights' Network and Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity as part of Theatre Alberta’s Workshops by Request: Rocky Mountain Series.

Date: March 01 - March 03, 2019