NMI’s RESOURCE CENTER for musical theatre writers

insider tips

glosssary of terms

FREE format video

public domain ideas

FREE curriculum video

theatre archives

Welcome to the musical theatre writers’ Resource Center.

This is a FREE page hosted by New Musicals Inc.
As of September 1, 2024, we are NO LONGER maintaining a list of Producers and Theatres, or a Contests Listing. We have found we are no longer able to keep those lists properly up-to-date.
BUT we encourage you to check out the offerings from our friends at MusicalWriters.Com who have a wealth of resources for musical theatre writers!
What you can still find on this page is:
  • an idea library of thousands of royalty-free public domain stories and plots
  • a glossary of musical theatre terms (with audio/video examples)
  • access to short videos filled with tips and advice from NMI staff
  • access to critical feedback options and format guidelines from NMI

Enjoy!


FORMAT LIKE A PRO


Watch this FREE video to learn how to implement the FORMAT GUIDELINES specifically designed by New Musicals Inc. Make sure your script and score look professional and are ready to go into development.

Want more tools to help you get your formatting right?

*** VISIT OUR FORMATTING PRODUCTS PAGE ***



LIBRARY OF IDEAS (Royalty Free)

FREE ACCESS to a library of 1000+ downloadable royalty-free stories, plays, plots and other inspiring indeas we’ve found in the public domain for you. There’s a brief excerpt of every item in the library, so you can take a quick glance to see whether or not you want to read the whole text. In addition, the NMI staff has made annotations and recommendations for many of the titles in the library about their potential to become musicals. Save hundreds of hours of research and reading!


Here are some random samples from our listings of story ideas in the public domain:

      • The Gamekeeper (by Guy de Maupassant)
      • The Carter in the Mire (by Jean de La Fontaine)
      • A Yellow Dog (by Bret Harte)
      • The Heron (by Jean de La Fontaine)
      • The Vase of Clay (by Jean Aicard)

      *** LINK TO COMPLETE LIBRARY OF IDEAS ***


IMPROVE YOUR CRAFT


New Musicals Inc. offers a whole series of professional online LABS for bookwriters, lyricists, and composers who are serious about improving their craft. This video is a FREE sample of one of the lecture videos from the all new Lyric Lab 1 - Fundamentals.

FREE PROGRESSION HANDOUT


NEED SOME FEEDBACK?


Have you written a musical? Are you working on one? NMI has smart, professional, detailed dramaturges who will help you make sure you are on the strongest path to fulfilling the promise of your work. From video and audio feedback packages to one-on-one dramaturgical sessions, we have what you need to take the next step forward. We even have an annual contest that results in a workshop and concert reading in Los Angeles.

"We really did appreciate all your help - you’ve got just the right tone to critique. It’s a matter of 'A Spoonful of Sugar Helps The Medicine Go Down'!”
                    ~~George Stiles
          (Mary Poppins, Honk, Soho Cinders)

*** Check out NMI's Feedback options ***


MUSICAL THEATRE ARCHIVES


Here's a sample of items from our vault of historical photos, and musical theatre trivia about events that happened THIS month in the past:

      • November 19, 1973     Savion Glover, the youngest person to win Best Choreographer Tony Award for his work on Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, was born today. Glover also appeared in The Tap Dance Kid, Jelly’s Last Jam, and the film Tap.
      • November 12, 1989     Grand Hotel: The Musical, with a score by Maury Yeston, Robert Wright, and George Forrest and directed by Tommy Tune, opened on Broadway today.
      • November 10, 1949     Anne Reinking, muse of Bob Fosse, star of Over Here!, Dancin’, and Chicago (see below), was born today.

      *** Click to access the full archives. ***


INSIDER TIPS AND ADVICE


Here is one of our videos with insider tips and advice:


GLOSSARY OF TERMS


Here are some samples from our Glossary of definitions of musical theatre terms. We will be adding to this over time - as well as adding actual sample scores and sound recordings. Check back often!

      • Writing for Today’s Musical Theatre Performer:

        There’s a lot of scary singing happening out there, and some of it is due to what David Sisco sees as irresponsible vocal writing.  See attached pdf for an article about vocal ranges, belt, and writing for the musical theatre performer.

      • Periphrasis:

        Substitution of a proper name as a descriptive (associated with that proper name). Such as:

        He was a Quixote of the fishing world, with delusions of catching a swordfish with a homemade fishing pole.
        The Herculean task of cleaning the garage.
        A Sondheimean rhyme scheme

      • Tenor:

        The highest male voice, generally lighter than other men’s voices. Often associated automatically with youth, romance. Changes timbre below about an E and above a G.

      • Chord symbol:

        A chord symbol is a letter and/or accidental which indicates a root pitch on which a chord is to be built and other symbols which indicate the composition of the chord.

      • Charm Song:

        a song characterized by the rhythmic nature of the accompaniment, designed to make the audience feel charmed.  (An old-fashioned term and idea; these days, “charm” is no longer fashionable in a new musical.)

      *** Click to access the full glossary. ***


Fanny Brice, circa 1920’s. From the Musical Theatre History collection of the Library of Congress.


Wishing is good time wasted.

--Gus Kahn