I hope you like reading! Cause you are going to be reading that new musical script more times then you read the instructions on how long and how hot to cook a frozen pizza. (It’s 12-14 minutes at 425ª BTW! Why do we always second guess ourselves?!)
You need to know that thing inside and out so you can come up with amazing ideas to pump into your show… and maybe even more importantly, you need to make sure that you are prepared to communicate to your production team exactly what you need from them.
So, grab your script, your headphones - so you can also listen along to the music, and a slice of pepperoni?...
Here are the 3 main stages of script analysis when you are directing a musical for your school or theatre company:
(In an ideal world) Read for pleasure and soak up the story
You know when you go see a good movie and you have lots of initial thoughts while it is going on? Then you leave the movie theatre - totally in your head about the movie as you push open the doors to the blinding sun? And you drive home, still thinking about what you just witnessed? THEN… possibly for days, you still are soaking in the story and analyzing what you watched. You have new thoughts and make new connections. You think more deeply about the supporting characters and maybe about how other elements like the setting and costumes influenced the message. Welp… ideally you can treat the first read of your script the same way.
Read the script. Don’t touch a pencil and paper, don’t make notes on your phone, don’t pause to check our social media! Find the time to digest the whole thing all at once and then just chew on it for a day or two.
We get it… you might not have the time to sit and relax and read all of the scripts you are considering. You might need to get into a decision making process quickly and have to start breaking stuff down right away, BUT- in an ideal world, this is an incredibly useful step for a director.
Just enjoying the story and then thinking about the story for a day or two, letting it live with you, will open your eyes to things you might miss if you don’t give yourself that time.
Brainstorm, Journal and Doodle
This step may take more than one time through the script (and, for me, always includes listening to the soundtrack nonstop in my car). But grab a sketchbook or notebook and read through the musical script slowly. When something pops into your head, write it down, make a quick note or a quick doodle. Try to keep your process organized so you can remember what your ideas are for - maybe jot down the page number or at least the scene.
Do not be shy here. If something pops in your head, no matter how ridiculous, jot it down. You want to let your ideas flow and get all of the creative ideas you have out.
Once you have sufficiently gone through the script and listened to the music enough to have a good idea of your creative vision for the show, you need to review ideas. As you review, narrow down what your creative vision entails and set the rest to the side.
I would recommend at this point starting a Google Drive folder where you can save images that you find. I like to have visuals to show my creative team and to help get them to visualize the same things that I am.
Now that you have whittled down your ideas and gathered some additional images to help support your vision, it is time to move on to heavier planning.
Start Making Lists and Filling Out Your Character Breakdown
Now it’s time to start preparing to get your creative team on board with your creative vision. They are going to need to know what you are thinking (with the help of your visuals) and specifically what you are going to need. Now… be warned… this is a time consuming task. That’s because I would recommend going through the script and solely focusing on only 1 or 2… maybe 3 things at a time, tops.
First I would read through it and fill out the basics of your Character Breakdown spreadsheet - your pages numbers and scenes, songs, main characters and your settings. I like to keep my list of characters at this point to a bare minimum. It is easy to expand the cast after auditions if you have the numbers and the talent, but it is good to know what your bare minimum number is.
Another time through the script you can focus on props. This is one of those things that I like to focus on by itself cause your props aren’t always called out in the script. You need to visualize what is going on and if you are concentrating on too many things, it is easy for your mind to stop picturing the props that need to be added to the list.
When I make my prop list, I start the list by noting what the prop is, which scene it is for and the quantity needed. You can add additional notes if needed and eventually you can also make note of where it should live off stage so the prop master knows where to set it up for pre-show.
Other times through the script will be for costume notes, special lighting needs, sound effects, dance ideas, and any other special requirements that the production might call for.
I know this can seem like a tedious task, but it can be more fun than you think. And, by the time that you are done going through the script this many times, you are going to have a pretty clear idea of what you are visualizing for the show - making blocking your musical that much easier.
The real benefit though comes from being prepared to meet with your musical’s creative team and to relay your needs clearly and effectively with them. Starting off on the same foot is crucial to your production’s success… both process and product. And all of that prep work will have you walking into your Creative Meeting with that new shoes, fresh hair cut kinda swagger.
Our goal is to make things a little easier for a new director trying to tackle a musical. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out our library of resources and our most recent blogs, filled with some helpful info.
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