Author Topic: MUSICALS: No-Scene Problem  (Read 3018 times)

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KikiGoulet

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MUSICALS: No-Scene Problem
« on: Aug 15, 2010, 04:10 pm »
I am working on a new musical, and am trying to get started on my paperwork while in music rehearsals. I am in huge debates with myself about how to handle the fact that there are no actual "scenes" to divide moments....there are songs and some dialogue in-between. Just looking to see if anyone has any input. As of right now, I'm dividing it by song, and then labeling the rest of the moments as "Transition into 'X'" even though there are no technical "transitions."

Edit to subject line-Rebbe
« Last Edit: Aug 16, 2010, 07:56 pm by Rebbe »

hbelden

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Re: MUSICALS: NO-SCENE PROBLEM
« Reply #1 on: Aug 16, 2010, 12:21 am »
I don't understand the distinction you're making between "scenes" and "some dialogue in-between."  Is this a cabaret?  A review, like "Side by Side by Sondheim?"

Is there a narrative to the piece?

Are there any set moves? Any prop tracking? Any costume changes?
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loebtmc

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Re: MUSICALS: NO-SCENE PROBLEM
« Reply #2 on: Aug 16, 2010, 01:34 am »
when I do my character breakdown (who appears on what page and when do they leave), I will divide things into clear shifts (lots of characters arrive or leave, a piece w only a handful of folks or there is a major thematic change, etc) to plan rehearsals - and then sit w the director to work on the calendar and, well, the director often wants to use my chart to label scenes and use for rehearsal shorthand (scene 1 is pp 1-13 up to Xs entrance, sc 2 is pp 13 from Xs entrance to p 15....etc translates to Wed 1-3 scene 1, 3-5 Scene 2 so people can do their own work as well as work on the go.

just read for beat shifts and character presence/absence.

amdram

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Re: MUSICALS: NO-SCENE PROBLEM
« Reply #3 on: Aug 16, 2010, 07:36 am »
I do a lot of Gilbert and Sullivan and it's all like that. I just use the name of the song and where there's dialogue, I just put lib.

e.g. for The Mikado:-

If You Want to Know Who We Are.

A Wand'ring Minstrel.

Lib.

Our Great Mikado.

and so on.

KikiGoulet

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Re: MUSICALS: No-Scene Problem
« Reply #4 on: Aug 22, 2010, 10:59 am »
Thanks for the input, all. Sorry if my question was actually a little confusing. We're going with songs and then for dialogue in-between, by their location and/or the a cappella vamp's name.

geoffsm

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Re: MUSICALS: No-Scene Problem
« Reply #5 on: Aug 22, 2010, 04:34 pm »
Talk to the director about how he/she plans to divide the show (for rehearsal/staging purposes).  Very often when I've worked on shows with no "scenes," the director has requested french scenes.  In that case, you can work with them to divide up the beats (and label them numerically or alphabetically) and do your paperwork that way.