DG Music Series

Career and Craft Training for Musical Theatre and Opera Writers
Join us this November at career training and craft workshops specifically geared towards music and opera writers! Discover the process of self-producing a studio cast album, learn how to craft a new opera libretto, find out how contemporary composers create music for the stage, and more.
Virtual Event
Career Training

New Models for Creating Musical Theatre:
The Making of The Violet Hour Studio Cast Recording 


Monday, November 14

Atlantic Time: 9pm-10pm
Eastern Time: 8pm-9pm
Central Time: 7pm-8pm
Mountain Time: 6pm-7pm
Pacific Time: 5pm-6pm
Alaska Time: 4pm-5pm
Hawaii Time: 3pm-4pm
Join us on Monday, November 14, for a one-hour webinar with the musical theatre writers of The Violet Hour, Will Reynolds (Music) and Eric Price (Book and Lyrics).

Will and Eric will walk guests through the process of self-producing a studio cast album highlighting alternative and exciting models for developing and showcasing new musicals. Learn how their unique approach centers on artist-driven leadership as they explore everything from fundraising, recording, post-production, and distribution.
 
About The Violet Hour: Award-winning musical theatre writing team Will Reynolds and Eric Price have recently released a 28-track studio cast recording of their musical The Violet Hour, based on the play by Richard Greenberg (Take Me Out). The album stars Santino Fontana, Erika Henningsen, Jeremy Jordan, Solea Pfeiffer, and Brandon Uranowitz, and features orchestrations by Tony and Grammy Award-winner Charlie Rosen and musical supervision by Andy Einhorn. BroadwayWorld has described the recording as "essential listening for any true musical theatre fan," and early praise for the album has been offered by Susan Stroman, John Kander, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and a host of musical theatre luminaries.
 
The recording is available for streaming on all music platforms. Please visit www.TheVioletHourMusical.com for more information.
Virtual Event
Craft Workshop

Operatunity! Librettists in Conversation Part I: How to Craft an Opera

Tuesday, November 15

Atlantic Time: 8pm
Eastern Time: 7pm
Central Time: 6pm
Mountain Time: 5pm
Pacific Time: 4pm
Alaska Time: 3pm
Hawaii Time: 1pm
Series Host: Ellen Lewis
Event Moderator: Joshua Mcguire
Panelists: David Henry Hwang, Deborah Mouton, Stephanie Fleischmann

Learn how to create a new opera! Gather with your opera community for an online conversation about the craft of writing an opera libretto. This webinar will address how to select the topic and style for a libretto, how to find and work with a composer, how to create an outline, whether to rhyme (or not!), how to approach rewrites, what to know about dramaturgs, and more. Come ready to ask your own craft-related questions and to connect with fellow opera-makers!

This event also marks the start of DG’s “Credit the Librettist” campaign. After all, if there is no librettist, then there is no opera.

This virtual event will be archived on the DG website, so that it can continue to be an ongoing resource for opera makers.
In-Person Event at The Mary Rodgers Room in NYC
Craft Workshop

The Write Way: 
How Musical Theatre Writers Create their Scores for the Stage


Monday, November 28

Eastern Time: 7pm
Join composer/arranger Carmel Dean as she talks to Kirsten Childs, Tom Kitt, and Helen Park about their respective songwriting processes and how they found the “write way” to bring their own music to life.

There is no single way to compose the music for a musical. Every composer has a unique process that works for them, based upon their musical training, background and experience. From handwriting songs using a pencil and manuscript paper, to recording full orchestral demos on GarageBand, to collaborating with arrangers who flesh out and expand their vision, there are myriad ways in which theatre composers of the 21st century create music for the stage.
Discover more upcoming events for writers on our DG calendar here.

Questions? Feel free to contact us at questions@dramatistsguild.com.