The next ten minutes
- writing the 10-minute musical -
for returning students who have completed FILLING THE PAGE
Imagine …
You spent years writing a full musical.
You slaved away on dozens of songs.
And when you finally finished (if you EVER finished) ...
No one ever read it. 💀
Yeah. OUCH.
But don’t throw your phone across the room just yet …
NOW imagine …
You could write a complete show quickly.
You could get it produced easily.
You could get it seen by audiences.
You could get expert guidance as you wrote it.
AND end up with a creative calling card to demonstrate your work to the world?
🎉 Welcome to the next ten minutes
A 10-minute musical can put your voice, style, and storytelling on display in a way that is guaranteed to open doors to new opportunities.
It’s like having a film reel for your writing.
This class will guide you through the process of creating a short musical. The essential ingredients of story, character, songs, and structure will be developed through both group and individualized class experiences.
Deadlines and accountability will keep your work churning and our expert guidance will ensure that everyone walks away with new confidence in their writing, a new line in their bio, and a 10-minute musical in their hands.
What you’ll get …
✅ Weekly 90-minute group meetings (via Zoom) covering the principles of writing a musical including ...
Show ideas
Collaboration
Adaptation
Story structure
Character Arcs
Opening Numbers
Love songs
Comedy numbers
Extended musical sequences
Finales
Revisions
Demo recording
Notation
Script Formatting
✅ In addition to …
Building the “writer muscle”
Writing for character
Writing from personal experience
Rhyme
Melody
Harmony
Rhythm
Song form
... and more!
✅ Expert guidance from conception to execution
✅ Feedback via individualized Zoom meetings outside of class
✅ Potential to collaborate with a writing partner
✅ Private Facebook group to share your work & create community
✅ Q&As about how to take the next steps with your writing and the process of working with actors, agents, music publishing, directors, and producers
✅ Access to promote your work on our IG (@thisMTspace) through student spotlights, IG takeovers, and an interview series
✅ Opportunity to produce your complete musical through a festival at This MT Space involving professional actors and creative teams
✅ A brand-new musical that will elevate your resume, your artistic profile, and the world!
FAQ
I’ve never written a musical before. Is this for me?
This is exactly the kind of process for a writer who hasn’t written a musical yet. All the principles of storytelling that are required for a full-length musical exist in miniature on a 10-minute show. By mastering them now, you are setting yourself up to write the best possible full-length musical later.
I’ve already written a full-length musical before.
Why should I write a 10-minute one?
Every musical theatre writer benefits from having a variety of shows in their portfolio. This is especially true with shorter musicals because they are an incredibly efficient way to demonstrate your work to a producer. All the musical theatre writers you know and love have a short musical (or several) in their files and these shows are a vital tool to not only highlight a writer’s artistic voice, but to open doors to even larger-scale projects.
Will I be writing on my own or with a collaborator?
It’s up to you! If you are interested in working with a collaborator, we will make that happen. If you want to write solo, we can make that happen too. If you aren’t sure, don’t worry. After our first class, we’ll have an action plan that will set you on the path for writing or co-writing your show. If you already have a collaborator in mind, great! You’ll each need to sign up for the class.
Will there be a chance to put my 10-minute musical onstage?
Yes! Based on the shows that come out of the class, we will work with you to design a path for all of them to eventually reach an audience. This could be in the form of a 10-Minute Musical Festival later in the summer; it could be live and in person or online; it could be performed by the authors, or with Broadway professionals. We won’t know the right path until the shows come into existence. But we’ll make sure that they don’t remain only on your Voice Memos. We’ll make sure they are seen and heard.
What if I can’t make one of the class meetings?
No problem. We’ll record every class and make sure you receive a link to access anything you missed. If you know ahead of time that you won’t be able to attend a class meeting, let us know and we’ll make any necessary plans.
Do I have to have taken FILLING THE PAGE to sign up?
We want all students in THE NEXT TEN MINUTES to have had previous songwriting experience. But, if you haven’t taken FILLING THE PAGE and your schedule doesn’t permit you to enroll this year, please reach out to us at office@thisMTspace.com and we can discuss your possible options.
What if my schedule doesn’t align with the class dates/times?
No problem! We know this summer is BUSY. We are also offering individualized training that fits to your schedule. Not only can we accommodate your schedule and your individual goals, but we can replicate the content of THE NEXT TEN MINUTES inside these one-on-one meetings. (You can even bring a collaborator!) Click to find out more about Spotlight Sessions.
As you all know, Filling the Page in the summer of 2020 was an exceptional experience in the midst of an extraordinary moment in time. That we were able to form a community of such inspirational quality, with such artistic productivity, and with such goodwill is one of our proudest accomplishments.
If you’ve kept up your writing this year, congratulations. If you’ve understandably let that momentum slip, don’t worry. This summer provides a chance to reboot. But you won’t be starting over. You’ll be starting where you left off.
Unlike last summer, you’ll be writing a complete show. It might sound daunting, but it’s really not. In fact, a 10-minute musical will cover just a fraction of the length of the material you wrote in 2020. But the nuances of weaving a story out of songs and characters and shaping the audience experience from beginning to end are new mountains to climb.
We’ll see you there. ✏️