All the Foundations You Need to Write the Book for Musical Theatre in One Accessible, Affordable, & Hands-On Course
*The New Course Begins April 30th, 2025 with ONLY 6 spots available - Apply Early!*
Imagine Having a Place to Learn…
The various structure options for musical theatre, beyond the classics.
How to pace your show using Emotional Arc, Character Journeys, and Song Placement.
How to create a deep Beat-by-Beat Outline that makes solid logical sense and keeps an audience engaged without exhausting them.
The necessary elements to create Compelling Characters.
The book scene varieties and options available to you.
How to write dialogue scenes for musical theatre that lead seamlessly into Song Moments.
How to balance exposition, conflict, and resolution.
How to write the Opening Sequence and Structural Act 1 of a musical.
How to format the Libretto for musical theatre.
By the End of Our Time, You Will Have Written…
Multiple structure options for your show, outlined by Tent Poles.
A full Beat-by-Beat Outline with Song Spotting included.
A Dialogue Scene for your show leading into a Song Moment that has received feedback, pointing the way for the rest of your scenework.
A draft of Structural Act 1 with an Opening Sequence and leading into Character Establishment Songs.
And the results of many in-session exercises along the way!
“I learned a thousand times more than I ever thought was possible, and I’m excited to keep writing!” - Megan Rayl (Flagship Course Cohort 2)
“The best investment I have made into strengthening my confidence and skill as a writer.” - Anne Heintz (Flagship Course Cohort 3)
When it comes to finding the information you need to successfully write the Book of a musical theatre piece, there are very few places to look.
And there are fewer places now than before the pandemic began!
Recently, a couple of the larger institutions have paused or shuttered their libretto course programs, meaning that the only major course available and accessible is through BMI in New York City.
But what about those who aren’t in NYC?
Or who look at the graduate programs - which are songwriting-focused anyway - and wonder how anyone can afford those prices?
And do you wish you had a community of writers that you knew intimately to support your journey as you write your musicals, to share resources and expand your network?
Are you longing for a hands-on and highly interactive way to learn and expand your musical theatre writing knowledge through actually doing it and in getting quality feedback?
You are not alone, my friend.
This information has been kept behind doors that have been blocked by auditions and expenses for decades, and relegated to self-teaching options in books, interviews, and more recently podcasts and YouTube videos.
If it were all more widely available, then the very few programs that do exist wouldn’t tout new record-breaking numbers of applications each and every year!
And we would have a lot more quality musicals in development.
But the truth is that there are only a handful of programs out there, and these programs are made inaccessible by expense, auditions that ask you to already have the skills you are looking to learn, and by geographical location.
When you can’t make a big move to New York, or when the finances won’t allow for a big investment, or when you’re life and schedule make a 2 or 3-year weekly commitment almost impossible…well, that’s a tough place to be in.
You feel the defeat of knowing you cannot invest that deeply, or move your entire life around for multiple years.
You feel overwhelmed by the mile-long queue of books and videos that you have bookmarked and need to find time for.
You feel that annoyance flare up when you look at new shows and think about how you could do better, if you just had the knowledge and the practice.
All of these feelings are utterly normal and entirely understandable. And there is another way.
But what if it there was an easy solution for you to find what you’re looking for?
Meet Your Musical Theatre Writing Guide
Michael Radi (any/all) - aka Musical Theatre Writer Guy - is the Founder of the Musical Theatre Writing Collective, where we bring together musical creators from across the world to connect, find resources, share work, and put new musicals out into the world.
Are you excited to learn everything you need to know to write your musicals, make them shine, and get them stage-ready? Because that’s precisely what I am here to help you do!
Having had three of my musicals produced (so far) and my work heard in distinguished venues such as Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre and Feinstein’s/54 Below - performed by Broadway talent - I certainly know the nitty gritty of what it takes to write musical theatre and make it truly sing. And with a formal and informal education in musical theatre writing that includes the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop, working for Pasek and Paul, classes in text analysis, composition, orchestration, and history, as well as hands-on analysis as a performer, musical director, and vocal coach (and more), my experiences and perspectives are both extensive and broad.
My clients from across the world have created entire musicals with stunning speed, have pushed the boundaries of the art form with their stories, and have had their works featured in front of audiences along their paths to production.
I firmly believe in life-long education, that access increases the odds of success, that community and support are utterly invaluable, and that every creator and show needs to be treated as the unique individual entity that they are. We all learn differently, which is beautiful, and we deserve a space to gather, experiment, connect, and be supported as we grow our work and ourselves.
And if can do it while maintaining a healthy level of goofy, silly, and fun - then all the better!
“I feel like this class has supercharged my writing in ways that I didn’t expect” - Julie Richardson (Flagship Course Cohort 1)
“This course was just what I needed to shake up my perspectives, explore new connections, and freshen up everything I thought I knew about songwriting. The opportunity to collaborate in new ways with new people in an affirming, supportive, and growth-oriented environment did wonders to pull me out of my own songwriting rut, and to feel like part of a community that will grow along with me for the rest of my career. Thanks Michael!”
- Sadie Bowman (Flagship Course Cohort 1)
“Michael Radi's Flagship Musical Theatre Writing Workshop Course is everything I could have been looking for as an aspiring musical theatre writer. Michael ensured each lesson was fun and informative, especially in his knowledge on musical theatre voices and history.
Even as a professional composer, Michael's course was rigorous as much as it was welcoming. Aside from the many friends I have now made, I have taken away a newfound confidence in my ability to write musical theatre songs and lyrics, both crafts Michael was thorough in explaining. Participants are required to present, in total, six songs, and though I was nervous to present my work at no point did I feel discouraged to do so. Quite the opposite, I greatly awaited each presentation week thanks to Michael's efforts to ensure an enjoyable, positive atmosphere. I really felt my craft improve with each song!
I highly, highly recommend anyone who has an inkling of interest in pursuing musical theatre creation to sign up for Michael's course. International interest, too. I am from Australia, myself, and my experience was just the same as those based in the United States. Come join the cohort!”
- Lachlan Foster (Flagship Course Cohort 2)
“The Musical Theatre Writing Workshop Course is a phenomenal way to hone your skills as a lyricist or composer. The course does a great job of providing a foundation for musical theatre writing by having multiple interactive lessons. One of the best parts of this course is the collaboration you get to have with fellow participants. With fellow participants, you get to utilize the skills learned in class to work on several songs throughout the course. This not only allows you to focus your writing on building particular skills but allows you to start building a repertoire of completed songs. You get to work on multiple songs together and share your work in a positive and affirmative environment. The feedback given in the course is also extremely helpful and always done in a respectful manner. This course helps one develop further knowledge regarding musical theatre terminology, song structure, song types, show structure, etc. I think this course is perfect for someone with a good knowledge of musical theatre, who wants to further their musical theatre writing abilities.”
- Maria Cento (Flagship Course Cohort 2)
“The material is so well thought out with all sorts of examples that you definitely won’t find anywhere else.” - Rafael Santos (Flagship Course Cohort 2)
“So much more than I ever anticipated” - Andy Lebon (Flagship Course Cohort 1)
The Idea Behind This Course Is Simple:
Learn the Foundations - Knowing the foundational principles behind the macro and the micro of book writing in musical theatre is a must.
Discover the Options - Understanding the various ways that the book can be structured, written, and created is key to finding what your show needs.
Analyze Material that Works - Breaking down what has already worked well and understanding why can double or triple your writing toolkit.
Experiment - Playing with the possibilities outside your show and in a safe container is necessary to giving yourself the freedom you need to find what resonates for you.
Put It Into Practice - All of the education matters and sticks far more when you then have the opportunity to put the knowledge to work directly into your own shows.
Get Good Feedback - Curated feedback that centers the writers and their goals - while allowing for affirmative responses and keeping ego out of the equation - is the game-changing center of all creative work.
Learn the Foundations
Together we will walk through the curriculum of the course in an open, discussion-style format. Since this course is live and synchronous, you will have the ability to ask questions, receive examples and demonstrations, and add to the discussion as we move through the foundations as a group.
The lessons listed below are just a sampling of the foundational information we will cover about the specifics of musical theatre book writing during the course:
Musical Theatre Show Structures
Tent Pole Outlining
Beat-by-Beat Outlining
Creating Compelling Characters
Crafting Character Journeys
Musical Theatre Dialogue
Song Transitions
Opening Sequences
Writing Structural Act 1
Libretto Formatting
and more!
Discover the Options
There is more than one way to write a musical theatre book successfully, and we have decades upon decades of musicals to pull from for examples.
Although we do want to acknowledge that the classical ways of writing a musical do indeed work - and for good reason - we also want to explore what other routes are available.
From structure to dialogue to storytelling elements to scene techniques, there are many options to discover and explore.
Analyze Material that Works
Just as the best education in theatrical experiences is to see more shows, the best education in writing musical theatre is to read, break down, and analyze what works.
Knowing why a musical does or does not work provides tools and context that are then directly useful to you when applying knowledge and techniques to your own musicals.
Learning through examples is a key foundation of this course.
Experiment
Although the application of knowledge to our direct musical theatre projects is necessary and important, having the freedom to experiment beyond our projects is also necessary.
Writers tend to get precious and boxed-in what it comes to their personal projects. So, in order to get around this and learn in a hands-on capacity, we will be experimenting with in-session exercises that are separate from those projects.
From there, writers can take the lessons and techniques learned and make the informed choice of what to try in their musicals and what they may want to leave for another day.
Put It Into Practice
Throughout our time together, you will be taking what your learn and putting it into direct practice on your own musical theatre pieces.
There will be multiple assignments with work to be done outside of our session times, the results of which will be brought back into sessions for feedback from the room.
Whether you are writing a new piece or revising an existing one, these practical assignments will allow you to take the knowledge and put it into practice to make certain the information and techniques are integrated into your creativity.
Get Good Feedback
Throughout our time together sharing the results of the writing assignments for your own shows, we will following a specific Feedback Process, centering on support, growth, and what you as the writers brought to the table.
Everyone will take part in the feedback process, which will be moderated by myself and occasional writing guests.
You may feel uncertain about how to give positive and supportive feedback, but I’ve got you. I will lead us through the Feedback Process we will be following, which focuses on what is best for the writers in the vulnerable moment of sharing in order to most effectively help them grow and succeed moving forward.
Good, constructive, and supportive feedback is essential to the entire process from beginning to end, and without it we would not be able to fulfill the promises of our writing and chosen stories.
“What a dream space and community for musical theatre writers!” - Amy Andrews (Flagship Course Cohort 1)
“Being an international student living in a country that still imports production more than creates its own musical theater identity, this course was definitely life changing for me.” - Tiago Menezes (Flagship Course Cohort 3)
Further Details
Course Length & Time
The course will be 12 weeks with one 2-hour session each week.
Sessions for Cohort 1 will begin April 30th 2025 and run through July 16th 2025
Sessions take place on Wednesdays from 12:00pm - 2:00pm (US Eastern).
Please Note: For Cohort 1, there will be only 6 Spots available!
Throughout our time together, you will be able to communicate and grow together through a connected online group inside the Musical Theatre Writing Collective, where you can seek answers to questions as well as support.
Each cohort has their own private space to connect with each other and with me, in addition to all of the resources, tools, opportunities, and semi-weekly labs available within the MTWC online community!
How to Apply
There is no audition for this program.
Instead, there is a personal 1-on-1 application call (scroll to the bottom for a quick form), the purpose of which is to be certain that we both feel the fit is correct for this course at this time.
The class size will be capped at 6 writers (for the first run).
Since this is an online course, geographical location shouldn’t be a road block. We’ve already had multiple international course cohorts.
The official enrollment period begins approximately one month before the start date and goes until Cohort 1 begins or until 6 spots have been filled.
Your Investment
Your investment in this 12-week educational adventure will be $1,200 for Cohort 1.
This price includes everything mentioned above for far less than an average college course - let alone the available graduate programs - and with no need to move to a big city.
If this number gives you hesitation, do still schedule a chat with me, knowing that we will have a conversation and I will do my best to make this work for you.
Payment options are available.
Payment options:
1 payment of $1,200
3 payments of $425 ($1,275 total)
12 payments of $110 ($1,320 total)
“Everything I could have been looking for as an aspiring musical theatre writer” - Lachlan Foster (Flagship Course Cohort 2)
What Cohorts of the Flagship Course have to say…
“It was a deep joy and an absolute privilege to be part of the very first Musical Theatre Writing Workshop Course cohort with Michael Radi. Michael expertly curated a Zoom room full of kind, intelligent, creative, and fun people with all different kinds of musical theatre writing experience. Over the 20-week course, we learned from Michael, from terrific guest professional artists, and from each other about the wild ride of musical theatre writing. It was AMAZING to watch everyone grow together as writers as we went from a room full of strangers to a close-knit group of supportive friends, colleagues, and collaborators. Michael gets all the credit for creating a space where we could all show up as our truest and best selves to learn and grow into a strong community. This is the very beginning of MTWC, and I cannot wait to see what it becomes. What a dream space and community for musical theatre writers!”
- Amy Andrews librettist/lyricist/dramaturg/producer (Flagship Course Cohort 1)
“I am a Musical Theater actor who decided to take Michael’s class because I enjoy writing, I wanted a better understanding of Musicals, and I already had a great deal of admiration for Michael and his work. His class really delivered so much more than I ever anticipated. After 20 short weeks, I feel like I have a full tool belt to continue writing quality songs for the musical stage. Each lesson was engaging and taught in a way that anyone could comprehend (not just people with prior writing experience). The environment was as nurturing and supportive as could be. I developed trust and comfort with Michael and my classmates very quickly. Therefore, I was able to be vulnerable and accept complements/critique with an open mind. I now have 4+ original songs that I’ve written with different collaborators. Overall, if you’re looking for an experience thats equally parts artistic, fun, and cathartic, I couldn’t endorse Michael’s class enough.”
- Andy Lebon (Flagship Course Cohort 1)
“Michael's course is a good step even for people who are new to the craft and are timid about moving forward, like I was. Now having completed the course, I am confident that I have what I need to create good work. The course helpfully focused on core principles of effective writing, and taught tried-and-true techniques that are a good foundation and good springboard for folks who want to do more experimentation. The amount of writing required was the perfect level for me: rigorous and challenging, but manageable for someone who works full-time outside the industry. I am thankful for the skills and confidence I gained from this course!”
- Christian Smith (Flagship Course Cohort 2)
“Before joining this course, I wasn’t sure if I was able to compose for Musical Theatre. After completing the course, I feel confident that I can compose for the theatre. More importantly, I feel supported and encouraged to continue writing.”
- Megan Rayl (Flagship Course Cohort 2)
“This course is tailored for anyone who wants an extremely welcoming and positive environment to grow immensely as a Musical Theatre writer. The material is so well thought out with all sorts of examples that you definitely won’t find anywhere else. It’s equally amazing to find so many passionate like-minded people guided by such a mindful person as Michael. This experience will certainly help you evolve as an artist and enrich your skills as a creator!”
- Rafael Santos (Flagship Course Cohort 2)
“Being an international student living in a country that still imports production more than creates its own musical theater identity, this course was definitely life changing for me. It gave me powerful tools as a composer and encouraged me to put my work on the world. I felt very welcome the whole time to ask and to participate in the discussions, and during the course I was constantly being pushed out of my comfort zone. That made me grow as a musical theater artist, as a musician and mostly as a storyteller. This course is perfect for people who want to start in this universe of musical theater composition, because you learn from the basics to some real hard stuff and you challenge yourself to always try new things. I'm always gonna be super grateful that I was a part of that!”
- Tiago Menezes (Flagship Course Cohort 3)
“Michael Radi’s course on Musical Theater Writing is the best investment I have made into strengthening my confidence and skill as a writer. I look at the writer I was before the course, and I consider who I am now, and am beyond grateful to past me for deciding to enroll. If I hadn’t gone through with it, I would have missed out on this crucial experience that I needed in order to grow. With this course, first and foremost, you gain a kind, outstandingly knowledgeable instructor with true passion for the art, as well as for the community who creates the art. Michael is open to questions and has an answer for each, based in his personal experience and comprehensive study of the form. You gain the opportunity to create six songs, each corresponding to a particular style of musical theater song. Before I took this course, I had written for the stage, but taking the opportunity to research and live in the world of various types of songs prepared me to recognize each of them in the wild, and to craft each type on my own. You gain the confidence that comes from creating multiple drafts. Songs go through a feedback process, and Michael is able to pinpoint with heart-of-it accuracy the strengths of what you’ve made, as well as the potential directions for improvement. He also facilitates this feedback process with your course collaborators in a way that feels safe, friendly and constructive. I don’t know of any alternative to this experience. I didn’t have to go through a formal enrollment process, as I would at a university, yet this course was more organized than many university courses I’ve taken. I’ve learned so much about the world of musical theater — how to collaborate, how to listen, how to develop projects, and how to write. The depth of this experience cannot compare to a textbook or training weekend. I just have to say, for me, in my journey, this course arrived at the perfect time and opened up a whole world to me. So so grateful to Michael.”
- Anne Heintz (Flagship Course Cohort 3)
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have experience writing musical theatre?
You are in good hands! General writing or composition experience is helpful, but if you want to learn how to write lyrics or theatre music, that is enough to come have a chat with me about the course. This all about getting those foundations.
What if I do have some experience and know some of the curriculum?
That’s great! It never hurts to revisit ideas and concepts you’re familiar with as a reminder, and you. never know what else you may learn through hearing it from someone new. Plus, it is always worth it to learn the new material, concepts, ideas, and skills that you have not encountered yet!
What if I can’t attend every session?
I understand that perfect attendance will be hard for most people. Every session will be recorded and you will have access to those recordings throughout our time together. We will also do our best to make the share schedule work when conflicts arise.
What if I can’t afford the listed price?
Payments do not need to be made upfront - there are options available. Come schedule your call with me and together we will do our best to figure out what works for you. Education and community without gates are the overarching goals here.
What if I’m nervous?
That is completely normal and totally understandable. Trying new things and meeting new people can be scary-making. But so often, the reward is so worth it. Plus, we’re here to create a supportive and lasting community of good company - I’d love for you to join!
Do I really need the full 12 weeks?
Oh yes. Definitely! This course is just the beginning of your foundations, and in order to get the full effect and value out of all of the planned curriculum and experiences, the full 12 weeks is a necessity!
Can I work on my own musical projects during the course?
Yes! This built directly into the course and is encouraged!
How is this program different from the other major programs out there (BMI, NYU, etc.)?
In several ways!
Firstly, this course is fully online, remote, and geographically accessible, which has allowed us to have international cohorts and spread the community worldwide.
Unlike the programs that are structured like graduate school programs, this course is 12 weeks in total. We are not asking for a full 1 or 2-year commitment, but instead just three months.
This course begins by tackling the classical musical theatre foundations, similar to other programs, but we will move on to explore contemporary techniques and ideas as well. You will leave with the well-rounded the foundations of the canon.
As a composer, lyricist, librettist, performer, musical director, and vocal coach, I bring to this curriculum a broad perspective on the canon, its uses, and its effectiveness that is not usually available in other settings.
Additionally, unlike the collegiate-style programs, the cost of this course is not prohibitive. The entire course is less than the average cost of a single 3-credit college course, and is a tiny fraction of most full programs. I don’t believe in allowing financials to be a gate to education.
