rec.arts.theatre.musicals

> > Well Les Miz has done very well and Take Flight is wonderful, both
> > written in different ways, so I'd say that both works. I can see that
> > the latter is the more wholesome and fun way of doing it. Having the
> > music exist already must make life easier for the lyricist!
>
> As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter how a show is written as long
> as the end result works. "Les Mis", for all that I can pick holes in it,
> works. It moves me. It moves a lot of people. And there have certainly
> been shows created via a more traditional writing process which haven't
> worked at all.
>

I agree that, its unusual creative process aside, Les Miserables
works, moves, and has probably moved more people than any show since A
Chorus Line. And yes, plenty of clunkers have been written the
traditional way.

Does having pre-existing music make life easier for the lyricist? I
think not. Writing _together_ with a composer is always preferable.
Now, sure, collaborations, such as Rodgers and Hart's where the music
comes before the lyric, are fine. But in the back-and-forth of
writing, a thousand adjustments are going to be needed, and for that,
the best process is to have both creators there, together. Of course,
we can all point to marvelous musicals where this hasn't been the
case, but that would take Patience.