Beating Broadway: How to Create Stories for Musicals That Get Standing Ovations

by Steve Cuden

OVERCOMING THE PROTAGONIST’S FLAW If the protagonist’s flaw is well established in the earliest parts of the story (as it should be), it ought to be used for the hero to overcome or resolve his struggle. Stories in which the protagonist realizes that his flaw has held him back, and then overcomes that flaw, or uses it, to conquer his final obstacle, almost always wind up being remarkably satisfying to audiences. It is not necessary to call attention to the flaw in any way. It should just be there. So, if the protagonist’s flaw is arrogance, then he can use his arrogance to succeed. No need to point it out in dialogue or song, though you certainly can. It is common for climaxes in musicals to be shorter of duration than in a movie or play. Most musicals do not have movie-style action-oriented climaxes. Though some musical climaxes attempt to simulate physical action sequences, most climactic moments in musicals are emotional in nature. And because so much of a musical story’s emotions are handled via songs, it is quite common for a song to be sung as a show’s climax. Not infrequently these songs, which are sometimes called “eleven o’clock numbers,” address story, character, and emotion. Such songs help the audience to see how far the protagonist has come and how he has finally made it to his ultimate goal. Climactic moments can be life affirming, bittersweet, joyous, sad, or whatever the outcome may need to be to cap the story. No matter how it plays out, it must be bold en...