Master the Art of Lyric Writing for the Musical Theatre
Elevate your craft at TheatreWriting's renowned workshops, where aspiring young writers unlock the secrets to creating compelling theatre.
Elevate Your Lyric And Playwriting Skills
Enhance your creativity and technical prowess at TheatreWriting's workshops, where aspiring artists transform ideas into stage-worthy theatre productions.
Elevate Your Writing Skills
8-Week Theatre Lyric Middle School Masterclass
Join our 8-week masterclass designed for young musical theater writers. Receive direct feedback in small, remote Zoom sessions. Develop your skills and create original songs with guidance from experienced instructors.
8-Week Theatre Lyric High School Masterclass
In this masterclass, students meet once a week on Zoom. They receive personalized feedback on their musical theater writing. The course is designed for high school students.
8-Week Theatre Lyric College-level Masterclass
Join our 8-week masterclass designed for college students and beyond. Work in small groups on Zoom to receive direct feedback and enhance your musical theater writing skills.
One-On-One Theatre Lyric Coaching
Work directly with a Broadway script doctor and Disney songwriting veteran in this personalized, one-on-one coaching experience designed to elevate your musical theatre lyrics. Over eight weeks, you'll receive tailored feedback, industry insights, and hands-on guidance to refine your craft, strengthen your storytelling, and develop lyrics that truly sing. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced writer, this course will help you hone your unique voice and bring your songs to life.
Spaces are limited—apply now and take your lyric writing to the next level!
Middle School Master Class Curricula
Here's what you can look forward to, week by week: Week 1: Introduction to Lyric Writing - Understanding rhythm, rhyme, and storytelling in song. Week 2: Exploring Song Structure - Verse, chorus, bridge basics. Week 3: Character-Driven Lyrics - Writing from a character’s perspective. Week 4: Collaboration & Feedback - Sharing work and constructive critique. Week 5: Melody & Lyrics - Matching words with melody. Week 6: Revising & Refining - Improving lyrics through rewrites. Week 7: Song Performance - How lyrics shape emotion on stage. Week 8: Showcase - Presenting finished songs in a virtual performance.
High School Master Class Curricula
Week 1: Foundations of Lyric Writing - Examining successful musical theatre lyrics. Week 2: Advanced Song Structures - Exploring nontraditional formats. Week 3: Lyric Storytelling - Creating compelling narratives. Week 4: Emotional Impact - Writing songs that resonate. Week 5: Collaboration & Composition - Working with music. Week 6: Polishing Lyrics - Editing for clarity and impact. Week 7: Performance & Interpretation - Understanding delivery. Week 8: Final Showcase - Performing or workshopping final pieces.
College-Level And Beyond
Week 1: The Art of Lyric Writing - Dissecting influential musical theatre songs. Week 2: Structure & Innovation - Experimenting with form and phrasing. Week 3: Writing for Character & Theme - Lyrics as storytelling tools. Week 4:Subtext & Metaphor - Crafting deeper meaning in lyrics. Week 5: Collaboration & Feedback - Workshopping in professional settings. Week 6: Integrating Music & Lyrics - Working with composers. Week 7: Industry Standards - Preparing professional-quality material. Week 8: Public Presentation - Performing or pitching finished works.
One-on-One Lyric Coaching
LYRIC WRITING FOR THE MUSICAL THEATRE An Online Course with David Goldsmith 8-Week Course Curriculum Week 1: The Fundamentals of Lyric Writing Verse 1: Analysis of an iconic musical theatre lyric that exemplifies storytelling, structure, and emotional impact. Verse 2: Discussion of a classic or contemporary theatre lyric brought in by a student, with focus on its strengths and unique qualities. The Bridge: Students present their own lyric concepts for initial feedback. Week 2: Rhyme, Rhythm, and Structure Verse 1: Exploration of internal rhyme, perfect and near rhymes, and how rhythm drives a song’s momentum. Verse 2: Examination of a student-selected theatre lyric demonstrating strong rhyme and rhythm. The Bridge: Students draft a short lyric passage implementing learned techniques. Week 3: Writing from Character and Emotion Verse 1: Dissection of a lyric that effectively conveys character voice and emotional stakes. Verse 2: Discussion of a student-chosen theatre lyric that excels in character perspective. The Bridge: Students workshop a character-driven lyric. Week 4: Lyrics in Context – Song Function in a Musical Verse 1: Breakdown of different song types (I Want Song, Conditional Love Song, etc.). Verse 2: Analysis of a student-selected song that serves a strong dramatic function. The Bridge: Students write a lyric for a specific moment in a musical. Week 5: Subtext and Metaphor in Lyrics Verse 1: Examination of a sophisticated lyric that utilizes metaphor and subtext. Verse 2: Discussion of a student-selected lyric that demonstrates deeper meaning beneath the surface. The Bridge: Students apply metaphor and subtext to their own lyric work. Week 6: Collaboration – Working with Composers and Bookwriters Verse 1: Discussion of how lyrics and music interact in a strong composer-lyricist partnership. Verse 2: Examination of a student-selected lyric that thrives in its musical setting. The Bridge: Students refine their lyrics with an awareness of melody and storytelling. Week 7: Rewriting and Refining – The Editing Process Verse 1: Analysis of how great musical theatre lyrics evolved through revision. Verse 2: Discussion of a student-selected lyric that demonstrates thoughtful revision and refinement. The Bridge: Students submit a revised version of a previously written lyric and receive feedback. Week 8: Presentation and Performance – Bringing Lyrics to Life Verse 1: Exploration of how lyrics come to life through performance and staging. Verse 2: Discussion of a student-selected lyric that shines in performance. The Bridge: Students present their final lyrics for feedback and discussion. By the end of this course, students will have a deeper understanding of how to craft compelling, character-driven musical theatre lyrics and the tools to refine their work for professional or personal development.
Our Founder, David Goldsmith
David Goldsmith is an award-winning playwright, lyricist, and storyteller. On Broadway, he was billed as “Script Consultant” for Motown The Musical, which he co-wrote with Motown founder Berry Gordy. The show ran for two-and-a-half years on Broadway, three years in London’s West End, and toured the US and UK. In London, he wrote lyrics for Imagine This, later filmed for PBS. Off-Broadway, he was Story Consultant for Invisible Thread (2nd Stage Theatre, Diane Paulus, dir.). In LA, he co-wrote Having It All, a multiple-Ovation-nominated musical. Currently, his musical Masada 1942 is in repertory at Israel’s National Theatre. His TV and film credits include Disney Channel’s Descendants 3 (“My Once Upon A Time”) and original lyrics for Disney’s Wish Upon A Christmas, A Tale Of Two Witches, and Mickey and Friends Trick or Treats holiday movies, all three of which were nominated for multiple Emmy and Kidscreen Awards and won one each. He also wrote Up Against the Wind, the iconic song underscoring Queen Latifah’s climactic scene in Set It Off. Recently, David made his Carnegie Hall debut writing, curating and writing (Lynn Ahrens-approved) parody lyrics for Thirty Years of Stephen (Flaherty). His musical Fallout (NAMT Theatre Festival 2023) explores a Ukrainian family’s escape from Soviet anti-Semitism. As Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Virtual Stage Lab, he develops filmed musicals, including Ribbit, Five Women At An Airport, and My Improbable Sisters, all streaming on YouTube. His current projects include Good Man (about Las Vegas mob attorney/mayor Oscar Goodman), a reimagined Miracle on 34th Street, and Little Dorrit (co-written with John Caird and Paul Gordon). His plays Hotel Buzz, American Guernica, and I Ragazzi (co-written with his daughter Madeleine) are available through Broadway Licensing and Dramatists Play Service (www.dramatists.com). David lives in Jersey City with his wife, Broadway’s Bryonha Marie.
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Elevate your musical theater creations with expert guidance and innovative workshops at TheatreWriting's remote classes.
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Theatrewriting.com was borne from decades of working with the top professionals in the heart of the NYC theater scene. We have seen new shows come to life and are dedicated to nurturing the next generation of musical theater talent. We offer a virtual space where creativity flourishes, and innovation is celebrated. We help aspiring artists of all ages refine their craft and bring compelling narratives to life on stage.
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Contact TheatreWriting in New York for inquiries about our musical theater writing workshops.