Pat Cook is a musical theatre composer, actor, and author, as well as the Director of Musical Theatre and Jazz for Broadcast Music, Inc. He worked for many years in his early career as an actor, appearing on Broadway in A Mother’s Kisses, in the National Tour of 1776, and Off-Broadway in Dark of the Moon and Early Morning. As a composer, he wrote the score for The Mandrake, and incidental music for Romeo and Juliet and As You Like It at Equity Library Theatre.
I don’t think there’s anyone on the planet that has worked with so many musical theater writers, which is why I wanted Pat on my podcast, to share his wisdom on what it takes to make a great musical.
He shared that, and then some, including:
- How and why he went from actor to writer.
- What makes a great musical theater writer, versus just a great writer.
- The most important thing that writers should do when they are writing a musical, and it doesn’t involve writing at all.
- Can any idea be a musical?
- The best way to collaborate with your co-writer.
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