Posts Tagged :

Daniel Lazour

A Musical How-To, with Daniel and Patrick Lazour

640 433 Play Penn

In this masterclass, we will be taking students through the creation of a musical.

What makes a good idea for an original musical? What makes a good adaptation? Then, once you have your idea: what are the steps to make that musical in your head a reality. Daniel and I will focus on the practicals of musical theater creation — music & lyrics, the book, collaborations — while also giving some insight into the world of development and production, as well as smart and responsible independent theater making. We are all writing a musical to make a musical… and that means produce a musical! Hopefully, our masterclass will give some insight to take your show to the next level.

October 4th, 6th, 11th, and 13th, 7-9pm EDT

Online (via Zoom)

A serious interest in musical theater, and a desire to write a musical

Daniel and Patrick Lazour are Lebanese-American brothers and music theatre writers. In May 2019, they premiered their musical We Live in Cairo at the American Repertory Theatre directed by Obie Award-winner Taibi Magar. Their album Flap My Wings (Songs from We Live in Cairo) was recorded remotely during the pandemic and features major activist-songwriters from across the Arab world. They are developing a new musical with Ritesh Batra based on his movie The Lunchbox, commissioned by Lincoln Center Theater, and their musical community project about cancer treatment, patients and caretakers is being developed with Harvard University and the American Repertory Theater. They have developed their work during residencies at O’Neill, Yaddo, UCross and SPACE at Ryder Farm. Patrick and Daniel are MacDowell Fellows and New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspects. Most recently, they were artists-in-residence at the American University in Cairo. They perform their songs live weekly at the Boiler Room, a gay dive bar in New York City. @frereslazour

$150

Tuition

Register Here

Click the link below to visit our Reservation Page, where you can view all classes and register for this course. For questions or to inquire about payment plans, please email classes@playpenn.org.

“Writing can be a lonely road. I’m thankful that Philadelphia offers the supportive, talented PlayPenn community.”

-Joe G., 2020 Participant

I walked away with an arsenal of guidelines for what makes a high-concept play, but also with half a notebook full of fantastic off-the-cuff breakthroughs and exercises.

-Danielle B., 2019 Participant

The Making of a Musical with Daniel and Patrick Lazour

640 433 Play Penn

How do you take your musical from a nascent idea to a national stage?

The average musical takes at least five years to make, with dreams dreamed, dashed, then dreamed again. Daniel and Patrick Lazour know this process firsthand: their musical WE LIVE IN CAIRO, first workshopped at the O’Neill Theater Center in 2015, receives its world premiere at A.R.T. in Spring 2019. Their class will go behind the scenes of this process, offering advice and talking through case studies about how to foster your project with an eye toward production. Daniel and Patrick lend a friendly and practical approach to interfacing with producers, agents and artistic staff. They’ll discuss the revision process, the building of a creative team, the workshops, the retreats, and the filtering of all-too-many notes. A great glimpse into the musical theater industry for writers and theater-lovers alike!

November 5, November 8, November 12, and November 15; 6-8pm

Online

A familiarity with recent Broadway musicals may be helpful for case studies, but is not required. All experience levels are welcome.

Daniel and Patrick Lazour (book, music and lyrics) are brothers and music theatre writers. They have workshopped their work at the O’Neill National Music Theater Conference and at New York Theatre Workshop under the 2016 Richard Rodgers Award. Their musical WE LIVE IN CAIRO will be produced at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA as part of their 2018/2019 season, directed by Taibi Magar. They have developed their work during residencies at the O’Neill, SPACE on Ryder Farm and the MacDowell Colony. Their new musical, BETHESDA, about the first chemotherapy trials in the 1950s and 60s, was workshopped at the Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Theatre and Rhinebeck Writers Retreat. Patrick and Daniel were 2015-16 Dramatists Guild Fellows and are New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspects. Most recently, they were artists-in-residence at the American University in Cairo. They can be heard performing their songs live at Cornelia Street Café.

$170

Tuition

Register Here

When you register for a PlayPenn class before September 25, 2018, you’ll be invited to submit your unproduced, full-length play for consideration for a professional staged reading. PlayPenn will produce one student’s play as a reading with a professional director, professional actors and a PlayPenn dramaturg in Philadelphia in the spring/summer of 2019. Only plays that have not had a professional production or reading will be considered. PlayPenn will cover the cost of the reading, but the student is responsible for their own housing and transportation. If you register for a class by the deadline, additional details will be emailed to you after September 25, along with a submission form.

 

Click the link below to visit our Reservation Page, where you can view all classes and register for this course. For questions or to inquire about payment plans, please email classes@playpenn.org.

“If you are thinking about taking a class from PlayPenn, do it.”

-Stacey, 2018 Student

“Taking a class with PlayPenn was one of the best decisions I could have made for my career.”

-Shaun L., 2018 Student