Full Details Revealed For Sir Tim Rice's BBC Maestro Course
This exclusive online course will share backstage access into the world of musical theatre, song writing and performance.
By: Stephi Wild Sep. 05, 2023
Following the announcement earlier this year that Sir Tim Rice will be adding his name to BBC Maestro’s platform of world-class experts, full course details are now available for Writing and Performing Musical Theatre. This exclusive online course will share backstage access into the world of musical theatre, song writing and performance.
“In my BBC Maestro course, I will look at my process for writing for musical theatre, along with candidly sharing the ups and downs that come with the choice of doing this career for a living. I will break down some of my greatest hits to allow you to see how one gets from an initial idea to successfully telling a rich story.”
Sir Tim Rice will walk through every step of his creative process, sharing invaluable insights and an unrivalled understanding of what’s needed to “make it” in the world of musical theatre. Subjects covered within the course will include What Makes a Good Lyric, Artistic Collaboration, Writing for Film, Performance: Auditioning Tips, Writing a Hit Song, Adapting a Failed Song, and Getting a Musical Produced Today.
“No one formally taught me how to write a smash hit musical, and there is no playbook for this kind of career path. I hope that sharing what I can and giving you an insight into my techniques and processes will help you take the first steps you’ve been waiting for, put pen to paper, and write the next West End and Broadway smash hit!”
Across 23 lessons, those keen to break into the genre will learn to hone their storytelling through writing, performing, and collaborating with other artists. The course will feature technical guidance on the art of performance, essential steps to crafting a timeless musical, and hard-earned advice on the business of writing for film. Comprehensive course notes will accompany each lesson, providing additional practical tips and interactive exercises for aspiring lyricists and performers to further develop their musical toolkit.
“Every musical you write will teach you more about the technique and art of writing and composing; it will teach you more about yourself and your amazing ability to inspire others with your ideas. You will never stop growing as long as you remain true to what it is you want to say.”
The course will also see notable special guests join Sir Tim to lend their industry expertise to the course. Eight-time Oscar winner, Alan Menken, will join Sir Tim to share his thoughts on partnerships and the importance of writing a connected score rather than just a collection of songs. A conversation with esteemed casting director Jane Deitch will feature practical tips for auditioning and performing for aspiring and working actors alike. And Sir Tim will also speak with theatrical producer Nick Allott about how to get your musical onto the stage and what musicals work and why.
“My journey was an unconventional one, and I will use this BBC Maestro course to show you that as long as you have passion for storytelling and musical theatre, you can find your own path to success. No two paths are the same, but perhaps yours starts here.”
Sir Tim’s course on Writing and Performing Musical Theatre will be available from 27 September via www.bbcmaestro.com. The BBC Maestro platform features a series of extended, in-depth lessons filmed in 4K with an eclectic mix of prestigious experts. It allows participants to explore new areas of learning from the comfort of their own home.
Sir Tim Rice’s BBC Maestro course on Writing and Performing Musical Theatre will be available here.
FULL COURSE DETAILS:
Introduction - Tim Rice welcomes you to the course and his home, surrounded by the lyrics that inspired him.
Starting Out - From his failed attempts at being a lawyer to beginning his partnership with Andrew Lloyd Webber - including their early failures, to their first success with Joseph, Tim gives advice on how to start a career in musical theatre.
What’s A Good Idea? - Where you might find ideas, as well as how Tim came up with the idea for Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, and how the execution of these ideas is what makes success.
What Makes a Great Lyric? - Looking at some of his favourite lyrical influences and the writing process of his own work, Tim shows you what writing methods can be successful.
Overall Structure - One song doesn’t make a musical - Tim discusses the structure of the whole score and how each song is written for a certain purpose.
Writing for Film - From the Lion King, to Aladdin, to Beauty and the Beast to James Bond - Tim explains how to write for animated films and tackling a franchise like 007.
Collaboration - Collaboration with a composer is the most important partnership for a lyricist, which for Tim included Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John, Alan Menken and Benny and Bjorn from Abba. He explains what is needed to make a good partnership work and what to do if things aren’t going well.
Orchestration - Putting the lyrics to music - Tim breaks down the orchestration choices for some of his most infamous songs.
The Making of Evita - From the idea, to scripting, to orchestration, to casting, to opening night, Tim talks us through how he and Andrew Lloyd Webber did it.
Getting a Musical Produced Today - A chat with Theatrical Producer Nick Allott, on how to get your musical on to the stage and what musicals work and why.
Writing A Hit Song - Part 1 - Don’t Cry for Me Argentina - Tim breaks down the lyrical process for Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, written with Andrew Lloyd Webber from Evita.
Writing A Hit Song - Part 2 - A Whole New World - Tim breaks down the lyrical process for the Oscar Winning A Whole New World from Aladdin, written with Alan Menken.
Building Character - Looking at the different songs to build the characters of Mary Magdalene and Judas from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Adapting a Failed Song - I Don’t Know How to Love Him - Not every song or lyric will work in its first form - Tim shows us how this was the case with I Don’t Know How to Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Making the Music - with Alan Menken – A conversation around the benefit of partnerships and the importance of objectivity.
Performance - Auditioning Tips - Joined by casting director Jane Deitch in a live theatre - Tim and Jane give advice to actors on how to prepare for an audition and perform some of Tim’s best songs.
Performance - Acting Through Song - Tim and Jane give advice on how to act through song with a performance of Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, from Evita.
Performance - Ballads - Tim reflects on the challenges of writing a ballad and with Jane, they watch a performance of his original written piece Can You Feel the Love Tonight.
Performance - Duets - Tim and Jane give advice on how to prepare for and audition in a duet with a performance of I Know Him So Well, from Chess.
Performance - Comedy - Tim and Jane give advice on audition with a comedy piece with a performance of Hakuna Matata, from the Lion King.
The Audition Process - A chat with esteemed casting director Jane Deitch, with tips for auditioning and performing, for actors today.
10 Golden Rules - Tim’s set of rules to when approaching the writing of a song.
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