There is an advantage in television and screen because in the Editing Room they add some natural sound break which jars the viewer back to the story. I know this because I did it thousands of times for multiple stories. Yes, modern trickery and visual slight of hand older-than-the-book! As editors our thought was: "...it was available and so I used it"
Whereas we share the infinity of sound, and therefore sound effects---in musical theater it is often the musical script-to-numbers which "don't fit the transition"; extracting huge amounts of believability/credibility from the storyline. Imagine the wrong character singing the wrong lamentation and this can ruin the "run of story".
Keeping in mind that the best movies often have the most smart transitions, in Musical Theater we should look to each story as if we can see it on film---at least between scene transitions.
For instance, the last object of focal point on stage should be the actual opening point from the next scene. Fading to black is usually accepted but a modern day cope-out in artistic circles when a clever transition can usually be experimented with during rehearsals.
Now add a musical theater component where---as a rule we "keep hope alive every other act" ---we will easily spot weak points in the script.
I'll use Extravagance Act 2 as an example:
Originally I had these three elements back-to-back:
Act 2
Extravagance
Coming Home in Dress Blue Blues (a requiem for war heroes)
When I Miss My Hair (written by music artist Derek Toomey)
Okay so I liked the numbers and I knew they had to come in this particular order. I didn't know where I wanted to go with the transitions. I only knew I had to make it to these three points within the plot line.
Another problem...two of the three songs are bittersweet melodies. How does one "sell" that. They don't, without losing the audience!
As I thought about it I realized the 3 needed to be cushioned with a lot of script and a couple of get up on your feet and dance numbers.
I decided to add some funny song about the odd jobs actors do after their careers fade called No Work for Old Hollywood?
The other song choice came from a totally wacky party idea from the mid 90s. The challenge was donning that old outfit under plastic you'd been meaning to wear for years beside your closeted Deluxe Vacuum. The night included drinking out of plastic cups stuffed into antique high heels.
I figured it could actually be a hit if we consider the large amount of crap we carry in our closets. It could also be a transitional song of acceptance (and coming-out) after Danny returns from war.
The new play now looks like this:
Act 2
Extravagance
No Work for Old Hollywood?
Coming Home in Dress Blue Blues (a requiem for war heroes)
Go Deluxe
When I Miss My Hair (written by music artist Derek Toomey)
(...continued)
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Extravagance, the Musical by Ray Macon
An island in 1990 is the setting for this, the unofficial new “Cancer Musical of Hope”.
Aging celebrities Margot and David Fontaine think they have it all until Margot “begins to ignore” her breast cancer and their only son runs away to the Persian Gulf War. Not accustomed to failure; how will they make it through war, career layoffs, Hollywood politics and keep their love intact? There’s a surprise at the end which will leave one asking “why do I always doubt myself?”
Songs written for this work include:
Act 1
Prelude: Flight
The Crossing
Let’s Go Play Tennis
Stars on an Island in the Sea
Road Dog (my light fearing Lovely)
The 25th Anniversary Song
Her Face
Workin’ For the Government (...a soldier's song.)
First Christmas (Being Together)
Oscar’s been good to David
Something’s Wrong With The (Her) System
Advertisement: Zodiac Commercial, 1991
Act 2
Extravagance
No Work for Old Hollywood?
Coming Home in Dress Blue Blues (a requiem for war heroes)
Go Deluxe
When I Miss My Hair (written by music artist Derek Toomey)
We no Longer have to Fake it
She’s got the Fire to Make It
Reprise “First Act Songs”
This is what it Means to be Alive
Extravagance reprise
The 40th Anniversary Song
Advertisement: Metro sexual Male 2006
Postlude: Land
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