Broken down very simply, there are three basic types of show tunes used in
musicals:“I Am” songs
“I Want” songs“New” songs“I Am” songs explain a character, a group of characters, or a situation. “I
Want” songs tell us what characters desire — what motivates them. Most
love songs fit into this category. “New” songs include any songs that don’t
fit the other two categories, such as instrumentals. “New” songs are there
because they serve special dramatic needs, such as the dialog-free big fight
scene in West Side Story, set to “the rumble” ballet.The chances that you’re going to have your music performed on Broadway
right out of the gate are slim to none. So once again, this is a good time for
you to check out the musical theater offerings in your own neck of the woods
and see if you can get hired writing music for local productions. Dinner
theaters that feature live musical entertainment sometimes hire one or two
composers or musical directors to work with all of their productions.When you do land yourself a gig, any gig, put in your own fair share in getting
the word out about the production. Send press releases to newspapers and
local critics. If any good reviews of the production go to print, especially if they
mention you by name or your music, photocopy them many, many times and
include a copy of the positive review with any future résumés you send out.Concert Composition and Performances..................................................
Any pop musician will tell you that the big money in music is in playing con-
certs. This is why some bands and artists are always on the road. It applies to
classical performers as well. Sure, some people will buy a major label classi-
cal recording to listen to in the car, but the real cash comes from ticket sales
at concert halls.Your best bet for booking a performance at a club is to talk to the club’s book-
ing agent. Or hire a tour manager to set up performances for you on a national
or international basis. If you’re just planning on playing small, independently
run venues on the local level or on tour, you probably don’t need a manager,
and a little bit of Internet and phone book research can give you the names of
hundreds of clubs that would love to have you stop by and play for free, or for
popcorn and beer, or for a percentage of ticket sales. You also usually get a
table to sell your CDs (and T-shirts) before and after the performance. A good
tour manger also has the connections necessary to book you at larger venues
where money up front, a guaranteed rate, or a substantial percentage of ticket
sales are part of the deal.268 Part V: The Part of Tens