Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1462648
HOW TO PRODUCE A BROADWAY MUSICAL A new musical can be original or sourced from other media. If an original idea, the story and music is written from the ground up. e librettist (book writer), lyricist, and compos- er work under the guidance of the producer, who owns the business, and the director. If the project is derived from a book or movie, the pro- ducer would "option" the property from the owners before hiring the creative team to adapt. To help develop the story and music, readings and workshops with actors and musi- cians are arranged. An audience can be invited to provide some early feedback. Working with a nonprofit theater company, like Seattle Rep, can assist in this process. Once ready, out-of-town tryouts or tours allow audienc- es and creatives to see the full production and fine-tune it before it hits Broadway. e last thing a producer wants is to introduce a show in New York if it's not ready. In my current project, Beau, by the new team of Lyons & Pakchar, the initial writing was through a nonprofit theater. My company optioned the project aer seeing readings. e story and music are original. e most exciting challenge of producing is bringing a new story to market. Rewards can also be greater, given the opportunity for subsidiary and ancillary opportunities. To develop an audience, we had a fully produced tryout, which exceeded our expectations. We partnered with Sony Music to produce an album that debuted at Joe's Pub in New York. We were all set to move the show to a commercial venue when the pandemic hit. With theaters closed, we pro- duced a film to offer to streaming services and film festivals and to build demand before Broadway. —WAC member Richard K. Greene (2021) is founder and executive director of e StoryLine Project, based in New York. For more information, including about Beau, visit storylineproject.com. FLY 38 WAC Magazine | wac.net Growing up, my father flew military refueling planes. My mom's dad was also a pilot and flew small private planes. With both sides of my family exposing me to flight, it's no wonder I chose to fly. It wasn't until aer September 11, however, that I finally made the leap. On the first day that private aircra were allowed to return to the sky, I went to my local fixed-base operator (FBO) and signed up for lessons. My first unofficial lesson took place at Harvey Airfield in Snohomish and included a demon- stration flight. It was amazing! From there, I bought the books and officially signed up for lessons. In ground school we learned about airspace, flight rules, atmospheric sciences, mechanical systems, flight communica- tion, and physics—specifically thrust, drag, li, and gravity. Going up with an instructor for the first time and sitting in the main pilot seat was amazing. Each practice flight has a spe- cific purpose. One day aer a quick loop around the airfield, my instructor had me land. He told me to do three more just like that, and then he got out. During that first solo takeoff, I heard all kinds of new sounds. My senses were heightened like never before. Eyes forward, aviate, navigate, communicate. One … two … three loops. I landed and shut down the plane. My instructor was waiting on the runway with scissors to cut off my shirt and hang it on the wall. What a strange tradition! Since I was still in my work shirt, we settled on my tie. Now that I could solo, I was in a new league. On anksgiv- ing Day, I completed my long solo cross-country—more than 100 miles from your home base—and two weeks later passed my final exam. If you're interested in flying, work with your local FBO or a flying club. Figure out what it will cost to earn your license and the time commitment required. When you're in the air, always have a plan and a backup plan and a backup for the backup. And remember what my grandmother used to tell me: ere are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. But there are no old bold pilots. —WAC member C. Jason Vein (2018) is an SVP, Investing with Impact Director, Portfolio Management Director, and Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley. He flies a 2005 Mooney M20R fixed-wing single-engine plane. HOW TO C O U R T E S Y P H O T O C O U R T E S Y P H O T O