This is Part 1 of a 2 part episode where Brett and Josh discuss the "10 Commandments of Musical Theater Lyric Writing" as written by Pat Cook, former moderator of the BMI Workshop:

1 Thou shalt be singable.

2 Thou shalt be understandable.

3 Thou shalt be about one thing and one thing only.

4 Thou shalt be specific.

5 Thou shalt write dramatically.

6 Thou shalt not self pity (except in comedy).

7 Thou shalt not misaccent (thou shalt correctly scan).

8 Thou shalt find fresh images.

9 Thou shalt not false rhyme or transpose words.

10 Thou shalt not be rigid or wordy.

The conversation emphasizes the importance of singable, understandable, and specific lyrics, as well as the need to write dramatically and avoid self-pity (except in comedy!). Crafting effective theater lyrics requires attention to detail and adherence to specific guidelines. Finding fresh and unique imagery is essential in creating compelling and engaging theater lyrics.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

03:24 I Want Songs for the Week

6:30 Differences in Poetry, Pop, & Musical Theater Lyrics.

14:22 Commandment 1: Be Singable

17:14 Commandment 2: Be Understandable

22:45 Commandment 3: Be About One Thing Only

26:57 Commandment 4: Be Specific

34:11 Commandment 5: Write Dramatically

37:21 Outro

Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.

Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/

2026 Tonys: Ragtime & Schmigadoon - Brett and Josh discuss the two big winners from the Tonys for Best Musical (Schmigadoon) and Best Revival of a Musical (Ragtime). Ragtime is Brett’s all-time favorite musical and he saw this production multiple times. Join us as we dive into what makes these shows so unique!

Join for free or as a paid member to enjoy bonus content on: Patreon.com/showtuned

Chapters

0:00 Introduction

3:31 I Want Songs for the Week

5:17 2026 Tonys Recap

8:24 Ragtime

23:30 Schmigadoon

29:55 What We’re Listening To

Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.

Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/

Lists are one of the most powerful brainstorming and creativity inducing processes of songwriting. Why are lists so helpful? What type of lists do we make when songwriting? Why did Sondheim love making lists? In this episode Brett and Josh dive into the importance of writing lists and the transformative effect it has on the songwriting process.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Showtuned
• 02:50 I Want Songs for the Week
• 06:45 Main Topic: Writing Lists
• 12:42 The Power of Metaphors
• 17:11 Character and Scene Setting
• 22:40 Think Like an Actor
• 26:00 Rhymes
• 32:46 What We’re Listening To
• 36:46 Outro

Songs referenced available for free on Patreon.com/showtuned

Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.

Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/

In Part 2 of the Top 10 Types of Songs in Musical Theater, Brett and Josh discuss: The Charm Song, Conflict/Confrontation Song, Reprises, Act Finales, 11 O’Clock Numbers

Join us on Patreon (free & paid): https://www.patreon.com/showtuned

Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/showtunedpod

Chapters

0:00 Introduction

0:34 Charm Songs

6:09 Conflict and Confrontation Songs

11:00 Reprise and Its Impact

15:45 Act Finale and Ensemble Numbers

20:52 The 11 O'Clock Number

27:22 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Links to songs referenced on https://www.patreon.com/showtuned

Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.

Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/

In Part 1 of the Top 10 Types of Songs in Musical Theater, Brett and Josh discuss: Opening Numbers, Character Establishment Songs, Ballads, Conditional Love Songs and Comedy Songs.

Join us on Patreon (free & paid): https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/showtunedpod

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:55 What is Your "I Want Song" for the Week?
• 06:05 Every Song Has a Job
• 08:45 List of 10 Types of Songs in Musicals
• 09:45 Opening Numbers
• 22:45 I Want Song / Character Establishment
• 30:10 Ballads
• 37:37 Conditional Love Songs
• 43:31 Comedy Songs

Link to songs referenced on Patreon!

Hosted by Brett Boles (The M Tea) and Josh Shelton (Counterpoint Musicals). Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.

Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/

In this episode of "Showtuned," Brett & Josh explore the fundamental differences between stage and film musicals, including storytelling techniques, audience engagement, technical considerations, and structural differences. Perfect for musical theater enthusiasts, songwriters, and filmmakers.

Key Topics

• Differences in storytelling between stage and film musicals
• Technical tools unique to each medium (lighting, sound, camera)
• Structural differences: two-act vs three-act formats
• Audience engagement and the live experience
• Adapting stage shows into movies: challenges and strategies
• The role of the director and the camera in storytelling
• Song length and pacing considerations in film and theater
• Visual spectacle and scale in film adaptations
• The importance of suspension of disbelief in different mediums
• The evolution and innovation in musical film genre

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Showtuned
• 03:11 What is Your "I Want Song" for the Week?
• 05:45 Stage Musicals vs. Movie Musicals
• 14:55 Crafting for Different Mediums
• 22:22 The Role of Audience and Performance
• 26:41 Understanding Musical Structures: Two Acts vs. Three Acts
• 30:33 Song Structure and Length Differences
• 31:23 The Importance of Pacing in Film and Stage Musicals
• 33:26 Song Development: From Film to Stage Adaptations
• 36:08 The Differences in Production: Film vs. Stage
• 38:44 What We're Listening to This Week

Links to What We're Listening To:

• Bridges of Madison Country
• Gypsy Demos

In this episode of Showtuned, Brett Boles (The M Tea) and Josh Shelton (Counterpoint Musicals) delve into the exploration of song structure and form, emphasizing the significance of verse-chorus and AABA forms in musical storytelling. They discuss the role of song structure in character development and story momentum, providing examples from classic and contemporary musical theater. It explores the importance of expectation, repetition and variation in engaging the audience. The concept of through-composed songs in musical theater is also discussed, emphasizing their rarity and the challenges they present.

Join us on Patreon (free & paid): https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/showtunedpod

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
03:25 - My "I Want Song" for the Week
06:15 - Verse-Chorus Song Form
18:08 - AABA Song Form
33:00 - Through Composed Song Form

Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.

Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/

Today we dive into the art and science of song spotting, exploring the 4 types of "pressure" in a scene that can trigger good moments for songs, and the pacing of songs in musical storytelling. We also do a fun exercise of Song Spotting the movie Toy Story as if we were adapting it into a musical.

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
2:15 - I Want Songs for the Week
6:00 - Song Spotting Discussion
23:00 - Song Spotting Exercise: Toy Story 1

Takeaways
* Songspotting is the art and science of finding moments in a show that sing, identifying when dialogue is no longer sufficient and when a song must take over.
* Musical theater songs move a character forward or move the story forward in some way, unlike songs written for other genres that exist in a moment. Movie musicals vs. stage musicals

Join us on Patreon (free & paid): https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: @showtunedpod

Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.

Produced by Counterpoint Musicals