Performing in Contemporary Musicals

Performing in Contemporary Musicals brings into sharp focus the skills performers must possess when tackling shows that are newly written, in development, or somewhere in between.

The authors bust myths about contemporary musical theatre and analyze the development timelines of musicals from around the world. They also explore how performers can become invaluable to a creative team by developing the skills needed to move a new musical forward including: contemporary acting and singing techniques, dramaturgy, quickly picking up new material, and collaboration. Each chapter features insightful industry interviews, recommended activities, an extensive reading list, and an online companion for further study.

This textbook is the only comprehensive resource that provides an overview of the development process of a new musical while guiding musical theatre performers to be fruitful collaborators in a new works scenario.

David Sisco (he/him) is adjunct voice faculty at NYU Steinhardt and regularly lectures nationally and internationally. He is the Founder and President of ContemporaryMusicalTheatre.com and co-authored Mastering College Musical Auditions with Laura Josepher. David is also an award-winning composer, music directs and, every once in a while, takes the stage himself.

Laura Josepher (she/her) has been directing, teaching, and coaching professionally for over thirty years. Along with business partner David Sisco, she runs ContemporaryMusicalTheatre.com and co-authored the book, Mastering College Musical Auditions. She is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and the Lincoln Center Directors Lab.