Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Let’s Create a Musical”

Students will write song lyrics for an imaginary musical to learn how songs convey the emotional subtext of a scene.

• After splitting into groups, each group will write down responses to these improv-style prompts:
• Name an emotion
• Describe a relationship between two people
• Describe a problem that needs to be solved
• Name an occupation
• Name a location

Combine your answers to create the skeleton of a scene involving two people.

• Then as a group, spontaneously develop dialogue for the two characters, with one person writing it down.
• Once your group has written 8-10 lines of dialogue, each member should write song lyrics that convey the meaning or emotion behind the conversation. Note: The lyrics should say what the characters are unwilling or unable to say out loud. It might help to put the lyrics to the tune of a familiar song.

Discussion after the activity might explore the connection to scenes in West Side Story that also communicate subtext through lyrics and musical numbers.

Teaching Suggestion: It might help some students understand the function of song and dance in musical theater by discussing whether musical numbers are meant to be taken at face value (i.