Musical is a stage art that combines music, dance, drama, stage art and other art forms. With the introduction of original foreign classic musicals and the staging of various domestic musicals in recent years, musicals have set off waves of craze in China's literary and art market, and have become a new force that cannot be ignored in the field of culture and art. What’s more worth mentioning is that musical theater, as an art form that has attracted much attention, has been incorporated into current music teaching materials. In the “Music and Drama Performance” module of the new high school curriculum, musical theater is even included as an important music subject. The form is listed as an independent unit; in recent years, this new art form has been paid more and more attention and used in various cultural competitions and performances at all levels in the education sector. It can be said that musicals have become campus culture an indispensable artistic variety.

The musicals mentioned in this article specifically refer to small musicals performed by students in school teaching and campus artistic performances, which can also be called musical sketches. Since musicals and song and dance dramas are two sister arts with close forms, the choreography methods of musicals are also applicable to song and dance dramas. Arranging a small musical program should generally include script writing, music matching, lyrics writing, dance creation, stage preparation, actor selection, rehearsal and performance, etc. The performance time of the program is about ten minutes, and the entire arrangement can be completed by teachers or students. However, after practical research, the author prefers that it be completed by students. The creation, rehearsal steps and key points of a small musical are summarized as follows:

1. Writing of the script

The script is the "cornerstone" of the musical performance, and the dance in the musical works , singing, dance, etc. are all displayed in sequence as the plot develops. It must have a touching and complete storyline, with a certain amount of dramatic conflict, and must be constantly adjusted and revised during performance practice until it is finalized. Since there are few ready-made musical scripts, even if there are, they may not be suitable for the actual situation of the school. Therefore, the best way is to write it yourself, or cooperate with the Chinese teacher to discuss the content overview and theme of the musical first. The ideas, characters, plot development, etc. are also preset with music and dance scenes, which are then written and edited by him. Another approach, which we most advocate, is to encourage students to write their own scripts. Students' imagination and creative ability often exceed our imagination. The following points should be noted during the writing process:

1. The content of the script can be rich and colorful, such as describing campus life, social phenomena, or adapting literary works, fairy tales, etc. The content can also be determined according to the needs of teaching or performance themes.

2 It is recommended to use more themes from students’ lives and pay attention to timeliness. This will not only make it easier for the performing students to get involved in the play, but also make it easier to resonate with the student audience.

3. The characters in the play should be set according to the characteristics of the school's students as much as possible. Using actors with their own characteristics will get twice the result with half the effort.

2. Selection of music

Music is the soul of musicals. It must not only express emotions and express the characters’ hearts, but also explain the plot and express dramatic conflicts. It can be in many forms, mainly including songs (solo, duet, chorus), dance music and background music; it can also be in various styles, such as folk songs, jazz, country music, campus folk songs, etc. It is recommended that a musical sketch use 416 pieces of music. There are several ways to configure music:

1 Create new music according to the plot. The advantage of this is that the length, ups and downs, and climax settings of the music can be accurately displayed according to the plot. The disadvantage is that it is difficult and expensive to produce. The requirements for composers are also very high: Is the music written beautiful? Is the mood accurate? Does it set off a specific environment? And so on.

2 Use ready-made music. Use ready-made tunes and add adapted lyrics. It is highly recommended to use music and songs from the teaching materials. This will not only extend the classroom teaching, but also save rehearsal time.

This method is more practical, saving both creative time and a lot of expenses. It can be completed with simple music editing, and it uses existing songs, which are familiar to the audience and can easily create affinity.

3 Use the school’s existing band to play music. But the author personally believes that this kind of band performance is only for polishing and should not be too much. On the one hand, it is an issue with the performance level of the band; on the other hand, orchestration and rehearsal of the band take a lot of time, which may lead to a delay in students' studies.

3. Writing lyrics

Lyrics are an art that combines language and music. It has a very elegant name in musicals - dramatic poetry. From the words, it is not difficult to see the difference between the lyrics in musicals and the lyrics of general vocal works. It must take into account the characteristics of "drama" and "poetry". First of all, the lyrics of the musical are inseparable from the script, which can help the audience understand the plot and understand the inner feelings of the characters in specific scenes. Secondly, the lyrics of musicals have the characteristics of "poetry", focusing on rhyme, and are generally short, concise, simple, catchy, and easy to hum. Whether you are adapting the lyrics of a ready-made song or creating new lyrics, you should pay attention to the following points during the writing process:

1. The lyrics should match the music and emotions in the play and form a unified whole. A complete song.

2 The lyrics should pay attention to depicting the character's image and be consistent with the character's personality, identity and characteristics.

3. Design rhymes as much as possible. Natural rhymes are a key factor in successful song writing.

4. Dance creation

Dance is the most flexible stage expression method in musicals. It can explain the plot and promote the development of the plot. It can also express the inner feelings of the characters. It can also mobilize the audience's emotions and enhance the stage atmosphere. It is recommended that musical sketches use about two to four independent dance sections, and the forms can be diverse, such as solo dance, duet dance, trio dance, group dance, singing and dancing, etc.; various dance vocabulary such as modern dance, folk dance, ballet, tap dance, etc. All can be used. When creating and choreographing dance movements, you should pay attention to the following two points:

1. Dance must be organically combined with the specific dramatic plot, character, emotion, and prescribed situations in the musical, and must have dramatic attributes.

2. Consider students’ actual dance level and boldly use various dance vocabulary.

5. Preparation for stage art

Stage art mainly includes makeup, costumes, props, scenery, lighting, sound, etc. Stage art can depict the external image of the character, explain the environment in which the work takes place, and enhance the stage atmosphere. It can also assist in completing the transformation of time and space and promote the development of the plot. The preparation of stage scenery, props and costumes takes time. It is recommended to use existing items in life as much as possible, or paintings and handicrafts made by students themselves. Try to be beautiful and practical as long as the story can be conveyed. It is enough to explain clearly the environment and atmosphere in which it took place, and there is no need to be greedy for the big picture. In addition, renting clothing is also an effective method that can save time and money. As for lighting and sound, it can only be done according to the equipment conditions of each school and each performance venue.

6. Selection of actors

The selection of actors is very important and is directly related to the quality of the performance. Professional musicals have very high requirements for actors, who are almost all-rounders and must be able to sing, dance, and act. But in campus musicals, it is impossible to require every student to look like a professional musical actor. When choosing roles, pay attention to the following principles: first look at the comprehensive artistic quality - singing, dancing, and acting all have a certain foundation, but they do not necessarily have to be outstanding; then select students with specialties in a certain area according to the needs of the role. For example, one part focuses on singing, another part focuses on dancing, and another part focuses on acting, and roles are arranged according to specialties. Of course, it would be best to find students who are good at singing, dancing, and acting to play the leading role.

The author once tried a format, which is to let all students in the class participate in the creation and performance of musicals.

Because musical theater is a comprehensive art, students can choose a position that suits them based on their own strengths. For example, students with strong writing skills can create scripts and lyrics, and students with musical expertise can create music and dance, and participate in the performances of the main characters. , students with good art skills can produce stage designs, students with strong organizational skills can serve as directors, on-site staff, etc., and the remaining students can participate in performances as extras. Allowing everyone to participate in the creation and performance of the musical can greatly stimulate students' enthusiasm for participation and awareness of unity and collaboration. Of course, the setting of most roles must be taken into consideration when creating the script.

7. Rehearsal Process

Rehearsal is a meticulous work and a key step in evolving words and notes into living characters. The principle of rehearsal is to start with the parts and then the whole, first with the general outline and then with the details. Specifically, singing, dancing and dialogue are practiced separately first. Each character first learns their own tasks, and then they are reorganized in scenes according to the plot, and finally the entire play is reorganized. During rehearsals, attention should be paid to the coherence of the entire performance process, and the connection between characters entering and leaving the stage and scene transitions should be done well. On the basis of the actors having a general impression of the whole work, they can then conduct detailed exercises on the less than ideal links and strive to improve the quality of the entire work. At the same time, students should be clear about what they should do at every moment on the stage, and make it clear that they are a character in the entire musical, not themselves in life.

During the stage walk and rehearsal before the performance, the actors are required to wear formal performance costumes, and the stage scenery, props, lighting and sound must be all in place. This work is to conduct a final review of the musical works and make timely and small-scale modifications to some of the unsatisfactory aspects to avoid major omissions during official competitions or performances.

8. Formal Performance

Before the formal performance, it is necessary to carefully and carefully check whether the music accompaniment, stage scenery, props, costumes, cosmetics, etc. are fully prepared, and at the same time, the actors must be fully mobilized. Emotions, allowing them to engage in the performance with a relaxed and positive attitude.

When performing a formal performance, you must also consider the choice of performance location and sound. Performances in music classrooms do not have many requirements for volume. If the actors can use microphones, the effect will be better. As a competition or a performance on stage, the requirements for sound are relatively high. It is best for all actors who sing and dialogue to be equipped with miniature microphones, so that there will not be a big gap with the background music.

Musicals, a comprehensive stage art with modern popular elements, are deeply loved by students. Its unique form of expression not only cultivates students’ sentiments and aesthetic tastes, but also allows them to show personality and creative talents, and developed the spirit of cooperation and practical ability. I hope that musicals, this artistic wonder, will sow the seeds of love for music, love for art, and love for life in the hearts of children.