In this residency, students examine the history and form of musical theater in order to identify key components of a captivating show. Then, the class engages with a source material or creative writing prompt to inspire the development of new musical theater songs that reveal complex character to tell a specific story. Under the mentorship of a professional composer and teaching artist, students engage in a 5-step Songwriting Process that demystifies the creative process for writing, producing, and sharing new works of musical theater.