Music Theater Songwriting Lab 1 is an introductory course in which students learn about and practice the art and craft of music theater songwriting. Students will utilize established music theater song forms to shape their original music and lyrics, as well as explore a range of authentic music theater songwriting processes including collaboration, engagement in dramaturgical discussions, sharing and receiving constructive criticism, rewriting, and presenting in-progress work. The course is organized around two primary songwriting assignments that students will complete in partnership with a collaborator. For each assignment, students will adapt a turning point moment from a narrative source material, such as a short story, historical event, play, or film. Students must be able to sing or play an instrument, as well as read music at a basic level, in order to complete songwriting assignments and present them in class. This course is by permission only.