Blue Elephant Theatre, Camberwell

We sat down with Anna, writer of new musical Windson High, and she shared some insights into the journey of writing her first stage play.

What inspired you to write Windson High? Was there a particular moment or experience that motivated you to start writing?
My inspiration mainly came from my love for musical theatre and the regret of my final school production being cancelled in high school. Studying abroad in London immersed me in the West End Theatre, which was one of the reasons I chose to study there. Over the last three years, watching different musicals has strengthened my desire to write one of my own, and I felt anything was possible in London! This is my final year here, and I want to write a short piece and bring it to the stage. I've loved musical theatre since childhood. I always wanted to be part of it but didn’t join because I didn’t think it would be a good fit, even though my friends encouraged me to do so. In my final year, when I finally decided to join by becoming part of the ensemble, it got cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. That disappointment stayed with me. Many of my secondary school friends (half of the cast) and I grew up together, and after this year, we will be even further apart. I wanted to create a memory we could all share, and thus, Windson High was created.

How did you begin the writing process for your first musical? What were the initial steps you took to bring your idea to life?
I started with the first monologue our main character Lin says at the beginning. It was last summer during sleepless nights when I typed everything out. The songs followed the monologue naturally. I’m the type of songwriter who waits for the melody to come to me, which can take a while. For instance, the opening song was written over a period of three months. I had the first verse in summer, but the rest came in December when I was having a night walk in Singapore. A few other melodies came from songs I wrote in my teenage years. After writing the songs, I worked on the stories. Many characters are inspired by my school life, combined with some of my favourite characters from musical theatre, such as Glinda from Wicked and Blanche Barrow from Bonnie & Clyde. Since I don’t read scores, Libby Yunqian Lyu helped me compose the songs, and I've also incorporated ideas from our cast and crew.

As this is your first-time writing a stage musical, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced? How did you navigate through them?
The biggest challenge was developing strong character motivations. As a film student, story writing is not my strength; I always find script writing difficult, even though I have many stories to tell. I think I am more visual than verbal. I navigated this by chatting with my cast and crew. Usually, I would ask my friends for ideas, but I wanted to keep Windson High a surprise, so I didn't ask many friends this time. Qianhan, Sophie, Paulina, and Xinglin helped me with proofreading and gave ideas, which I incorporated into the story! Another challenge was that the character Mr. Stanley, who is very complicated. As a 21-year-old, I have not yet become a parent nor reached middle age, so it was difficult to fully understand an older character and his experiences. However, there are many things I want to convey through this character, so I considered a lot of aspects while writing about him.

Who were your biggest supporters or mentors during the writing process? How did they influence your work?
Angela, a friend who encouraged me to pursue musical theatre back in high school and is also part of the producing team, has always been incredibly supportive. I can never thank her enough. Qianhan, who has been on this journey with me the longest, her optimism and positivity has influenced me a lot throughout the way. Kassandra and Isabella, who have supported me virtually from afar. Yanshi and Irene for always providing emotional support. Each member of the cast, Sophie, Billie, and Andrew, for always turning my impossibles into possibles. Rui, Paulina, and Theo for being lifesavers with their fantastic performing skills. I'm grateful to all of our crew for making this show happen, and to my family and friends who have supported my dream every step of the way!

How did you handle feedback and revisions for your first project? Can you share any significant changes that were made based on feedback?
I handled feedback and revisions for Windson High through a collaborative approach, regularly discussing ideas with my cast and crew and incorporating their suggestions. After each rehearsal, we would have an open dialogue session where cast and crew could provide crucial input in refining the story and characters. This process helped us uncover more details as we rehearsed, making the final piece stronger and more dynamic. For instance, some characters initially had unclear motivations, but after feedback from Qianhan & Paulina, I reworked their backstories and motivations, adding depth and complexity. Moreover, the musical numbers underwent several revisions. I collaborated with Libby Yunqian Lyu who arranged my melodies into songs, as I don’t read scores. My approach to songwriting is intuitive, waiting for melodies to come to me, and Libby helped bring those ideas to life. With Libby’s composing and my incorporation of ideas and suggestions received from performers to adjust the arrangements, ensuring the songs fit them well. Receiving feedback and being open to revisions allowed the project to evolve significantly, resulting in a polished and well-received final production.

Writing your first piece can be emotionally taxing. How did you balance the emotional highs and lows throughout the process?
I was actually happy most of the time while writing this piece. I think it's because I genuinely love musical theatre to the point where I don’t feel any negativity. Throughout the writing process, I found balance through my deep connection to music. Singing musical theatre songs has always been a part of my daily routine, but it became even more prominent during this writing period. Singing those songs has always been my way of relieving emotions, whether they were high or low. When I was emotionally high, I would belt out joyful or powerful songs, which allowed me to channel my excitement and joy into my work. Conversely, during low moments, I would sing sad songs, which not only helped me process my feelings but also served as a practice in emotional acting control, allowing me to train my genuine emotions through my performances.

What was it like seeing Windson High performed for the first time in rehearsals? How did it feel to see your work come to life on stage?
It reminded me of my high school days! Having not been involved in theatre productions since Year 10, I was filled with excitement to witness my work take shape on stage. Reflecting on my IGCSE history teacher's words about how we will only remember the happiest memories of school life, I found a similar sentiment resonating within me when Windson High was brought to life on stage. Upon entering the theatre for rehearsals, all the challenges and hardships I faced during the writing and rehearsal process seemed to vanish as if by magic. As the stage lights illuminated, the melodies I had sung were played by instruments, and my solo songs were transformed into harmonious ensembles. It was a magical moment that brought me immense joy and fulfilment!

What advice would you give to other aspiring writers who are looking to create their first musical or theatrical work?
Dream big and don’t be afraid! Every story deserves to be told. Remember, if you have a goal, you’re already halfway there!