Discuss Musical RP idea.

[Roxas]

We all have our moments in the shower where bam, it hits you like nuclear warhead from 10000 miles up. I had one of those moments this morning for an rp idea. Of course, to actually find out if it was the nuke I'm thinking it is, or just a pebble my next door neighbor threw at me, is yet to be found.

At any rate here's the idea. A musical rp. People would have to "sing" meaning they'd have to find lyrics relavent to the storyline, or make their own. Obviously, poets would be great for this kind of roleplay, as rhyming would help a lot. Though, I also found a slight twist to this as well.

Aside from just a musical. Why not make it a "musical" musical? As is to say... like musical chairs. The first post would be required to "sing" and at the bottom of their post, they leave an OOC comment on which post they want someone to start "singing" again.

For example:

OOC: I want whoever to posts the 4th post on this page to sing.

or,

OOC: I want the whoever posts the 25th post in this thread to sing.


Like i said, it's just and idea, and therefore has no storyline. If you want, feel free to use and abuse this as much as you want. I never really considered going through with this plan, but I would like to see it used someday.

Note: Thanks to Sweeny Todd for inspiration. ^-^

[Shy]

[size=1]I have also had this thought, or at least a similar one. I'd love to do something featuring music or poetry is some meaningful way. Basically it would be a 'norma'l RPG, except the characters would spontaneously burst into song every now and again.

So yeah, I love this idea. Maybe we could start coming up with some basic story ideas and flesh this out a bit more?

-Shy[/size]

[Zen]

[color=royalblue][size=1]

Being a huge fan of the movie [b]Hairspray[/b] I can definetly dig the idea of an Otakuboards Musical.

Let's just not let this go the way of High School Musical, and I'm down.[/color][/size]

[Roxas]

I'd love to have some kind of musical formed. I may not take part in it though, but I wouldn't mind helping one be made. The problem is, musical is still such a broad genre... and is actually more like a sub-genre in my opinion. You can have Horror Musicals, Romance Musicals, Sci-Fi Musicals, the list only stops with the limit of genres.

Fleshing any one idea out would somewhat be a problem for me, as I normally tend to like many different genres. I love horror, action, some comedy, and sci-fi. Although, I think an Action Musical would somewhat be a comedy in itself... as why would anyone really burst into song while beating up someone else, let alone the whole world for that matter, and not to mention the fact that the bad guy somehow knows the lyrics...

At any rate, feel free to chunk whatever you feel like doing at me, and I'll help you if you need it. I just thought this would would be such a great idea at the time, and I don't want it to goto waste.

[Boo]

[quote name='Shy'][size=1]I have also had this thought, or at least a similar one. I'd love to do something featuring music or poetry is some meaningful way. Basically it would be a 'norma'l RPG, except the characters would spontaneously burst into song every now and again.

So yeah, I love this idea. Maybe we could start coming up with some basic story ideas and flesh this out a bit more?

-Shy[/size][/QUOTE][size=1]Ditto, I've been thinking about the same idea a few times. There'd be nothing cooler than a story that involves random bursts of singing. However, I think this would require everyone to do it on their own and not because other people a few posts earlier tell them to.

The idea of Roxas sounds more like a game-ish thing about lyrics whereas Shy's idea sounds more like a genuine musical. Oh, but just in between:[/size]

[quote name='Roxas']Although, I think an Action Musical would somewhat be a comedy in itself... as why would anyone really burst into song while beating up someone else, let alone the whole world for that matter, and not to mention the fact that the bad guy somehow knows the lyrics...[/quote]
[size=1]The action scenes in West Side Story are legendary. :P I wouldn't mind trying to create some of such scenes in between. Though of course genuine action things like Rambo would become a bit more something that Dragon Warrior would come up with.

Being a fan of musical (films) like West Side Story, Grease, Moulin Rouge! and Lion King, I would very much not mind taking part in this. :3[/size]

[Ellerby]

[FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DimGray"]This is definitely intriguing but I have to wonder how we'll do the whole singing thing. Will whoever has to sing [i]actually[/i] write and sing their own music or are they just writing it?

Since in musicals the singing often starts with one person but then breaks out and ends with like 50 people (if you want a great example click [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRYU4cqUAUs]here[/url]) maybe we could have songs continue into other posts?

This would be a good time to get that OB Band to work as well. :)[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Sandy]

[quote name='Roxas']Although, I think an Action Musical would somewhat be a comedy in itself... as why would anyone really burst into song while beating up someone else, let alone the whole world for that matter, and not to mention the fact that the bad guy somehow knows the lyrics..[/QUOTE]

[I]"Everybody was Kung Fu fighting!"[/I]

Heh, yeah, sounds like a very innovative idea which just needs to come into fruitition. As a Theater Moderator, I actually [I]demand[/I] that someone will continue work on this, for I think it could very well give a new spark of creativity to our RPGs in general as well. ;D

Too bad I've never written proper lyrics in my life, so that'll hinder my participation. XP

Oh, I changed the title of this thread a bit to better reflect what is being discussed here (and possibly lure in more people who'd be interested).

[Boo]

[size=1]I think music would be something to add once the musical has a steady storyline. I wouldn't mind at all to write an entire musical with anyone who's willing. Ironically enough I've just applied for a Writing For Performance school which requires me to write these things anyhow. :P

So, is this going to be an RP with everything happening spontaneously post per post? I think we should make up the basic storyline and then the acts, and then actually do the whole thing with a kind of chapter-system. Then almost each act would have a song as it's climax and some of us would have made music for it that some will then write to during the actual play itself...

This would require very good writers and at least as good musicians though. XD If the music doesn't work out we could try [strike]stealing[/strike] using other musical's music, of course. :P[/size]

[Riku]

[quote name='Zen'][color=royalblue][size=1]Being a huge fan of the movie [b]Hairspray[/b] I can definetly dig the idea of an Otakuboards Musical.

Let's just not let this go the way of High School Musical, and I'm down.[/color][/size][/QUOTE]

[FONT="Tahoma"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]Me too, Mike. I facking love Hairspray; very amazing movie.

And please, let's not be like High School Musical and break into song as we eat lunch or play baseball, mmkay?

Anyway, I'm very pleased with this original/unique idea. It sounds like a lot of fun. Though, if it really was just coming up with a post at the spur of the moment, it would be kind of difficult.

Maybe, if anyone was a song writer or something, they could use their own songs here or something? And if someone would sing a song someone doesn't know, we could always post a link to YouTube or something.

I just saw the musical Lion King, Wicked and soon to see Cats, so I'm a huge fan of musicals myself, as well. I would loveeeee to take part in this. c:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[Boo]

[quote name='Riku'][FONT="Tahoma"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]And please, let's not be like High School Musical and break into song as we eat lunch or play baseball, mmkay?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE][size=1]... I suppose that that generally just happens in musicals, except that High School Musical just has a bad story and setting so they can't come up with other things for their music to start.[/size]

[Zen]

[color=royalblue][size=1]

Well, being that I can compose beats on my computer, and my best musical talent is writing rap lyrics, I think my originality won't be a problem as long as it is taken that my character has a general Hip Hop form when he makes his songs.

So I can post, like, my character, my lyrics (unfortunately I can't record myself), and my own original beats for my songs, and the modified tracks when I join in songs for my character's bit.

And with the OB Band, I don't think we'll have much trouble making up music. Or we could just use YouTube if we got lazy.

I think it might be cool if we take more of a "war torn" approach, because I don't know many musicals who's characters are like, warriors or whatever. Battle ballads and what not, war songs and dances, it'd be kinda cool. Maybe take kind of a Samurai Champloo approach where the musical genre is transposed over the setting, I think it'd be interesting.

That's my two cents.[/color][/size]

[Shy]

[size=1]Perhaps we could do it like Across the Universe, or Mamma Mia! We could select a series of [i]real[/i] songs from a single artist (or various ones, but they would need to share something in common) and juxtapose it with a story.

My immediate recommendation is the work of Michael Jackson. No, I'm serious.

-Shy[/size]

[Nomurah!]

[COLOR="hotPink"][SIZE="1"]There's only one way this work. A mix-up of Sci-fi/Romance/Horror/Teen Drama/Talking Animals/Religious/Action.

No. But. It'd be nice to have something a little less normal. Like Highschool Musical or Hairspray. Something... a little more... Fictitious? Fantastic? Etc.

Coming up with music/lyrics doesn't seem too hard. So. Maybe I'll help. Or at least watch.

p.s- make every song to the tune of "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed. That would make for an interesting musical.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Zen]

[quote name='Shy'][size=1]Perhaps we could do it like Across the Universe, or Mamma Mia! We could select a series of [i]real[/i] songs from a single artist (or various ones, but they would need to share something in common) and juxtapose it with a story.

My immediate recommendation is the work of Michael Jackson. No, I'm serious.

-Shy[/size][/QUOTE]

[color=royalblue][size=1]

That's actually a pretty awesome idea. I love Michael Jackson's music, personally, and I'd be down with doing a story with his music. This might actually start up a new genre of RPs on OB where different music and genres are used, heh. I'd be up with the MJ RPG, though.[/color][/size]

[Nomurah!]

[quote name='Zen'][color=royalblue][size=1]

That's actually a pretty awesome idea. I love Michael Jackson's music, personally, and I'd be down with doing a story with his music. This might actually start up a new genre of RPs on OB where different music and genres are used, heh. I'd be up with the MJ RPG, though.[/color][/size][/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"][COLOR="HotPink"]Haha... We could make it a spin-off of MJ's Moonwalker arcade game. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Zen]

[color=royalblue][size=1]

No, no. We gotta, GOTTA, do an extension or story based around [b]Thriller[/b] if we do the Michael Jackson theme.

Shy, I'll work with you if Roxas isn't down with creating this.[/color][/size]

[Shy]

[size=1]The Moonwalker idea is actually pretty awesome.

Are any of you guys familiar with [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=MRlh_UYDMGA&feature=related]Captain EO (link)[/url]? It was a sci-fi themed 3D movie that ran in the Disney theme parks for a couple of years, and somehow managed to combine Michael Jackson with space opera. I wouldn't want to rip that off entirely, but it might be fun to do a fantasy setting heavily inspired by MJ music.

Sci-Fi is the obvious choice for genre, or maybe Horror if we decide to focus on Thriller. What would you rather do?

-Shy[/size]

[Zen]

[color=royalblue][size=1]

Being that I'm unfamiliar with Captain EO, but very familiar with Thriller, I'd prefer that. I think the horror/action genre would provide itself to interesting opportunities and fit itself along with the songs better in the modern era anyways, rather than forcing his songs onto a sci-fi setting.

I like the idea of maybe an Underworld type of thing, or something with a similar premise with his songs added. I think the albums Bad and Thriller would provide themselves well to that, especially if it took place in a modern era.[/color][/size]

[Blayze]

[SIZE=1]Interestingly, I've had ideas similar to this a couple of times in the past, but never really able to flesh it out much past the initial idea.

I think the key with doing an action/horror-type musical is to have a certain sense of irony running through it - take yourself too seriously and it'll just seem stupid. I mean, how can people fighting off zombies (for example) and singing at the same time [I]really [/I]take themselves seriously?

Anyway, I think that Jacko's songs do lend themselves quite well to this kind of idea, and using the songs of one artist will make the musical part of the musical a lot easier to work.

I'd be up for lending a helping hand with this if I'm needed.
[/SIZE]

[Roxas]

Well Blayze, I realize I was thinking the same way you were. Then I remembered an important rule in the musical world. For a musical, it's [B]normal[/B] for people to spontaneously burst out into song. It's what they do, why they live. It's an unwritten, understood law of nature if you will.

At any rate. I would prefer something more along the lines of what Daft Punk did. They devoted an entire CD of theirs into being made into a full length AMV Movie. Interstella 555? At any rate, I love how they did that. But that was entirely music, so needless to say, ours would differ.

[Blayze]

[SIZE=1]I understand that you mean it is normal for people to burst out into song in musicals in general, and in things like Hairspray and Grease where there is a strong musical undercurrent all the way through (eg. they're both at least partially about dancing contests, in which there would be music) they would be doing it as if it were the most normal, natural thing in the world.

What I was saying is that in an action-type musical specifically, if it was done the wrong way then having people singing while fighting could seem a little moronic. If you want this to be a high-quality musical RP and not have it devolve into something hammy and witless then I think it's important not to take the whole idea too seriously.

On a side note, if we go with the Michael Jackson idea, I shotgun playing the villain so I get to sing "Bad."
[/SIZE]

[Ellerby]

[FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DimGray"]There's something about OBers role playing dancing, singing zombies that just seems [I]right[/I].

All of these ideas are great, it's too bad we can't use them all. :( Or maybe we could? A musical where we travel through time? :O[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Shy]

[quote name='Roxas']Well Blayze, I realize I was thinking the same way you were. Then I remembered an important rule in the musical world. For a musical, it's [B]normal[/B] for people to spontaneously burst out into song. It's what they do, why they live. It's an unwritten, understood law of nature if you will.[/QUOTE][size=1]Exactly. The characters in the story will not be self-aware in that sense. To them bursting into song if perfectly normal, and nobody would bother to acknowledge it within the story.

Basically we'd be including the lyrics as dialogue, and, if possible MP3s of the original songs within our posts. Here's a brief example of how I imagine things would work.

[/size][quote=Thriller RPG]

[size=1]Diana and Michael entered her dark apartment in the middle of the night. Michael was badly bruised from his fight on the streets, and she carefully rested him on the couch while she searched her apartment for a first aid kit.

"[b]Oh Michael,[/b]" Diana said, her face full of worry, "[b]What was wrong with those people that attacked you on the subway? Did you notice how strange their teeth were?[/b]"

"[b]That's what I've been trying to tell you, Diana. They're vampires.[/b]"

"[b]Now you're being ridiculous,[/b]" she replied from the bathroom, "[b]I'm just glad we're somewhere safe.[/b]"

Michael let out a heavy sigh. Although they had managed to escape once, now that they had a taste of his blood there would be no way to hide. Diana entered the room, and Michael took off his shirt to reveal a bloody puncture wound on his chest.

"[b]Oh, it's awful. You're gonna rest here tonight.[/b]"

"[b]Just patch it up so I can leave,[/b]" Michael winced as Diana poured rubbing alcohol across the wound, "[b]We need to go back to my place and get my things, Diana.[/b]"

"[b]And why do we need to do that?[/b]"

"[b]I need to confront them once and for all. I have weapons at my place...[/b]"

Diana's eyes narrowed, "[b]There's almost a dozen of those guys, and you're just some scrawny kid from the suburbs. I'll call the police in just a minute....[/b]"

"[b]You don't understand. They're gonna follow us.[/b]"

"[b]You don't understand, Michael. I've lived in this city my entire life, and I'm not losing another friend to the street gangs. There's only one safe thing to do and that's to wait for this whole mess to blow over.

[indent]They told you don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it

You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad[/indent][/b][/size]
[size=1][b]"It's about more than that, Diana! You know I can't run away with you![/b]"
[indent][b]Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fighter
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it

They're out to get you, better leave while you can
Don't wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man
You wanna stay alive, better do what you can
So beat it, just beat it[/b][/indent]

As Diana finished placing the bandage on his chest Michael rose to his feet. He looked to Diana for compassion, but she merely folded her arms with a look of indignation across her face.

"[b]I'm sorry...[/b]"

Michael reached for his shirt, and stormed out of the apartment.[/size][/quote][size=1]So that's how I figure a typical post might look like. Let me know what you guys think.

-Shy[/size]

[Riku]

[SIZE="1"][COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"][FONT="Tahoma"]Very nice, Shy, as expected from you.

I think we should do something along the lines of a time warp where we go back in time and sing songs from the oldies. Or maybe something dramatic.

Something about the OB members breaking out in song while living life just seems so [I]epic[/I].[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Zen]

[color=royalblue][size=1]

I'm liking two models so far. I like Shy's model if we are going for the pre-existing music stuff like "Across The Universe", but I'm also up if anyone wants to do a "create-your-own-lyrics" thing too.

But yeah, I guess it just depends what people want to do. I like both builds.[/color][/size]