By his own estimation, Jack would be the last guy to go up against a wealthy and powerful man like Joseph Pulitzer. And he knows he wouldn’t stand a chance. But Jack has qualities of character that he doesn’t yet recognize himself. And the discovery of those qualities are going to transform him into a powerful leader who creates a better life, not only for himself, but also for the rest of the exploited kids of New York City.

Snyder has identified 10 different types of story, each with a key set of rules that can be adapted but not abandoned without peril. He calls them “genres” but not in the sense that we usually think of the term. This isn’t a distinction between RomComs and Action stories. It’s a differentiation between the key elements that drive a conflict and how a fulfilling end can be reached. If you’re interested, you can learn about all 10 genres here.

Save the Cat has not yet been adapted to musicals. Maybe that’s because musicals have not always been about telling a great story. But modern audiences are accustomed to tightly-woven and fulfilling stories, and the story of a Summit Stages musical needs to do more than just entertain; it needs to inspire audiences in a way that builds the Beloved Community. That’s why I’m working on adapting Snyder’s model to musicals.