--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't be theoretical when you're…" description: "\"You can't be theoretical when you're building a musical.\" — James Lapine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/james-lapine-15216_building_you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-bui_1775160.jpg" --- # You can't be theoretical when you're building a musical. ![“You can't be theoretical when you're building a musical.” quote by James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/james-lapine-15216_building_you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-bui_1775160.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/james-lapine-15216_building_you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-bui_1775160.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/james-lapine-15216_building_you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-bui_1775160.jpg) > “You can't be theoretical when you're building a musical.” [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It stresses that practical execution in theater must outweigh abstract ideas; action drives creation. **In simple terms:** Ideas need concrete work to become a musical. Key Takeaway Prioritize doing over over. Themes theatre creation pragmatism collaboration Mood pragmatic inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - musical development - team workshops - production planning Key Concepts artistic process project management creative discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance theory and practice? - When does planning become hindrance? A Different Perspective It may undervalue the role of theory in shaping innovative work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [The movement of many people through a building can be musical, if the movement is harmonious, rational, but full of life and feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-movement-of-many-people-through-a-building-can-be-musical-if-the/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [“It’s significant that we’ve been building musical instruments more than twice as long as we’ve been brewing alcohol. In The Origins of Music, published…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-evans/it-s-significant-that-we-ve-been-building-musical-instruments-more/) [Robert Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-evans/) > [When you design a building, you start from a general philosophy, and you come down, and you start from detail and come up. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/when-you-design-a-building-you-start-from-a-general-philosophy-and/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [At comedy festivals, we always get grouped with other musical comedians, so you can get to know them and see what everyone is doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-micucci/at-comedy-festivals-we-always-get-grouped-with-other-musical/) [Kate Micucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-micucci/) > [The fear of speculation, the ostensible rush from the theoretical to the practical, brings about the same shallowness in action that it does in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-wilhelm-joseph-schelling/the-fear-of-speculation-the-ostensible-rush-from-the-theoretical-to/) [Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-wilhelm-joseph-schelling/) > [Close contact between science and the practice of collective farms and State farms creates inexhaustible opportunities for the development of theoretical knowledge, enabling us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trofim-lysenko/close-contact-between-science-and-the-practice-of-collective-farms/) [Trofim Lysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trofim-lysenko/) > [We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-were-convinced-that-the-people-need-and-require-this-faith-we-have/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [One of the goals of philosophy is wage theoretical battle. That is why we can say that every thesis is always, by its very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-althusser/one-of-the-goals-of-philosophy-is-wage-theoretical-battle-that-is-why/) [Louis Althusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-althusser/) > [The pace of science forces the pace of technique. Theoretical physics forces atomic energy on us; the successful production of the fission bomb forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-pace-of-science-forces-the-pace-of-technique-theoretical-physics/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Humanism has many meanings, but what attracts me about it is that it encourages men and women to take a broad view of situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-badaracco/humanism-has-many-meanings-but-what-attracts-me-about-it-is-that-it/) [Joseph Badaracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-badaracco/) > [So instead of talking about theoretical ways of ending the war and violence, I say that we have to get rid of the individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/so-instead-of-talking-about-theoretical-ways-of-ending-the-war-and/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [A theoretical system does not merely state facts which have been observed and that logically deducible relations to other facts which have also been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/a-theoretical-system-does-not-merely-state-facts-which-have-been/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [The trouble is that when you read criticisms about the other films that I've made you get the impression that they're all about themes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/the-trouble-is-that-when-you-read-criticisms-about-the-other-films/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [ The classes of problems which are respectively known and not known to have good algorithms are of great theoretical interest. \[...\] I conjecture that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-edmonds/the-classes-of-problems-which-are-respectively-known-and-not-known-to/) [Jack Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-edmonds/) ## More by James Lapine > [I am an off-Broadway, nonprofit kind of guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-am-an-off-broadway-nonprofit-kind-of-guy/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [Most musicals are real crowd pleasers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/most-musicals-are-real-crowd-pleasers/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [Fairy tales, which teach a moral lesson, are about ourselves. Myth deals with forces greater than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/fairy-tales-which-teach-a-moral-lesson-are-about-ourselves-myth-deals/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I really enjoyed writing the adaptation of 'Into The Woods.' I thought it was wonderful to not be the director, frankly. I really enjoyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-really-enjoyed-writing-the-adaptation-of-into-the-woods-i-thought/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I'm a hippie child of the '60s. What drives me crazy about mass media entertainment is that it's so often devoid of any ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-m-a-hippie-child-of-the-60s-what-drives-me-crazy-about-mass-media/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I'm a very laid-back person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-m-a-very-laid-back-person/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I'm never so into the three-act movie thing. I know that's the form that people talk about, but it seems to me, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-m-never-so-into-the-three-act-movie-thing-i-know-that-s-the-form/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I just don't really think of career. I've never been driven by career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-just-don-t-really-think-of-career-i-ve-never-been-driven-by-career/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [Good musicals, a strange world, seem so easy. People say, 'Ohhh, it's magic.' Nothing's magic. A thing doesn't jell. Adapt. Change the rhythm. Shorten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/good-musicals-a-strange-world-seem-so-easy-people-say-ohhh-it-s-magic/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I did 'Impromptu,' which was a thrill and a horror all at once - my first movie and having to do it in Paris,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-did-impromptu-which-was-a-thrill-and-a-horror-all-at-once-my-first/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I designed a theater magazine that was full of plays and essays about the theater, and then I worked at a theater school. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-designed-a-theater-magazine-that-was-full-of-plays-and-essays-about/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I love the visual aspect of the theater. But I like what people have to say, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-love-the-visual-aspect-of-the-theater-but-i-like-what-people-have/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [I've grown more and more appreciative of good writing, and I now really hope I can become a better and better writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-ve-grown-more-and-more-appreciative-of-good-writing-and-i-now/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [If you're like me and nosy, you're always eavesdropping on other people's conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/if-you-re-like-me-and-nosy-you-re-always-eavesdropping-on-other/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [The music is the emotional substance of the show; the book just sets it up. Nobody goes to a musical to hear the book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/the-music-is-the-emotional-substance-of-the-show-the-book-just-sets/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) [Explore all 43 James Lapine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't be theoretical when you're building a musical.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Lapine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-building-a-musical/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-building-a-musical/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/james-lapine-15216_building_you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-bui_1775160.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/james-lapine-15216_building_you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-bui_1775160.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dda/james-lapine-15216_building_you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-bui_1775160.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't be theoretical when you're building a musical.” — James Lapine", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Lapine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't be theoretical when you're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-building-a-musical/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/you-can-t-be-theoretical-when-you-re-building-a-musical/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```