--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know how to make it a great musical…" description: "\"I know how to make it a great musical. I've got to. It's like I've got to see it on stage.\" — Mel Brooks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/mel-brooks-2308_actor_i-know-how-to-make-it-a-great-musical-i_1058961.png" --- # I know how to make it a great musical. I've got to. It's… ![“I know how to make it a great musical. I've got to. It's like I've got to see it on stage.” quote by Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/mel-brooks-2308_actor_i-know-how-to-make-it-a-great-musical-i_1058961.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/mel-brooks-2308_actor_i-know-how-to-make-it-a-great-musical-i_1058961.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/037/mel-brooks-2308_actor_i-know-how-to-make-it-a-great-musical-i_1058961.png) > “I know how to make it a great musical. I've got to. It's like I've got to see it on stage.” [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believes a musical must be performed live to capture its full impact. **In simple terms:** Live performance is essential for a musical. Key Takeaway Prioritize stage productions. Themes theatre performance creativity Mood enthusiastic confident Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - producing a musical - directing a stage show - writing for stage - marketing a musical Key Concepts musical theater audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - How does live energy change audience perception? - What challenges arise in translating a script to stage? A Different Perspective Live shows may lack the polish of film. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Great music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-music/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Wouldn't Ponochio II be a great musical, now that he has to face the real world and get a wife... job. Now he wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/wouldn-t-ponochio-ii-be-a-great-musical-now-that-he-has-to-face-the/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [It's great when it all comes together in a great musical like 'Sweeney Todd,' when Stephen Sondheim writes songs from heaven, the book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/it-s-great-when-it-all-comes-together-in-a-great-musical-like-sweeney/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [As the book writer for one big smash and one big smelly flop, I always wondered if anyone knows just what goes into making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-fierstein/as-the-book-writer-for-one-big-smash-and-one-big-smelly-flop-i-always/) [Harvey Fierstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-fierstein/) > [Being in a different band always brings great musical experiences to be able to draw on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-nash/being-in-a-different-band-always-brings-great-musical-experiences-to/) [Graham Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-nash/) > [The fact is that great musical pieces take and hold the stage because they provide great emotional experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-caldwell/the-fact-is-that-great-musical-pieces-take-and-hold-the-stage-because/) [Sarah Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-caldwell/) > [I've never done a musical before. I've sung, off and on, all of my life. But I have never, ever done a musical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariette-hartley/i-ve-never-done-a-musical-before-i-ve-sung-off-and-on-all-of-my-life/) [Mariette Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariette-hartley/) > [I think 'Glee' has been great for musical theater and for kids who are interested in musical theater and singing because it has made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/i-think-glee-has-been-great-for-musical-theater-and-for-kids-who-are/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [My view is that musicals are love stories with great final scenes. It's just that simple. Musicals are also conflicts between two worlds. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-norman/my-view-is-that-musicals-are-love-stories-with-great-final-scenes-it/) [Marsha Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-norman/) > [I was very lucky when I started doing comedy because I hadn't seen much stand-up. I just got up on stage and did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-leggero/i-was-very-lucky-when-i-started-doing-comedy-because-i-hadn-t-seen/) [Natasha Leggero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-leggero/) > [Be interested in everything. You don't have to adore it. I don't adore hip-hop, I don't think it's great music, but I'm interested, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/be-interested-in-everything-you-don-t-have-to-adore-it-i-don-t-adore/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-think-music-in-itself-is-healing-it-s-an-explosive-expression-of-2/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Detroit's a great music town. If your interaction with it was mainly musical, I'm sure you have a good opinion of the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/detroit-s-a-great-music-town-if-your-interaction-with-it-was-mainly/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [We're not like a nostalgia act, or the normal classic rock act - we're a really good musical organization, ... You're going to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/we-re-not-like-a-nostalgia-act-or-the-normal-classic-rock-act-we-re-a/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [“I've got to this stage and will not stop now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-gamal-abdel-gawad/i-ve-got-to-this-stage-and-will-not-stop-now/) Ahmed Gamal Abdel Gawad > [The original lineup, we got on stage, we had a great chemistry, it was awesome, and then when we left the stage, we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-static/the-original-lineup-we-got-on-stage-we-had-a-great-chemistry-it-was/) [Wayne Static](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-static/) ## More by Mel Brooks > [Woody Allen is a genius. His films are wonderful. He's poetic, but he's also a critic. He artfully steps back from a social setting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/woody-allen-is-a-genius-his-films-are-wonderful-he-s-poetic-but-he-s/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [ Comedy is lively, comedy is joy, and that's what keeps us \[people\] going, we've got to look forward to little, little happiness's. Little, little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/comedy-is-lively-comedy-is-joy-and-that-s-what-keeps-us-people-going/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [All right, I am often brash, rude and brutally direct. Someday I'm going to die and I don't have time to toe-dance around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/all-right-i-am-often-brash-rude-and-brutally-direct-someday-i-m-going/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [I don't think in terms of results at all. I think: what next insanity can I shock the world with?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-don-t-think-in-terms-of-results-at-all-i-think-what-next-insanity/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [My mother is very short - four-eleven. She could walk under tables and never hit her head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/my-mother-is-very-short-four-eleven-she-could-walk-under-tables-and/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [The audience. They see the name Mel Brooks, they want something really funny. They don't want to be moved; they don't want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/the-audience-they-see-the-name-mel-brooks-they-want-something-really/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [I realised that all one really had to do was just observe. Observe and slightly exaggerate, and you had comedy. Instead of creating a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-realised-that-all-one-really-had-to-do-was-just-observe-observe-and/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [Life literally abounds in comedy if you just look around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/life-literally-abounds-in-comedy-if-you-just-look-around-you/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [Look, I really don't want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if you're alive, you got to flap your arms and legs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/look-i-really-don-t-want-to-wax-philosophic-but-i-will-say-that-if/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [I knew it... I'm surrounded by assholes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-knew-it-i-m-surrounded-by-assholes/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [I was in the army, and to me it was like a newsreel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-was-in-the-army-and-to-me-it-was-like-a-newsreel/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [But I have bad taste with a deep fount of intellectuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/but-i-have-bad-taste-with-a-deep-fount-of-intellectuality/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > ['Mad About You' was very fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/mad-about-you-was-very-fun/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [Immortality is a by-product of good work. Masterpieces are not for artists, they're for critics. Critics can't even make music by rubbing their back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/immortality-is-a-by-product-of-good-work-masterpieces-are-not-for/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [If Ivan the Terrible had been kissed and loved between zero and three, he probably would have become Ivan Not So Terrible. If you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/if-ivan-the-terrible-had-been-kissed-and-loved-between-zero-and-three/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) [Explore all 173 Mel Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know how to make it a great musical. I've got to. 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