I've convinced a high school I work with to do the amazing play Geek by Crystal Skillman. They're doing the HS edition because it cleans up some of the language and, more importantly, expands character roles and refocuses the narrative on really positive messages for young people. You can cast about 20 people in the show without doubling characters, plus ensemble. You also need a lot of video, music, and props, which gives some of the backstage kids a lot to do. Think The Odyssey in a comic convention.

The play needs a TON of music and it all stems down to the one theme. The two girls, Honey and Danya, are going to the largest fan convention in the world for their favorite anime, Dante's Fire. The theme from the show doesn't actually exist, and I'm hired by this school to do all their music for their fall plays.

This is the rough demo of where I'm going with "Dante's Theme." Almost everything else stems from this song (angry version, sad version, quiet version, triumphant version, etc.). I was going for a Madoka Magica vibe as my original Attack on Titan approach was a bit too angry for its silly introduction. You first hear the theme when Danya and Honey are dancing, changing into their cosplay onstage.

[audio wav="http://www.sketchydetails.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Dante-theme-intro.wav"][/audio]

I recorded the bits and baubles separately on the school's grand piano and spliced them together in Audacity. I have student musicians lined up to record parts when I get the real version orchestrated and recorded.

So that's the kind of thing I do when I'm not writing or building props. I write and teach music for theater. It's very rewarding.