Sometimes audiences watching movies based on musicals gripe that, “People don’t just burst into song! It doesn’t feel natural!” In writing a musical (or adapting one) for the screen, one way to ensure that a song feels natural is to establish that the number is taking place inside a character’s head. Another way is to establish that the number takes place on a stage or in another setting where people frequently sing or perform. “All That Jazz” — the first number in Chicago — does both. Velma Kelly performs in a nightclub and Roxie Hart watches — later imagining herself performing that same number. Establishing right up front that all numbers take place in Roxie’s showbiz-obsessed head, the filmmakers ensure that no musical moment feels weird or inorganic. 

So, if you’re writing a screen musical, the audience begs you to establish how the musical numbers will work from the outset.

Note: Lyrics are CAPITALIZED.