Contrary to current trends, not everything that exists should be a musical—the walls at Joe Allen give us that cautionary tale with each perfect burger. And in an era of changing tastes, rising costs, and no financial guarantees, you may wish you could find the perfect IP as a path to success, but just wishing a preexisting franchise will translate into a hit is like throwing all your money into a wishing well and wishing you were better with money.

Subscribe to gain full access to The Dramatist Issue Archive.

Join and become a Dramatists Guild Member, Business Subscriber or subscribe to the magazine with an annual plan for unlimited access.

Guild Members receive our magazine as a benefit of membership!

View Options

Robert Horn

, Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and NY Drama Critics Circle awards nominee and Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, and Drama Critics winner, has written the books/librettos for such shows as the award-winning musicals Tootsie, 13, Dame Edna, Back With A Vengeance, Lone Star Love, Hercules, and Shucked. Mr. Horn has been creator, writer, and/or exec producer of such iconic television series as Designing Women, Living Single, High Society, Partners, The Jenny Rivera Show, and Football Book Club. Overall production deals at Warner Brothers, Sony, ABC Studios. Films include Netflix’s 13: The Musical, Teen Beach Movie, Good Advice, Disney’s Wildlife, and Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure. Special events: Bette Midler’s Divine Intervention Tour, BBC’s RuPaul’s Christmas Ball. Graduate of NYU Tisch.