Style/Specific types of releases/Theatre

Status: This is a ProposedStyleGuideline, it is not official and shouldn't be used as such. See SoundtrackStyle.

These ProposedStyleGuidelines apply to soundtracks for musical theater or films. These are works where songs are performed by the actors as part of the work (but not operas, which are covered by ClassicalStyleGuide and OperaTrackStyle, nor live (non-theatrical) performances by musical groups).

Basic Guidelines

• The ReleaseArtist should be the composer, not the performer(s).
  • Where performer information is available, it should be indicated using AdvancedRelationships.
    • Except in the case of FictitiousArtists, the actual performers should be used, not the characters

• The ReleaseTitle is just the title of the musical. Additional information is only added if necessary to distinguish between multiple soundtracks, and should contain the performance cast name, e.g. "Carousel (Original Broadway Cast)"
• The ReleaseAttribute should be Soundtrack.

Discussion

In cases where the composer and lyricist collaborated on a number of musicals, and are generally well-known, it would probably make sense to use a collaboration artist (e.g. "Rogers & Hart") rather than the composer alone. @alex

OperaTrackStyle has a way to represent character information for songs. Would it be appropriate to include such information in track titles for musical soundtracks? @alex