How AI Helped Us Craft a Broadway Musical—And Perform It on a Road Trip

The road stretched ahead, the engine's hum steady beneath the sound of music filling the car. The Arkansas landscape blurred by, but inside, something remarkable was unfolding. My wife took on the role of Victor, my daughters played Rosa, James, and Delilah, and together, we weren’t just passengers on a road trip—we were performing our own Broadway musical.

And it all started with an idea.

From Idea to Broadway—With ChatGPT & Suno

It didn’t start with a grand plan to create a Broadway musical.

It started with a single jazz song.

I had written the lyrics, nothing more than a creative spark at the time. But when I fed them into Suno, something unexpected happened—the song came to life. The smoky brass, the sultry vocals, the rhythm pulsing like a heartbeat in a dimly lit club. It wasn’t just a track; it was a scene.

And that’s when it hit me.

?? What if this wasn’t just a song? What if this was a story? A full-scale, Cabaret-style, jazz-blues Broadway musical?

From that moment, the vision shifted. The music wasn’t just accompanying a story—it was demanding one.

That’s when ChatGPT really entered into the scene, helping to shape the world of Caged Bird—a place where a woman finds her voice in the smoke and shadows of a jazz club, fighting to break free from a life that has caged her.

It wasn’t AI generating a play. It was AI amplifying creativity, transforming a single song into a full Broadway experience—script, score, and all.

Using ChatGPT as my writing partner and Suno AI as my music engine, we took Caged Bird from a spark of inspiration to a fully realized script, complete with original jazz and blues-infused songs. And, because my family is never one to let a good idea sit idle, we acted it out in full on a road trip from Bentonville to Little Rock—playing the soundtrack as we embodied the characters in our own traveling stage.

This wasn’t just a fun experiment. It was a proof of concept.

How We Used AI to Build a Broadway Show

1. ChatGPT: The Storytelling Powerhouse

I didn’t just prompt an AI to “write a musical.” I crafted it scene by scene, line by line, making deliberate creative decisions.

• Script Development: ChatGPT helped me refine character arcs, craft powerful monologues, and ensure that each scene flowed seamlessly into the next.
• Dialogue & Emotion: Every confrontation, every whispered manipulation, every triumphant moment—AI helped structure the pacing while we infused it with raw emotion.
• Broadway Pitching Format: I didn’t stop at just a script. I formatted it for industry presentation, ensuring it was ready for producers, directors, and casting.

2. Suno AI: The Composer Behind the Curtain

Writing lyrics is one thing. Bringing them to life with a full-fledged, Broadway-caliber score? That’s another challenge entirely.

Suno allowed me to:

• Generate original songs that felt alive, cinematic, and emotionally resonant.
• Adjust vocal styles to match the tone of each number—whether it was haunting and bluesy, or bold and triumphant.
• Create a concept album that not only helped with immersion but turned our road trip into a moving stage.

Listen to the Concept Album on Suno!

3. Acting It Out—A Road Trip Like No Other

We didn’t just listen to Caged Bird—we became it.

• Elizabeth (my wife) played Victor and narrated.
• Cayla (my daughter) took on the role of Delilah.
• Kahlen (my daughter) played Rosa and James, shifting between their contrasting personalities.

Each song became a moment. Each scene played out in real-time as we crossed the miles. And by the time we reached Little Rock, it was clear: this wasn’t just an AI experiment—it was a fully realized artistic endeavor.

What This Means for the Future of Creative Work

AI is not replacing creativity. It’s amplifying it.

• It’s breaking barriers for those who have ideas but lack access to traditional industry resources.
• It’s making collaboration seamless, allowing teams (or even solo creators) to generate full-scale productions with AI as their co-writer, composer, and brainstorming partner.
• It’s proving that storytelling, music, and performance are evolving in ways we never thought possible.

What we did with Caged Bird—from script to music to performance—wasn’t a gimmick. It was a blueprint for how AI can be used as a tool to build, refine, and share meaningful art.

So What’s Next?

For us, the road trip was just the beginning. Now, with a fully realized script, a Broadway pitch-ready package, and a concept album built with Suno, the next steps involve:

? Bringing in live musicians to elevate the score.

? Developing choreography and staging to bring The Blue Jay to life.

? Pitching Caged Bird to producers who are ready to take a chance on an AI-assisted Broadway revolution.

Who Do You Know That Can Help Bring This to Life?

This project has been an incredible journey—but now, we’re looking for the right people to help take it to the next level.

?? Do you know a Broadway producer, theater director, or composer who might be intrigued by this concept?

?? Have connections in the entertainment industry who are exploring AI-driven storytelling?

?? Or maybe you’re just someone who believes in the power of this story and wants to help make it real?

If so—let’s talk.

Drop a comment, send a message, or share this with someone who might see the potential in Caged Bird. The stage is set, the music is written, and the story is waiting.

All we need now is the right team to make it soar.