You could read through the plot and capture one of the scenes in a song e.g. the poets confession (end of scene 20b)- check it doesn’t already come under an existing category.
Currently the script is longer than the final script will be in order to provide enough material to develop lyrics. We will have to shorten the script in the final musical so it would be handy to have the odd song that can capture a lot of the background or events in one song. For example you may be able to cover the information in several scenes all in one musical number.
You may want to take the perspective of a different character, for example one of the torturers or a Cuban exile or a member of the crowd.
You may want to write a song about a particular theme or typically Cuban aspect. But we don’t need any more songs on the theme of revolution.
Could you write a song to capture the voice of the Cuban people and how they saw Fidel differently over time and the way Fidel inspired people? The way they won the war and also kept the revolution going was because the constant state of urgency and the unthinkable alternative of US dominating Cuba made them rush at the problem with no barriers or hesitation. The emotional trajectory goes from high in the glory days of early in the revolution when Fidel was at his most inspiring, to the start of things going wrong – Che dies, then Celia, then special period when Soviet Union collapses and Fidel gradually loses his force, then recaptures it. Can you think of a metaphor for example that you can reprise that captures this e.g.
In 1960s: FARMER: But we’ve no food, no tools, what can we do Fidel?
FIDEL: We rush at the challenge like pigs to the swill.
Can use any metaphors that capture the idea of flinging yourself with as much force and power and abandon as you can at a goal with no inhibition at all. Like a dog to its dinner bowl, like a mother to her falling child, like a lion to the kill, like boys racing downhill, or baseball player racing for a home run etc.
Then scenes follow where things go from bad to worse. Celia dies from cancer and Fidel is devastated. Then the Soviet Union collapses and Cuba is desperately poor. The US tighten the embargo hoping the pressure will turn the people against Fidel and end the revolution. The older generation who remember the revolution are loyal, but the younger generation being brought up in poverty are less keen e.g.
TEENAGER:… the handsome, the wonderful, the all-knowing Fidel. You rush to adore like like Pigs to the Swill. Look he’s past it, he’s ill, yet you rush to defend him like a pig to the swill.
Then you can reprise idea in Scene 22b When Fidel starts to come out of his depression and rises to the challenge
e.g. FIDEL: Yes, Celia died. We could fight off the Yankees, but we could not fight cancer. We’ve fought the Yankees, Yes now we fight cancer, there’s no time to kill. We rush at the task like pigs to the swill.
You don’t have to use this particular metaphor, but the secret of Cuba’s success over such incredible odds was in large part due to Fidel’s ability to inspire people to rise to the challenge.