Theatre

(Applause Libretto Library). Anyone who grew up watching Sesame Street on public television will quickly be able to identify the inspiration for Avenue Q . Most of the characters in the show are puppets, and the set depicts several tenements on a rundown street in New York City. Several characters are parodies of Sesame Street regulars: for example, the roommates Rod and Nicky are based on Bert and Ernie, while Trekkie Monster is based on Cookie Monster. However, these characters are in their twenties and thirties and face adult problems; despite the fuzzy faces, this is not a children's show. After a run lasting more than six years and 2,534 performances, the Broadway production of Avenue Q ranks in the top 25 longest running shows in Broadway history and continues to have productions run worldwide.

Relive, or discover, the Broadway productions that have enthralled, enchanted, and enraptured audiences for more than 100 years. The Book of Broadway is a celebratory, gorgeous tome dedicated to what is arguably the quintessential American art form: the Broadway show. The book profiles 150 of the best, biggest, most influential, and most fascinating Broadway musicals and plays ever produced, spanning the mid-nineteenth century to the twenty-first century. Shows profiled include everything from the 1860s musical The Black Crook, which captivated and titillated audiences for more than five hours, to the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2010 play Clybourne Park. The men and women who shaped Broadway history - such as Stephen Sondheim, Tennessee Williams, Bernadette Peters, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Ethel Merman, Marlon Brando, August Wilson, and Nathan Lane - are celebrated for their groundbreaking work. Photographs throughout illustrate the stunning designs of the shows profiled. Author Eric Grode - an arts writer for The New York Times, and author of Hair: The Story of the Show That Defined a Generation - has compiled this ultimate guide to Broadway shows, filled with insider knowledge. Theater fans will appreciate the fantastic Broadway trivia scattered throughout the book as well as the palpable sense of history in this encyclopedic treatment of one of our most beloved pastimes. A handful of the shows featured in this book include: Annie The Book of Mormon Bye Bye Birdie Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Chicago Death of a Salesman Fiddler on the Roof Grease Guys and Dolls Hello, Dolly Kiss Me, Kate Les Miserables The Music Man My Fair Lady The Phantom of the Opera Rent Six Degrees of Separation The Sound of Music A Streetcar Named Desire West Side Story

"The best musical of this century. Heaven on Broadway. The Book of Mormon achieves something like a miracle." --Ben Brantley, New York Times "A crowning achievement. A huge smash success. So good it makes me angry.--Jon Stewart, The Daily Show The biggest Broadway hit in decades--the brilliant brainchild of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez--The Book of Mormon is delighting theatergoers nightly with its outrageous irreverent humor and surprising heart. Cleverly designed in the same fun spirit as the show, this official, full-color illustrated coffee table book takes readers behind the scenes with stories from the cast, creators, and crew. Included are the complete book and lyrics to the smash hit Broadway musical, extensively annotated, plus an original introduction by theater critic and author author Steven Suskin about the creation of the show that Rolling Stone declares "is on its march into legend."

This volume is another example in the Routledge tradition of producing high-quality reference works on theater, music, and the arts. An A to Z encyclopedia of Broadway, this volume includes tons of information, including producers, writer, composers, lyricists, set designers, theaters, performers, and landmarks in its sweep.

Broadway's Prize-Winning Musicals is an indispensable guide for collectors of audio recordings of Broadway's award-winning musicals. It presents, for the first time in one volume, shows that were recipients of Tony Awards, New York Drama Critics Circle Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, or Grammy Awards. Also featured are the recordings of shows selected on the more subjective basis of listening enjoyment or budgetary considerations. This comprehensive approach helps librarians and fans compile a well-balanced collection by providing as diverse a selection of musical styles as possible, always keeping in mind the historical and artistic importance of individual shows, scores, or performances. A fascinating introduction to recorded musicals, it provides a select listing of the best and most readily available award-winning shows representing the entire span of the genre's history. The first volume ever to organize Broadway musicals into groups by major musical awards, this guide is an essential tool for libraries with audio visual departments, audio collectors, music fans, critics, performers, producers, and patrons of the arts. Some of the intriguing information found in this book includes: a handy checklist of titles, record labels, and inventory numbers plot summaries, cast lists, key song titles, positive and negative reviews, composer information, background information, and notations on any film versions of the show the unique contributions of such Broadway greats as Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Stephen Sondheim, and many others a guide to finding out-of-print recordings a bibliography of musical histories and biographies of composers a guide to recorded anthologies In addition to being a user-friendly guide to collecting recorded shows, Broadway's Prize-Winning Musicals also serves as a basic reference work on the musical theater, its history, and its most honored productions. Readers are treated to a history of the genre through its annual award ceremonies, providing a unique overview as well as an impartial means of selecting and building a core collection of representative shows for home or library. The scope of shows included ranges from the earliest operettas through to the most recent award-winners. All of the most well-known and critically acclaimed shows are included in this delightful book, such as A Chorus Line, Phantom of the Opera, Damn Yankees, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, West Side Story, Cabaret, Guys and Dolls, Evita, Kiss Me, Kate, The King and I, My Fair Lady, plus many, many more. Light and user-friendly language makes the volume accurate without being pedantic, knowledgeable without being dry, and equally accessible to both established collectors and beginners.

Three out of four Broadway-bound musicals fail to get there, and many of those that do, ultimately fail. The Broadway Musical takes an engrossing look at the industry's successes and failures in an effort to understand the phenomenon of mass collaboration that is Broadway. The authors investigate the complicated machinery of show business from its birth around the turn of the century through its survival of the cost explosions of the 1980s. Through interviews with many of Broadway's top producers, directors, designers, actors, songwriters, lyricists, librettists, musicians, and other artists, they lead us on an intimate tour of the creative process. They also explore the roles of top executives and the reactions of critics and audiences. They conclude with a fascinating look at the inherent conflicts and tensions that have resulted in some of the most seamless and best-loved productions on Broadway. Fans of the genre as well as scholars and students of American culture will delight in this revealing insider's look at the scenes behind the scenes and the history of one of America's most popular forms of entertainment. The effort that goes into making a Broadway musical is enormous, first requiring the enthusiasm of a group of initial creative artists and then the cooperation of hundreds of talented individuals and the investment of millions of dollars before each show is ready to open. Each venture is marked perhaps more by conflict than collaboration, and the continuation of the industry seems more remarkable when it is revealed that three out of four Broadway musicals fail to break even on Broadway. What goes into the making of a successful musical? No venture can be a success without good collaboration, but whether it is good or bad in any specific case cannot be known beforehand. The Broadway Musical is an investigation into this phenomenon of collaboration and its seeming unpredictability. To gather information, Bernard Rosenberg and Ernest Harburg have interviewed many of the top producers, directors, designers, players, songwriters, lyricists, librettists, and other artists that are responsible for today's Broadway musicals. Starting with the development of the industry itself, the authors investigate the complicated machinery of show business and detail how it was able to survive the rapidly rising costs of productions in the 1980s. Proceeding to the creative aspects of the show, the authors provide an intimate look at the assembling of the musical at every level, detailing the workings of the top executives, musicians, songwriters, techne, the reaction of the critics and the audience. The book concludes with a lengthy look at the phenomenon of collaboration itself, describing the inherent conflict and tension that often adds to the production of a Broadway musical. The Broadway Musical is an engrossing look at the successes and failures of this most elaborate form of live entertainment.

Musicals have been a major part of American theater for many years, and nowhere have they been more loved and celebrated than Broadway, the theater capital of the world. The music of such composers as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Berlin, the Gershwin brothers, Lerner and Loewe, Steven Sondheim, and Andrew Lloyd Webber continues to run through people's minds, and such productions as South Pacific, Cats, My Fair Lady, The Phantom of the Opera, Guys and Dolls, Rent, and West Side Story remain at the top of Broadway's most popular productions. This book is a survey of Broadway musicals all through the 20th century, from the Tin Pan Alley-driven comedy works of the early part of the century, to the integrated musical plays that flourished in the heyday years of midcentury, and to the rock era, concept musicals, and the arrival of British mega-musicals late in the century. It also profiles some of the theater world's leading composers, writers, and directors, considers some of the most unforgettable and forgettable shows, illustrates the elusive fragility of the libretto, explains the compensating nature of production elements, and examines representative shows from every decade. An extensive discography offers a brief critique of more than 300 show cast albums.

(Applause Books). This updated edition of one of the bestselling and most comprehensive Broadway reference books, first published in 1985, has been expanded to include many of the most important and memorable productions of American musical theater, including revivals. Chronologically arranged, beginning with The Black Crook in 1866, the eighth edition adds new entries and photos on numerous musicals from recent years, including Priscilla, Queen of the Desert ; The Book of Mormon ; Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark ; Once ; Newsies: The Musical ; Annie (revival); Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella ; Kinky Boots ; A Night with Janis Joplin ; and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder . Broadway Musicals, Show-by-Show features a wealth of statistics and inside information, plus critical reception, cast lists, pithy commentary about each show, and numerous detailed indexes that no Broadway fan will want to be without.

In this textbook for performers, the position of a Swing-an Understudy for the Ensemble-on Broadway is examined from every angle, showing just how vital Swings are to the success of any musical theatre production. Authors J. Austin Eyer and Lyndy Franklin Smith draw on their own experiences as performers, and gather first-hand stories from other Swings about the glories and hardships of their industry. The book features interviews with over 100 Broadway pros-Swing veterans, Stage Managers, Casting Directors, Choreographers, and Directors-including Rob Ashford, Susan Stroman, Jerry Mitchell, Larry Fuller, Tony Stevens, Beverley Randolph, and Frank DiLella. Broadway Swings is the ideal guide for anyone considering a career in this most unique of positions, or anyone curious about what really goes on, behind-the- scenes, in a long-running show.

From Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls" to Nina in "In the Heights" and Elphaba in "Wicked," female characters in Broadway musicals have belted and crooned their way into the American psyche. In this lively book, Stacy Wolf illuminates the women of American musical theatre - performers, creators,and characters - from the start of the cold war to the present day, creating a new, feminist history of the genre. Moving from decade to decade, Wolf first highlights the assumptions that circulated about gender and sexuality at the time. She then looks at the leading musicals to stress the keyaspects of the plays as they relate to women, and often finds overlooked moments of empowerment for female audience members. The musicals discussed here are among the most beloved in the canon - "West Side Story," "Cabaret," "A Chorus Line," "Phantom of the Opera," and many others - with special emphasis on the blockbuster "Wicked." Along the way, Wolf demonstrates how the musical since the mid-1940s has actually beendominated by women - women onstage, women in the wings, and women offstage as spectators and fans.

When mixing a live show, for the first time or hundredth time, there are countless things running through your mind, foremost- this is live and you have to get it right! Whether you are working on Broadway, in a regional theatre or on the school production, having an understanding of the equipment, set up, and how sound behaves is crucial to the success of your show's performance. In this guide to live sound mixing for theatre, Shannon Slaton shares his expert knowledge and proven, effective techniques acquired from years of experience working on Broadway shows. Written in a clear and easy to read style, and illustrated with real world examples of personal experience and professional interviews, Slaton shows you how how to mix live theatre shows from the basics of equipment, set ups, and using sound levels to creating atmosphere, emotion and tension to ensure a first rate performance every time.

Musicals: The Definitive Illustrated Story showcases the complete history of the musical on stage and screen, from its origins in ancient Greece to early twentieth century dance halls and vaudeville to the golden age of cinema productions to the record-breaking Broadway musicals of today. Packed with historical insights, memorabilia, behind-the-scenes gossip, and artifacts, Musicals: The Definitive Illustrated Story takes you on the ultimate behind-the-scenes tour of the best-loved musicals, such as Chicago, Les Misérables, The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music, and many more. In all, Musicals: The Definitive Illustrated Story features more than 140 notable stage and film productions and the stories of the people who created them. Throughout, clear infographics, rich black-and-white and color photography, and a clever, informative design make this comprehensive overview of musical theater and movie musicals a true showstopper.

ANew York TimesBestseller For almost a century, Americans have been losing their hearts and losing their minds in an insatiable love affair with the American musical. It often begins in childhood in a darkened theater, grows into something more serious for high school actors, and reaches its passionate zenith when it comes time for love, marriage, and children, who will start the cycle all over again. Americans love musicals. Americans invented musicals. Americans perfected musicals. But what, exactly, is a musical? InThe Secret Life of the American Musical, Jack Viertel takes them apart, puts them back together, sings their praises, marvels at their unflagging inventiveness, and occasionally despairs over their more embarrassing shortcomings. In the process, he invites us to fall in love all over again by showing us how musicals happen, what makes them work, how they captivate audiences, and how one landmark show leads to the next--by design or by accident, by emulation or by rebellion--fromOklahoma! toHamilton and onward. Structured like a musical,The Secret Life of the American Musical begins with an overture and concludes with a curtain call, with stops in between for "I Want" songs, "conditional" love songs, production numbers, star turns, and finales. The ultimate insider, Viertel has spent three decades on Broadway, working on dozens of shows old and new as a conceiver, producer, dramaturg, and general creative force; he has his own unique way of looking at the process and at the people who collaborate to make musicals a reality. He shows us patterns in the architecture of classic shows and charts the inevitable evolution that has taken place in musical theater as America itself has evolved socially and politically. The Secret Life of the American Musical makes you feel as though you've been there in the rehearsal room, in the front row of the theater, and in the working offices of theater owners and producers as they pursue their own love affair with that rare and elusive beast--the Broadway hit.

Here for the first time is the whole history of the musical, on Broadway and off. Stempel combines original research--including a wealthy of primary sources and archival holdings--with deft and insightful analysis, and explores the rich strands of musical theater by genre and type, looking at not only how musicals work but also how they serve as barometers of social concerns and bearers of cultural values.Beginning with the scandalous Astor Place Opera House riot of 1849, Stempel traces the growth of musicals from minstrel shows and burlesques, through the golden age of Show Boat and Oklahoma!, to such groundbreaking works as Company and Rent. Stempel examines musicals in their cultural and historical context and includes detailed portraits of all the influential figures--the creators, directors, and performers--who made it all possible.