Recommendation for books on Broadway Musicals

[A Canadian in NYC]

Posted: 12/16/15 at 1:19pm

I was wondering if anyone has recommendations on a book to buy as a gift. I want to get something on musical theatre/Broadway for my niece.  She's written the book for two musicals that have played locally where we live, so something maybe geared towards writers would be amazing.  I've looked at Seth Rudetsky's books but he has a few and I'm not sure which one would be good.  Also looked at Razzle Dazzle and Musicals; The Definitive Illustrated Story.  Not sure if any of these are good?   Thanks!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 12/16/15 at 1:21pm

Finishing The Hat and Look, I Made A Hat by Stephen Sondheim are two great books.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/16/15 at 1:24pm

Not Since Carrie

Before The Parade Passes By

The Abominable Showman

Put On A Happy Face

 

Updated On: 12/16/15 at 01:24 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/16/15 at 1:28pm

The one from the Spider-Man scribe is supposed to be a nice peek inside of that insanity, although I haven't personally read it yet.

[ggersten]

Posted: 12/16/15 at 1:35pm

Fosse by Sam Wasson. 

Writing the Broadway Musical by Aaron Frankel is older, but good, but probably too simplistic for someone who has already written two shows.  

Second the recommendations for the Sondheim books.

 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/16/15 at 1:39pm

The Happiest Corpse I've Ever Seen

Everything Is Possible

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 12/16/15 at 9:53pm

Are you able to snoop at her shelves to see what she already owns?

Most of the recommendations will be for classics - which she may have already read. If you're looking for current books, I enjoyed "Razzle Dazzzle" although many here found errors and had issues with it. As someone interested in the backstage story of the place with a memory of the times, I found it fascinating.

Echo the recommendations of the Sondheim hat books and "Everything Was Possible" - both of these have the advantage that if she has only read them once and doesn't yet own them, she'll be likely to return to them.

Also, as a writer, the hilarious "Diary of a Mad Playwright" by James Kirkwood gives a not-entirely-credible backstage view of the disastrous attempt to take a play of his to Broadway with Mary Martin and Carol Channing.

 

Updated On: 12/16/15 at 09:53 PM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 12/17/15 at 9:05am

Hot Seat by Frank Rich. Now out of print but still available. I read it as a teenager until it literally fell apart.

Posted: 12/17/15 at 12:55pm

The Great Parade by Peter Filichia is a good one.  He looks at the shows from the 1963-64 Broadway season.  Lots of backstage stuff.  Not Since Carrie is another good one.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 12/17/15 at 9:02pm

There's a new on-going series of books by Jennifer Ashley Tepper called The Untold Stories of Broadway.

 

She interviewed hundreds of theater workers: actors, doormen, ushers, directors, stagehands, etc. IIRC, the stories are grouped by theater. A lot of behind the scenes anecdotes.

[another sloe eyed vamp]

Posted: 12/18/15 at 8:47am

Less history and more analysis than most of the ones listed above, but I really like Scott Miller's books.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 12/18/15 at 9:33am

my favorites are the books of Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, The Season by William Goldman, Not Since Carrie and Nothing Like a Dame. I need to read more of them though.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/18/15 at 12:38pm

Not Since Carrie

[somechrysanthemumtea]

Posted: 12/29/15 at 12:27pm

I can honestly say that 'Free For All: Joe Papp, The Public, and the greatest theatre story ever told" is one of the best books I've ever read, not just of the theatrical genre. It's a sweeping history but is told through stories that have been prescribed directly from people's mouths onto paper, which provides a much more interesting look at productions that the Public produced.

[A Canadian in NYC]

Posted: 12/29/15 at 8:11pm

Thanks everyone for such great recommendations!! I ended up getting her Not Carrie because it sounds pretty amazing. I know I'm going to pick up some of these for myself too!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/29/15 at 8:25pm

Second Act Trouble

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/29/15 at 8:39pm

Everything Was Possible. The book about Follies.

Free For All is another good one I forgot about until I saw it suggested above.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 12/29/15 at 8:58pm

I just finished Sondheim and Llloyd Webber "The New Musical" and it was fantastic. It goes back and forth between their shows and has interesting tidbits about their shows and sometimes other shows. 

[playbill-love]

Posted: 12/30/15 at 3:18pm

I'd like to second the recommendation of Jen Tepper's books if you're interested in interviews at all. Mostly actors (from many eras) but also many other people who have worked at each broadway theatre in different capacities. Very easy books to pick up and read a little bit and then put back down or skip to another section.