Seth Rudetsky's new book is FABULOUS

[TheBroadwayMaven]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 12:08pm

Musical Theatre for Dummies has flown under the radar (you’re reading its first real review), but it’s one of the most important Broadway-related books of the past decade. In bookstores and at Amazon since March, it’s written by one of Broadway’s most engaging personalities, Sirius radio host Seth Rudetsky. This broad introduction to all things musical theater matters because it collects in one place information that’s hard to access otherwise — and does it in a way that’s engaging for novices and mavens alike.

I recently got a chance to talk to Seth, and I asked him who his ideal reader is:

It really is for everybody. I do feel it’s for “Dummies” to really learn what musical theater is… these are the terms you need to know, here are the famous people you need to know. But I did purposely write it that, even if you kind of know everything about musical theater, there’s no way you know every story.

Indeed, Seth includes a rich treasury of tales from his many years as “Mayor of Broadway.” They’re all in here: Betty Buckley, Alan Cumming, Sutton Foster, Priscilla Lopez, Audra McDonald, Jessie Mueller; Billy Porter, Chita Rivera.

Just a sampling of what readers will learn:

• the history of Broadway in “only” 100 pages;

• the fascinating “origin story” of Avenue Q;

• the meaning of an “in one” song (and why they’ve become rare);

• the 20 different types of lyrics you might find in a Broadway song;

• how nowadays even many male performers wear wigs onstage; and

• backstage gossip galore.

Seth’s various gigs (a Broadway cruise; his musical Disaster!, “Deconstructing Broadway” talks and videos; orchestra and music directing jobs; and of course his radio show) have given him an expertise in the field that is rare yet essential in this kind of project.

Another treat: the book is written in Rudetsky’s unique voice, which is passionate, over-the-top, and hilarious. He told me his editors did not ask him to hold himself back, and in fact encouraged him to let his personality shine through.

One annoying aspect of the book is the Web addresses written out as lengthy URLs, which I don’t expect anyone to type in. Seth told me he’s equally annoyed, and promises to put the links at SethRudetsky.com (though I checked that site and couldn’t find any reference to the book at all yet).

A more serious problem is that the book is poorly edited. I say poorly edited instead of poorly written because Seth Rudetsky certainly knows that the title of Annie Get Your Gun does not have a comma; or how to spell Peter Allen and Trevor Nunn. Every few pages, there’s a factual error, a reference to a section that doesn’t exist, a story repeated almost verbatim, or a grammar mistake any proofreader should have caught. The next edition needs a more careful editor, or even just a devoted fan (call me!).

Seth told me the audiobook will be out soon.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 12:46pm

Your last paragraph totally negates looking into this book. (For me)

[Ceej]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 1:38pm

dramamama611 said: "Your last paragraph totally negates looking into this book. (For me)"

Couldn't agree more. As someone who just published a book (not about Broadway), my co-authors and I worked hard to make sure errors were corrected and an outside proofreader picked our work apart. I don't understand why someone with Seth's level of visibility (which is much higher than ours) would allow an unfinished or unedited work to be published. It's not a good look.

Hopefully the mistakes are corrected so that the book can be read and enjoyed. I'll wait until that happens along with you, dramamama611.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 1:43pm

dramamama611 said: "Your last paragraph totally negates looking into this book. (For me)"

I don't know if I'm imagining this or not...but, I believe I heard Seth say on the radio he is working on either a second printing or second edition making corrections.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 2:42pm

There are also way too many factual mistakes for something like this. I'll leave it to others to pick them apart. Rather than fabulous, I'd say the book reads as something that was terribly rushed or something undertaken by someone trying to do too much at the same time. 

[DAME]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 3:03pm

It is just not a very good book.  He gets so much wrong and it reads like a cash op.  I did not buy it.  I read most of it  out of curiosity while waiting for my theater to open.  I hate that he puts himself out there as an authority.  He is not.  

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 4:15pm

I take his “knowledge” with a grain of salt after watching him argue with a guest - Seth argued this person won a Tony Award but this actor had only been nominated. The actor should know if they won a Tony Award or not, Seth. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 4:38pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "I take his “knowledge” with a grain of salt after watching him argue with a guest - Seth argued this person won a Tony Award but this actor had only been nominated. The actor should know if they won a Tony Award or not, Seth."

It's like when you go to a dinner party of theatre queens and the host says something that is flat out wrong. You bite your tongue and maybe roll your eyes if you won't be caught doing it. But of course those dinner parties are not being broadcast. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 7:55pm

I would pay to watch this broadcast

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:50am

I would pay to not read his book.

[BETTY22]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 8:38am

I love him. He knows everyone and everything about theater. 

Plus, he seems like he is a great person.

https://playbill.com/article/why-my-vocal-arrangements-are-left-out-of-broadway-bound-harmony-its-ok-though

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:27pm

BETTY22 said: "I love him. He knows everyone and everything about theater.

Plus, he seems like he is a great person.

https://playbill.com/article/why-my-vocal-arrangements-are-left-out-of-broadway-bound-harmony-its-ok-though"

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:34pm

It’s a hard pass from me.  

[Kad]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:38pm

I’m agnostic on Rudetsky, but hearing that a book is full not only of grammatical and spelling errors but  factual errors makes me seriously question everything about it. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:39pm

TheBroadwayMaven said: "Musical Theatre for Dummieshas flown under the radar (you’re reading its first real review), but it’s one of the most important Broadway-related books of the past decade. In bookstores and at Amazon since March, it’s written by one of Broadway’s most engaging personalities, Sirius radio host Seth Rudetsky. This broad introduction to all things musical theater matters because it collects in one place information that’s hard to access otherwise — and does it in a way that’s engaging for novices and mavens alike.

I recently got a chance to talk to Seth, and I asked him who his ideal reader is:

It really is for everybody. I do feel it’s for “Dummies” to really learn what musical theater is… these are the terms you need to know, here are the famous people you need to know. But I did purposely write it that, even if you kind of know everything about musical theater, there’s no way you know every story.

Indeed, Seth includes a rich treasury of tales from his many years as “Mayor of Broadway.” They’re all in here: Betty Buckley, Alan Cumming, Sutton Foster, Priscilla Lopez, Audra McDonald, Jessie Mueller; Billy Porter, Chita Rivera.

Just a sampling of what readers will learn:

• the history of Broadway in “only” 100 pages;

• the fascinating “origin story” ofAvenue Q;

• the meaning of an “in one” song (and why they’ve become rare);

• the 20 different types of lyrics you might find in a Broadway song;

• how nowadays even many male performers wear wigs onstage; and

• backstage gossip galore.

Seth’s various gigs (a Broadway cruise; his musicalDisaster!, “Deconstructing Broadway” talks and videos; orchestra and music directing jobs; and of course his radio show) have given him an expertise in the field that is rare yet essential in this kind of project.

Another treat: the book is written in Rudetsky’s unique voice, which is passionate, over-the-top, and hilarious. He told me his editors did not ask him to hold himself back, and in fact encouraged him to let his personality shine through.

One annoying aspect of the book is the Web addresses written out as lengthy URLs, which I don’t expect anyone to type in. Seth told me he’s equally annoyed, and promises to put the links at SethRudetsky.com (though I checked that site and couldn’t find any reference to the book at all yet).

A more serious problem is that the book is poorly edited. I say poorly edited instead of poorly written because Seth Rudetsky certainly knows that the title ofAnnie Get Your Gundoes not have a comma; or how to spell Peter Allen and Trevor Nunn. Every few pages, there’s a factual error, a reference to a section that doesn’t exist, a story repeated almost verbatim, or a grammar mistake any proofreader should have caught. The next edition needs a more careful editor, or even just a devoted fan (call me!).

Seth told me the audiobook will be out soon."

So he basically wrote a book about musical theater “for dummies” with inaccurate information? 
 

I can’t even…SMDH