Favorite Books About Theatre

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 12:37pm

NOT plays. I'm looking for books on theatre history, books about the history of a particular person or company, theoretical commentaries by directors and writers, etc. What are your favorites?

I love The Empty Space, by Peter Brook, and The Director's Voice by Arthur Bartow.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 12:49pm

I don't know if this fits your criteria, but I would recommend Steven Suskin's newest book THE SOUND OF BROADWAY MUSIC, A BOOK OF ORCHESTRATORS & ORCHESTRATIONS. He includes a helpful anthology of virtually every musical from the 1940's through the 1970's plus many earlier shows. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it makes a great reference book.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 12:51pm

A SENSE OF DIRECTION by William Ball

A DIRECTOR PREPARES by Anne Bogart

THE FERVENT YEARS by Harold Clurman

A LIFE by Elia Kazan

NOT SINCE CARRIE

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 12:52pm

Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories of Rescued Dogs Who Became Showbiz Superstar, by Bill Berloni

Really!

[karen24]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 12:54pm

This really goes back a ways, but I love BRING ON THE GIRLS by P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton. It's a great first-person look at the Broadway scene in the 1920s/30s, when they were doing the Princess Theater shows and working with Ziegfeld and other big producers of the day.

Posted: 3/31/10 at 12:58pm

Act One by Moss Hart and The Season by William Goldman. All else is parsley.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 1:35pm

Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies by Ted Chapin

I have also re-read both Julie Andrews's and Carol Burnett's memoirs (Home and One More Time respectively) numerous times.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 6:40pm

Not Since Carrie

[nmartin]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 6:42pm

The Making of No, No, Nanette and Diary of a Mad Playwright are jewels.

[Sean2]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 6:47pm

"Changing Stages" by Richard Eyre is a great read. My favorite biography of Chekhov is the one by Henri Troyat -- I remember trying to find that book for years and paying a fortune for it; now it's available used online everywhere. It's the best (also his biography on Turgenev).

Strangely enough, have any of you seen the book 'How the Show Goes On'? It's by Jeff Kurtti and Thomas Schumacher. Ostensibly it's for kids, but it's a really great read for adults, too! I even think it should be considered a theatre primer at schools. Brilliant.

I agree with 'Not Since Carrie'. That was an eye-opening book.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 7:52pm

Maureen Stapleton's A HELL OF A LIFE is simply the best theatrical memoir ever.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 9:11pm

The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway
by William Goldman

[noradesmond]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 9:28pm

"Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies by Ted Chapin"

ABSOLUTELY. Required reading for any theater fan.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 9:35pm

The indispensible one, already cited a few times, is Goldman's THE SEASON.

Often ignored are several books by Lehman Engel (if you don't recognize the name, shame on you - try google or wikipedia):

THE CRITICS
WORDS WITH MUSIC
The American Musical Theater: A Consideration
Their Words Are Music

Updated On: 3/31/10 at 09:35 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 10:35pm

Not Since Carrie is fun.

The Season is fantastic (though kinda outdated).

Everything was Possible is required reading.


I also suggest - if you can get your hands on any of 'em - memoirs of Simon Gray.

[MuppetManiaMan]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 10:44pm

I really enjoyed "But He Doesn't Know the Territory", by Meredith Willson.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 10:51pm

"Second Act Trouble: Behind the Scenes at Broadway's Big Musical Bombs" by Steven Suskin. I really enjoyed the stories about some of the musicals that didn't make it. It makes me appreciate all the work that goes into a musical to get it to NYC.

It also gave me an appreciation for the amount of privacy shows were entitled to in out of town tryouts before the internet.

[dg22894]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 10:53pm

Without You

[slmlbl]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 11:18pm

I teach children's theater and always recomend 'How does the show go on' to them. It's published by disney and offers a great look into what goes into a show.

[Dangerous Divine]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 11:59pm

Hal Prince's "Contradictions" is a favorite.


And I have to echo "Act One."

[gcontini2]

Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:50am

This is actually an audio book from the Teaching Co....traces the musical from minstrel shows, thorough vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley, to the book musical. Lots of examples on piano given...pretty informative

Great American Music: Broadway Musicals http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=7318

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 4/1/10 at 3:00am

I loved Everything was Possible! I also suggest Merle Secrest's biography on Sondheim, im a die hard fan and am learning even more about him through this book. Also for a lighter, fun quick read, Cheno's book was fun. Next up for me is Howard Kissel's book on David Merrick, if anyones read it let me know how it is!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 4/1/10 at 3:38pm

One that is often overlooked is "Underfoot in Show Business" by Helene Hanff (author of 84 Charing Cross Road). It's part theater memoir, part life in NYC. There are some great moments like when she was working in a press office and they were trying to decide on the name of "Oklahoma". They got everything all set up and then the producers decided to add "!" to the end of the title.

Posted: 4/1/10 at 3:54pm

"Second Act Trouble" is very interesting because the bulk of the book is contemporary news coverage of troubled shows- written (usually) during the previews or early days of the run before the show's final outcome is determined.

To read about the rampant drug use during "On a Clear Day...." was particularly fascinating.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/1/10 at 5:23pm

In the past 4 months I played catch-up. I read "The Season" first and I suggest you read it before you read any books after it was written. It took me a while to get through but I found it referenced in the books I read after it.

I really enjoyed "A Chorus Line and the Musicals of Michael Bennett", "Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies" and "Sondheim: A Life". All of which I find to be required reading.

I read another that I can't remember the name of about more recent show failures and I can't remember the name.

I need to read a few more. A few of which have been mentioned here.

Updated On: 4/2/10 at 05:23 PM