Great Theater Book

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 5:54pm

Reading " Before The Parade Passes By " about the life & career of Gower Champion

Fascinating is not the word. I would have to say the best theater book I have read with the Follies tome a close second

Updated On: 8/15/06 at 05:54 PM

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 6:15pm

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm currently reading Ethan Mordden's "One More Kiss: The Broadway Musical in the 1970s." Anyone else reading an interesting theatre related book?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 6:16pm

Gower Champion book is far superior

[dancinfan]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 6:20pm

I loaned out my copy of the Champion biography before I read it, so I'm looking forward to it. I am currently enjoying Second Act Trouble by Stephen Suskin. It is a series of chapters/reports on Broadway shows that bombed or closed out of town.

[jv92]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 8:26pm

I read it when it was first released. It was absolutely wonderful.

[suzycat]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 9:45pm

FYI, a new theatre book was released this week and it looks pretty funny.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560258209/

[broadway_freak2]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 11:51pm

I just found this book at the Library the other day and it is fantastic. It's called Ever After: The Last Years of Musical Theater and Beyond by Barry Singer. It documents musicals from 1977 to 2003 on and Off Broadway. How they were developed, and many interviews. One of the best books I've read in a while.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 11:49am

I've read nearly every book written about the musical theatre.

There are two that stand out:

"The Making of No No Nanette."

I know, you wouldn't think it. But it's genius.

And:

"Legends: How I Went on the Road with Mary Martin and Carol Channing and Lived to Tell About It" by Jimmy Kirkwood.

It's just been re-released in paperback. Trust me.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 11:56am

That said, there are couple of more important ones.

Ethan Mordden's entire series is terrific. There's a volume for each decade of musical theatre. His 1970's volume is my favorite.

Ken Mendelbaum wrote a wonderful book called "Not Since Carrie," which is about Broadway musical flops. Get it.

And Peter Felichia wrote a very useful volume called "Let's Put On a Musical," which gives great advice to anyone wanting to produce an amateur show.

[AtypicalTheatre]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 12:02pm

I just finished reading Underfoot in Showbusiness by Helene Hannf and Act One by Moss Hart

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:46pm

Just finished last night

The last chapter on how he gutted it out to finish 42 nd Street was gut wrenching. He was a true genius & I was lucky to have seen many of his shows including his flops M/M, Hamlet & A Broadway Musical