09/01Theater Books 09/01
Click here for a special SONDHEIM collection.
Some good reads on the theater and related subjects:
Coming Up Roses: The Broadway Musical in the 1950s, Ethan Morden (hardcover) A new release. A study of one of the brightest eras in Broadway history.
Harold Prince : A Director's Journey Carol Ilson, (Paperback) Newly revised to cover his work in the 1990s.One of Broadway's finest.
Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for the New York Times, 1980-1993, Frank Rich (hardcover) Rich looks back on shows he reviewed and offers another look. Promises to be a fascinating read.
Dance With Demons : The Life of Jerome Robbins, Greg Lawrence"Lawrence's conscientious biography is at its best in taking us step by step through Robbins' career." NYT Book Review. A look at the man behind the dance of shows like West Side Story
The New Musical : Sondheim and Lloyd-Webber (The Great
Songwriters), Stephen Citron (hardcover) The latest on Sondheim, whose work is examined alongside that of Sir Andrew.
Somewhere for Me : A Biography of Richard Rogers, Meryle Secrest (Hardcover). She has also written biographies of Sondheim and Bernstein.
The Boys from Syracuse: The Shuberts' Theatrical Empire, Foster Hirsch (hardcover). One of the great familes of American theatrical producing.
The Line King (video) A documentary on Broadway's greatest illustrator, Al Hirschfeld. This one is a delightful view at his life and his work.
From Assassins to West Side Story : The Director's Guide to Musical Theatre, Scott Miller (paperback) A director's reflections on approaching some of the more popular musicals of our day.
Show Business Is No Business, Al. Hirschfeld (hardcover). This book, by the world-famous illustrator of Broadway and beyond contains his reflections on making it in show business and is packed with plenty of drawings by this talented artist.
Getting to Know Him : A Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II, Hugh Fordin, with an introduction by Stephen Sondheim (paperback) A biography of one of the greatest figures in Broadway Musical history.
Musical Stages : An Autobiography, Richard Rodgers, Mary Rodgers (paperback) Along with Oscar Hammerstein Rodgers was one of the high points of Broadway's history.
Richard Rodgers, William G. Hyland (hardcover) The latest biography of one of Broadway's luminaries. Published this year.
The Wordsmiths : Oscar Hammerstein 2nd and Alan Jay Lerner (The Great Songwriters Series), Stephen Citron (hardcover) A dual biography of two of Broadway's greatest artists. Citron is also working on a dual book about Sondheim and Lloyd Weber which is due later this year.
Word Crazy : Broadway Lyricists from Cohan to Sondheim, Thomas S. Hischak (hardcover) An overview of the work of many of Broadway's greatest songwriters over more than 90 years of creativity.
The Season : A Candid Look at Broadway, William Goldman, Frank Rich (paperback) A classic in the theater world. Goldman writes of a year in the life of Broadway.
Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops, Ken Mandelbaum (paperback). A look into some of Broadway's biggest misses. I still find it amazing that such talented people can make such mistakes. Though I still wish I saw Moose Murders and Rockabye Hamlet before they folded.
More Broadway Musicals,Morton Gottfried (hardcover). An oversized picture book of photos and essays covering some of the more recent Broadway musicals of the 70's and 80's.
Enchanted Evenings : The Broadway Musical from Show Boat to Sondheim Just released and on my Christmas wish list!
Boris Aronson : Stage Design As Visual Metaphor, Frank Rich (small pamphlet). A visually beautiful book of drawings by one of Broadway's pre-eminent set designers including a number of Sondheim pieces (Company, Pacific Overtures, Follies). This small booklet was apparently a catalog for an exhibit of Aronson's work.
Julie Andrews: A Life on Stage and Screen, Robert Windeler (hardcover). A recent book in which she tells that she'd love to be in a new Sondheim musical (I've known that for years since Putting It Together) and that they've discussed having her play Mrs. Lovett in the film of Sweeney Todd. A well-written life story which tells of her life and her work.I enjoyed it.
Particular Broadway Musicals
A CHORUS LINE:
The Longest Line - Broadway's Most Singular Sensation: A Chorus Line, Gary Stevens and Alan George (Applause © 1995) A large picture book with plenty of photos and an intensive collection of facts.
A Chorus Line and the Musicals of Michael Bennett, (paper) a good book on the genius that was Michael Bennett.
On the Line: The Creation of A Chorus Line, Robert Viagas, Baayork Lee and Thommie Walsh (hardcover)
One Singular Sensation: The Michael Bennett Story, Kevin Kelly (paper) . An introduction to the man behind the musical. The man was in fact a genius whose work was often recognized for its innovation.
What They Did for Love: The Untold Story Behind the Making of A Chorus Line, Denny Martin Flynn (paper)
BIG:
Making it Big: The Diary of a Broadway Musical, Barbara Isenberg. I haven't read it yet but it supposedly covers the process from start to finish. Chapter titles: Beginnings, Rehearsals, Detroit, Broadway and Aftermath.
THE LION KING:
The Art of the Lion King by Christopher Finch, James Earl Jones, Charles S. Finch (hardcover) an examination of the making of the animated film.
The Lion King : Pride Rock on Broadway Julie Taymor, Alexis Greene, Tim Rice (hardcover). The coffee table book with an insight into the Broadway musical.
Disney's How to Draw the Lion King (How to Draw Series), David Pacheco (Illustrator), Diana Wakeman (Illustrator) Looks like it would be a hit with aspiring young artists.
RENT:
RENT Jonathan Larson, Michael Grief (hardcover). One of those flashy, coffetable books with "The making of...", lots of photos and the libretto. Larson's untimely death was a major loss to the world of musical theater. One of my favorite musicals. And a Pulitzer Prize winner at that. 525,600 seasons of love.