Broadway Musicals: Show by Show, Seventh Edition
Paperback Release Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Applause
Genre: Theater
ISBN: 978-1557837844
Since the first edition in 1985, “Broadway Musicals: Show by Show” has been Broadway’s most comprehensive and widely used reference book. The seventh edition includes chronological entries from “The Black Crook” in 1866 to musicals of the 2011 season, such as “American Idiot,” “Billy Elliot,” “Hair” (revival), “Memphis,” “Next to Normal,” “Rock of Ages,” “The Addams Family,” “West Side Story” (revival), and “Fela!”
“Broadway Musicals: Show by Show,” Seventh Edition (Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, September 27, 2011, $19.99) is a combination of history, guide, fact book, and photo album of the most memorable Broadway musical productions. With its glitter, its imagination, and its rhythmic beat, the Broadway musical has become a distinctive commodity, but with theatre prices so high, theatregoers want to make sure they get what they pay for. “Broadway Musicals: Show by Show” offers facts, not opinion, to let readers select the right plays for them.
Each entry includes a wealth of statistics, inside information, critical reception, a cast list, and pithy commentary. Original-cast albums, concert versions of vintage shows, and opera companies adding musical theatre to their repertoires have all helped to preserve Broadway musicals through the decades. “Broadway Musicals: Show by Show” does its part, too. It’s a mine of information for both the playgoer and the theatrical historian.
I considered myself a huge Broadway fan until I received Broadway Musicals: Show by Show, Seventh Edition and was taken for quite a ride. I knew that there was a lot of Broadway history that I was unaware of, but I did not realize just how many shows I was unaware of. To have a history overview of the most memorable shows (by Green’s account) right here in one book, from the basic statistics point of view (as it is not a full comprehensive Broadway guide, i.e. sharing how these shows have impacted our world), it’s a wonderful reference guide for anyone who says that they are a Broadway fan. Because being a Broadway fan is not just about going to Broadway shows. It’s about soaking up the origins of these musicals, these actors, these companies, and so on.
The information in this book is very easily formatted and easy to read through, and it includes show credits (original cast & crew list), song list, show run, a show description for each show and images! As far as the show description goes, it is there where you’ll find information about Tony Award nominations/wins. I found it odd that the information was there instead of listed above with the other information but it is there nonetheless.
Broadway Musicals: Show by Show is organized in chronological order (from 1866 – 2010) which is fantastic. I only wish it were also organized by the show in terms of placing the revivals right after the original. But that’s where the Show Index comes in which is located in the back of the book. No need to color code the Table of Contents by show. There are actually seven indexes in all including Show, Composer/Lyricist, Librettist, Director, Choreographer, Major Cast Members, & Theater Index. All of which are very helpful indeed. For a more in depth direction of how the book is organized, read Green’s original Preface from the First Edition which is just a few pages after the seventh, sixth, and fourth Prefaces. Green’s Introduction right after is not to be skipped over. There’s plenty to learn here to. Bottom line, Broadway Musicals: Show by Show, Seventh Edition makes for one wonderful Christmas gift for any Broadway fan. Talk about the time passing. This book will have you engrossed for hours and still leave you wanting more!
Own Broadway Musicals: Show by Show, Seventh Edition By Stanley Green, Revised & Updated by Cary Ginell today.