Author: John Breglio
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
ISBN: 1495063690
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
(Applause Books). What does a "producer" actually do? How does one travel from that great idea for a show to a smash hit opening night on Broadway? John Breglio cannot guarantee you a hit, but he does take the reader on a fascinating journey behind-the-scenes to where he himself once stood as a child, dreaming about the theatre. Part memoir, part handbook, I Wanna Be a Producer is a road map to the hows and wherefores, the dos and don'ts of producing a Broadway play, written by a Broadway veteran with more than 40 years of experience. This comprehensive and highly informative book features practical analysis and concepts for the producer and is filled with entertaining anecdotes from Breglio's illustrious career as a leading theatrical lawyer and producer. Breglio recounts not only his first-hand knowledge of the crucial legal and business issues faced by a producer, but also his experiences behind the scenes with literally hundreds of producers, playwrights, composers, and directors, including such theatre luminaries as Michael Bennett, Joe Papp, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Patti Lupone, August Wilson, and Mel Brooks. Whether you are a working or aspiring producer, an investor, or are just curious about the backstage reality of the theater, Breglio shares his knowledge and experience of the industry, conveying practical information set against the real-life stories of those who have devoted their lives to the craft.
I Wanna Be a Producer
Author: John Breglio
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
ISBN: 1495063690
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
(Applause Books). What does a "producer" actually do? How does one travel from that great idea for a show to a smash hit opening night on Broadway? John Breglio cannot guarantee you a hit, but he does take the reader on a fascinating journey behind-the-scenes to where he himself once stood as a child, dreaming about the theatre. Part memoir, part handbook, I Wanna Be a Producer is a road map to the hows and wherefores, the dos and don'ts of producing a Broadway play, written by a Broadway veteran with more than 40 years of experience. This comprehensive and highly informative book features practical analysis and concepts for the producer and is filled with entertaining anecdotes from Breglio's illustrious career as a leading theatrical lawyer and producer. Breglio recounts not only his first-hand knowledge of the crucial legal and business issues faced by a producer, but also his experiences behind the scenes with literally hundreds of producers, playwrights, composers, and directors, including such theatre luminaries as Michael Bennett, Joe Papp, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Patti Lupone, August Wilson, and Mel Brooks. Whether you are a working or aspiring producer, an investor, or are just curious about the backstage reality of the theater, Breglio shares his knowledge and experience of the industry, conveying practical information set against the real-life stories of those who have devoted their lives to the craft.
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
ISBN: 1495063690
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
(Applause Books). What does a "producer" actually do? How does one travel from that great idea for a show to a smash hit opening night on Broadway? John Breglio cannot guarantee you a hit, but he does take the reader on a fascinating journey behind-the-scenes to where he himself once stood as a child, dreaming about the theatre. Part memoir, part handbook, I Wanna Be a Producer is a road map to the hows and wherefores, the dos and don'ts of producing a Broadway play, written by a Broadway veteran with more than 40 years of experience. This comprehensive and highly informative book features practical analysis and concepts for the producer and is filled with entertaining anecdotes from Breglio's illustrious career as a leading theatrical lawyer and producer. Breglio recounts not only his first-hand knowledge of the crucial legal and business issues faced by a producer, but also his experiences behind the scenes with literally hundreds of producers, playwrights, composers, and directors, including such theatre luminaries as Michael Bennett, Joe Papp, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Patti Lupone, August Wilson, and Mel Brooks. Whether you are a working or aspiring producer, an investor, or are just curious about the backstage reality of the theater, Breglio shares his knowledge and experience of the industry, conveying practical information set against the real-life stories of those who have devoted their lives to the craft.
So You Wanna Be a Producer?
Author: Steve Ecclesine
Publisher: PREMIER DIGITAL PUBLISHING
ISBN: 1624670679
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Producer Steve Ecclesine has boiled down more than 30 years and over 700 shows as an independent Hollywood producer into one book. So You Wanna Be A Producer? features 130 essays on a wide variety of subjects, as well as a complete budget for anyone seriously considering jumping into the shark tank. Used in dozens of film schools worldwide, So You Wanna Be A Producer? is a boy scout's handbook for anyone interested in show business. _x000D_ _x000D_ Also included is Ecclesine's second book, Adventures of a Migrant Film Worker, which tells hair-raising tales of what it's like working inside the belly of the beast._x000D_ _x000D_ “...filled with experiences and insights that you have to learn from the experts that are rarely shared with the general public.” -Tony Krantz, Producer, 24, Dracula, Mulholland Drive, Felicity, Sports Night_x000D_ _x000D_ “30 year showbiz vet Ecclesine hits the mark in this candid, informative, and witty look at what life and a career are like for the people who do the heavy lifting in Hollywood.” _x000D_ - Kevin Fortson, Warner Horizon TV Production Exec_x000D_ - _x000D_ “Very insightful, delightful and frightful!” – Ken Shapiro, Producer, Golden Globes, Dick Clark Productions_x000D_ _x000D_ “This book contains all the things you should know if you are venturing into the filmmaking business and all the things you wish you had known if you’re already in the “Biz.” – Tom Ara, Esq., Film and Television lawyer_x000D_ _x000D_ “Becoming a producer in Hollywood is like trying to drive up the freeway off ramp in rush hour. Steve’s book will tell you how to avoid the head on collisions and by the end of it, you’ll be driving like a stunt man.” – Laura Gregory, CEO of Great Guns Ad agency _x000D_
Publisher: PREMIER DIGITAL PUBLISHING
ISBN: 1624670679
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Producer Steve Ecclesine has boiled down more than 30 years and over 700 shows as an independent Hollywood producer into one book. So You Wanna Be A Producer? features 130 essays on a wide variety of subjects, as well as a complete budget for anyone seriously considering jumping into the shark tank. Used in dozens of film schools worldwide, So You Wanna Be A Producer? is a boy scout's handbook for anyone interested in show business. _x000D_ _x000D_ Also included is Ecclesine's second book, Adventures of a Migrant Film Worker, which tells hair-raising tales of what it's like working inside the belly of the beast._x000D_ _x000D_ “...filled with experiences and insights that you have to learn from the experts that are rarely shared with the general public.” -Tony Krantz, Producer, 24, Dracula, Mulholland Drive, Felicity, Sports Night_x000D_ _x000D_ “30 year showbiz vet Ecclesine hits the mark in this candid, informative, and witty look at what life and a career are like for the people who do the heavy lifting in Hollywood.” _x000D_ - Kevin Fortson, Warner Horizon TV Production Exec_x000D_ - _x000D_ “Very insightful, delightful and frightful!” – Ken Shapiro, Producer, Golden Globes, Dick Clark Productions_x000D_ _x000D_ “This book contains all the things you should know if you are venturing into the filmmaking business and all the things you wish you had known if you’re already in the “Biz.” – Tom Ara, Esq., Film and Television lawyer_x000D_ _x000D_ “Becoming a producer in Hollywood is like trying to drive up the freeway off ramp in rush hour. Steve’s book will tell you how to avoid the head on collisions and by the end of it, you’ll be driving like a stunt man.” – Laura Gregory, CEO of Great Guns Ad agency _x000D_
So You Want to be a Theatre Producer?
Author: James Seabright
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781854595379
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Intended for producers at student or amateur level. The first how-to book of its kind on the subject of producing.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781854595379
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Intended for producers at student or amateur level. The first how-to book of its kind on the subject of producing.
The Producers
Author: Mel Brooks
Publisher: Miramax Books
ISBN: 9780786868803
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
This is the laugh-out-loud story of two scheming men, Bialystock, a shady producer, and Bloom, his nervous accomplice. Together they come up with the ultimate con: raise more money than needed, produce a show that is bound to flop, and pocket the change. Of course, all best laid plans are subject to be mucked up.
Publisher: Miramax Books
ISBN: 9780786868803
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
This is the laugh-out-loud story of two scheming men, Bialystock, a shady producer, and Bloom, his nervous accomplice. Together they come up with the ultimate con: raise more money than needed, produce a show that is bound to flop, and pocket the change. Of course, all best laid plans are subject to be mucked up.
So You Want to Be a Producer
Author: Lawrence Turman
Publisher: Crown Archetype
ISBN: 030754690X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 290
Book Description
Few jobs in Hollywood are as shrouded in mystery as the role of the producer. What does it take to be a producer, how does one get started, and what on earth does one actually do? In So You Want to Be a Producer Lawrence Turman, the producer of more than forty films, including The Graduate, The River Wild, Short Circuit, and American History X, and Endowed Chair of the famed Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California, answers these questions and many more. Examining all the nuts and bolts of production, such as raising money and securing permissions, finding a story and developing a script, choosing a director, hiring actors, and marketing your project, So You Want to Be a Producer is a must-have resource packed with insider information and first-hand advice from top Hollywood producers, writers, and directors, offering invaluable help for beginners and professionals alike. Including a comprehensive case study of Turman’s film The Graduate, this complete guide to the movie industry’s most influential movers and shakers brims with useful tips and contains all the information you need to take your project from idea to the big screen.
Publisher: Crown Archetype
ISBN: 030754690X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 290
Book Description
Few jobs in Hollywood are as shrouded in mystery as the role of the producer. What does it take to be a producer, how does one get started, and what on earth does one actually do? In So You Want to Be a Producer Lawrence Turman, the producer of more than forty films, including The Graduate, The River Wild, Short Circuit, and American History X, and Endowed Chair of the famed Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California, answers these questions and many more. Examining all the nuts and bolts of production, such as raising money and securing permissions, finding a story and developing a script, choosing a director, hiring actors, and marketing your project, So You Want to Be a Producer is a must-have resource packed with insider information and first-hand advice from top Hollywood producers, writers, and directors, offering invaluable help for beginners and professionals alike. Including a comprehensive case study of Turman’s film The Graduate, this complete guide to the movie industry’s most influential movers and shakers brims with useful tips and contains all the information you need to take your project from idea to the big screen.
The Producers (Songbook)
Author:
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
ISBN: 145844998X
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 255
Book Description
(Vocal Selections). Mel Brooks' The Producers has the honorable distinction of being the biggest smash in the history of Broadway! The production, which won a record 12 Tony Awards, is based on Brooks' 1968 comedy classic film, and stars the loveable Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Our deluxe vocal selections book features a stunning section of full-color photos from the Broadway production, and voice line with piano accompaniment arrangements of 19 fantastic songs: Along Came Bialy * Betrayed * Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop * Goodbye! * Haben Sie Gehort Das Deutsche Band? (Have You Ever Heard the German Band?) * Heil Myself * I Wanna Be a Producer * In Old Bavaria * Keep It Gay * The King of Broadway * Opening Night * Prisoners of Love (Leo & Max) * Springtime for Hitler * That Face * 'Til Him * We Can Do It * When You Got It, Flaunt It * Where Did We Go Right? * You Never Say Good Luck on Opening Night.
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
ISBN: 145844998X
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 255
Book Description
(Vocal Selections). Mel Brooks' The Producers has the honorable distinction of being the biggest smash in the history of Broadway! The production, which won a record 12 Tony Awards, is based on Brooks' 1968 comedy classic film, and stars the loveable Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Our deluxe vocal selections book features a stunning section of full-color photos from the Broadway production, and voice line with piano accompaniment arrangements of 19 fantastic songs: Along Came Bialy * Betrayed * Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop * Goodbye! * Haben Sie Gehort Das Deutsche Band? (Have You Ever Heard the German Band?) * Heil Myself * I Wanna Be a Producer * In Old Bavaria * Keep It Gay * The King of Broadway * Opening Night * Prisoners of Love (Leo & Max) * Springtime for Hitler * That Face * 'Til Him * We Can Do It * When You Got It, Flaunt It * Where Did We Go Right? * You Never Say Good Luck on Opening Night.
All About Me!
Author: Mel Brooks
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 059315911X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 481
Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now he shares his story for the first time in “a wonderful addition to a seminal career” (San Francisco Chronicle), “infused with nostalgia and his signature hilarity” (Parade). ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: New York Post • “Laugh-out-loud hilarious and always fascinating, from the great Mel Brooks. What else do you expect from the man who knew Jesus and dated Joan of Arc?”—Billy Crystal For anyone who loves American comedy, the long wait is over. Here are the never-before-told, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and remembrances from a master storyteller, filmmaker, and creator of all things funny. All About Me! charts Mel Brooks’s meteoric rise from a Depression-era kid in Brooklyn to the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Whether serving in the United States Army in World War II, or during his burgeoning career as a teenage comedian in the Catskills, Mel was always mining his experiences for material, always looking for the perfect joke. His iconic career began with Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, where he was part of the greatest writers’ room in history, which included Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and Larry Gelbart. After co-creating both the mega-hit 2000 Year Old Man comedy albums and the classic television series Get Smart, Brooks’s stellar film career took off. He would go on to write, direct, and star in The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, and Spaceballs, as well as produce groundbreaking and eclectic films, including The Elephant Man, The Fly, and My Favorite Year. Brooks then went on to conquer Broadway with his record-breaking, Tony-winning musical, The Producers. All About Me! offers fans insight into the inspiration behind the ideas for his outstanding collection of boundary-breaking work, and offers details about the many close friendships and collaborations Brooks had, including those with Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock, and the great love of his life, Anne Bancroft. Filled with tales of struggle, achievement, and camaraderie (and dozens of photographs), readers will gain a more personal and deeper understanding of the incredible body of work behind one of the most accomplished and beloved entertainers in history.
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 059315911X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 481
Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now he shares his story for the first time in “a wonderful addition to a seminal career” (San Francisco Chronicle), “infused with nostalgia and his signature hilarity” (Parade). ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: New York Post • “Laugh-out-loud hilarious and always fascinating, from the great Mel Brooks. What else do you expect from the man who knew Jesus and dated Joan of Arc?”—Billy Crystal For anyone who loves American comedy, the long wait is over. Here are the never-before-told, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and remembrances from a master storyteller, filmmaker, and creator of all things funny. All About Me! charts Mel Brooks’s meteoric rise from a Depression-era kid in Brooklyn to the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Whether serving in the United States Army in World War II, or during his burgeoning career as a teenage comedian in the Catskills, Mel was always mining his experiences for material, always looking for the perfect joke. His iconic career began with Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, where he was part of the greatest writers’ room in history, which included Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and Larry Gelbart. After co-creating both the mega-hit 2000 Year Old Man comedy albums and the classic television series Get Smart, Brooks’s stellar film career took off. He would go on to write, direct, and star in The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, and Spaceballs, as well as produce groundbreaking and eclectic films, including The Elephant Man, The Fly, and My Favorite Year. Brooks then went on to conquer Broadway with his record-breaking, Tony-winning musical, The Producers. All About Me! offers fans insight into the inspiration behind the ideas for his outstanding collection of boundary-breaking work, and offers details about the many close friendships and collaborations Brooks had, including those with Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock, and the great love of his life, Anne Bancroft. Filled with tales of struggle, achievement, and camaraderie (and dozens of photographs), readers will gain a more personal and deeper understanding of the incredible body of work behind one of the most accomplished and beloved entertainers in history.
We're Not Gonna Take It
Author: Dee Snider
Publisher: Akashic Books
ISBN: 1617758345
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 32
Book Description
This picture book of Dee Snider's classic song of empowerment and self-determination will strike a chord with kids everywhere. Oh we're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it Oh we're not gonna take it anymore We're Not Gonna Take It is a playful picture book echoing 1980s hair band Twisted Sister's most popular antiestablishment anthem. As part of their triple-platinum album Stay Hungry, "We're Not Gonna Take It" spent fifteen weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching number twenty-one. With lyrics by Dee Snider and illustrations by Margaret McCartney, this picture book follows three toddlers on a mission to defy their parents, whether it be lunchtime, bath time, or bedtime. We're Not Gonna Take It is a story both parents and children can relate to, and a song they can enjoy together. Released in 1984, "We're Not Gonna Take It" is a signature rock anthem of the 1980s The song was a Hot 100 top forty hit and reached the top ten on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart The album it appeared on, Stay Hungry, was the band's breakthrough and a US top twenty hit Its anthemic quality has propelled the song to become a US pop culture touchstone The song has an iconic music video "'We're Not Gonna Take It' was a watershed moment in hard rock. It delivered a defiant song that originally shook up the establishment." --Christa Titus, Billboard "'We're Not Gonna Take It' is an indelible hit, whose instantly recognizable hook practically invites the listener to shout along." --Rachel Martin and Phil Harrell, NPR
Publisher: Akashic Books
ISBN: 1617758345
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 32
Book Description
This picture book of Dee Snider's classic song of empowerment and self-determination will strike a chord with kids everywhere. Oh we're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it Oh we're not gonna take it anymore We're Not Gonna Take It is a playful picture book echoing 1980s hair band Twisted Sister's most popular antiestablishment anthem. As part of their triple-platinum album Stay Hungry, "We're Not Gonna Take It" spent fifteen weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching number twenty-one. With lyrics by Dee Snider and illustrations by Margaret McCartney, this picture book follows three toddlers on a mission to defy their parents, whether it be lunchtime, bath time, or bedtime. We're Not Gonna Take It is a story both parents and children can relate to, and a song they can enjoy together. Released in 1984, "We're Not Gonna Take It" is a signature rock anthem of the 1980s The song was a Hot 100 top forty hit and reached the top ten on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart The album it appeared on, Stay Hungry, was the band's breakthrough and a US top twenty hit Its anthemic quality has propelled the song to become a US pop culture touchstone The song has an iconic music video "'We're Not Gonna Take It' was a watershed moment in hard rock. It delivered a defiant song that originally shook up the establishment." --Christa Titus, Billboard "'We're Not Gonna Take It' is an indelible hit, whose instantly recognizable hook practically invites the listener to shout along." --Rachel Martin and Phil Harrell, NPR
So You Wanna be a Director?
Author: Ken Annakin
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780953192656
Category : Motion picture producers and directors
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Yorkshire-born Ken Annakin is one of the greatest international film directors. The last of the English directors to make it in the international arena (others included Hitchcock and Lean), this autobiography traces Annakin's career from his early British films through to Hollywood. He has directed, written and produced over 50 feature films in Africa, India, Malaysia, Scandinavia, China, Europe and the United States. His films include: Swiss Family Robinson, The Longest Day, Battle of the Bulge, and Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. Annakin's autobiography includes personal and revealing insights into many film personalities, including: Claudette Colbert; Edward G. Robinson; David Niven; Raquel Welch; Rod Steiger; Tony Curtis; Henry Fonda; Olivia de Havilland; Robert Ryan; Charlton Heston; Julie Christie; Robert Wagner; Charles Bronson; Peter Sellers; Peter Ustinov; Darryl Zanuck; Walt Disney and Terry Thomas. This book is forthright and pulls no punches. It will soon become a classic among director's autobiographies. Detailing his own frustrations with sex-mad producers, drug-addicted actors, and unions which sabotaged multi-million dollar feature films. Annakin details a career of dizzying highs and bleak lows. This master of family entertainment also sounds a clarion call for a return to motion pictures which are fun for the whole family. So You Wanna Be A Director? is an entertaining and witty travelogue, as well as an important document of film history.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780953192656
Category : Motion picture producers and directors
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Yorkshire-born Ken Annakin is one of the greatest international film directors. The last of the English directors to make it in the international arena (others included Hitchcock and Lean), this autobiography traces Annakin's career from his early British films through to Hollywood. He has directed, written and produced over 50 feature films in Africa, India, Malaysia, Scandinavia, China, Europe and the United States. His films include: Swiss Family Robinson, The Longest Day, Battle of the Bulge, and Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. Annakin's autobiography includes personal and revealing insights into many film personalities, including: Claudette Colbert; Edward G. Robinson; David Niven; Raquel Welch; Rod Steiger; Tony Curtis; Henry Fonda; Olivia de Havilland; Robert Ryan; Charlton Heston; Julie Christie; Robert Wagner; Charles Bronson; Peter Sellers; Peter Ustinov; Darryl Zanuck; Walt Disney and Terry Thomas. This book is forthright and pulls no punches. It will soon become a classic among director's autobiographies. Detailing his own frustrations with sex-mad producers, drug-addicted actors, and unions which sabotaged multi-million dollar feature films. Annakin details a career of dizzying highs and bleak lows. This master of family entertainment also sounds a clarion call for a return to motion pictures which are fun for the whole family. So You Wanna Be A Director? is an entertaining and witty travelogue, as well as an important document of film history.
The Secret Life of the American Musical
Author: Jack Viertel
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 0374711259
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 336
Book Description
New York Times Bestseller: “Both revelatory and entertaining . . . Along the way, Viertel provides some fascinating Broadway history.” —The New York Times Book Review Americans invented musicals—and have a longstanding love affair with them. But what, exactly, is a musical? In this book, longtime theatrical producer and writer Jack Viertel takes them apart, puts them back together, sings their praises, and occasionally despairs over their more embarrassing shortcomings. In the process, he shows us how musicals happen, what makes them work, how they captivate audiences, and how one landmark show leads to the next—by design or by accident, by emulation or by rebellion—from Oklahoma! to Hamilton and onward. Beginning with an overture and concluding with a curtain call, with stops in between for “I Want” songs, “conditional” love songs, production numbers, star turns, and finales, Viertel shows us patterns in the architecture of classic shows and charts the inevitable evolution that has taken place in musical theater as America itself has evolved socially and politically. The Secret Life of the American Musical makes you feel like you’re there in the rehearsal room, the front row, and the offices of theater owners and producers as they pursue their own love affair with that rare and elusive beast—the Broadway hit. “A valuable addition to the theater lover’s bookshelf. . . . fans will appreciate the dips into memoir and Viertel’s takes on original cast albums.” —Publishers Weekly “Even seasoned hands will come away with a clearer understanding of why some shows work while others flop.” —Commentary “A showstopper . . . infectiously entertaining.” —John Lahr, author of Notes on a Cowardly Lion “Thoroughly interesting.” —The A.V. Club “The best general-audience analysis of musical theater I have read in many years.” —The Charlotte Observer “Delightful . . . a little bit history, a little bit memoir, a little bit criticism and, for any theater fan, a whole lot of fun.” —The Dallas Morning News
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 0374711259
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 336
Book Description
New York Times Bestseller: “Both revelatory and entertaining . . . Along the way, Viertel provides some fascinating Broadway history.” —The New York Times Book Review Americans invented musicals—and have a longstanding love affair with them. But what, exactly, is a musical? In this book, longtime theatrical producer and writer Jack Viertel takes them apart, puts them back together, sings their praises, and occasionally despairs over their more embarrassing shortcomings. In the process, he shows us how musicals happen, what makes them work, how they captivate audiences, and how one landmark show leads to the next—by design or by accident, by emulation or by rebellion—from Oklahoma! to Hamilton and onward. Beginning with an overture and concluding with a curtain call, with stops in between for “I Want” songs, “conditional” love songs, production numbers, star turns, and finales, Viertel shows us patterns in the architecture of classic shows and charts the inevitable evolution that has taken place in musical theater as America itself has evolved socially and politically. The Secret Life of the American Musical makes you feel like you’re there in the rehearsal room, the front row, and the offices of theater owners and producers as they pursue their own love affair with that rare and elusive beast—the Broadway hit. “A valuable addition to the theater lover’s bookshelf. . . . fans will appreciate the dips into memoir and Viertel’s takes on original cast albums.” —Publishers Weekly “Even seasoned hands will come away with a clearer understanding of why some shows work while others flop.” —Commentary “A showstopper . . . infectiously entertaining.” —John Lahr, author of Notes on a Cowardly Lion “Thoroughly interesting.” —The A.V. Club “The best general-audience analysis of musical theater I have read in many years.” —The Charlotte Observer “Delightful . . . a little bit history, a little bit memoir, a little bit criticism and, for any theater fan, a whole lot of fun.” —The Dallas Morning News