Music of film and stage Books
Penguin Putnam Inc Working on a Song
Book Synopsis
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Nothin to Lose
Book SynopsisAn indelible and irresistible portrait of the crucial formative years of the legendary rock band KISS and the music scene they changed forever—culminating with the groundbreaking success of their classic 1975 album Alive! and the smash single "Rock and Roll All Nite"Including original interviews with: Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, Peter Criss, Bob Seger, Alice Cooper, and Ted Nugent, as well as members of Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Rush, Slade, Blue Öyster Cult, Mott the Hoople, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Styx, Raspberries, the James Gang, the New York Dolls, Iggy & the Stooges, the Ramones, Suzi Quatro, Argent, and Uriah Heep.Trade Review"Nothin' to Lose brought back great memories of our days touring with KISS in the '70s. The book is an incredible ride through KISS's early days and a must read for any KISS fan!" -- Don Powell, Slade "Like taking a time machine back to the '70s, Nothin' to Lose is a wild and no holds barred look at the rise of KISS." -- Eric Carmen, Raspberries "In Nothin' to Lose you witness first-hand the extraordinary transformation of four struggling musicians from New York City overcoming almost insurmountable odds to become worldwide superstars. This is the definitive account of KISS's early years." -- Kevin Cann, author of David Bowie: Any Day Now "The KISS boys will go down in history for their indefatigable work ethic, spirit, and insatiable appetite for all things honest-to-God outrageous rock 'n' roll. KISS is the real deal and this book is the real story of the American rock 'n' roll dream." -- Ted Nugent "Nothin' to Lose is an electrifying look at a band that changed the course of rock and roll history by sticking to their guns and blazing their own trail of heavy metal thunder. I couldn't put it down. Two thumbs up!" -- Joe Perry, Aerosmith "Rises above the standard cookie-cutter anecdotes... [for] a unique look at the origins of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Anyone who wants to know what it was like to make it in rock 'n' roll in the seventies will need to pick this up." -- Dale Sherman, author of Black Diamond: The Unauthorized Biography of KISS "Told with complete accuracy and attention to detail... Mandatory reading for every new artist. This is a masterpiece!" -- Kenny Kerner, Co-producer of KISS and Hotter Than Hell "A joyous and mesmerizing exploration of the early history of the 'Hottest Band in the World'... This book is addictive. You won't be able to put it down!" -- Julian Gill, author of the Kiss Album Focus series "From KISS's earliest days playing crummy bars in front of 50 people to headlining arenas, Nothin' to Lose is a gripping look at the underbelly of rock 'n' roll. And as one of the members of KISS's original road crew, I should know, I was there." -- Peter "Moose" Oreckinto, KISS roadie (1973-1976) "The ultimate KISS book... Nothin' to Lose gives the insider's perspective any KISS fan must have -- Charles R. Cross, author of Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain "Even casual fans will be enthralled." -- Robert Rodriguez, author of Revolver: How The Beatles Reimagined Rock 'N' Roll "Revel in the roar of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd as they share it all, blow-by-blow, first hand." -- Paul Myers, author of A Wizard A True Star: Todd Rundgren In The Studio "A fascinating read about one of rock's most outrageous bands." -- Simon Kirke, Bad Company/Free "I found the story of KISS's fanatical determination, shockingly rare matter-of-fact common sense, raw luck, exquisite timing-not to mention the sheer brinksmanship of the whole lunatic enterprise-exhilarating and inspiring." -- Binky Philips, My Life in the Ghost of Planets: The Story of a CBGB Almost-Was "A vivid oral history of the early days of one of rock's most outrageous and enduring bands, Nothin' to Lose makes every reader an eyewitness to the dawn of Kiss. Here's a book that screams out: C'mon and read me." -- David Browne, author of Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth "An incredibly vivid and gripping oral history that illustrates how Kiss went through a slow and steady transformation from a loft party band to the hottest concert attraction capable of blowing anybody and everybody off the stage." -- Daniel Siwek, House of Blues "If you thought you knew everything there was to know about KISS ... well, you'd be wrong... Buy this book or just KISS off!" -- Alice Cooper "A fascinating chronicle of the construction of a multimedia phenomenon." -- Publishers Weekly A rollicking oral history. -- Kirkus Does the world really need another KISS book? Perhaps not, but the world really needs Sharp's ... KISS book... Full of extraordinary primary-source material that will keep KISS fans up at night, Sharp's excellent work should serve as a blueprint for future rock oral histories." -- Library Journal (starred review)
£11.39
Faber Music Ltd La La Land
Book SynopsisThis artist-approved selection of 10 songs from the Oscar-winning music by Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul has been transcribed for piano and voice with guitar chords, following the original music and keys as closely as possible.Trade Review"Those who loved the film will surely appreciate this piano assortment of ten numbers. This excellent selection have all been transcribed for piano and voice with guitar chords, following the original music and keys as closely as possible." Melanie Spanswick, The Classical Piano & Music Education Blog. March 2017 "Beautiful arrangements of beautiful music. I was pleased to discover that the vocal line was not incorporated within the piano music, but was written out separately. Neither too difficult, nor 'dumbed down'." Mrs. V. M. Leonard, amazon.co.uk. February 2017 Table of ContentsAnother Day of Sun; Someone in the Crowd; Mia & Sebastian’s Theme; A Lovely Night; City of Stars; Planetarium; Start a Fire; Engagement Party; Audition (The Fools Who Dream); Epilogue
£16.14
Faber Music Ltd Hamilton Piano Solo
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAlexander Hamilton; Burn; Dear Theodosia; Helpless; It’s Quiet Uptown; My Shot; The Schuyler Sisters; That Would Be Enough; Wait For It; You’ll Be Back
£13.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A rueful, battle-scarred, darkly witty observer of his own life and times." -- New York Times "In his poetic memoir, I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp, Hell takes us on a tour of a lost world and stakes out his place in cultural history." -- Los Angeles Times "Hell brings to his new autobiography more literary experience than your typical rock memoirist...I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp ultimately celebrates passion, in all its complicated, sometimes dangerous forms." -- USA Today "This valuable book... is not only an absorbing cultural history but also a clear-eyed story that superbly channels the attitude expressed in the first blurt to his best-known song 'Blank Generation': "I was saying let me out of here before I was even born." -- Boston Globe "Mr. Hell has an excellent new memoir, I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp, that describes that wild, reckless and important era in downtown Manhattan with candor, wit and reverence." -- The Observer "His book shines its own dirty light. Which means it has lots of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. Pick up I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp, if you want poetry and insight." -- Spin "There are many shivery, illicit pleasures in this louche memoir... Hell was a virtuoso of taste, a critic with a sensibility so fine and unconventional it bordered on its own form of art... weird and singular and superbly self-aware." -- BookForum "Hell is an enthusiastic reporter of the critical artistic crossover of the avant-garde art scene and the world of punk rock... his account rings true and it entertains... a treasure both to those present during gritty, heady '70s NYC and to those not." -- Time Out New York (4 Stars) "Hell brings his searingly honest songwriting style to this candid and page-turning memoir... [Hell's] portrait of the artist searching for himself offers a glimpse into his own genius as well as recreating the hellishness and the excitement of a now long-gone music scene in New York City." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A skilled writer...In recalling the days when love came in spurts, Hell is precise, telling a lot without ever seeming to tell too much. He nails the essence of both scenes and people, from rock peers to exploitative record producers...A deft, lyrical chronicle." -- Kirkus "Hell is a fine writer and full of self-knowledge, and part of the pleasure of this randy, drug-addled memoir are his descriptions of New York during the bad old days when crime was rampant and the streets filthy. A compelling and entertaining memoir." -- Booklist "[Hell] almost single handedly created 'punk' as we know it... Few people have been as important--yet as underappreciated as Richard Hell. Poet, musician, fashion icon and terrific, terrific writer. Chances are, you have been deeply influenced by Richard Hell your whole life. You just didn't know it." -- Anthony Bourdain "Richard Hell designed and executed a sustained performance of rock stardom as if he had invented the concept himself. Radically self-aware, he wields prose keen as a diamond knife, sharpened by the light of the moon." -- Luc Sante, award winning author of Low Life "An exquisite snapshot of early punk possibility--that so beautifully captures the exuberance of starting a band!" -- Legs McNeil "Charming and impossible, Hell is the first (and best!) name in punk rock. His insights are informed by the romance of running away to the mystery heard in the rowdy grooves of a dirty LP or in the pages of a thumbed book of verse." -- Thurston Moore "Tramp gave me the same feeling I had as a kid... I cozied up and fell in love with a world that wasn't mine. There are very few books that make me want to start writing my own; this is one of them." -- Kathleen Hanna "Other rock bios are tasteful and cautious - you feel the writer take you to a certain point but then pull back... Hell will take you right there, and that is why this book is an honest and special treat." -- Dean Wareham
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Unmasked
Book SynopsisYou have the luck of Croesus on stilts (as my Auntie Vi would have said) if you've had the sort of career, ups and downs, warts and all that I have in that wondrous little corner of show business called musical theatre.One of the most successful and distinguished artists of our time, Andrew Lloyd Webber has reigned over the musical theatre world for nearly five decades. The winner of numerous awards, including multiple Tonys and an Oscar, Lloyd Webber has enchanted millions worldwide with his music and numerous hit shows, including Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, The Phantom of the OperaBroadway's longest running showand most recently, School of Rock. In Unmasked, written in his own inimitable, quirky voice, the revered, award-winning composer takes stock of his achievements, the twists of fate and circumstance which brought him both success and disappointment, and the passions that inspire and sustain him.The son of a music professor and a piano teacher, Lloyd Webber reveals his Trade Review‘It seems there is nothing Andrew Lloyd Webber can’t do. Besides his feats as a composer and creator of musicals, this memoir proves that he can write stylish and witty prose too.’ – Sunday Times ‘There is much of this autobiography that is, quite simply, hilarious…His is an authentic voice, the real deal, and you emerge feeling as if you have been allowed inside the tornado that is ALW.’ – The Times ‘I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats!’ – Sloane Crosley, Vanity Fair ‘An autobiography that has… wit, suspense, contemporaneity, audacity, and an appealingly shrewd sense of the occasion.’ – Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker ‘Charmingly idiosyncratic, surprisingly endearing and ruthlessly entertaining.’ – Dominic Green, Wall Street Journal
£12.34
Faber Piano Adventures PlayTime Piano Disney: Level 1 - 8 Favorites
Book Synopsis
£7.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Careful the Spell You Cast
Book SynopsisStephen Sondheim is one of the best-known and most-loved musical theatre composers, but also one of the most misunderstood, often being labelled as ''distant'' or ''cynical''. Careful the Spell You Cast instead argues that Sondheim firmly belongs to the Broadway aspirational tradition, in that many of his characters are defined by their dreams: to abandon one''s dream (as Ben does in Follies, Frank does in Merrily We Roll Along, and Addison does in Road Show) is to lose one''s soul.Rather than take the established view of Sondheim as a cynic, this book contends that throughout Sondheim''s work, letting go of one''s illusions is a process that his characters need to go through, that they must cast off illusions and false dreams, without becoming cynical and destroying their genuine dreams in the process. In turn this view aligns Sondheim''s work as being aspirational and a logical continuation from the work of his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II.
£19.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Queer Approaches in Musical Theatre
Book SynopsisQueer Approaches in Musical Theatre introduces readers to a facet of musicals often assumed but misunderstood: how queer approaches in musical theatre extend deeper than fabulosity. Queerness in musicals challenges their typical heteronormativity but also sometimes simultaneously reinforces it. Featuring four case studies centered around musicals such as The Book of Mormon, Cabaret, Fun Home, La Cage aux Folles and Rent, this concise study examines the stakes of representation in the theatrical genre most often presumed to be openly queer.Providing readers with an understanding of the historically-shifting terminology of queerness, this foundational book offers a brief overview of how queer studies informs the analysis of musicals themselves, and introduces histories of queerness in musicals as well as methods of how to examine the historical context, text, staging and reception of these works.Trade Review[Pushes] the reader to explore beyond the text and score. Donovan’s scrupulous breakdown of history, text, production and public reception makes this a must-read for any director or producer considering a revival, whether the production is considered queer or not. * Musicals Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Historical Context: AIDS 2. Text: Fun Home 3. Production: Cabaret 4. Reception: La Cage aux Folles
£10.99
Headline Publishing Group The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook: The Inside
Book SynopsisThe Sound of Music is firmly embedded in the DNA of a generation. But what was it like to be part of all this? For seven children and young adults, the summer of 1964 was a magical one, spent in Salzburg, Austria, filming. The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook tells their story – both during the filming and once the movie was released. It features hundreds of photographs and memorabilia they have cherished and preserved over the years, including letters home – even a ticket to the world première. If you ever dreamed of marching round the fountains singing 'Do Re Mi', or dressing in a playsuit made from curtains, you will love this enchanting story of how seven boys and girls became a family – and how they kept that closeness for over 50 years. This is a new, improved and updated edition which includes many new, previously unpublished photographs, beautiful full-sized glossy pages, updated information, personal tributes and so much more... Table of ContentsIntroduction. Casting. Off to Austria. Meet the Stars. Singing and Dancing. On Location. On Set. Becoming a Family. Feature spreads on each of the 'children': Charmian Carr (Liesl), Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich), Heather Menzies (Louisa), Duane Chase (Kurt), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Debbie Turner (Marta), and Kym Karath (Gretl).
£25.00
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Jukebox Musicals
Book SynopsisKristin Stultz Pressley, PHD, is a musical theatre historian and nationally-recognized lecturer at theatres and universities. Known for a presentation style that is equal parts engaging and informative, Stultz Pressley is also an author. Her first book, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby: Dorothy Fields and Her Life in the American Musical Theater, was published in January of 2021. Connect with Kristin online at http://www.DrBroadway.com or via Instagram: @DrBway.
£14.24
Sonicbond Publishing Steeleye Span 1970 to 1989 On Track
Book SynopsisSteeleye Span On Track is a meticulously researched celebration of the music of one the UK's most important bands in the folk rock genre at the most crucial period in its history.
£15.29
Ebury Publishing How Sondheim Can Change Your Life
Book Synopsis'The song is you.'For fans of musical theatre, Stephen Sondheim is one of the true titans the genius who brought us Sweeney Todd and West Side Story, Into the Woods, and Company. With acclaimed revivals of his landmark shows regularly performed in London and New York, and new generations being introduced to the man who forever transformed musical theatre, Sondheim's legacy has only grown. What is it about such classic songs as Being Alive' from Company, No One Is Alone' from Into the Woods, or Send in the Clowns' from A Little Night Music (to name but a few) that still resonates for so many?In How Sondheim Can Change Your Life, Richard Schoch shows how Sondheim's greatness (beyond the clever lyrics and adventurous music) lies in his ability to tell stories that speak to all of us. From Louise's desire for freedom as Gypsy Rose Lee to Sweeney Todd's thirst for revenge, the struggles we see in Sondheim's characters are ones we all have and we can learn valuable lessons from how those s
£21.25
Dover Publications Inc. Vocal Selections from the Story of My Life
Book Synopsis
£19.99
Globe Pequot Press Broadway
Book SynopsisA comprehensive companion to the six-part Emmy-winning PBS documentary series, Broadway: The American Musical is the gold standard of musical theater history books, tracing the roots of the art form at the turn of the twentieth century through the smashing successes of the new millennium. The in-depth text is lavishly illustrated with a treasure trove of photographs, scenic renderings, production stills, and rehearsal shots, many previously unpublished. With a foreword by Julie Andrews, this edition is revised and updated, with brand-new material on all the Broadway musicals through the 20182019 season, including The Book of Mormon, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and more. Called by Playbill an epic tomehandsomely produced and intensely researched, this five hundred-page volume is a must-have for theater fans, casual enthusiasts, and students of all ages.
£32.30
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Judy Garlands Judy at Carnegie Hall
Book SynopsisOn the night of Sunday, April 23, 1961 Judy Garland made history. That's no hyperbole. Surrounded by a throng of ecstatic fans (3,165 to be exact), the legendary performer delivered a concert in Carnegie Hall the live recording of which became, upon release, an unlikely pop cultural phenomenon. Judy at Carnegie Hall, the two-disc set that captured all 25 numbers she performed that night, went on to spend more than 70 weeks on the Billboard charts, win four Grammy Awards--including Album of the Year (making it the first live music album and the first album by a female performer to win the category)--and become, in the process, the fastest-selling two-disc set in history. What the recording highlights, and what's made it an enduring classic in a class of its own, is the palpable connection between the songstress and her fans. Indeed, The New York Times reported in its review of the evening's proceedings, what actually was to have been a concert--and was--also turned into soTable of ContentsOverture Judy at Carnegie Hall Side 1 "When You’re Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You)" Side 2 "The Man That Got Away" Side 3 "Stormy Weather" Side 4 "Over the Rainbow" Encore "After You’ve Gone" Encore II Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography
£9.49
Rowman & Littlefield The Mikado to Matilda: British Musicals on the
Book SynopsisIn The Mikado to Matilda: British Musicals on the New York Stage, Thomas Hischak provides an overview of British musicals that made their way to Broadway, covering their entire history up to the present day. This is the first book to look at the British musical theatre with reference to those London musicals that were also produced in New York City. The book covers 110 British musicals, ranging from 1750 to the present day, including the popular Gilbert and Sullivan comic operettas during the Victorian era, the Andrew Lloyd Webber mega-musicals of the late twentieth century, and today's biggest hits such as Matilda. Each London musical is discussed first as a success in England and then how it fared in America. The plots, songs, songwriters, performers, and producers for both the West End and the Broadway (or Off Broadway) production are identified and described. The discussion is sometimes critical, evaluating the musicals and why they were or were not a success in New York.
£37.05
Samuel French Ltd Heathers the Musical
Book Synopsis
£12.80
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation Star Wars - Instrumental Play-Along for Oboe:
Book Synopsis
£14.44
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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£20.39
Samuel French Ltd American Psycho
Book SynopsisBased on the electrifying novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the musical tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome Wall Street banker with impeccable taste and unquenchable desires. Patrick and his elite group of friends spend their days in chic restaurants, exclusive clubs, and designer labels. But at night, Patrick takes part in a darker indulgence, and his mask of sanity is starting to slip…
£12.80
University of Minnesota Press But He Doesn't Know the Territory : The Story
Book SynopsisChronicles the creation of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man—reprinted now as the Broadway Edition Composer Meredith Willson described The Music Man as “an Iowan’s attempt to pay tribute to his home state.” Now featuring a new foreword by noted singer and educator Michael Feinstein, this book presents Willson’s reflections on the ups and downs, surprises and disappointments, and finally successes of making one of America’s most popular musicals. Willson’s whimsical, personable writing style brings readers back in time with him to the 1950s to experience firsthand the exciting trials and tribulations of creating a Broadway masterpiece. Fresh admiration of the musical—and the man behind the music—is sure to result.Trade Review"This is the first-person perspective of a deeply canny and meticulous chronicler who managed to preserve the creative process as if it were spontaneously happening, catching the mundane moments and details that illuminate and humanize the story. The moment-to-moment ups and downs, ins and outs, and subtly shifting creative process that careen forward like a roller coaster all somehow make sense, and those details illustrate in most vivid terms what it feels like to solve a puzzle for which you’re not certain you have all the pieces."—Michael Feinstein, from the Foreword"Dollars to doughnuts, Meredith Willson dotes on brass bands. In The Music Man, he has translated the thump and razzle-dazzle of brass-band lore into a warm and genial cartoon of American life."—Brooks Atkinson, New York Times, 1957
£13.49
HarperCollins Publishers Rat Pack Confidential
Book SynopsisThe first biography of the Rat Pack – Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop et al – the original Swingers. Brilliant and beautifully written story of their rise and fall, and their connections with the Kennedys and the Mafia. They alit in Las Vegas for a month to make a movie and play a historic nightclub gig they called the Summit; they hit Miami, the Utah desert, Palm Springs, Chicago, Atlantic City, Beverly Hills, Hollywood back lots, illegal gambling dens, saloons, yachts, private jets, the White House itself. It was sauce and vinegar and eau de cologne and sour mash whiskey and gin and smoke and perfume and silk and neon and skinny lapels and tail fins and rockets to the sky. It was swinging and sighing and being a sharpie, it was cutting a figure and digging a scene. It was Frank and Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin and Peter Lawford for a while and Joey Bishop when they asked him and Jack Kennedy and Sam Giancana and tables full of cronies and who knew how many broads. It was the ultimate spasm of traditional showbiz – both the last and the most of its kind. It was the Rat Pack. It was beautiful. ‘Rat Pack Confidential’ – you’re never far from a cocktail, a swingin’ affair and a fist-fight.
£12.34
Hal Leonard Corporation Hadestown
Book Synopsis
£20.79
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation Wish: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
Book Synopsis
£20.25
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Musical Theatre Histories
Book SynopsisMusical theatre is often perceived as either a Broadway based art form, or as having separate histories in London and New York. Musical Theatre Histories: Expanding the Narrative, however, depicts the musical as neither American nor British, but both and more, having grown out of frequent and substantial interactions between both centres (and beyond). Through multiple thematic histories', Millie Taylor and Adam Rush take readers on a series of journeys that include the art form's European and American origins, African American influences, negotiations arounddiversity, national identity, and the globalisation of the form, as well as revival culture, censorship and the place of social media inthe 21st century.Each chapter includes case studies and key concept boxes to identify, explain and contextualise important discussions, offering an accessible study of a dynamic and ever evolving medium.Written and developed for undergraduate students, this introductory textbook providTrade ReviewThe history of musical theatre has been told countless times, and often in the same way; so it is refreshing to read a study of the musical that offers a myriad tellings of the tale. Like holding a diamond up to Broadway and West End shows, each chapter in Taylor and Rush's fascinating book offers a different perspective. For students and scholars of the musical, the book provides a rich seam of thought-provoking discussions written in an accessible and engaging way. Bouncing between Britain and America in its central focus, it explores the musical as a ‘transnational’ form – one that has developed on either side of the Atlantic, yet one that has always been caught in a tussle between two different worlds. In the expert hands of Millie Taylor and Adam Rush, readers will experience an exciting set of transatlantic adventures in musical theatre. * Dominic Symonds (Professor of Musical Theatre, University of Lincoln, UK) *Table of Contents‘Why We Tell the Story’: Introduction Historiography and Context(s) Deciphering Multiple Histories How to Read this Book Chapter 1 - ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’: From Operetta to Poperetta European Origins Musical Comedy and Broadway Operetta (1900-1940) American Origins Into the Twentieth Century The Musical Play and Beyond (1940-1960) Fragmentation and the Concept Musical The Megamusical, or Poperetta Conclusion Chapter 2 - ‘New Music’: From Ragtime to Rap Ragtime and Early African American Music Early African American Musical Theatre Shuffle Along, And All That Jazz The Rise of Minstrelsy and ‘Coon Songs’ Dreamgirls and Motown Rap, Hip-Hop and Hamilton Conclusion Chapter 3 - ‘Waving Through A Window’: From Intertext to Instagram Literary Adaptations Stage and Screen Interactions The Wonderful World of Oz Singin’ in the Rain and the Hollywood Film Musical Disney and the Animated Musical Cast Recordings You Already Know You’re Gonna Love It… Television Musicals Social Media and the Worldwide Web (of Showtunes) Conclusion Chapter 4 - ‘Easy to be Hard’: From Censorship to Sex Legal Censorship in Britain, 1485-1843 A Changing Landscape, 1843-1968 Censorship in America, 1620-1967 Politics meets Finance Hair (and all that followed) Self-Censorship and Political Correctness Conclusion Chapter 5 - ‘Stand Up’: From Gender Duality to Diversity Late Victorian Britain Music Hall and Variety Early Twentieth Century Transatlantic Transfers The ‘Golden Age’ – Post-World War II Diversity and Difference – After the 1960s Into the Twenty First Century Conclusion Chapter 6 - ‘Another National Anthem’: From Ourselves to the Other Before the Great War World War II and Post-War Reconstruction 1990s British Resurgence (as Mythologised in American Musicals) Challenging American Mythology Hybrid Influences in Musical Theatre Conclusion Chapter 7 - ‘A Whole New World’: From The Mikado to the Megamusical Colonialism Culture within Colonialism The Cultural Dimension of Globalisation Global Producers and International Productions Conclusion Chapter 8 - ‘Journey to the Past’: From Revival to Revisal Reviving Gypsy 1970s American Revivals New Models and Styles (Concert and Small-Scale Productions, Actor-Musicianship, Opera House Productions) Revision and Reinvention Conclusion Abstracts + Keywords Bibliography
£23.74
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation Back to the Future: The Musical: Piano/Vocal
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£23.99
Oxford University Press Inc The Poets of Tin Pan Alley
Book SynopsisFrom the turn of the century to the 1960s, the songwriters of Tin Pan Alley were synonymous with American popular music. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart--even today these giants remain household names, their musicals regularly revived, their methods and styles analyzed and imitated, and their songs the bedrock of jazz and cabaret. In this new edition of The Poets of Tin Pan Alley, authors Philip Furia and Laurie Patterson offer a unique perspective on these great songwriters, showing how their poetic lyrics were as important as their brilliant music in shaping a golden age of American popular song.Furia and Patterson continue the tradition of great perception and understanding established in the first edition as they explore the deft rhymes, inventive imagery, and witty solutions these songwriters used to breathe new life into rigidly established genres. They devote full chapters to such greats as Irving Berlin, Lorenz Hart, Ira Gershwin, Cole PortTrade Review[A] fascinating history of the popular lyricists....A triumph worth trumpeting. * St. Louis Post-Dispatch *Sophisticated, literate....A welcome addition to the sparse lyrics-as-literature shelf. * Kirkus Reviews *Well-written and interesting....A good history of American popular culture. * Choice *Furia not only pays tribute to the great lyricists but does it with a joy and flair that ingratiates itself to the reader page upon page....Overall, pleasure reading and then some. * West Coast Review of Books *The author's love and enthusiasm for his subject, and also the fact that you can't help humming while reading, make this the rare book of literary criticism that is downright enjoyable. * Booklist *Apparently all the younger lyricists of the present day freely acknowledge that they are not as gifted as Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, and other early masters of the art form. Along comes Mr. Furia's admirable study to provide more than ample documentation. It goes without saying that any professional or would-be lyricist ought to eagerly devour every page, but even those who pay more disinterested attention to the popular arts will be fascinated by this insightful analysis. * Steve Allen *A lovingly conceived, scholarly, and entertaining tribute to the great popular wordsmiths of this century. It is well researched and contains much fascinating information. I recommend it. * Michael Feinstein *The first scholarly study of the lyrics of Tin Pan Alley, placing these texts in the sweep of American literature, analyzing not only their overall poetic style but individual variations as well....Invaluable. * Charles Hamm, Dartmouth College *Table of ContentsPreface 1. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah Love: Alley Standards 2. After the Ball: Early Alley 3. Ragged Meter Man: Irving Berlin 4. Ragged and Funny: Lyricists of the 1920s 5. Funny Valentine: Lorenz Hart 6. 'S Wonderful: Ira Gershwin 7. The Tinpantithesis of Poetry: Cole Porter 8. Conventional Dithers: Oscar Hammerstein 9. Paper Moons: Howard Dietz and Yip Harburg 10. Fine Romances: Dorothy Fields and Leo Robin 11. Hip, Hooray, and Ballyhoo: Hollywood Lyricists 12. Swingy Harlem Tunes: Jazz Lyricists 13. Midnight Sun: Johnny Mercer 14. Call Me Irresponsible: Sammy Cahn 15. The Great American Songbook Notes Acknowledgments Index
£51.54
Independently Published Hamilton and the New Revolution: Broadway
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£16.10
Nick Hern Books Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal
Book Synopsis‘Stand. Breathe. Look. Try to empty my mind. Somehow, for some reason, I have been brought to this place to tell this story, now. So tell it. That’s all.’ When Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical Hamilton opened in London’s West End in December 2017, it was as huge a hit as it had been in its original production off- and on Broadway. Lauded by critics and audiences alike, the show would go on to win a record-equalling seven Olivier Awards – including Best Actor in a Musical for Giles Terera, for his portrayal of Aaron Burr. For Terera, though, his journey as Burr had begun more than a year earlier, with his first audition in New York, and continuing through extensive research and preparation, intense rehearsals, previews and finally opening night itself. Throughout this time he kept a journal, recording his experiences of the production and his process of creating his award-winning performance. This book, Hamilton and Me, is that journal. It offers an honest, intimate and thrilling look at everything involved in opening a once-in-a-generation production – the triumphs, breakthroughs and doubts, the camaraderie of the rehearsal room and the moments of quiet backstage contemplation – as well as a fascinating, in-depth exploration of now-iconic songs and moments from the musical, as seen from the inside. It is also deeply personal, as Terera reflects on experiences from his own life that he drew on to help shape his acclaimed portrayal. Illustrated with dozens of colour photographs, many of which are shared here for the first time, and featuring an exclusive Foreword by Lin-Manuel Miranda, this book is an essential read for all fans of Hamilton – offering fresh, first-hand insights into the music and characters they love and know so well – as well as for aspiring and current performers, students, and anyone who wants to discover what it really felt like to be in the room where it happened. Hamilton and Me was featured as Book of Week on BBC Radio 4 in August 2021.Trade Review'Masterful and excellently written... offers audiences and readers the chance to not only be in the 'room where it happens' but also to smell the sweat, feel the pulsing hearts and hear the resonance... deserves a permanent place on aspiring musical theatre performers' bookshelves' * Reviews Hub *'The author's credentials as a Hamilton expert are second to none... the real strength of this book lies not only in its affection for the show and the company but also a great deal of detail about the topsy-turvy adventure of bringing it to the stage... a highly articulate, very thoughtful and hugely enjoyable read' * British Theatre Guide *'A rare insight behind the scenes... fascinating, well-written, relatable and engaging... if you're a fan of Hamilton, an aspiring actor, or just a lover of history, this book will inspire you to take a look at those characters and performers you admire and see them in a different way' * The Play's The Thing UK *'Insightful, honest, and reflective... a fantastic insight into a process few outside the production bubble will ever get to witness... grab a copy today' * Everything Theatre *'An inspirational and insightful read... the level of detail that the book affords into the rehearsal process is particularly fascinating, taking us so far behind the scenes you can smell the greasepaint... jam-packed full of hard-won insights and all kinds of practical advice' * There Ought To Be Clowns *'Remarkable... a fascinating insight into the process of getting Hamilton staged... a must-read for all Hamilton fans, but even if Hamilton doesn't set your world alight it is a book I would recommend for any theatre fan or performer anyway due to the insight it gives in preparing for a role and the process of getting a West End show on stage' * Musical Theatre Musings *'A smart blend of memoir and vital insight into what performers go through to get a show on the road... an absolute delight. Illuminating about both the craft of acting and the glorious show that is Hamilton, it takes you on a whirlwind journey through what was clearly an incredibly important period in Giles Terera's life. Thoroughly recommended for anyone with an interest in acting, Hamilton, or just theatre in general' * Mind The Blog *'A great read, with beautiful photographs and steeped with history and experiences from Terera's view. If you love Hamilton you will love this book!' * Confessions of a Bookworm *'Well-written from the heart and very interesting, this book provides an insight into the life of an actor and how Giles approached the development of his character. A super resource for students and teachers alike' * Word Matters (Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama) *
£14.44
Michael O'Mara Books Ltd Be Drag Fabulous: How to Live Your Best Drag
Book SynopsisBringing together life advice and gorgeous illustrations inspired by some of the best drag queens from all over the world, this book will have you sashaying your way to success.Whenever you need life advice, just think: WWADQD – What Would A Drag Queen Do? Containing 75 essential lessons, Be Drag Fabulous will show you how to become the most spectacular version of yourself.Containing gorgeous illustrations by Katie Mockridge, this little book of drag wit and wisdom has you covered on all aspects of life, from fashion and self-care, beauty, friendships and work and brings together the best drag queens from around the world.Make your world you very own catwalk and learn how to channel your charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. Condragulations, this is the first step in becoming drag fabulous. The perfect gift for fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
£9.49
Hachette Books Come from Away Welcome to the Rock
Book Synopsis
£34.00
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation The Big Book of Broadway
Book Synopsis
£29.69
Concord Theatricals The Sound of Music
Book SynopsisThe final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world's most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs including Climb Ev'ry Mountain My Favorite Things Do Re Mi Sixteeen Going on Seventeen and the title number TheSound of Musicwon the hearts of audiences worldwide earning five Tony Awards and five Oscars. The inspirational story based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain Von Trapp bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria Maria and the entire Von Trapp family must make a moral decision. The Sound of Musicopened at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 16 1959 and Rodgers & Hammerstein's last musical was a triumph. It ran for 1 443 performances and earned five Tony Awards including Best Musical. In addition the cast album earned a Gold Record and the Grammy Award. Florence Henderson starred in the first national tour which played for over two years. Jean Bayless created the role of Maria in the original London production which ran for over six years long holding the record as the longest-running American musical in London.
£12.80
Oxford University Press Inc Kurt Weills America
Book SynopsisWhen German-Jewish composer Kurt Weill arrived in the United States in 1935, he found a nation nothing like he imagined. This book tells the full story of Weill as outsider-turned-insider, showing how he was keenly attuned to the difficult relationship America had with her immigrants but was slower to grasp the subtleties of race relations.Trade ReviewScholars will appreciate the authoritative, well-documented information in this text. * J. E. Druesedow Jr., CHOICE *Naomi Graber deftly guides the reader through the changing cultural terrain of the two Americas that shaped Weill's career. As a composer in 1920s Germany, he promoted the fashionable "Americanism" of the time, caught allegorically between utopian hope and dystopian dread. As an émigré who managed to escape that dread for a career that included writing hits for Broadway, he saw his adopted country as a place where he could continue his oeuvre-defining aims of reconciling individual needs and the collective imperatives of modernity. * Stephen Hinton, Avalon Foundation Professor in the Humanities, Stanford University *Naomi Graber utilizes the lens of Weill's engagement with an imagined 'Amerika' of the Weimar Germany and then the real America he encountered firsthand after 1935. This allows her to situate Weill's output in nuanced cultural context while illuminating how Weill's experience as 'outsider-turned-insider' gave him a unique voice on both sides of the Atlantic. * Kim H. Kowalke, President, Kurt Weill Foundation for Music and Professor Emeritus, University of Rochester *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: Weill's America, America's Weill Chapter 2: Shifting Paradigms: Experiments in German and U.S. Alchemy Chapter 3: For the People: Folk Music Chapter 4: Living History: American History and World War II Chapter 5: Alienation and Integration: Gender and Sexuality Chapter 6: Israel in Egypt: Race and Ethnicity Conclusion Index
£39.53
Hal Leonard Corporation First 50 Guitar Duets: You Should Play
£15.99
Globe Pequot Press Broadway Musicals Show by Show
Book SynopsisThis updated edition of one of the bestselling and comprehensive Broadway reference books, first published in 1985, has been expanded to include many of the most important and memorable productions of American musical theater, including revivals. Arranged chronologically, beginning with musicals from just after the Civil War, each successive edition of the book has added valuable updates about trends in musical theater as well as capsule features on the most significant musicals of the day. The ninth edition documents important musicals produced since the end of the 20122013 season through spring 2019.Broadway Musicals, Show by Show features a wealth of statistics and inside information, plus critical reception, cast lists, pithy commentary about each show, and numerous detailed indexes that no Broadway fan will want to be without. Since its original publication, Broadway Musicals has proved to be an indispensable addition to any Broadway aficionado''s library.
£24.00
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation Wicked Music from the Motion Picture
Book Synopsis
£19.12
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Finale
Book Synopsis
£16.79
Penguin Books Ltd My Fair Lady
Book SynopsisSparkling with wit, wisdom and wonderful songs including, I Could Have Danced All Night', Wouldn't It Be Loverly' and Get Me To The Church On Time', the musical play based on Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion' has been delighting audiences since it was first performed in the 1950s.When overbearing Professor Higgins stumbles on flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, in Covent Garden he recognizes that her hideous vowels and forgotten consonants are all that separate her from the upper classes. Higgins wagers that he can pass her off as a Duchess in a matter of weeks. But what will become of Eliza when the bet is over? This edition of My Fair Lady' includes the complete script and a selection of black and white stills from the Oscar-winning film starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.
£9.49
Oxford University Press Inc Gays on Broadway
Book SynopsisA fascinating look at the gay and lesbian influence on the American stage by an internationally-recognized authority on the topicFrom the genteel female impersonators of the 1910s to the raucous drag queens of La Cage Aux Folles, from the men of The Normal Heart to the women of Fun Home, and from Eva Le Gallienne and Tallulah Bankhead to Tennessee Williams and Nathan Lane, Gays On Broadway deftly chronicles the plays and people that brought gay culture to Broadway.Writing with his customary verve and wit, author Ethan Mordden follows the steady liberation of gay themes on the American stage. The story begins in the early twentieth century, when gay characters were virtually banned from productions. The 1920s saw a flurry of plays closed on moral grounds as well as the Wales Padlock Act, which forbade representation of sex degeneracy. While authorities made consistent attempts to shutter the movement, the public remained curious, and after a few decades of war making, a truce broke out when The Boys In the Band became a national smash hit. From this point on, gay theatre proved simply too popular to abolish. With this change, theatre was graced with a host of unforgettable characters - from thrill killers to historical figures to drag performers, as well as professional gays (such as the defiantly effeminate window dresser in Kiss of the Spider Woman), closeted gays, and those run-of-the-mill citizens who don''t reside entirely within the colorful nonconformist identity (such as the two male lovers in the dinner-theatre comedy Norman, Is That You?).Spoken plays and musicals, playwrights, directors, and actors all played their part in popularizing the gay movement through art. Gays on Broadway is an essential chronological review of the long journey to bring the culture of gay men and women onto the American stage.Trade ReviewA gossipy, insightful survey of the (often closeted) gay contribution to American theatre. * David Benedict, The Guardian *I can't think of a writer better equipped than Ethan Mordden to take on this important subject. Erudite, free-wheeling, and dishy, Gays on Broadway brings over a century of gay theater to vivid life-the plays and personalities, as well as the politics and peril of true representation, both on and off the stage. This is a bracing, provocative, and wildly entertaining read. * Jonathan Tolins, playwright, Buyer & Cellar *Filled with passion for his subject, fascinating if sometimes eccentric insights, and delicious backstage gossip. * M. Clum, New York Journal of Books *Several of this collection's essays demonstrate just how high toward heaven the musical has allowed gays to kick. * Raymond-Jean Frontain, The G&LR *Table of Contents1. The 1910s and 1920s: You Mussst Come Over! 2. The 1930s: The Gays Who Came to Dinner 3. The 1940s: The Poet of Big Characters 4. The 1950s: The Body Beautiful 5. The 1960s: You Shouldn't Wear Heels When You Do Chin-Ups 6. The 1970s: Did You Go To Oberlin? 7. The 1980s: Well, Yes, Actually, Yes, I Have 8. The 1990s and 2000s: They're Taking Over 9. The Present: Mr. Albee Never Changes His Mind Bibliography Index
£22.99
Oxford University Press Inc Nothing Like a Dame
Book SynopsisNothing Like a Dame captures the stories and insights of the greatest living female actors of the American musical theatre in exclusive interviews, accompanied by a terrific selection of photographs of the interviewees in their iconic roles.Trade ReviewA fascinating and remarkably authentic collection of conversations with theatre aristocracy. * John Kander *Table of ContentsContents ; Foreword by Elaine Page ; Introduction ; 1. Elaine Stritch ; 2. Carol Channing ; 3. Chita Rivera ; 4. Donna McKechnie ; 5. Angela Lansbury ; 6. Leslie Uggams ; 7. Judy Kaye ; 8. Betty Buckley ; 9. Patti LuPone ; 10. Bebe Neuwirth ; 11. Donna Murphy ; 12. Lillias White ; 13. Karen Ziemba ; 14. Debra Monk ; 15. Victoria Clark ; 16. Audra McDonald ; 17. Kristin Chenoweth ; 18. Idina Menzel ; 19. Sutton Foster ; 20. Laura Benanti ; 21. Tonya Pinkins online on the companion website ; Acknowledgements ; Index
£22.32
Oxford University Press Show Boat Performing Race in an American Musical Broadway Legacies
Book SynopsisShow Boat: Performing Race in an American Musical draws on exhaustive archival research to tell the story of how Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II, and a host of directors, choreographers, producers, and performers -- among them Paul Robeson -- made and remade the most important musical in Broadway history.Trade ReviewA fascinating look at how Show Boat helped shape the American musical form and the significant role it continues to play in our conversation about race. Todd Decker has compiled an exhaustive, engaging, and immensely readable cultural history that resonates with the same vibrant emotional impact of the musical itself. * Susan Stroman, Director & Choreographer *Traveling through seemingly familiar territory, one makes startling new discoveries on every page about American music, theater, identity, and racial history. Decker demonstrates forcefully and conclusively why Show Boat was and remains the 'most important [American] musical ever made.' * Thomas L. Riis, Director, American Music Research Center, University of Colorado at Boulder *Todd Decker opens a wide window on the extraordinary cultural reach of Show Boat, with special focus on its racial complexities. For Decker, Show Boat is not a fixed text but rather a fascinating and fluid performance object that shifts with the social codes and commercial demands of its many eras. * Carol J. Oja, Professor, Harvard University, and author of Making Music Modern: New York in the 1920s *A well written, thoroughly researched and cogently presented new study on one of the most studied and, for that matter, most deserving of study musicals of the twentieth century. * Brad Hathaway - Theater Shelf *An excellent overview of all aspects of the show...Decker demonstrates a fine command of sources, furnishes good documentation, and includes some photos, illustrations, and musical examples...Recommended. * Choice *Decker offers a persuasive argument for the continued relevance of this classic musical, [demonstrating] the productive potential for historiographies of American musical theatre written across rather than 'along divided racial lines.' * Theatre Journal *[A] fascinating read about one of the true classics of the American stage. * Studies in Musical Theatre *...There is a great deal to ponder in it. * JAMS *Table of ContentsForeword by Geoffrey Block ; Acknowledgements ; Introduction: Magnolia's Black Voice ; Part One: Making ; 1. A Ferber Plot ; 2. The Robeson Plan ; 3. The Morgan Plan ; 4. A Ziegfeld Soprano and a Shubert Tenor ; 5. Colored Chorus Curtains ; Part Two: Remaking ; 6. Featuring Robeson: 1928-1940 ; 7. Broadway Black, Hollywood White: 1943-1957 ; 8. Landmark Status: 1954-1989 ; 9. Queenie's Laugh: 1966-1998 ; Epilogue ; Appendix 1 Cast of Characters ; Appendix 2 Archival Sources for the 1927 Broadway Production ; Appendix 3 Select Stage and Screen Versions (1928-1998) ; References ; Notes ; Index
£28.39
Oxford University Press Inc They Made Us Happy Betty Comden Adolph Greens
Book SynopsisThey Made Us Happy is the first book to tell the full story of the extraordinary careers and lives of two of Broadway's and Hollywood's most gifted writing teams: Betty Comden and Adolph Green, encompassing triumphant musical successes (On the Town, Wonderful Town) and much-loved movies (Singin' in the Rain and The Band Wagon).Trade ReviewPropst has clearly done his research, as evidenced by the lengthy listing of source materials at the end of the book. A particularly nice touch is his tendency to reference the sometimes different recollections of people involved in a specific incident, and then offer a theory of which account actually seems more plausible and why....the book offers very informative and entertaining read for both the serious musical (and musical theater) aficionado and one with only a passing familiarity with some of the duo's more famous works. * Judd Hollander, The Epoch Times *The book dashes through Comden and Green's glory years writing for stage and screen. High-profile projects such as "The Band Wagon" or "Peter Pan" - as well as lesser-known efforts, such as the "On the Town" successor "It's Always Fair Weather" - are given comparable attention. Chapters are broken up with paragraph-long nuggets consisting of background information or anecdotes. Best of all is the chapter on "Singin' in the Rain." Said Comden about starting work on the movie: "All we knew was, that at some point in the film, someone would be out in the rain and singing about it."As this marvelous book reminds us, that's where Comden and Green came in. * Peter Tonguette, The Columbus Dispatch *One of the strengths of Mr. Propst's book is his encyclopedic knowledge of virtually every move and shuffle, every last minute addition to and subtraction from shows and films... Mr. Propst tells us everything about how a show reached its final form, and in some cases its revivals.... One appreciates this book as a compendious reference work; its value lies in the theatrical history it provides.... Although [Comden and Green] now may be grist for the nostalgia mills, this book... shows how snappy, daring and brave they were. And what fun they had. * Willard Spiegelman, Wall Street Journal *What a lovingly researched journey through the duo-careers of two of our most talented wordsmiths. What good times they provided for us! Carefree, urbane, intelligent, tender hearted, playful - indeed they were 'a party of two.' * Tommy Tune *Andy Propst has done it again! His They Made Us Happy is a love letter to anyone who loves musical theatre, its history, and two of its greatest titans - Betty Comden and Adolph Green. He pulls back the curtain on the life and career of this once-in-a-generation pair of talents with humor, elegance, and grace. I read it in one sitting with Comden and Green's On the Town, Wonderful Town, Singin' in the Rain, Hallelujah Baby!, On the Twentieth Century, and The Will Rodgers Follies playing on my record player. Rest assured - if you don't have a record player, Andy's masterpiece is musical enough. * Will Nunziata, Director *Thank you, Andy Propst, for the memories and for the history and revelations about these two remarkable artists and their time. They Made Us Happy made me so happy! * Penny Fuller, Actor *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 - Childhood Dreams Chapter 2 - The Revuers Emerge, Soar, and Coast Chapter 3 - Taking the Town Chapter 4 - Turning to the 1920s Chapter 5 - Theatrical Disaster... Cinematic Success Chapter 6 - Broadway to Hollywood and Back Again Chapter 7 - Turning Back the Clock Chapter 8 - Theatrical Adventures On Screen and On and Off Stage Chapter 9 - Serious Screen Fare, but Flying High on Stage Chapter 10 - Hollywood Passes, Broadway Says 'Yes' Chapter 11 - Throwing a Stage Party and a Cinematic Revel Chapter 12 - A Movie, Some TV EL and Jukeboxes Chapter 13 - Writing a Darker Musical Fairy Tale Chapter 14 - Stage and Screen Confections ... and Something a Little Deeper Chapter 15 - Part of the Times, Personally and Professionally Chapter 16 - Going Backstage, Then Getting Nostalgic [ Chapter 17 - Returning (Artistically) to the 1930s Chapter 18 - Ten Years of Performing and Writing Chapter 19 - A Follies Finish and Farewell Bibliography Index
£47.66
Oxford University Press Inc Pick a Pocket Or Two
Book SynopsisIn Pick a Pocket Or Two, acclaimed author Ethan Mordden brings his wit and wisdom to bear in telling the full history of the British musical, from The Beggar's Opera (1728) to the present, with an interest in isolating the unique qualities of the form and its influence on the American model.Trade ReviewThe volume is meticulously researched, well organized, and eminently useful. It is highly recommended. * Debra Greschner, Journal of Singing *An excellent resource for those interested in the performing arts. * R. D. Johnson, emeritus, SUNY College at Oneonta, CHOICE *Musical theater aficionados are indebted to Mordden for his informative, well-written, lively volumes on musical theater. His oeuvre provides a superb chronicle of the American musical stage. In the present volume, Mordden crosses the Atlantic to examine the English musical theater. * R. D Johnson, CHOICE *An enjoyable read [...] the discography at the end of the book is especially entertaining. * Nick Wakeham, Musical Theatre Review *That Pick a Pocket Or Two is worthwhile will come as no surprise to anyone who's read, re-read and RE-re-read any or all of the works of this great musical theater historian. But an added bonus in each book is Mordden's distinctively great sense of humor. * Peter Filichia, Masterworks Broadway *Table of Contents1. Beginnings: In the Days of My Youth 2. G & S: Our Loving Frivoliyt 3. Toy Town: The Edwardian Musical 4. Charleston Mad: The 1910s and 1920s 5. And then a Violin Began to Play: Ivor Novello 6. Dancing with a Ghost: The 1930s and 1940s 7. Imagine the Duchess' Feelings: Noël Coward 8. It's Sort of Romantic: The 1950s 9. Behind the Times: Sandy Wilson and Julian Slade 10. Sweep My Off My Feet: The 1960s 11. The Little Things We Used to Do: The 1970s and 1980s 12. To Love Another Person is to See the Face of God: Pop Opera 13. With One Look I'll Be May: Andrew Lloyd Webber 14. A Little Bit Naughty: The Last Thirty Years Discography Bibliography Index
£26.59
Oxford University Press Inc American Popular Song The Great Innovators
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction by Robert Rawlins 1. The Transition Era: 1885 to World War I 2. Jerome Kern (1885-1945) 3. Irving Berlin (1888-1989) 4. George Gershwin (1898-1937) 5. Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) 6. Cole Porter (1891-1964) 7. Harold Arlen (1905-1986) 8. Vincent Youmans (1898-1946) and Arthur Schwartz (1900-1984) 9. Burton Lane (1912- 1997), Hugh Martin (1914-2011), and Vernon Duke (1903-1969) 10. The Great Craftsmen Hoagy Carmichael (1899-1981) Walter Donaldson (1893-1947) Harry Warren (1893-1981) Isham Jones (1894-1956) Jimmy McHugh (1894-1969) Duke Ellington (1899-1974) Fred Ahlert (1892-1953) Richard Whiting (1891-1938) Ray Noble (1907-1978) John Green (1908-1989) Rube Bloom (1902-1976) Jimmy Van Heusen (1913-1990) 11. Outstanding Individual Songs: 1920 to 1950 12. Additional Songs and Composers Index
£29.92
Oxford University Press Changed for Good A Feminist History of the Broadway Musical
Trade ReviewI found Stacy Wolf's book fascinating and surprising. It not only gave me a fresh perspective on the history of musical theatre, it revealed things to me about my own show I didn't know were there. * Stephen Schwartz *This book is absolutely brilliant on many levels. Wolf manages, in one stroke, to place the musical's feminine fan base-long recognized but rarely valued-on the same critical plane that its gay male fan base has long occupied. This book truly defies gravity! * Raymond Knapp, Professor of Musicology, UCLA, and author of The American Musical and the Formation of National Identity and The American Musical and the Performance of Personal Identity *This beautifully written - and desperately needed - feminist history of the Broadway musical is filled with exciting insights, humor, and great affection for the American musical. It's an important and interesting book, one I will read again and again. * Elizabeth L. Wollman, Assistant Professor of Music, Baruch College, The City University of New York, and author of The Theater Will Rock: A History of the Rock Musical, from "Hair" to "Hedwig" *A valuable work with a strong and captivating feminist point of view. Scholars and serious fans of theater as well as those concerned with women's issues and studies will especially enjoy its detail-filled and imaginative perspective. * Library Journal *Carefully researched, elegantly written, and methodologically innovative...A rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable book that should appeal to a broad range of readers, especially those interested in the intertwined histories of gender, sexuality, and popular entertainment. * The Journal of American History *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Gender, Genre, and Musical Theatre Chapter One: 1950s Musicals and Queer Female Duets Chapter Two: The Single Woman and the Active Female Body in 1960s Musicals Chapter Three: The Ensemble as Queer "Family" Chapter Four: Women in the 1980s Megamusicals, Humming the Scenery Chapter Five: Musicals in the 1990s-2000s: Female Protagonists, First and Last Numbers, and the Intersectional Performance of Race and Gender Chapter Six: Queer Conventions in the Broadway Musical Wicked Epilogue: Wicked Divas, Musical Theatre, and Internet Girl Fans Endnotes
£29.19
Oxford University Press Inc From Camelot to Spamalot Musical Retellings of
Book SynopsisFor centuries, Arthurian legend with its tales of Camelot, romance, and chivalry has captured imaginations throughout Europe and the Americas. This book explores musical adaptations of Arthurian legend as filtered through specific versions of the tale as told by Mark Twain, T.H. White, and Monty Python.Trade ReviewThe author looks chiefly at dramatic and musical adaptations, and the resulting text not only creates nostalgia for the reader but also affords a serious and careful presentation of the changes that performance requires even of well-known stories * M.H. Kealy, CHOICE Connect, Vol. 59 No. 8 *...Camelot to Spamalot sheds a fascinating light on the many ways in which a century of popular culture has responded to one of the most enduring of all stories. * Vaughan Edwards, Stage and Cinema *In a narrative as compelling as the myth itself, Woller's important study reveals how song and dance have been used to adapt and readapt the story of King Arthur into some of the most important and beloved musicals in Broadway and Hollywood history. * Dominic McHugh, Professor in Musicology at the University of Sheffield and author of Loverly: The Life and Times of 'My Fair Lady' *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Part 1: Adapting Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Prelude: Twain as Adapter Chapter 1: Musical Storytelling and Revision in Rodgers and Hart's A Connecticut Yankee Chapter 2: Bing Crosby's Stardom and Legend in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Part 2: Adapting T.H. White's The Once and Future King Chapter 3: Interpretation and Characterization in Lerner and Loewe's Camelot Chapter 4: Naiveté and the Depiction of Arthur's Childhood in Disney's The Sword in the Stone Part 3: Monty Python as Adapters Chapter 5: Parody and the Role of Song in Monty Python and the Holy Grail Chapter 6: Notions of Place, Legend, and Broadway in Monty Python's Spamalot Conclusion Archival Collections Bibliography Index
£26.59
