Product Description

When Lady in the Dark opened on January 23, 1941, its many firsts immediately distinguished it as a new and unusual work. The curious directive to playwright Moss Hart to complete a play about psychoanalysis came from his own Freudian psychiatrist. For the first time since his brother George's death, Ira Gershwin returned to writing lyrics for the theater. And for emigre composer Kurt Weill, it was a crack at an opulent first-class production. Together Hart, Gershwin, and Weill (with a little help from the psychiatrist) produced one of the most innovative works in Broadway history.
Though Lady in the Dark was a smash-hit, it has never enjoyed a Broadway revival, and a certain mystique has grown up around its legendary original production. In this ground-breaking biography, bruce mcclung pieces together the musical's life story from sketches and drafts, production scripts, correspondence, photographs, costume and set designs, and thousands of clippings from the star's personal scrapbooks. He has interviewed eleven members of the original company to provide a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the backstage story.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #721040 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Review
2006 Special Jury Prize, Theatre Library Association, George Freedley Memorial Award -- Theatre Library Association website: http://tla.library.unt.edu/awards.html

Review

Reviews of the Musical
"The American stage may as well take a bow this morning. For Lady in the Dark uses the resources of the theatre magnificently and tells a compassionate story triumphantly." --Brooks Atkinson, New York Times
"Lady in the Dark demonstrates with fine conclusiveness that Miss Gertrude Lawrence is the greatest feminine performer in the theater."--Richard Watts, Jr., New York Herald Tribune
"For both as an example of stagecraft at its most breath-taking, and as an invitation to a performance by Gertrude Lawrence which is incredible in its virtuosity, Lady in the Dark is little short of miraculous."--John Mason Brown, New York Post
Praise for Lady in the Dark: Biography of a Musical by bruce d. mcclung
"
"mcclung illustrates both the significance of Lady in the Dark as an inventive musical and the specifically modern nature of its themes."--Diana Calderazzo, Theatre Journal
"Highly valuable to scholars, students and fans of musical theatre, this book offers a prototype for how future 'biographies' of other shows might be written.... In considering the show through over 65 years of developments and production history the full 'life' of this musical is given real depth."--Studies in Musical Theatre
"mcclung's book is a satisfying, well-organized, and very thorough study of a musical that will hopefully nudge Broadway scholarship in a new direction."--Elmar Juchem, American Music
"A fine piece of work that should help nudge studies of the Broadway musical in significant new directions by proving the benefits of careful attention to sources and contexts."--Tim Carter, Kurt Weill Newsletter
"mcclung has written an absorbing account of virtually every detail that went into the making of an innovative show. Filled with clear musical and dramatic descriptions, his exhaustively documented account of Lady in the Dark traces not only the portrayal of psychotherapy and gender identity on the musical stage, but also the evolution of attitudes to musical theater itself during the middle of the twentieth century."--Thomas Riis, University of Colorado at Boulder
"bruce mcclung engagingly illuminates Lady in the Dark as it evolved from Moss Hart's real-life sessions with noted psychiatrist Dr. Lawrence Kubie into Hart's historic theatrical collaboration with Ira Gershwin and Kurt Weill, a tour de force for its legendary first lady Gertrude Lawrence. Thanks to mcclung, we are no longer in the dark about the artistic meaning and rich cultural context of this fascinating and timely show, which captivated America's attention and left an enduring but previously unexplored legacy."--Geoffrey Block, University of Puget Sound
"mcclung is adept at chronicling Broadway's glamour and the backstage idiosyncrasies of its stars. Given Lady's size--and the demands of its lead--there has yet to be a Broadway revival. His book is the next best thing."--Debra Griboff, Encore Magazine

About the Author

bruce d. mcclung, a native of California's Mojave Desert, teaches American and European music history at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music.

Customer Reviews

A book fit for a lady
I have so far only read half of this book and am thoroughly enjoying it. It is very detailed and the description of the opening night performance is fascinating. Those without a background in music may be a little put-off by how technically it goes into the music (I have a background in music and was still a bit confused). But, so far, so good. A great book for Broadway, Gertrude Lawrence, Kurt Weill, Moss Hart and Ira Gershwin fans, as well as those who want a good look into the puting of a Broadway musical in 1941.

A fascinating book
Having no prior knowledge of "Lady in the Dark", I found this book to be incredibly well-written and informative. I have never read a biography of a show before, and it's a fascinating way to not only re-live the experience of 60 years ago, but to also learn the backstory of the show, its actors and creators, and the widespread effect of this ground-breaking musical on Broadway and society in general.

In one of my favorite chapters, Bruce McClung goes into incredible detail on the musical score, showing how virtually every note had a distinct purpose and was conceived to be an integral and vital part of the performance. Since this musical was written in a style completely different than those of its era, Bruce shows clearly that it wasn't just a coincidence that it worked so well; it was conceived to be vastly original. The other chapters of his book are just as exhaustively researched, with original photos, interviews and quotes from written and telegram correspondence, copies of the work during the creative process, and even tie-in merchandise.

This book is a truly remarkable look at this show and also how a major work of art can influence society and entertainment. One thing I found really interesting was the contrast between how actors and the entertainment industry responded during WWII, as compared to the actions of today's entertainers and celebrities during the current war.

Another fascinating aspect is that with the normal run of revivals of older shows, "Lady in the Dark" was too 'modern' to its era to be successfully revived without major overhaul. One more interesting contrast between today's society and that of the 1940s.

I hope that this book will generate interest in this show and introduce theatre and musical fans to an influential work, perhaps one that they are not familiar with. It is very well-written and although very detailed, it is presented in a way that kept my interest even in sections that I'm not well-versed on.

The Bible of Lady in the Dark
For anyone who has an interest in the musical play Lady in the Dark, this book is a Bible of knowledge for the reader! McClung misses nothing and dissects the score, production, development and every nuance present in making a full diagnosis of this exceptional musical piece. The introduction, most notably, is one of the most impressive points, where McClung recreates scene-by-scene Opening Night of Lady in the Dark at the Alvin Theater (now the Neil Simon Theater) back in 1941. His insights and deep understanding of the plot, music and structure opens doors to how (and how not!) to update this piece for the current Broadway stage, which hopefully, this book will be the first step in the process. He also paints a lasting picture of one of the stage's most talented actresses, Gertrude Lawrence through interviews with the remaining living cast members of the original production and other sources.

In a personal review point, I thank McClung for writing this book, as Lady in the Dark has been a favorite show of mine for many years and I have always wanted to know more about it but the resources were scarce. With this book, almost every resource is there, and nearly every question answered. And even for those who don't know Lady in the Dark, this is the perfect opportunity to learn, and this book makes a precedent of how great musicals should be dissertated and studied.

A stellar piece of writing, a must read for anyone interested in the stage or musical theater history.