Product Description

The long-awaited update of this acclaimed, best-selling title. The most comprehensive and widely used Broadway reference book has been expanded and updated to include more than 300 of the most important and memorable productions of the American musical theatre, including revivals. Chronologically arranged beginning with The Black Crook in 1866, the sixth edition adds entries on numerous musicals from recent years, including The Lion King, Hairspray, The Producers, Wicked, The Boy from Oz, Mamma Mia!, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Avenue Q, and others. Features a wealth of statistics and inside information, plus critical reception, cast lists, and pithy commentary about each show.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38215 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781557837363
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Library Journal
Musical-comedy specialist Green has produced another winner in this survey of hit Broadway musicals from 1866's The Black Crook to 1985's Big River. Although not as complete as Gerald Bordman's American Musical Theatre ( LJ 10/1/78), the volume includes basic facts about more than 300 important shows, a brief synopsis of each, credits, and gossipy facts (such as tryout replacements) so dear to the hearts of Broadway fans. Accompanying photographs are excellent, as are the several indexes. Either for serious research or just browsing, Green's book should appeal to anyone interested in musical theater. Highly recommended for most libraries. Eric W. Johnson, Univ. of Bridgeport Lib., Ct.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Kay Green, wife of the late Stanley Green, offers a long overdue update of this important title, previously authored by her and her husband.  The volume features entries for newer musicals, such as The Lion King (1997) and Spamalot (2005), as well as important revivals of classic musicals, such as Annie Get Your Gun (1999). Entries focus on the New York run of each musical, listing specific information for that production including cast members, producers, opening dates, number of performances, composers, lyricists, book authors, synopsis, major songs, and other historical details. The book also includes useful indexes of directors, lyricists, major cast members, and show titles.

Customer Reviews

A true must-have book for all musical theatre fans!
This book has proven and indispensable part of my theatre library, and if you get it, it will become one for you as well. Want to know what date the original production of Show Boat opened on Broadway? This book will tell you. Who the original stars of Mexican Hayride were? That's in here, too. You will be able to find the answer to just about any question you could ever ask of Broadway's hit musicals. A perfect companion piece to Ken Mandelbaum's Not Since Carrie (which chronicles the flop musicals this book mostly excludes), and a wonderful way of tracking the history of the Broadway musical, Broadway Musicals: Show by Show is as comprehensive, helpful, and essential as reference books on Broadway come.

FANTASTIC! The most useful guide for easy theatre reference
Enough can't be said about this book! It is a masterpiece for theatre buffs like myself. I live by that book, since I'm involved in theatre on a daily basis. When considering which musical to use in our high school's season next year I immediately turned to this book for it's easy synopsis of so many hit shows, it's staistics about the shows, and it's genuine knowledge. The best reference book about theatre on the market today! Period.

The Official Broadway Musical Reference Book
This is a good *reference* book to see what happened and how things played out on Broadway. The behind the scene stories and what lead up to the show is fascinating, although every listed show doesn't have that much detail behind it.

The book is usually updated with new editions, but currently is out-dated (doesn't include Lion King, The Producers, Jekyll & Hyde, Titanic, etc.) Reading about the earlier Broadway shows (first show "The Black Crook" [1866]) is interesting and contains information you probably won't find anywhere else, including some failed shows (less than 5 performances), last minute casting decisions or movies that were made based on the show. I wish the listed revival shows would have more information than a basic "ditto" that refers to the original performance. However, if it is really meant to be a reference book, then it succeeds in that business without really trying.

The statistics given for how many performances a show had is nice, but can't be used to determine the success of that show today. The revival shows are learning that. With better access to New York (modern travel) -- numbers are increasing, but on the other hand, with more choices and a finicky audience that may be too PC for it's own good, some old shows don't work well now. If you're looking for tools to help you decide on choosing a musical, take a look at "Let's Put on a Musical" by Peter Filichia (1993) which is seven years newer besides.