A loving, behind-the-scenes reminiscence of half a century of the Broadway musical by a noted producer and innovator of musical theatre.
It would be difficult, indeed, to imagine anyone more qualified to give us a celebration, from the perspective of an insider, of the Broadway musical. From the first run of Guys and Dolls in 1950 to the recent debut of Rent, Stuart Ostrow, a prot^D'eg^D'e of the great composer-lyricist Frank Loesser, has been personally involved in many of the major Broadway productions of our time. The steadily growing number of fans of the Great White Way will delight in his reminiscences about the shows that have shaped musical theater, such as Hello Dolly, Funny Girl, Man of LaMancha, Cabaret, 1776, and M. Butterfly—to name just a few.
Readers of A Producer's Broadway Journey will certainly be entertained by Ostrow's behind-the-scenes anecdotes of Bob Fosse, Barbra Streisand, Betty Buckley, Cole Porter, Lerner and Loewe, Hal Prince, Ethel Merman, and many other legends encountered in his accomplished career. But in addition to the tales or re-writes, stand-ins, near-disasters, and moments of theatrical magic, the author also provides a unique historical perspective on almost half a century of the musical.
Author's Note
Introduction
1950-60
Broadway Babies: Adler & Ross, Stephen Sondheim, Bock & Harnick, Meredith Willson
1960-70 The Beginning of the End of Camelot: Rock 'N Roll, 'N Revolution
1970-80 The British Are Coming: Andrew Lloyd Webber
1980-90 Less is Less: Cats, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera
1990-97 Stomp, Rent, Bring In 'Da Noise Bring In 'Da Funk: Quo Vadis?
Afterword
Bibliography
Index
Reviews
With an insider's perspective and understanding. Ostrow provides capsule insights into over 50 Broadway musicals from 1950 to 1998....He uses a folksy, intimate writing style in this....compact but comprehensive overview of the major musicals of the later 20th century.—Library Journal
Endorsements
Stuart Ostrow's Broadway journey through the tunnel of the musical theatre is such an adventure, such a treasure trove of anecdotes and observations, so refreshingly frank, and such a feast of food for thought that it becomes much more than a trip worth taking. Forthcoming and funny to boot, it travels headlong toward the light at the end, searching to find the future of, dare I say it, the Broadway musical.—Jerry Bock^LComposer, ^IFiddler on the Roof^R
