Musical Theatre: A History - Softcover

'A readable, accessible, up-to-date history of musical theatre' Theatre and Performance "A comprehensive history of stage musicals.. .As informative as it is entertaining, Musical Theatreis richly illustrated with anecdotes of shows" The Pass, July & August 2008 "Communications director of New York's York Theatre Company and manager of the Web site musicals101.com...Kenrick demonstrates his considerable knowledge in this enjoyable, well-written volume...Specific examples about particular performers (e.g., Al Jolson) and shows (e.g., Franz Lehar's Merry Widow) enliven the text... A section of photos, most not the usual views, is a modest addition. In place of references, the author lists titles cited in a useful annotated bibliography. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers." -R.D. Johnson, CHOICE, January 2009

"Musical Theatre" is a comprehensive history of stage musicals ranging from Paris, Ancient Greece and Rome during the 1840s all the way up to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Broadway as it we know it today. Like every art form, musical theatre has been changing and evolving since its inception more than 2000 years ago. "Musical Theatre: A History" presents a comprehensive history of stage musicals from the earliest accounts of the ancient Greeks and Romans, for whom songs were common elements in staging, to Jacques Offenbach in Paris during the 1840s, to Gilbert and Sullivan in the UK, to the rise of music halls and vaudeville traditions in America, and eventually to 'Broadway's Golden Age' with George and Ira Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein, Leondard Bernstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The 21st century has also brought a popular new wave of musicals to the Broadway stage, from 'The Producers' to 'Spamalot'. "Musical Theatre: A History" covers it all, from the opening number to the curtain call, offering readers the most up-to-date history of the art form. As informative as it is entertaining, "Musical Theatre" offers an accessibly written history of the musical theatre, richly illustrated with anecdotes is cause for celebration a legion of devoted fans.