Thought-Provoking Books about the Musical Theatre

by Thomas S. Hischak

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5 books

So many books about the American Musical Theatre are either lightweight coffee table books or useful reference works. But here are five books which approach the subject with critical insight and some depth of understanding. All are reader friendly and far from stuffy academic works. Reading them can be as much fun as going to the theatre.

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The Season

A Candid Look at Broadway

William Goldman, 1984

This classic work, a sly look at the Broadway theatre in 1967-1968, remains in print because it is still a great read. Goldman chronicles the season through a series of interviews with people working in the theatre. Many of the plays and musicals discussed are now forgotten, but Goldman’s commentary remains fresh and entertaining. Yes, this is the same Goldman who wrote Marathon Man, The Princess Bride and other novels. It’s a pity he didn’t write more about the theatre.

The Rise and Fall of the Broadway Musical

Mark Grant, 2005

This critical book will raise your hackles more than once will because Grant pulls no punches. He writes with audaciousness but also with a wealth of insight. The different elements of the musical form are dissected with accuracy. Grant then goes into describing the changes the form has undergone since the 1970s. Spoiler alert: most the changes have not been for the better. All the ideas presented in this book are backed by examples and explanations. You may fume at times but you will not be bored.

The Happiest Corpse I've Ever Seen

The Last Twenty-Five Years of the Broadway Musical

Ethan Mordden, 2015

After completing a series of books about the American musical in each decade from the 1920s to the 1970s, Mordden concluded his opinionated study with this work covering 1980 through 2004. As with all of his writing, Mordden is witty, intelligent, and brazenly insightful. He also makes some of these musicals come alive with his descriptions of the original productions. After reading his book, you’ll want to go and enjoy Mordden’s entire series.

Second Act Trouble

Behind the Scenes at Broadway's Big Musical Bombs

Steven Suskin, 2006

Suskin has collected articles from various sources and put together a fascinating portrait of the failed Broadway musical. Written by different journalists, the articles are not so much in depth as they are gossipy yet the writing can still be probing. Twenty-five musicals from Tenderloin to Nick & Nora are explored from a backstage point of view. There are some outrageous stories here, often more dramatic than what was attempted onstage.

Sense of Occasion

Harold Prince, 2017

In 1974, director-producer Prince looked back at his career thus far and wrote Contradictions, a collection of thoughts and memories more than an autobiography. Forty-three years later, he went back and revised and added to these observations, continued the narrative to the present day, and called it A Sense of Occasion. As one of the most creative theatre artists during the second half of the 20th Century, Prince had a career filled with innovative projects. They are all discussed in this engrossing book.