Tracing the development of the musical on both Broadway and in London's West End, this updated Companion continues to provide a broad and thorough overview of one of the liveliest and most popular forms of musical performance. Ordered chronologically, essays cover from the American musical of the nineteenth century through to the most recent productions, and the book also includes key information on singers, audience, critical reception, and traditions. All of the chapters from the first edition remain – several in substantially updated forms – and five completely new chapters have been added, covering: ethnic musicals in the United States; the European musical; Broadway musicals in revival and on television; the most recent shows; and a case study of the creation of the popular show Wicked based on interviews with its creators. The Companion also includes an extensive bibliography and photographs from key productions.
• Contains five completely new chapters, and material from the first edition has been substantially updated to include the most recent productions • Provides broad transatlantic coverage, discussing both Broadway and West End musicals in detail • Contains informative and up to date reference features: chronology, reading lists, photographs from key productions
Contents
Preface; Part I. Adaptations and Transformations: Before 1940: 1. American musical theatre before the twentieth century Katherine K. Preston; 2. Non-English language musical theatre in North America John Koegel; 3. Birth pangs, growing pains and sibling rivalry: musical theatre in New York, 1900–1920 Orly Leah Krasner; 4. American and British operetta in the 1920s: romance, nostalgia and adventure William A. Everett; 5. Images of African Americans: African-American musical theatre, Show Boat and Porgy and Bess John Graziano; 6. The melody (and the words) linger on: American musical comedies of the 1920s and 1930s Geoffrey Block; Part II. Maturations and Formulations: 1940 to 1970: 7. 'We said we wouldn't look back': British musical theatre, 1935–1960 John Snelson; 8. The coming of the musical play: Rodgers and Hammerstein Ann Sears; 9. The successors of Rodgers and Hammerstein from the 1940s to the 1960s Thomas L. Riis and Ann Sears; 10. Musical sophistication on Broadway: Kurt Weill and Leonard Bernstein Bruce D. McClung and Paul R. Laird; Part III. Evolutions and Integrations: After 1970: 11. Stephen Sondheim and the musical of the outsider Jim Lovensheimer; 12. Choreographers, directors and the fully integrated musical Paul R. Laird; 13. From Hair to Rent: is 'rock' a four-letter word on Broadway? Scott Warfield; 14. The megamusical: the creation, internationalization, and impact of a genre Paul Prece and William A. Everett; 15. The European musical Judith Sebesta; 16. New horizons: the musical at the dawn of the twenty-first century Bud Coleman; Part IV. Legacies and Transformations: 17. Why do they start to sing and dance all of a sudden? Examining the film musical Graham Wood; 18. Revisiting classic musicals: revivals, film, and television and recordings Jessica Sternfeld; 19. The creation of a Broadway musical: Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman, and Wicked Paul Laird.
Reviews
'This is a work of considerable genius … intelligent, incisive, informed, yet immensely readable.' Sheridan Morley
'This well-structured, beautifully argued and thought provoking compendium proves itself to be an indispensable guide.' Classical Music
' … the companion is well written, effectively organized, readable, and visually attractive, punctuated by well-placed photographs and playbills. Footnotes are provided for each essay; the bibliography is extensive; and the index includes a full coverage of shows, songs, dances, lyricists and composers. Because of the updated chapters and the extensive new material included in the later edition, it is well worth having, even if the reader also has the earlier 2002 edition.' Studies in Musical 4
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