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Friday 23 June 2017

Book Review: The Book of Broadway by Eric Grode

Title: The Book of Broadway
Author: Eric Grode
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group
Publication Date: 1 June 2017
Pages: 328
Format: eBook - PDF
Genre: Non-Fiction/Theatre
Source: ARC via NetGalley

 

The Book of Broadway is a celebratory, gorgeous tome dedicated to what is arguably the quintessential American art form: the Broadway show.

Lose yourself in 150 profiles of the best, most influential, and most important Broadway musicals and plays ever produced.Shows profiled include everything from the 1860s musical
The Black Crook, which captivated and titillated audiences for more than five hours, to Hamilton, Broadway's biggest story of 2016. The men and women who shaped Broadway history--such as Stephen Sondheim, Tennessee Williams, Bernadette Peters, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Ethel Merman, Marlon Brando, August Wilson, and Nathan Lane--are celebrated for their groundbreaking work and photographs throughout illustrate the stunning designs of the shows. (Goodreads Synopsis)



The Book of Broadway is a great read for any theatregoer. With lovely colour photographs, info, and opinions, it highlights some of the key musicals and plays to grace a Broadway stage. Naturally, there will be shows that readers wish Grode had included. On the whole, I liked his picks, which covered many of my personal favourites and several plays new to me; however, I do wish he'd mentioned Next to Normal, which I believe is an important work from the last ten years. Other than that tiny gripe, this is a great coffee table read that is sure to please any theatre fan.


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