Theatre and Music Theatre: New Books

"In 2023, these monologues are representations of the life we are currently living. The sorrows, the challenges, the humanness of our live are right here in these pages. So, go. Read, these pieces. Act these pieces. They will seem familiar to you as you hold the mirror up to nature and realize that art is indeed a reflection of life."--Amazon.com.

"In 2023, these monologues are representations of the life we are currently living. The sorrows, the challenges, the humanness of our live are right here in these pages. So, go. Read, these pieces. Act these pieces. They will seem familiar to you as you hold the mirror up to nature and realize that art is indeed a reflection of life."

Since his first play, And Things That Go Bump in the Night, which premiered in 1965, McNally has proven himself to be a trailblazing figure and unique voice in American theater, known for his exploration of gay themes and his chronicling of America's changing social attitudes over the past fifty years. His thirty-three plays, nine musicals, three operas, and seven scripts for film and television, are a testament to his astonishing commitment to writing. In Selected Plays, for the very first time, McNally collects a set of eight plays that he considers the most important of his oeuvre, including the Tony-nominated Mothers and Sons and the critically acclaimed And Away We Go, neither of which have been previously published. Introducing each play with a personal essay that recounts an anecdote or discusses an aspect of the play that proceeds it, McNally himself frames his own life in the theater. Selected Plays is a landmark publication, a memoir in plays from one of America's most highly regarded and best-loved playwrights.

"Featuring fifty-five pieces of African textiles, clothing, headwear, and jewelry, African Apparel: Threaded Transformations across the 20th Century celebrates dress as products of global interactions, generational conflict and continuity, and expressions of gender. Richly illustrated, this catalog highlights the strength and resilience of long-standing practices that characterize African dress; the wide variety of cultural, religious, and political motivations for adorning oneself; and the varying identities reflected in analyzing African material culture of the last century and a half. Textile selections include those handwoven and dyed alongside factory-woven and machine-printed cloth, as well as items of adornment including amber and silver jewelry from North Africa, beadwork-embellished clothing from South Africa, and various headdresses from across the continent. This unique collection is explored in conversation with the collector, through an in-depth essay, and with detailed object entries. From European colonization to independence, to economic liberalization, African Apparel demonstrates how dress practices reveal personal and group identities, cultural traditions, and aspirations"-- Provided by publisher.

"After a general introduction, chronological chapters illustrated throughout retrace the history of footwear from the Middle Ages to today, featuring shoes and boots that once belonged to both anonymous and famous male and female wearers, from battered old 'chimney shoes' hidden away for good luck to the elegant styles of the Renaissance, from Elizabethan mules to the first stilettos. A detailed glossary, bibliography and index conclude the book."--Publisher's website.

Book one in this exciting new series includes waistcoats and bodices, a mantle and gloves. Full step-by-step drawings of the construction sequence are given for each garment to enable the reader to accurately reconstruct them. There are scale patterns of each garment and scale diagrams for making linen and metal thread laces and embroidery designs.

Featuring case studies of clients who came to her looking for a 'hair fix', and informed by her own story from apprentice to business-owner, this book will dispel common hair myths and give you the knowledge and tools to attain good hair health. Packed with expert advice, nourishing recipes and top maintenance tips, this book is a celebration of the unique beauty and history of Black hair.

"An Illustrated Guide to Furniture History provides upper-level students and instructors with an alternative visual analytical approach to learning about furniture history from antiquity to post-modernism. Following an immersive teaching model, it presents a nine-step methodology to help strengthen students' visual literacy and quickly acquire subject area knowledge. Moving chronologically through key periods in furniture history and interior design, such as the Renaissance, the Arts & Crafts Movement and Modernism, it traverses from Europe to America to present a comprehensive foundational guide to the history of furniture design. Part I addresses furniture within the context of the built environment, with chapters exploring the historical perspective, construction principles, and the categorization of furniture. In Part II, the author visually depicts the structural organization of the methodological process, a three-category framework - History, Aesthetics and Visual Notes. The chapters in this part prepare the reader for the visual analysis that will occur in the final section of the book. The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour with over 300 images to reinforce visual learning and notation. A must-have reference and study guide for students in industrial and product design, interior design and architecture"-- Provided by publisher.

"This unique visual collection celebrates the very best contemporary Maximalist interior design as well as making the connection to a much longer historical tradition of excess. Maximalism is a style that has been with us, in one guise or another, for example in the castles, palazzi, chateaux, and historic homes of bygone ages, for more than 400 years. This richly illustrated volume, with metallic gold ink used throughout, features the most extraordinary Maximalist interiors from all over the globe, from centuries past and present, transcending both time and geography. An intense and thrilling journey through the magic and mayhem that is Maximalism, a book that is as much an experience as it is a book, its luxurious pages are layered, loud, and louche, chaotic, colorful, and controversial, but also romantic, joyous, and imbued with personality, history, and story telling"--Publisher's description.

"It's a year later: the Clown Bar is in disrepair, and Happy has gone missing. Has he been offed by clown cowboy Brigham Bill, or was it an inside job? Two cops who knew Happy when he was on the force go undercover as clowns in the Clown Bar to find out what happened. Take a step into the seedy clown crime underworld and get immersed in Clown Bar 2!"--Page [4] of cover.

"In The Thanksgiving Play, a group of well-intentioned white teaching artists scramble to create an ambitious "woke" Thanksgiving pageant that also celebrates Native American Heritage Month. Amidst their eagerness to put on the most culturally sensitive show possible, things quickly begin to devolve into the absurd, showing how even those with good intentions can be undone by their own blind spots. Inspired by historical interest in the KKK's collaborations with Indigenous groups, What Would Crazy Horse Do? examines the lives of Calvin and Journey--twins who are the last two members of Marahotah clan. Floundering after their grandfather's passing, they form a suicide pact in case their lives on the reservation become too hopeless. However, when two white strangers arrive claiming their families have a shared history, the twins' world is torn wide open"-- Provided by publisher

n the surface, the life of Ken Carpenter, a solidly married fifty-seven year old insurance salesman, is uneventful: silent rides in his luxury sedan, cafeteria encounters with Salisbury steak and lime Jell-O, visits to his mother in the nursing home, and the minister's sermons at the Baptist church. Then one night he is jolted awake, tortured by the discovery that he no longer believes in God. Encouraged by his minister, Ken decides to find himself and his faith impulsively by flying to London, where he navigates the new and somewhat dangerous realm of British counterculture.

"Few institutions have as profound an impact on the American theatrical landscape as the Tony Award-winning Williamstown Theatre Festival, located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. New Plays from Williamstown Theatre Festival 2015-2021 provides a sample of the dozens of plays that have been created and/or premiered at the Festival during the Artistic Directorship of Mandy Greenfield. In addition to stories that shine a light into new or underexplored corners of the human condition, these plays frequently feature complex and boundary-pushing central roles for women actors. These six plays are manifestations of living, American playwrights grappling with and breathing dramatic life into the conflicts and questions at the heart of who we were, who we are and who we will become. These plays imagine and interrogate pieces of the human experience we are still in the midst of unpacking and understanding. Complete with introductions by each of the authors reflecting on their work, these historic, award-winning and groundbreaking plays now live in conversation with one another in this unique collection"-- Provided by publisher.

"The Tucker women are up early to prepare a very important meal, or at least that's what Mama says. As the day wears on, the little dramas that always take place in the kitchen boil over, making a mess of everything. STEW explores the substance of that special stuff passed between kinswomen and how the secrets we keep from our mothers eventually become the secrets we keep from ourselves."--Page 4 of cover

"In this compelling dramatic triptych, three terminal cancer patients dwell in separate cottages on a hospital grounds. The three are attended and visited by family and close friends: Agnes and her mother Felicity, estranged further by the latter's dementia; Brian and Beverly whose marital complications are exacerbated by Brian's new lover, Mark; and Joe and Maggie, unready for the strain of Joe's impending death and its effect on their teenage son."--Back cover

A Free Man of Color is set in boisterous New Orleans prior to the historic Louisiana Purchase. Before law and order took hold, and class, racial and political lines were drawn, New Orleans was a carnival of beautiful women, flowing wine and pleasure for the taking. At the center of this Dionysian world is the mulatto Jacques Cornet, who commands men, seduces women and preens like a peacock.

"In a "first ring" suburb outside a midsize American city, Ben and Mary fire up the grill to welcome the new neighbors who've moved into the long-empty house next door. The fledgling friendship soon veers out of control, shattering the fragile hold that newly unemployed Ben and burgeoning alcoholic Mary have on their way of life--with unexpected comic consequences. Detroit is a fresh, offbeat look at what happens when we dare to open ourselves up to something new. After premiering at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre last year to rave reviews, Lisa D'Amour's brilliant and timely play moves to Broadway this fall"--Provided by publisher.

Japanese homes speak to the soul and provide a contemplative environment from which to experience the world. Japan Style offers rare glimpses into twenty exquisite traditional homes in Japan. The lavish photographs in this volume demonstrate how Japanese design achieves a timeless tranquility using a few very simple, natural elements. The wabi-sabi ideal, translated loosely by Frank Lloyd Wright as a "rusticity and simplicity that borders on loneliness," is considered the epitome of sophistication in Japanese interior design. The houses in this book invite us to rethink the wisdom of our hurried modern lifestyle and return to a simpler, slower life. The quintessential Japanese aesthetic can be seen in a 100-year-old minka farmhouse, an old merchant's machiya townhouse in Kyoto, a sprawling country Samurai villa, and in a modern seaside cottage. This book offers insights for architects and homeowners alike by providing inspiring and surprising alternatives, relevant to the design of homes anywhere in the world today.

"Make-up, as we know it, has only been commercially available in the last 100 years, but applying decoration to the face and body may be one of the oldest global social practices. Lisa Eldridge, one of the world's foremost make-up artists--with a very large and loyal public following of her own--has written the first real history of the subject. Face Paint will explore the reasons behind make-up's use, the actual materials employed and manufactured through the ages, the icons that people emulate and how they achieved their effects, the impact on women's lives and the present and future of make-up from high profile practitioners artists to cosmetic breakthroughs. Along with the glamorous trappings, this is also about women's history and the ways in which we can understand their story through the prism of make-up."--Publisher's description.

In "Yellowman," Alma and Eugene find a love together that transcends racism and poverty; in "My Red Hand, My Black Hand," a young woman of Native American and African American heritage searches for her identity amid both races.

"Acting in Musical Theatre remains the only complete course in approaching a role in a musical. It covers fundamental skills for novice actors, practical insights for professionals, and even tips to help veteran musical performers refine their craft. Updates in this expanded and revised third edition include: A "Resource Guide" that includes Teaching Materials and Syllabi for long and short-courses. Updated examples, illustrations and exercises from more recent musical styles and productions such as Hamilton, and Dear Evan Hansen. Revision of rehearsal and performance guidelines to help teachers with less-experienced students avoid common problems. Updated and expanded further reading lists for specific subject areas, to guide readers through their own studies. New notes in the "The Profession" chapters to reflect the latest trends in casting, self-promotion and audition practice. A comprehensive revision of the book's companion website, including syllabi for a range of short and long-form courses, Power Point slide decks and printable handouts for every chapter. Acting in Musical Theatre's chapters divide into easy-to-reference units, each containing group and solo exercises, making it the definitive textbook for students and practitioners alike"-- Provided by publisher.

"From Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins's 1879 musical Peculiar Sam to Lynn Nottage's 2021 musical MJ, the 'Black musical' does not get the credit it deserves for sustaining the genre we know and love. This introductory book is devoted to representative African-American perspectives in musical theatre from the literature of slavery and freedom, 1746-1865, to the contemporary period, offering the reader case studies of what the 'Black musical' is, how it works, and why it matters"-- Provided by publisher.

"Auditioning for Musical Theatre demystifies the process of giving the best possible professional audition for a role in a musical. It is the result of Denny Berry’s own experience, sitting "behind the audition desk" for 30 years of professional Broadway auditions, as well as teaching newcomers and coaching established actors. The book coaches performers on how to be their best selves—and avoid the pitfalls of nerves and poor preparation."--Publisher's description.

"A lively guide to fifty popular musicals from the comedy classics of the 1930s and 1940s to the frequently-produced darlings of modern theater"-- Provided by publisher.

"In the first decade of the twenty-first century, Broadway was notable for old-fashioned, feel-good shows (Hairspray, Jersey Boys), a number of family-friendly musicals (Little Women, Mary Poppins), plenty of revivals (Follies, Oklahoma!, Wonderful Town), a couple of off-the-wall hits (Avenue Q, Urinetown), several gargantuan flops (Dance of the Vampires, Lestat), and a few serious productions that garnered critical acclaim (The Light in the Piazza, Next to Normal). Unlike earlier decades which were dominated by specific composers, by a new form of musical theatre, or by numerous British imports, the decade is perhaps most notable for the rise of shows which poked fun at the musical comedy form, such as The Producers and Spamalot. In The Complete Book of 2000s Broadway Musicals, Dan Dietz examines in detail every musical that opened on Broadway from 2000 through the end of 2009. This book discusses the era's major successes, notorious failures, and musicals that closed during their pre-Broadway tryouts. In addition to including every hit and flop that debuted during the decade, this book highlights revivals and personal-appearance revues with such performers as Patti LuPone, Chita Rivera, and Martin Short. Each entry contains the following information: Plot summary, cast members, names of all important personnel, including writers, composers, directors, choreographers, producers, and musical directors, opening and closing dates, number of performances, critical commentary, musical numbers and the performers who introduced the songs, production data, including information about tryouts, source material, Tony awards and nominations, [and] details about London and other foreign productions. Besides separate entries for each production, the book offers numerous appendixes, including a discography, filmography, and published scripts, as well as lists of black-themed shows and Jewish-themed productions. This comprehensive book contains a wealth of information and provides a comprehensive view of each show. The Complete Book of 2000s Broadway Musicals will be of use to scholars, historians, and casual fans of one of the greatest decades in musical theatre history."--Publisher's description.

This volume contains detailed information about every musical that opened on Broadway from 2010 through the end of 2019. This book discusses the decade’s major successes, notorious failures, and musicals that closed during their pre-Broadway tryouts. In addition to including every hit and flop that debuted during the decade, this book highlights revivals and personal-appearance revues--Publisher's description.

Welcome to Hill Valley! Creating Back to the Future The Musical offers fans of the film franchise and lovers of musical theater an engrossing, comprehensive, and entertaining look at the birth of a new theatrical classic as the timeless 1985 film was adapted for the stage. With unprecedented access to cast and crew, author Michael Klastorin shares exclusive, in-depth interviews and previously unpublished photography. His account details the yearslong process, and the creative ingenuity and technical innovation, that went into the show's Manchester tryout and West End premiere. This essential companion to the musical will bring back fond memories for those who've seen it, and prepare those who haven't for the greatest musical of all time! Premiering at the Manchester Opera House in February 2020 to rave reviews--including a notice from the Guardian that the show set "a new standard of spectacle"--Back to the Future The Musical opened at London's historic Adelphi Theatre on August 20, 2021, to universal acclaim and blockbuster ticket sales. Featuring music and lyrics by celebrated composers Alan Silvestri (Back to the Future trilogy, Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Jagged Little Pill) and a book by Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy), the musical is adapted from the original screenplay by Gale and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump). Directed by Tony Award winner John Rando (Urinetown), the show introduced Tony Award winner Roger Bart as Doc Brown and Olly Dobson as Marty McFly. Since its opening, the show has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Olivier Award for "Best New Musical." Previews for the Broadway production begin on June 30, 2023 at the Winter Garden Theatre, with Bart returning to the Broadway stage to reprise his role as Doc. Hugh Coles, who originated the role of George McFly in the UK will mark his Broadway debut.

"This book equips aspiring performers, musicians, singers, and hobbyists with the tools and knowledge necessary to appreciate rap and hip-hop and to perform with fluency and authenticity. It dives into vocal techniques and exercises designed to help anybody meet hip-hop's technical demands and styles as well as major considerations for performance"-- Provided by publisher.

"In Here's to the Ladies, theater journalist Eddie Shapiro opens a jewelry box full of glittering surprises, through in-depth conversations with twenty leading women of Broadway. The women he interviewed spent endless hours with him, discussing their careers, offering insights into the iconic shows, changes on Broadway over the last century, and the art (and thrill) of taking the stage night after night. Each of these conversations is guided by Shapiro's expert knowledge of these women's careers, Broadway lore, and the details of famous (and infamous) musicals"-- Provided by publisher.

"With never-before-seen photos and new interviews, Superstar presents a detailed account of the life of the musical from 1969-1973"-- Provided by publisher."In 1969, when Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice decided to write a rock opera about Jesus Christ, they had little idea they were about to embark on one of the most popular, boundary-pushing, and influential musicals ever. The show's success was hardly assured at first: unable to secure enough funding, they initially resorted to just releasing its title song as a single. A full album followed to widespread acclaim, and only then could a full production get underway. More than fifty years later, Jesus Christ Superstar continues to be beloved in all its forms--the live show, various cast albums, and the wildly successful movie. Few people had the chance to witness the musical's evolution from as many angles as Ellis Nassour, whether collaborating with Rice and Lloyd Webber at MCA, writing for the New York Times, or assisting with the Broadway and LA productions. In this expansive, beautifully illustrated book, Nassour draws on a wealth of knowledge, first-hand experience, and new interviews to give the definitive story of the musical. Combining an engaging narrative with abundant photographs--many in color and never before published--he follows the show from its uncertain beginnings, through setbacks and controversies, to Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's ultimate triumph, serving up an unparalleled look at one of the most important and best-selling musical works of all time."--Back cover.

"A playful and powerful musicalization of Lindsay-Abaire's beloved play about a young girl forced to grow up too fast. Kimberly Akimbo tells the story of a young girl suffering from a rare disease similar to progeria that causes her to age four times faster than her high school peers. Surrounded by a deeply neurotic and dysfunctional family, Kimberly must also emotionally age at an accelerated rate. When she meets fellow misfit Seth, the two form an unlikely bond in the midst of social alienation. Written with composer Jeanine Tesori, Lindsay-Abaire's musical adaptation of his beloved play retains the original's quirky charm while deepening its emotional resonance"-- Provided by publisher.

"Milestones in Musical Theatre tracks ten of the most significant moments in musical theatre history, from some of its earliest incarnations, especially those crafted by Black creators, to its rise as a global phenomenon. Designed for weekly use in musical theatre courses, these ten chosen snapshots chart the development of this unique art form and move through its history chronologically, tracking the earliest operettas through the mid-century Golden Age classics, as well as the creative explosion in directing talent which reshaped the form, and moves toward inclusivity which have recast its creators. Each chapter explores how the musical and its history have been deeply influenced by a variety of factors, including race, gender and nationality, and examines how each milestone represents a significant turning point for this beloved art form. Milestones are a range of accessible textbooks, breaking down the need-to-know moments in the social, cultural, political and artistic development of foundational subject areas. This book is ideal for diverse and inclusive undergraduate musical theatre history courses"-- Provided by publisher.

"A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the iconic Broadway musical Sunday in the Park with George"-- Provided by publisher.In 1982 Lapine, at the beginning of his career as a playwright and director, met Stephen Sondheim, nineteen years his senior and already a legendary Broadway composer and lyricist. Shortly thereafter, the two decided to write a musical inspired by Georges Seurat's nineteenth-century painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Here Lapine chronicles the two-year odyssey of creating the iconic Broadway musical Sunday in the Park with George, accompanied by a treasure trove of personal photographs, sketches, script notes, and sheet music. The result is a deeply personal remembrance of their collaboration and friendship, and the highs and lows of a journey that resulted in a Pulitzer Prize-winning classic. -- adapted from jacket

"'Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow, Bloom and grow forever' Often dismissed as kitsch sentimentalism, Rodger and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music has proven an enduringly popular and surprisingly influential cultural icon, both within the field of musical theatre and the wider world. The Broadway production won five Tony Awards, the London production became the longest-running West End musical, and the movie version was the highest-grossing film of all time. This book examines how the musical heralded the end of an era on Broadway; its reinvention of history and biography; how the film has influenced future stage productions; the ways in which it put child performers centre stage; and how, nearly 60 years after its stage debut, the musical still has a direct impact on the modern world, from the United States to the Middle East. In this series of short essays, Julian Woolford re-examines the musical from seven different perspectives, revealing the ways in which it continues to impact the twenty first century"-- Provided by publisher.

"This book introduces readers to the widespread phenomenon of how social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok become an extension of long-standing aspects of musical theatre engagement. Although casual observers may dismiss social media's import, social media has revolutionized the field of musical theatre since the early days of Web 2.0 with spaces such as AOL, LiveJournal, and Myspace. Now, as social media continues to grow in relevance, the nuanced ways in which digital platforms influence musical culture remain ripe for study. Social Media in Musical Theatre moves beyond viewing social media merely as a passing fad or a space free from critical engagement. Rather, this volume takes a serious look at the critical role social media play in musicals, thus challenging how social media users and musical theatre-makers alike approach digital spaces. This book introduces the relationship between musical theatre and social media in the 21st century as well as methods to study social media's influence on musicals through three in-depth case studies organized around marketing on YouTube, fan engagement on Twitter, and new musical development on TikTok." -- Provided by publisher.

"Rock 'n' roll is a style that was born out of the great American melting pot. An outgrowth of the blues, rock 'n' roll music combines driving rhythms, powerful chords, and lyrics that communicate the human experience to audiences around the world. Although rock singing was once seen as a vulgar use of the human voice and was largely ignored by the academic community, voice teachers and singers around the world have recently taken a professional interest in learning specialized techniques for singing rock 'n' roll. So You Want to Sing Rock 'n' Roll gives readers a comprehensive guide to rock history, voice science, vocal health, audio technology, technical approaches to singing rock, and stylistic parameters for various rock subgenres. Matthew Edwards, assistant professor of voice at Shenandoah Conservatory, provides easy-to-understand explanations of technical concepts, with tips for practical application, and suggestions for listening and further reading. -- from back cover.

"For readers of Hidden Figures and Something Wonderful, When Broadway Was Black is the story of New York in the roaring twenties and the first Broadway show with an all-Black cast and creative team to achieve success--and its impact on our popular culture. Amidst a culture actively whitewashing, controlling, or trying to prevent their stories from being told, these artists changed the course of American entertainment. This groundbreaking group of performers and the creators (including composer Eubie Blake and lyricist Noble Sissle) sowed the seeds of the Harlem jazz scene and paved the way for people of color on stage and screen, ultimately leading to productions such as West Side Story, Black Panther, and of course, Hamilton"-- Provided by publisher.