Dietz continues his excellent series on Broadway musicals with a step back into the Golden Age of musicals. He covers every Broadway show from the 1940s (273 shows altogether), from John Henry (January 1940) through Jule Styne's smash Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (December 1949). As in earlier volumes treating the 1960s and 1950s and complementing the content of Thomas Hischak's Broadway ... Read morePlays and Musicals, Dietz discusses the ‘book musicals’ (serious drama set to music and song) with new music as well as the revivals, revues, new operas, imports, and other works appearing in New York venues, plus pre-Broadway closings. Each chronologically arranged entry includes opening and closing dates, number of performances, crew, cast (with character names), setting, musical numbers (and performers), two-page plot summaries and critical reception, awards, book availability, and detailed recording history. Names of performers who were billed above the title are italicized for emphasis. Entries are well-written and informative, with ample quotes from the original New York theater critics. Appendixes A–H (including a chronology, discography, and filmography), a bibliography, and a detailed index complete the volume. Any lover of Broadway shows and library collections with strengths in musical theater will want to purchase this volume. Summing Up: Recommended. All students and scholars; general readers; professionals/practitioners.
CHOICE
Deitz (The Complete Book of 1960s Broadway Musicals) shines the spotlight on the decade that many consider the birth of the modern musical, given the Broadway bow of Oklahoma! in 1943. He details the amazing sweep of 273 productions that opened during this period, including Brlgadoon, Pal Joey, and South Pacific. Essay entries are organized by show opening date, with an alphabetical shows index also provided. Entries have header listings of book/lyrics credits, cast members, number of performances, and other information that is sure to please musical fans . . . Eight appendixes (covering discographies, filmographies, and more) conclude the work. VERDICT A rich tour of a landmark decade on the Great White Way.
Library Journal
Musical-theater enthusiasts will enjoy paging through this volume, and students or researchers in the field will find this to be a good starting point. Recommended for medium-sized and large public library reference collections as well as academic libraries supporting performing-arts programs.
Booklist
The entries are well written, concise, interesting and fun to read. Often the author includes obscure details to personalize the production. . . .There is an alphabetical index of all the musicals at the beginning of the volume, which is good, as the organization of the volume is by Broadway season.
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