From the silver screen to the Great White Way, small community theatres to television sets, the musical has long held a special place in America's heart and history. Now, in The Oxford Companion to the American Musical, readers who flocked to the movies to see An American in Paris or Chicago, lined up for tickets to West Side Story or Rent, or crowded around their TVs to watch Cinderella or High School Musical can finally turn to a single book for details about them all. For the first time, this popular subject has an engaging and authoritative book as thrilling as the performances themselves.

With more than two thousand entries, this illustrated guide offers a wealth of information on musicals, performers, composers, lyricists, producers, choreographers, and much more. Biographical entries range from early stars Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, and Mae West to contemporary show-stoppers Nathan Lane, Savion Glover, and Kristin Chenoweth, while composers Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and Andrew Lloyd Webber all have articles, and the choreography of Bob Fosse, Tommy Tune, and Debbie Allen receives due examination. The plays and films covered range from modern hits like Mamma Mia! and Moulin Rouge! to timeless classics such as Yankee Doodle Dandy and Show Boat. Also, numerous musicals written specifically for television appear throughout, and many entries follow a work-Babes in Toyland for example-as it moves across genres, from stage, to film, to television. The Companion also includes cross references, a comprehensive listing of recommended recordings and further reading, a useful chronology of all the musicals described in the book, plus a complete index of Tony Award and Academy Award winners.

Whether you are curious about Singin' in the Rain or Spamalot, or simply adore The Wizard of Oz or Grease, this well-researched and entertaining resource is the first place to turn for reliable information on virtually every aspect of the American musical.

Author: Thomas S. Hischak
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 06/02/2008
Series: Oxford Companions
Pages: 960
Weight: 3.2lbs
Size: 9.51h x 6.34w x 1.92d
ISBN: 9780195335330


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 09/01/2008 pg. 164
Booklist 11/15/2008 pg. 70
School Library Journal 02/01/2009 pg. 66

About the Author
Thomas S. Hischak is Professor of Theatre at the State University of New York College at Cortland. He is the author of sixteen books on theatre, film, and popular music, including The Oxford Companion to American Theatre; the textbook Theatre As Human Action; and the award-winning American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia. He is also the author of twenty published plays.