Customer Reviews

Broadway Stories: A Backstage Journey Through Musical Theatre

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a well-written, fascinating book that gives real insights into the inner workings of Broadway. I agree with the previous reviewer that this should be a "must have" for anyone interested in Broadway and musical theatre.

I almost don't want to give this a "10," for
fear your expectations will be too high. (Do we remember "Forrest Gump"; I went to that one thinking
I'd die and come back as Lea Salonga. No, this one is
definitely a keeper. It's a collection of 10-12 interviews
of Broadway actors: from large, black men to small, waif-
like children, kudos to Marty Bell for interviewing such
an eclectic group of performers! It's a page turner...I read it
again and again! Trust me...DON'T MISS THIS ONE!

As William Goldman's landmark book The Season so well captured Broadway of the late 1960s, so does Broadway Stories capture Broadway of the 1990s. The similarity between the two books is quite obvious, and while The Season ends up being a little more profound, Marty Bell's book is extremely entertaining and informative. Each chapter of the book focuses on a different creative force: An actor or actress, a director, or a choreographer, and how their triumphs (or tragedies) during the 1991-1992 season helped contribute to Broadway. The backstage stories are a must-read for any theatre enthusiast, though Bell does not succeed at making biographical information on his subjects an organic part of his storytelling, and that really gets in the way of his otherwise well-written chronicles. A great companion piece to The Season or wonderful in its own right, you should definitely read Broadway Stories.