The Show Makers: Great Directors of the American Musical Theatre [Paperback]

Lawrence Thelen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 2002

The Show Makers describes twelve of the most creative and influential directors of contemporary musical theatre. Richly anecdotal, The Show Makers communicates the passion and joy which motivates these directors.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Thelen, a published playwright and a director, here presents 12 of "the most creative and influential directors of the contemporary musical theatre." This is not a "how-to" book on play directing; it is a collection of Thelen's personal interviews with directors like Graciela Daniele, Harold Prince, Jerome Robbins, George C. Wolfe, and Jerry Zaks--all of which provide insight into the philosophies of these great directors and allow the reader to compare a variety of styles, influences, and approaches to musical theater. He begins with a general discussion of directorial approaches, then presents each director individually. The artists represented are not only "responsible for directing some of the most important and influential musicals of the 20th century but are literally directing the future of the American Musical." A delight for any student of musical theater, especially those who desire to direct. Highly recommended for public and academic theater collections.
-Laura A. Ewald, Murray State Univ. Lib., KY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In creating a new musical, composers, lyricists, and good book writers are important, and it doesn't hurt to have a decent choreographer. But if the director isn't inspired, focused, and first-rate, the show is in trouble. What makes a director great? In answer, Thelen focuses on 12 prominent American directors. Each self-contained chapter, liberally salted with remarks from Thelen's interviews of the subject, discusses a particular director's life and career. Each relays a wealth of information about the directors and contemporary theater, for instance, Tom O'Horgan's frustration with the lack of "real voices" in musical theater today. Unfortunately, to unearth such nuggets, one must plow through Thelen's workmanlike prose. He could have either published transcripts or written a scholarly work about musical theater, but instead he produced a hybrid that lacks the sweep and careful consideration of thorough scholarship and the immediacy of good interviews, for Thelen paraphrases too much. Yet real musical mavens, aware of how rarely the director's testimony is heard, will forgive Thelen, anyway. Jack Helbig --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (June 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415923476
• ISBN-13: 978-0415923477
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,837,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Reading, August 14, 2008

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Damien Slattery (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Show Makers: Great Directors of the American Musical Theatre (Paperback)

Enjoyable book full of interviews with the best of musical theatre directors- Harold Prince, Arthur Laurents, Mike Ockrent, legendary Jerome Robbins and even the now-obscure Tom O' Horgan is included. Tommy Tune is conspicuous by his absence.

Harold Prince - Creating the "New Musical" Harold Prince in Berlin: In Collaboration With Daniel Brunet and Miguel Angel Esquivel Rios

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I grew up with this author, August 24, 2008

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Sara Kinney (Redondo Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Show Makers: Great Directors of the American Musical Theatre (Hardcover)

I grew up with Larry Thelen, and when I saw that he'd written a book, I wanted to get it. I must admit that I gave it to a friend of mine who's into the theatre, so I can't comment on the book. I only read the biographical part on Thelen.