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From Assassins to West Side Story: The Director's Guide to Musical Theatre
 
 
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From Assassins to West Side Story: The Director's Guide to Musical Theatre (Paperback)

by Scott Miller (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
From Assassins to West Side Story is that rare theater textbook that is so articulate, insightful, and downright playful that it can be read simply for pleasure. If you're planning to direct one of these 16 shows, though, you'll have a far richer production for having employed its points. Scott Miller shows an uncommon, detailed understanding of the emotional machinery of these shows. He explores the use of the dies irae theme throughout Sweeney Todd; points out how the title character in Pippin becomes extraordinary only when he resolves to be ordinary; proposes unceasing motion as a staging concept and a theme in Les Miserables; suggests techniques to best let an audience grasp that time flows backward in Merrily We Roll Along; and ponders the nature of reality and unreality at the core of Man of La Mancha. Keep those cast albums ready, because you'll definitely be putting them on.

From Library Journal
The subtitle "director's guide" is somewhat misleading and could do this fine book a significant disservice. Although it will certainly assist directors in planning productions with greater depth and impact, it should also attract a much broader audience?actors, production staff, teachers, theater enthusiasts, and the like. Director, composer, and lyricist Miller offers a creative look at 16 musical icons, including Cabaret, Into the Woods, Les Miserables, Sweeny Todd, Gypsy, Carousel, and more. The result is not just a series of plot rehashes with production credits, though. Miller truly examines each show's contribution to the theatrical experience by providing character analyses, historical commentary, approaches to production, and thoughts on interpreting symbolism, themes, and musical textures. He aims at the heart of each work and reaches it with artistic insight. Those who participate in the theater at any level as well as those with an avid interest in the subject will discover some fresh ideas here. For circulating libraries with large collections in the performing arts.?Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, N.J.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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From Assassins to West Side Story: The Director's Guide to Musical Theatre
96% buy the item featured on this page:
From Assassins to West Side Story: The Director's Guide to Musical Theatre 4.5 out of 5 stars (19)
$17.95
Strike Up the Band: A New History of Musical Theatre
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Strike Up the Band: A New History of Musical Theatre 4.3 out of 5 stars (6)
$21.55

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Customer Reviews

19 Reviews
5 star:
 (15)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Work, March 26, 2000
By DonmarUK (London/New York) - See all my reviews
As a bi-continental director (London, New York, and Los Angeles), I was delighted to find that Miller doesn't have an American prejudice in his work -- in fact he highly respects the work non-American directors have done on American classics and that's quite refreshing. His books (this one and "Deconstructing Harold Hill") are the best examples I've seen of serious considerations of important, interesting musical theatre, yet with a sense of fun and joy, and with a devilish penchant for denying conventional wisdom when it doesn't make sense. In fact, he makes cases (in both books) for changing the conventional wisdom on a number of American classics. These terrific books are must-reads for both the theatre professional and the rabid fan as well -- both are inestimable treasures.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! Finally a book that I can USE to help me direct!, March 30, 1998
By A Customer
Scott Miller has shown that he not only truly understands the complexities of musical theater, but he knows how to put his ideas into terms that the rest of us schmucks can use. His book has become my "bible" when I direct. I look to the book to give me new angles for characterization, as well as staging. Miller really seems to cherish the richness of Stephen Sondheim's work and is able to translate his understanding into concrete suggestions for staging Sondheim's work. This is a must read for anyone who ever attempts to direct any kind of musical.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Sondheim fans, January 1, 1999
By A Customer
I love Sondheim shows and this book covers 7 Sondheim musicals (if you count West Side Story and Gypsy). I've read every book on Sondheim that's out there, but none of them made me understand the shows better than this one. It covers Assassins, Cabaret, Carousel, Company, Godspell, Gypsy, How to Succeed, Into the Woods, Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Miz, Man of La Mancha, Merrily We Roll Along, My Fair Lady, Pippin, Sweeney Todd, and West Side Story. Buy this book if you love musicals.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for serious musical theater lovers
I'm a major fan of Scott Miller's books, and this one is no exception. It is readable, well thought out, and filled with perceptive analysis of 16 classic musicals. Read more
Published on January 2, 2002 by jbk@musicals101.com

5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL!
This is one of the most humorous, honest and delightful books about theatre out there. Whether you want to learn about theatre or you know it all....... this book is for you!
Published on October 4, 2000 by jbhapgood2

5.0 out of 5 stars Long time coming
At last -- a book about musicals where the author doesn't spend half his time trying to impress us and the other half making factual errors. Read more
Published on April 25, 2000 by Bob

5.0 out of 5 stars Flawed but still Outstanding
This is the single most intelligent and entertaining book I've ever read on musical theater. Its only flaw is that the author's personal politics sometimes creep into the text --... Read more
Published on September 3, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Truly excellent book. Intelligent, insightful, a bit opinionated, and really fun to read. The chapters on Pippin and Godspell were most interesting to me, because I've always... Read more
Published on July 15, 1999

1.0 out of 5 stars Trite, facile, asinine
Scott Miller's book is a perfect example of what is wrong with musical theatre writing. The fact that a book like this can be published (with a supposed sequel underway) says... Read more
Published on July 13, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book I've Ever Read About Musicals
This book told me more about my favorite musicals than any other book I've ever read. I've been directing musicals for 35 years (professionally for 20), but this book got me... Read more
Published on January 1, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent, insightful, and really entertaining
I totally loved this book! I've been doing musicals for a long time and this book is the greatest thing I've read. And it's really entertaining, too. Read more
Published on January 1, 1999

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but flawed
Miller's work is very interesting in some of the areas it covers, such as character analyses, but it is spoiled by its overly political conclusions. Read more
Published on August 31, 1998

4.0 out of 5 stars An In-Depth Look at Specific Musicals
The author has written a book which takes an in-depth look at specific musicals, providing the reader with character and plot analyses that are not usually found in the libretto... Read more
Published on April 6, 1998 by Randy Detwiler (randet19@idt.net)

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