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Broadway Nights: A Romp of Life, Love, & Musical Theatre
"No one out there knows Broadway or can tell a story like the a-mahzing Seth Rudetsky."—Jonathan Groff, Tony-nominated actor/singer, "Spring Awakening" “BROADWAY NIGHTS literally made me laugh out LOUD. Seth Rudetsky is the funniest man I know. Period.” —Kristin Chenoweth, Tony award-winning actress “Seth Rudetsky knows every skeleton in (or out) of the closet on Broadway and his passion, joy and encyclopedic knowledge of that Magic Kingdom inform every sentence of this book. He makes our age, this age, seem Golden, too, and he is right about that.” —Terrence McNally, playwright “I love Seth Rudetsky! He is Mr. Broadway! Seth's love for the Musical Theatre equals my own and his knowledge of all things Broadway is an obsession to be cherished. His chronicle of the journey of starstruck kid to Broadway pianist/conductor is a wonderful every-theatre-kid tale with wicked humor and New York City savvy, sass and insight. I LOVE THIS BOOK!” —Betty Buckley,Tony award-wining actress/singer "Seth Rudetsky belts a high comedic note in this hilariously reflective, mile-a-minute insight about the real people who travel the Great White Way."—Ana Gasteyer, Actress/Singer, "Saturday Night Live", "Wicked" "Seth Rudetsky's book is everything you want to know about Broadway AND Funny!"—Lea DeLaria, Actress/Comedian, "The Rocky Picture Horror Show" “Seth Rudetsky works in the pits, but his book is anything but. A laugh-filled excursion to Broadway with a guide who knows where all the phantoms are buried. Even if the closest you ever get to the Broadway jungle is second mezz at “The Lion King,” you'll have a good time” —Bruce Vilanch, Actor-Writer-One-time-Square Welcome to life beneath the wicked stage! Stephen Sheerin was born to play on Broadway—or at least, under it. He’s a musician, a conductor, and his dream is to music direct a big Broadway musical. After years of toiling in the pit of some of the best-loved (and loathed) hits on the Great White Way, he’s just been given his big break. Can life really be going that well? Of course not—his family is driving him crazy and his boyfriend can’t seem to get rid of his other boyfriend. Then there’s Stephen himself—neurotic and bitchy—who realizes that maybe total happiness is over-rated.
339 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
9 people are currently reading
855 people want to read
About the author
Seth Rudetsky
17 books91 followersSeth is the Broadway host, seven days a week, on Sirius Satellite Radio. As a pianist, Seth has played for more than a dozen Broadway shows including RAGTIME, LES MIZ and PHANTOM. He was the Artistic Producer/Music Director for the first five annual Actors Fund Fall Concerts including DREAMGIRLS with Audra MacDonald (recorded on Nonesuch Records) and HAIR with Jennifer Hudson (recorded on Ghostlight Records, Grammy Nomination). In 2007 he made his Broadway acting debut playing Sheldon (singing “Magic to Do” in a devastating unitard) in THE RITZ directed by Joe Mantello for The Roundabout Theater. Off-Broadway he wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed RHAPSODY IN SETH (directed by Peter Flynn) at the Actors Playhouse and has also appeared on TV on LAW AND ORDER C.I. and had a recurring role on ALL MY CHILDREN. As an author, he penned the books THE Q GUIDE TO BROADWAY, now in it’s third printing, and the recently published BROADWAY NIGHTS which was just released as an audio book on audible.com featuring Andrea Martin, Jonathan Groff and Kristin Chenoweth . Recently he was the vocal coach on MTV’s LEGALLY BLONDE reality show and he currently writes a weekly column on Playbill.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
September 19, 2012
I come from a long line of musical theatre junkies. Some of my earliest memories are of listening to my parents' original cast recordings of various musicals and I was taken to see musicals from a very young age. Although these days I see much more straight theatre than I do musicals, I retain a fondness for musical theatre generally and for Broadway productions in particular.
This is a novel which is lots of fun for someone who loves musical theatre and of no interest whatsover to anyone else. Narrated by the author, with guest appearances by a number of Broadway stars (the only ones with whom I am familiar being Kristen Chenoweth, Jonathan Groff and Ann Harada), it's clearly a roman à clef. This means that Broadway insiders (who presumably all read the book when it was first published) would get more out of it than the average Broadway fan. It's also a fairy tale, a romantic comedy and a vehicle for the author to share his views on a range of subjects. Added to that, it imparts lots of interesting information about the way in which a musical gets from audition stage to opening night. And it's genuinely funny, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.
That said, the work is rather too long for its content. It's also predictable and not terribly original. In addition, I hope that the author doesn't have the issues with his mother that the fictional narrator has. If he does, I really feel for the mother whose self-centredness is displayed for all to read about.
In spite of the novel's shortcomings, this was just what I needed after listening to an audiobook of the wonderful but very depressing Jude the Obscure: a silly bit of fluff which makes me want to head straight to New York to see another show or three. A solid 3-1/2 star read.
May 14, 2010
IN A NUTSHELL: Stephen Sheerin’s diary, narrated by the author (Rudetsky) relates the ins and outs of mounting a major Broadway musical, along with the ins and outs of Stephen’s life, including his (boy)friends, family, therapist, and day-to-day life in New York City.
THE BLURB
Mr. Conductor, if you please…
It’s been said (actually, it’s been sung) that when a Broadway baby says goodnight, it’s early in the morning. But what about those nights? The thrill of being on stage, the adulation, the applause, the stage door fanatics…
Stephen Sheerin has no such life. Sure, he dallies on the Great White Way, but when he does have a job it’s beneath the stage, subbing in the orchestra pit. Other parts of his life are the pits too—including his love life. Why does he always date men who already have boyfriends?
But now Stephen has been given the chance of a lifetime: to be the music director on a brand-new, Broadway-bound show. He couldn’t be happier. Trouble is, Stephen doesn’t do happiness well.
THE REVIEW
I am going to go out on a limb and give this five stars, because I enjoyed it a lot. I can honestly imagine there are people who would not care for this book one bit and would disagree with my rating. But I found it laugh-out-loud funny, full of interesting anecdotes about Broadway, a main character who grew and changed over the course of the story, and a happy ending. What more could a reader ask for?
I listened to the audiobook from Audible.com because the paper version is out of print (see below) and an ebook version is not available. However, the author is the narrator and he is a very funny man, so I suspect that listening to this book is more entertaining than reading it. As a bonus, there are a number of cameos from famous stars who voice various characters, including (to name just a few): Andrea Martin as Mrs. Remick; Kristin Chenoweth as Françoise; Jonathan Groff as Mason (he has a very sexy voice); and Andrea Burns as Stacy (“the human icicle”). It becomes more like a play and less like a book with the variety of characters who are speaking and kept me completely entertained for the entire 10+ hours of listening time (the audiobook is unabridged).
The book is written as a diary which the main character and author, Stephen, has been encouraged to keep by his therapist, Monikah. The first few entries/chapters introduce Stephen and his life, friends, family, and a bit of background. The story picks up when he runs into an old friend, Mason, who has just returned to New York with a Master’s in drama from Yale and a contract to direct a brand new Broadway musical, “Flowerchild.” Stephen gets hired as the conductor and from there, we readers get to experience every detail of the production, from the initial casting of the show to the opening night party, five months later. Along the way, we also get to experience the ups and downs of Stephen’s life and the lives of his friends, all of whom seem to thrive on drama, both onstage and off.
In real life, Rudetsky has been a pianist and “sub” (substitute) on Broadway for many years, so he clearly knows what he is talking about (I suspect large parts of the story are drawn from his own life). He assumes that we readers don’t know much about the inner workings of Broadway so he fills us in, while at the same time keeping the story—which turned out to be more complicated and clever than I expected—moving forward.
Now, here’s the caveat—Rudetsky has, shall we say, a signature voice. You’ll either find him funny, like I did, or he’ll drive you wicked up the wall. I suspect there is not much middle ground with this man. He’s a DJ with a daily show on Sirius radio, so if you’ve heard that, you know what he sounds like. If not, I suggest listening to the sample at Audible before committing to buy the book.
To sum up: if you like Broadway, show tunes, gay men being bitchy, and humor that is decidedly New York-centric (Hotel Bar butter, anyone?), then you’ll definitely enjoy this book as much as I did. Even if you are not much of a Broadway fan and have never set foot in the Big Apple, but like to laugh, I’d suggest giving this book a try because it certainly tickled my funny bone—and I hope it would do the same for others.
NB: The print version of this book was published by Alyson in 2007. That same year, Alyson was purchased by a larger publisher and many (most) (all) of its LGBTQ books went out of print, including Broadway Nights. It appears that Rudetsky took the initiative to make the audiobook (he lists himself as producer and director). Only used copies of the print book are available. The audiobook can be purchased from Audible and also in the Apple iTunes store.
(posted on reviewsbyjessewave, 4/28/2010)
THE BLURB
Mr. Conductor, if you please…
It’s been said (actually, it’s been sung) that when a Broadway baby says goodnight, it’s early in the morning. But what about those nights? The thrill of being on stage, the adulation, the applause, the stage door fanatics…
Stephen Sheerin has no such life. Sure, he dallies on the Great White Way, but when he does have a job it’s beneath the stage, subbing in the orchestra pit. Other parts of his life are the pits too—including his love life. Why does he always date men who already have boyfriends?
But now Stephen has been given the chance of a lifetime: to be the music director on a brand-new, Broadway-bound show. He couldn’t be happier. Trouble is, Stephen doesn’t do happiness well.
THE REVIEW
I am going to go out on a limb and give this five stars, because I enjoyed it a lot. I can honestly imagine there are people who would not care for this book one bit and would disagree with my rating. But I found it laugh-out-loud funny, full of interesting anecdotes about Broadway, a main character who grew and changed over the course of the story, and a happy ending. What more could a reader ask for?
I listened to the audiobook from Audible.com because the paper version is out of print (see below) and an ebook version is not available. However, the author is the narrator and he is a very funny man, so I suspect that listening to this book is more entertaining than reading it. As a bonus, there are a number of cameos from famous stars who voice various characters, including (to name just a few): Andrea Martin as Mrs. Remick; Kristin Chenoweth as Françoise; Jonathan Groff as Mason (he has a very sexy voice); and Andrea Burns as Stacy (“the human icicle”). It becomes more like a play and less like a book with the variety of characters who are speaking and kept me completely entertained for the entire 10+ hours of listening time (the audiobook is unabridged).
The book is written as a diary which the main character and author, Stephen, has been encouraged to keep by his therapist, Monikah. The first few entries/chapters introduce Stephen and his life, friends, family, and a bit of background. The story picks up when he runs into an old friend, Mason, who has just returned to New York with a Master’s in drama from Yale and a contract to direct a brand new Broadway musical, “Flowerchild.” Stephen gets hired as the conductor and from there, we readers get to experience every detail of the production, from the initial casting of the show to the opening night party, five months later. Along the way, we also get to experience the ups and downs of Stephen’s life and the lives of his friends, all of whom seem to thrive on drama, both onstage and off.
In real life, Rudetsky has been a pianist and “sub” (substitute) on Broadway for many years, so he clearly knows what he is talking about (I suspect large parts of the story are drawn from his own life). He assumes that we readers don’t know much about the inner workings of Broadway so he fills us in, while at the same time keeping the story—which turned out to be more complicated and clever than I expected—moving forward.
Now, here’s the caveat—Rudetsky has, shall we say, a signature voice. You’ll either find him funny, like I did, or he’ll drive you wicked up the wall. I suspect there is not much middle ground with this man. He’s a DJ with a daily show on Sirius radio, so if you’ve heard that, you know what he sounds like. If not, I suggest listening to the sample at Audible before committing to buy the book.
To sum up: if you like Broadway, show tunes, gay men being bitchy, and humor that is decidedly New York-centric (Hotel Bar butter, anyone?), then you’ll definitely enjoy this book as much as I did. Even if you are not much of a Broadway fan and have never set foot in the Big Apple, but like to laugh, I’d suggest giving this book a try because it certainly tickled my funny bone—and I hope it would do the same for others.
NB: The print version of this book was published by Alyson in 2007. That same year, Alyson was purchased by a larger publisher and many (most) (all) of its LGBTQ books went out of print, including Broadway Nights. It appears that Rudetsky took the initiative to make the audiobook (he lists himself as producer and director). Only used copies of the print book are available. The audiobook can be purchased from Audible and also in the Apple iTunes store.
(posted on reviewsbyjessewave, 4/28/2010)
November 24, 2023
Audiobook.
It was FABULOUS!!!!
I was involved in community theater and tried New York for a couple of years. I did some paid opera, murder mystery, and finally a non-equity children's theater tour. After the tour, I went back to community theater.
This book is wonderful!
Re-listen November 2023. Just as fabulous! 😁
It was FABULOUS!!!!
I was involved in community theater and tried New York for a couple of years. I did some paid opera, murder mystery, and finally a non-equity children's theater tour. After the tour, I went back to community theater.
This book is wonderful!
Re-listen November 2023. Just as fabulous! 😁
June 20, 2019
This is a delight. Although I have to confess that it was at least an hour in before I realized that this was NOT a memoir! (I think Maureen figured it out much sooner than me!) it’s definitely based on real experiences, but there is (sadly) no such show as Flower Child...and frankly the theatre world is a sadder place for it!
I enjoyed the parts that were about the nuts and bolts of putting on a real Broadway show, and I have no doubt that all of the characters are based on real people. The relationship stuff got tedious, and there was a point at the end when we were both shouting “get there faster!” at the audio. But it’s a fun story and the delightful voice cast make it a great audiobook. It reminded me a bit of Attack of the Theatre People, actually.
I enjoyed the parts that were about the nuts and bolts of putting on a real Broadway show, and I have no doubt that all of the characters are based on real people. The relationship stuff got tedious, and there was a point at the end when we were both shouting “get there faster!” at the audio. But it’s a fun story and the delightful voice cast make it a great audiobook. It reminded me a bit of Attack of the Theatre People, actually.
June 20, 2019
This book is absolutely batshit. I definitely got this from Audible thinking it was Seth Rudetsky’s memoir of his time in Broadway’s inner circles, but it did not turn out to be such. The story is definitely...shaped?...by the author’s memories, experiences, and insider knowledge, but Rudetsky’s life story it ain’t. I hope. The main character isn’t super likable for most of the book, and I’d like to keep liking Seth.
As a theatre person, I loved all the random tangents and diversions into the nuts-and-bolts of how a Broadway show (the fictional “Flower Child” which frankly seems delightful and I’d definitely go see it if it were real) gets mounted. It’s comforting to know that Broadway shows also have terrible tech rehearsals! And sitzprobes are totally a thing even though everyone I know thinks I made it up! The plot is paper-thin, though, and the relationship saga was a little much by the end. Also, I’m pretty sure Rudetsky’s narration is 65% responsible for the two-day headache I had while listening to this.
But I’ll forever be thankful that this book got me and Molly through an interminable 12-hour drive up the entire state of Florida, America’s penis, so I’m going to give this book an extra half star for that alone.
As a theatre person, I loved all the random tangents and diversions into the nuts-and-bolts of how a Broadway show (the fictional “Flower Child” which frankly seems delightful and I’d definitely go see it if it were real) gets mounted. It’s comforting to know that Broadway shows also have terrible tech rehearsals! And sitzprobes are totally a thing even though everyone I know thinks I made it up! The plot is paper-thin, though, and the relationship saga was a little much by the end. Also, I’m pretty sure Rudetsky’s narration is 65% responsible for the two-day headache I had while listening to this.
But I’ll forever be thankful that this book got me and Molly through an interminable 12-hour drive up the entire state of Florida, America’s penis, so I’m going to give this book an extra half star for that alone.
May 11, 2019
Silly, fun listen with loads of theatre jokes and Broadway references. Kind of like a funny soap opera. Lots of real Broadway stars voicing different characters. Kristin Chenowith was especially funny. I’ll never pronounce harpSEEchord the same way ever again.
June 19, 2023
Broadway Nights is one of the most exciting books I have ever read. This book is a fictional autobiography written by the musician Seth Rudetsky, whose real name is Stephen Sheerin. I have been very interested in Seth’s work for a while now. He co-wrote one of my favorite musicals that I was in and I have had the opportunity to meet him through a short video call with the cast of my show where he asked to talk to me to ask how my experience was and what I thought of his writing. This is one of the biggest reasons I wanted to learn more about him. He wrote this book in 2007, so he was not as big of a name back then as he is now. The best way that I could describe the feeling of reading this book is that it is like you are sitting down in a diner with him and he is just gossiping your ears off. One of the first things he mentions at the beginning of this book is that he is writing this because it is an assignment given to him by his therapist. So really, this book is more of a diary.
The book starts with Seth explaining to the reader his situation in life and what he wants to accomplish. At the beginning of the book, he is a substitute piano player on Broadway. This means that if any of the principal piano players can’t make it to their show, Seth is able to fill in for them. He is not content with this though. What he wants to do more than anything is to be a conductor on Broadway. However, this book is not just about his career, it is also about his personal life. He explains at the beginning of the book that he is in a relationship with a man named Craig who is already in another relationship. This is a very morally gray part of the book. There are multiple times in the book where Seth expresses his guilt about being the “home-wrecker”. Even after Craig breaks up with his boyfriend, Seth finds that he is still not happy in the relationship. This serves as a huge wake-up call for him and he realizes that he loved the chase in their relationship, but once they were finally together, he was not happy.
Partway through the book, Seth gets the opportunity to conduct a brand new show called Flowerchild. This was a huge opportunity for him, so of course, he said yes. I thought that this was one of the best parts of the book because it took us through the whole process of creating a new musical. The most informative part for me was when he talked about the audition process. There must’ve been hundreds of people who auditioned. A big lesson that I learned from this part was that even though you might be perfect for a role in one person’s eyes, that will not matter if you are not perfect for the role in everyone’s eyes. You have to be someone that everyone on the artistic staff can agree about because otherwise, you are not getting in the cast.
This book completely changed how I see the business side of Broadway and this book highlighted a lot of the scandalous things that can happen behind closed doors when working on a Broadway show. This could be anything from people cheating on each other to actors having breakdowns before a performance. I would recommend this book to anyone who is even a little bit interested in Broadway. You will not get a better insight into what it is like to work on a Broadway show than this book. Seth Rudetsky‘s writing style is so personable, and it feels like he is talking directly to you.
There is absolutely no point in this book where I feel like Seth is holding out on us. He shares every single detail of what is going on. He never fails to have something witty to say about everything. He is constantly trying to make you laugh while reading this book and it absolutely works. His comedic styling translates very well into writing, and it makes this book a joy to read. I loved reading this book from start to finish and I never got bored. You really get to know a lot about Seth and his personality in this book and it makes you want to root for him. I got very invested in this book by the end and it left me wanting more. The book has an extremely satisfying ending, and it seems like nearly all the loose ends are tied up.
The main question that this book raises is, what is Broadway really like? Broadway seems to have this veil of superiority. The industry wants to make you think that it is perfect and nothing goes wrong, but that is not the truth. No production of a Broadway show goes exactly as planned, and some aspect of it is going to be a nightmare. The main thing that matters is that you are able to adapt to it. This book highlights a lot of people in it, and it is clear that some are better at adapting than others.
Although this book is only loosely based on Seth’s real life, the heart that he put into it makes it seem like he has lived through all of these experiences. There’s no doubt in my mind that every single person that is mentioned in this book has a real-life counterpart, and many of these events really did happen to Seth. I did not learn that this book was only loosely based on reality until after I had read the whole thing. I think that it is a testament to Seth Rudetsky’s amazing writing style that I couldn’t tell that a lot of these events were fictional until much later. All of the characters in this book felt like they were living and breathing people, which they likely are, just with changed names. A part of me wishes that I could re-read this book, but now with the knowledge that most of it is fictional, it makes me wonder how different of a reading experience I would’ve gotten compared to when I thought it was a true autobiography. That explains why I couldn’t find the soundtrack for the musical Flowerchild, that’s because it doesn’t exist!
I would urge anyone who has even the slightest interest in Broadway to give this book a try. It is unlike any book I have read before and it will no doubt keep you entertained. If I had to give this book a rating on a one to ten scale, I would rate it a nine out of ten. The amount of sheer entertainment value you get from reading this book is worth it alone, but you also get a very educational experience learning about the true ins and outs of making a Broadway show. I guarantee you that by the time this book ends, you will be begging to read more. Seth Rudetsky’s talent is very apparent when reading this book and it is clear to see why he had such an amazing career. I believe that he is one of the best artists of our time and his work needs to be more celebrated in the industry. I cannot wait to see what Seth Rudetsky does next. To people who are interested in the theater industry, I could not recommend this book enough. I guarantee that you’ll have an amazing time reading it. I cannot state enough how entertaining Seth’s writing is and it just makes you want to read more. Please, read this book if any of this sounds even remotely interesting to you. You won’t regret it.
The book starts with Seth explaining to the reader his situation in life and what he wants to accomplish. At the beginning of the book, he is a substitute piano player on Broadway. This means that if any of the principal piano players can’t make it to their show, Seth is able to fill in for them. He is not content with this though. What he wants to do more than anything is to be a conductor on Broadway. However, this book is not just about his career, it is also about his personal life. He explains at the beginning of the book that he is in a relationship with a man named Craig who is already in another relationship. This is a very morally gray part of the book. There are multiple times in the book where Seth expresses his guilt about being the “home-wrecker”. Even after Craig breaks up with his boyfriend, Seth finds that he is still not happy in the relationship. This serves as a huge wake-up call for him and he realizes that he loved the chase in their relationship, but once they were finally together, he was not happy.
Partway through the book, Seth gets the opportunity to conduct a brand new show called Flowerchild. This was a huge opportunity for him, so of course, he said yes. I thought that this was one of the best parts of the book because it took us through the whole process of creating a new musical. The most informative part for me was when he talked about the audition process. There must’ve been hundreds of people who auditioned. A big lesson that I learned from this part was that even though you might be perfect for a role in one person’s eyes, that will not matter if you are not perfect for the role in everyone’s eyes. You have to be someone that everyone on the artistic staff can agree about because otherwise, you are not getting in the cast.
This book completely changed how I see the business side of Broadway and this book highlighted a lot of the scandalous things that can happen behind closed doors when working on a Broadway show. This could be anything from people cheating on each other to actors having breakdowns before a performance. I would recommend this book to anyone who is even a little bit interested in Broadway. You will not get a better insight into what it is like to work on a Broadway show than this book. Seth Rudetsky‘s writing style is so personable, and it feels like he is talking directly to you.
There is absolutely no point in this book where I feel like Seth is holding out on us. He shares every single detail of what is going on. He never fails to have something witty to say about everything. He is constantly trying to make you laugh while reading this book and it absolutely works. His comedic styling translates very well into writing, and it makes this book a joy to read. I loved reading this book from start to finish and I never got bored. You really get to know a lot about Seth and his personality in this book and it makes you want to root for him. I got very invested in this book by the end and it left me wanting more. The book has an extremely satisfying ending, and it seems like nearly all the loose ends are tied up.
The main question that this book raises is, what is Broadway really like? Broadway seems to have this veil of superiority. The industry wants to make you think that it is perfect and nothing goes wrong, but that is not the truth. No production of a Broadway show goes exactly as planned, and some aspect of it is going to be a nightmare. The main thing that matters is that you are able to adapt to it. This book highlights a lot of people in it, and it is clear that some are better at adapting than others.
Although this book is only loosely based on Seth’s real life, the heart that he put into it makes it seem like he has lived through all of these experiences. There’s no doubt in my mind that every single person that is mentioned in this book has a real-life counterpart, and many of these events really did happen to Seth. I did not learn that this book was only loosely based on reality until after I had read the whole thing. I think that it is a testament to Seth Rudetsky’s amazing writing style that I couldn’t tell that a lot of these events were fictional until much later. All of the characters in this book felt like they were living and breathing people, which they likely are, just with changed names. A part of me wishes that I could re-read this book, but now with the knowledge that most of it is fictional, it makes me wonder how different of a reading experience I would’ve gotten compared to when I thought it was a true autobiography. That explains why I couldn’t find the soundtrack for the musical Flowerchild, that’s because it doesn’t exist!
I would urge anyone who has even the slightest interest in Broadway to give this book a try. It is unlike any book I have read before and it will no doubt keep you entertained. If I had to give this book a rating on a one to ten scale, I would rate it a nine out of ten. The amount of sheer entertainment value you get from reading this book is worth it alone, but you also get a very educational experience learning about the true ins and outs of making a Broadway show. I guarantee you that by the time this book ends, you will be begging to read more. Seth Rudetsky’s talent is very apparent when reading this book and it is clear to see why he had such an amazing career. I believe that he is one of the best artists of our time and his work needs to be more celebrated in the industry. I cannot wait to see what Seth Rudetsky does next. To people who are interested in the theater industry, I could not recommend this book enough. I guarantee that you’ll have an amazing time reading it. I cannot state enough how entertaining Seth’s writing is and it just makes you want to read more. Please, read this book if any of this sounds even remotely interesting to you. You won’t regret it.
January 23, 2016
This novel reads like a teenage fantasy. I think in some respects it is one. The characters (and I use the term loosely) seem to be simply imitations of people that the author actually knows, and so as a result he does not craft a character, he gives his imitation of a real person and calls it a character.
The book is an interesting look at the creative musical side of a Broadway show, and I would have liked more of that. Unfortunately the novel keeps coming back to the personal life of the neurotic, and unlikable, narrator. Since the narrator is not someone the reader wants to root for, the book has trouble connecting with its audience. I have a very strong feeling that much of the completely overblown praise for this novel is for its author. People like him, know him, enjoy his other work, etc. All that is fine, buts let's be honest...a good writer he ain't.
One thing I liked in the text, that I can see some folks hating, is the idea of the book as a therapist ordered journal, written by the narrator. It therefore reads in character voice with all the inherent colloquialisms, etc. However, the narrator is stereotypical and clichéd, and detracts from what little impact the text could have.
The dénouement and ending of the book are straight out of a gay after school special about Broadway, and I for one don't like to see people reduced to simplistic caricatures.
The novel is easy, light, and fun reading; I just would not buy it. Borrow it from a library. By the way, if you don't have an avid interest in musical theatre you will hate it. Be warned.
The book is an interesting look at the creative musical side of a Broadway show, and I would have liked more of that. Unfortunately the novel keeps coming back to the personal life of the neurotic, and unlikable, narrator. Since the narrator is not someone the reader wants to root for, the book has trouble connecting with its audience. I have a very strong feeling that much of the completely overblown praise for this novel is for its author. People like him, know him, enjoy his other work, etc. All that is fine, buts let's be honest...a good writer he ain't.
One thing I liked in the text, that I can see some folks hating, is the idea of the book as a therapist ordered journal, written by the narrator. It therefore reads in character voice with all the inherent colloquialisms, etc. However, the narrator is stereotypical and clichéd, and detracts from what little impact the text could have.
The dénouement and ending of the book are straight out of a gay after school special about Broadway, and I for one don't like to see people reduced to simplistic caricatures.
The novel is easy, light, and fun reading; I just would not buy it. Borrow it from a library. By the way, if you don't have an avid interest in musical theatre you will hate it. Be warned.
September 8, 2010
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book!!! I felt like I was having a series of conversations with my hilarious best friend. I was sad when it was over! I actually listened to the audio version of this book, which is read by a cast of Broadway actors, with the author reading his own part, and it was AMAZING! I laughed out loud on a regular basis. Please write another book soon Seth!
August 18, 2015
I am the target audience for this tale of a Broadway musical director and his path to his first Broadway show with a couple romances along the way. It's fun to have so much factual info combined with this fictional tale.
November 30, 2016
While on vacation in NYC, I bought two books that should have fed my insatiable desire to read about theater. One was a young adult novel, the other an adult novel, and both were by Seth Rudetsky. He is a theater professional who apparently is loved by all of his co-workers on Broadway. I immediately read the young adult novel, since that’s the genre I write myself, and my review was mixed, leaning heavily to the “didn’t like it” column. I found the protagonist to be irritating. So now, months later, I picked up the other book Broadway Nights. With a glowing recommendation from Kristin Chenoweth and an affirming introduction by Audra Mc Donald—my two favorites Broadway stars—I figured that this book, written about adults and for adults—might prove to be quite different from the other one. Oh, how I wish it had been. Rudetsky crafted a fine plot around the creation of a new musical. He peppered his tale with true anecdotes about Broadway. Many of those I had already heard and some were enlightening or amusing, but they seemed to me to stop the action whenever they showed up. But most of all, the protagonist here is the same irritating character from the young adult novel. He has a different name and he’s older, but I still had the urge to scream, “Stop the motor mouth and just tell the story.” I suspect that Rudetsky himself is like this guy, and I suspect the persona plays better in person than in print. At any rate, I wanted to love the book, but I couldn’t get past the constant chatter and asides that had so little to do with the plot. I do acknowledge, however, that I was pleased with the character’s development. He did grow and by the end, he seemed he had learned and would go forward being less irritating and more engaging. But by then, the book was over, and I was glad.
November 2, 2017
Seth Rudetsky wrote a really fun romantic comedy drama about Stephen, an aspiring Broadway pianist/conductor working as a sub on Broadway (not quite unlike myself...in most aspects of personality-secretly wanting to please everyone, worried about everything, loves juicy gossip, loves sexy men, hates drama even though they're always in it, dealing with theatre people)...When Stephen gets the opportunity to work on a new show with an old friend that opens on Broadway soon...anything and everything that can go right does and every backstage drama that can happen, does!
Lots of fun, heart, honesty, tons of Broadway references, culture references and just a really enjoyable read!
Lots of fun, heart, honesty, tons of Broadway references, culture references and just a really enjoyable read!
May 4, 2020
This is the book for the musical theater lover in your life -- get the audio version please. With an ensemble cast of voices, you are introduced to a behind scenes look at what goes into mounting a Broadway show. Stephen Sheerin, the son of classical musicians, shocked his family with his love of Broadway shows and his career pursuing the dream of being a musical director of a hit show. With his big chance on the horizon, Stephen takes you on a bumpy ride from signing his contract to opening night. Using his diary as a silent witness, you vicariously live Stephen's life in all his catty, neurotic, and self-doubting voices.
November 10, 2021
Like listening in on Seth’s radio show on XM, but with a little more plot. Was a little confused at first when he was named Stephen, but the Seth humor was there. A little too heavy of course on the gay angst and romance but that’s not a surprise coming from Seth. I did enjoy the setting of the production process of the show and the other characters, although the other boyfriends in and out of the picture tended to get a little confusing. Guess I was expecting more of a non-fiction account of Broadway nights but it was still enjoyable for us Seth fans.
December 15, 2024
I thought this was going to be nonfiction and some fun musing from the author on some of the shows for which he played. Wrong. It's fiction. It's lighthearted and fun but goes on too long and I felt at times that Stephen, the main character, was annoying and overdone. I liked all the pokes at Broadway shows, actors, and gay culture, but got tired of it, after a while. Still if you are looking for a light, bitchy, read, this is your book. If you like Paul Rudnick, you will like much of this book.
December 31, 2020
This is not *exactly* a memoir of Seth Rudetsky, but it's not exactly *not* a memoir of Seth Rudetsky either. Full of hardcore Broadway junkie references that my wife caught and I didn't always catch but was proud of myself when I did. He dove deep.
I think it was actually a 3 star book but I read this in 2020 and I'm assuming i was always in a sour mood this year and it was a very creative book.
I think it was actually a 3 star book but I read this in 2020 and I'm assuming i was always in a sour mood this year and it was a very creative book.
March 16, 2018
The last time I had Audible (in college?) this was one of the first books I downloaded, because at the time I was really into Rudetsky's YouTube deconstructions of Broadway. This book has a lot of fun theater trivia and gossip, and the audio version has fun voice over guest stars, but this time around the contrived plot bothered me a lot more than it did 10(ish) years ago.
September 8, 2022
it’s been a long while since i’ve touched or even seen this book. i just remember that it was really funny and loads of fun to read the fictitious behind-the-scenes of putting on a broadway show and the rom-com romance that ensues. i hold a high regard and love for the theatre and broadway, and so this book was right up my alley.
August 24, 2023
More of a 3.5, but I had a good time reading it, so it's getting rounded up. I feel like people will either really enjoy or really hate this book. It's not a technical masterpiece, so if you're hoping to lean on perfect writing or a brilliantly crafted plot, maybe stay away. But I was looking for something light and fun and that is what I got.
June 27, 2020
Finished reading. Fun read. Fiction but learned some cool information about Broadway shows in general and also fun anecdotes about real-life Broadway.
Main character was funny but also had some of the traits I despise in a gay man. But he grew/changed at the end. I’m going to assume he did.
Main character was funny but also had some of the traits I despise in a gay man. But he grew/changed at the end. I’m going to assume he did.
April 4, 2021
A fun romp of inside Broadway gossip, the trials of developing a musical, wrapped around the professional and romantic hopes and dreams (and self-delusions) of our chatty narrator, a pianist with conductor aspirations.
March 22, 2022
A little bit of fun fluff for when you don't want something serious, especially if you like Broadway. It started off a little slowly and there was a little bit too much name dropping for my tastes, but it got going after a while and turned into a fun book in the end.
July 13, 2022
I listened to the audiobook (highly recommend doing this) and it really added to the humor of this book. There are a lot of big Broadway names who read the different characters which added to the fun. A must listen for any Broadway fan!
December 17, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
An interesting insight into working life on Broadway that contains some very interesting tidbits. The narrator character is a neurotic nightmare, but that’s mostly humorous. Oh, and of course, there’s lots of gay male representation (a nice change).
An interesting insight into working life on Broadway that contains some very interesting tidbits. The narrator character is a neurotic nightmare, but that’s mostly humorous. Oh, and of course, there’s lots of gay male representation (a nice change).
November 6, 2025
I've probably listened to this audio book six times over the years. it's my go-to when I'm in the mood for silliness and good laughs. Seth Rudetsky does an excellent job reading (acting) the book. it never fails to make me happy.
August 6, 2017
It's a great read but it's better enjoyed listening to it audio
August 14, 2019
Completely hilarious! A bit long, but still a good story.
November 17, 2019
Hilarious. I love Broadway shows and reading this was like being behind the scenes. I laughed out loud many times.
June 30, 2020
It was so good! If your a broadway fan definitely give it a read!
April 6, 2022
great book
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