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Showstoppers!: The Surprising Backstage Stories of Broadway's Most Remarkable Songs
Showstoppers! is all about Broadway musicals’ most memorable numbers—why they were so effective, how they were created, and why they still resonate. Gerald Nachman has interviewed dozens of iconic musical theater figures to get their inside stories for this book, including Patti LuPone, Chita Rivera, Marvin Hamlisch, Joel Grey, Edie Adams, John Kander, Jerry Herman, Sheldon Harnick, Tommy Tune, Harold Prince, Donna McKechnie, and Andrea McArdle, uncovering priceless previously untold anecdotes and details.
408 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2016
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About the author
Gerald Nachman
12 books7 followersGerald Weil Nachman is a San Francisco journalist and author.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 13, 2023
The book's title isn't kidding. It's organized around actual Broadway showstoppers, that is, songs that the audience loved so much that they wouldn't stop applauding unless it was sung again - sometimes up to six times - or encored with special verses written for that sole purpose.
But really the songs are a skeleton of a structure, an excuse for the author to idiosyncratically free associate, much as I'm about to do now.
I used to read the author's theater reviews in the SF Chronicle and listen to him weekly on a radio trivia program. His book, Seriously Funny, about the comedians of the 60s is rather good, probably better than this one.
He was mostly a traditionalist. I remember on the show he used to ask, "Can you explain the TV show FRIENDS to me? Why do people think it's funny? I don't get it." This viewpoint also shows up in the book. Although the introduction mentions Hamilton!, Phantom of the Opera is about as daring and recent as it gets, and it tends to be harsh on more modern works. Wicked, for example, is basically called a work only meant for teenage girls.
This attitude got him in trouble at his newspaper job. At that time SF had probably the most avant-garde theater scene in America and he would routinely pan most of it, reserving praise only for revivals and the occasional lascivious show, such as the Brazilian Oba Oba carnival show that featured topless dancers. (Some of that lascivious attitude pops up in the book from time to time.) After a while, local theater producers tired of it and banded together to write a letter of protest to the paper and to deny it any future complimentary review tickets. One way or another he left the paper not long after. His search for something else to do is probably the reason we have these books.
Much of this book is choppy and a bit sloppy. For a lot of these shows, there will be a paragraph of description of some aspect and then a couple paragraphs later, part of the same information will be repeated. Not word for word, but basically saying the same thing. It doesn't happen enough to be annoying, but it is odd. Similarly, after the main section for each show, there is a special section, in a completely different typeface, that is supposed to be the behind the scenes dish. But the thing is, a lot of what we've just been reading has already been the same kind of material. How something gets in one section or the other is mysterious. Maybe the first section is what the author wrote and the second what researchers found for him? Even more strangely, sometimes this second section will start out in paragraph format and then on the next page suddenly switch to bullet format. Overall, it feels like a much stronger editor was needed here.
Another odd thing are frequent mentions of what's available on YouTube, but only for some shows. It's odd because the author doesn't seem to realize that YouTube is not necessarily a stable offering. Videos come and go with considerable frequency. It's also odd that only some shows get this YouTube coverage; others have nothing at all in this respect. After a while I kind of got the idea that the author just cannot help commenting on whatever he encounters and throws it into the book.
One useful realization from all this is that unlike Fiddler on the Roof, most of these musicals were not well-translated into film. If you can manage to see them on stage, or a filmed version of the stage production, it's a good idea because they're more artistically valid and complete on stage. Movies tend to drop many of the songs, for example, and sometimes warped the story just to to build up the career of a particular star.
It also helps you understand the many different ways that a song eventually does gain showstopper status.
The author is no longer with us. The trivia show continues, probably, but without the Chronicle columnists I knew so well, so I no longer send in contributions or even listen as it isn't the same. This book becomes for me an echo of a half-forgotten past.
But really the songs are a skeleton of a structure, an excuse for the author to idiosyncratically free associate, much as I'm about to do now.
I used to read the author's theater reviews in the SF Chronicle and listen to him weekly on a radio trivia program. His book, Seriously Funny, about the comedians of the 60s is rather good, probably better than this one.
He was mostly a traditionalist. I remember on the show he used to ask, "Can you explain the TV show FRIENDS to me? Why do people think it's funny? I don't get it." This viewpoint also shows up in the book. Although the introduction mentions Hamilton!, Phantom of the Opera is about as daring and recent as it gets, and it tends to be harsh on more modern works. Wicked, for example, is basically called a work only meant for teenage girls.
This attitude got him in trouble at his newspaper job. At that time SF had probably the most avant-garde theater scene in America and he would routinely pan most of it, reserving praise only for revivals and the occasional lascivious show, such as the Brazilian Oba Oba carnival show that featured topless dancers. (Some of that lascivious attitude pops up in the book from time to time.) After a while, local theater producers tired of it and banded together to write a letter of protest to the paper and to deny it any future complimentary review tickets. One way or another he left the paper not long after. His search for something else to do is probably the reason we have these books.
Much of this book is choppy and a bit sloppy. For a lot of these shows, there will be a paragraph of description of some aspect and then a couple paragraphs later, part of the same information will be repeated. Not word for word, but basically saying the same thing. It doesn't happen enough to be annoying, but it is odd. Similarly, after the main section for each show, there is a special section, in a completely different typeface, that is supposed to be the behind the scenes dish. But the thing is, a lot of what we've just been reading has already been the same kind of material. How something gets in one section or the other is mysterious. Maybe the first section is what the author wrote and the second what researchers found for him? Even more strangely, sometimes this second section will start out in paragraph format and then on the next page suddenly switch to bullet format. Overall, it feels like a much stronger editor was needed here.
Another odd thing are frequent mentions of what's available on YouTube, but only for some shows. It's odd because the author doesn't seem to realize that YouTube is not necessarily a stable offering. Videos come and go with considerable frequency. It's also odd that only some shows get this YouTube coverage; others have nothing at all in this respect. After a while I kind of got the idea that the author just cannot help commenting on whatever he encounters and throws it into the book.
One useful realization from all this is that unlike Fiddler on the Roof, most of these musicals were not well-translated into film. If you can manage to see them on stage, or a filmed version of the stage production, it's a good idea because they're more artistically valid and complete on stage. Movies tend to drop many of the songs, for example, and sometimes warped the story just to to build up the career of a particular star.
It also helps you understand the many different ways that a song eventually does gain showstopper status.
The author is no longer with us. The trivia show continues, probably, but without the Chronicle columnists I knew so well, so I no longer send in contributions or even listen as it isn't the same. This book becomes for me an echo of a half-forgotten past.
February 6, 2017
Broadway musicals most memorable numbers and moments...YES PLEASE?? I love this kinda stuff. Having grown up living with grandparents, I thoroughly enjoy hearing, reading, and seeing all things Broadway. Sad to say I have never ever been to anything Broadway...so for now...I just have the literature, internet, and t.v.
Showstoppers!: The Surprising Backstage Stories of Broadway's Most Remarkable Songs by Gerald Nachman was definitely a book that I had to get my hands on. And then I did....and then I read it....and did I enjoy it?? I fairly enjoyed it. It was not something I read any chance I could get. I read this slowly and in between other reads. I didn't love it....but I did like it. Pictures...tidbits...some great stuff. That's it. Nothing complicated. and again, nothing I hated. This type of non-fiction is not the most exciting thing to read....still it has it's interesting moments. It served it's purpose.
I would not recommend this book to just anyone...not everyone enjoys all things Broadway. But would I recommend this to someone that does love Broadway...that does live for behind the scenes stuff...that wants to relish in great musical tidbits.....then YES. I'd absolutely recommend.
Thanks as always to the wonderful peeps at goodreads and to Chicago Review Press for the opportunity to win this book free in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.
Showstoppers!: The Surprising Backstage Stories of Broadway's Most Remarkable Songs by Gerald Nachman was definitely a book that I had to get my hands on. And then I did....and then I read it....and did I enjoy it?? I fairly enjoyed it. It was not something I read any chance I could get. I read this slowly and in between other reads. I didn't love it....but I did like it. Pictures...tidbits...some great stuff. That's it. Nothing complicated. and again, nothing I hated. This type of non-fiction is not the most exciting thing to read....still it has it's interesting moments. It served it's purpose.
I would not recommend this book to just anyone...not everyone enjoys all things Broadway. But would I recommend this to someone that does love Broadway...that does live for behind the scenes stuff...that wants to relish in great musical tidbits.....then YES. I'd absolutely recommend.
Thanks as always to the wonderful peeps at goodreads and to Chicago Review Press for the opportunity to win this book free in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.
December 20, 2016
Loved this! I put down everything else I was reading - a dark kidnapping tale, a cozy Christmas story, a dense World War I history - and dove into this perfect holiday read. Nachman was the longtime critic at the San Francisco Chronicle and he knows how to tell an engaging story. This is deep background on some of the most memorable Broadway songs from 1925 right up through "Jersey Boys." Each song has its own takeoff difficult birth or near death in the form of being cut from the show. The connections to iconic singers are examined too. If you love musical theater, or memorable songs, this book is for you.
June 23, 2019
I finally finished this damn book! I enjoyed reading about the songs. But the author is an old (presumably white) man, and his utter disdain for Wicked as nothing but showy fluff for teenage girls made me physically angry. Wicked is the show I've seen the most, and it's a fun, powerful show. Even if it WERE fluff aimed at teenage girls, WHY IS THAT A BAD THING?! Not every show needs to be somber or serious or boring. We've seen enough middle-aged white men in EVERYTHING; why shouldn't girls or teens or people of every color (even green!) be able to see themselves on stage and relate to a story. Grrr.
September 28, 2017
Anyone who has even a passing acquaintance with me knows that that book title definitely grabbed my attention the moment I saw it. There are many books near the top of my "to read" list at the moment, but they all had to move out of the way to make room for this one. Unfortunately, while I definitely enjoyed this, it certainly did not live up to my expectations.
Both the subtitle and the introduction lead the reader to believe that the book will be comprised of anecdotes about those terrific songs we have all come to know and love. And there is definitely a lot of that here. Although I knew 99 per cent of the stories, I must admit that I found it thrilling to revisit these pieces of theater lore.
The problem is that Nachman regularly seems to forget the focus of the book. I definitely concur with his belief that it would have been wrongheaded to write about these songs without giving information about the musicals for which they were written. But he often gets so caught up in discussions of the shows that he forgets his main thesis. Sometimes, too, he decides that his role is that of critic rather than historian. For me, these portions of the book were both interesting and rather off-putting. He expresses his dislike for Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone" so strongly that I actually felt a bit guilty for being so deeply moved by it. And I wish I never read his criticisms of "People," from FUNNY GIRL since that is -- or maybe was -- my very favorite Streisand song. Of course, he has every right to express his opinions and that's as it should be. I'm just not convinced that those opinions really belong in this book. (As an aside, if you love the musical WICKED, you definitely don't want to read the insults he hurls at both the show and its audiences, though he follows his comments with an interesting interview with its composer, Steven Schwartz.)
I don’t in any way regret reading this. The author clearly did his homework and the stories he relates are well worth hearing. The trivia which is spread throughout the book and the interviews with theater luminaries were definitely worth my time. But it could have been oh so much more. Yes, it's a good book, but, for me, it didn't stop the show.
Both the subtitle and the introduction lead the reader to believe that the book will be comprised of anecdotes about those terrific songs we have all come to know and love. And there is definitely a lot of that here. Although I knew 99 per cent of the stories, I must admit that I found it thrilling to revisit these pieces of theater lore.
The problem is that Nachman regularly seems to forget the focus of the book. I definitely concur with his belief that it would have been wrongheaded to write about these songs without giving information about the musicals for which they were written. But he often gets so caught up in discussions of the shows that he forgets his main thesis. Sometimes, too, he decides that his role is that of critic rather than historian. For me, these portions of the book were both interesting and rather off-putting. He expresses his dislike for Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone" so strongly that I actually felt a bit guilty for being so deeply moved by it. And I wish I never read his criticisms of "People," from FUNNY GIRL since that is -- or maybe was -- my very favorite Streisand song. Of course, he has every right to express his opinions and that's as it should be. I'm just not convinced that those opinions really belong in this book. (As an aside, if you love the musical WICKED, you definitely don't want to read the insults he hurls at both the show and its audiences, though he follows his comments with an interesting interview with its composer, Steven Schwartz.)
I don’t in any way regret reading this. The author clearly did his homework and the stories he relates are well worth hearing. The trivia which is spread throughout the book and the interviews with theater luminaries were definitely worth my time. But it could have been oh so much more. Yes, it's a good book, but, for me, it didn't stop the show.
September 23, 2019
This book should have been a slam dunk for fans of musical theater. Who does not like a stroll down memory lane, reliving favorite bits of shows we love? And it did get some things right. There is a nice variety in the shows discussed. The author definitely loves the theater himself and it shows, although his adoration of some creators is a bit too fawning. The best part of his work was his suggestion that the reader google the songs and artists who made them famous, which made for a nice companion to the book.
But the problems outweigh the love. First of all, there are few surprises in this book. Many of the stories recounted are found in other works and biographies. Second, the author spends too much time on songs that really are no longer known. Long chapters were devoted to the obscur where shows in more recent memory were given few pages. The biggest sin of the book is its last section. The author show great derision of modern theater - he has no respect for the unwashed masses who flock to see the works of Andrew Lloyd Weber, Disney, Cats or Wicked. While these works may not be his taste, it is a shame to see him openly mock the audiences of such shows. Each of these has music of value. His dismissive tone left a sour taste of what had been a fairly enjoyable reading experience.
But the problems outweigh the love. First of all, there are few surprises in this book. Many of the stories recounted are found in other works and biographies. Second, the author spends too much time on songs that really are no longer known. Long chapters were devoted to the obscur where shows in more recent memory were given few pages. The biggest sin of the book is its last section. The author show great derision of modern theater - he has no respect for the unwashed masses who flock to see the works of Andrew Lloyd Weber, Disney, Cats or Wicked. While these works may not be his taste, it is a shame to see him openly mock the audiences of such shows. Each of these has music of value. His dismissive tone left a sour taste of what had been a fairly enjoyable reading experience.
October 22, 2020
Got this book as a fun light read. I miss live theatre during these covid restrictions! And, initially it was fun. Every few pages focuses on a different Broadway song. The author has amazingly detailed knowledge of the original versions of Broadway songs as well as currently accessible versions. He assumes the reader is as familiar as he is with Broadway, which could actually be a stumbling block for some readers.
Some Broadway songs are explicitly sexual and the author had funny and frank opinions on them. Unfortunately, the author also asserts repeatedly that references to "kisses" or "falling in love" in the innocent songs he reviews were actually code for sex, which could not be openly acknowledged due to the censorship of the time. He sites comments/actions by the musical creators to try to prove their sexual intent and asserts that the audience was to infer that the fictional couple was actually having sex. Repeatedly. Like every other classic song.
After about 100 pages, I couldn't read anymore. It got too icky to enjoy - even as a guilty pleasure. And I didn't want his words tainting my enjoyment of innocent songs.
Some Broadway songs are explicitly sexual and the author had funny and frank opinions on them. Unfortunately, the author also asserts repeatedly that references to "kisses" or "falling in love" in the innocent songs he reviews were actually code for sex, which could not be openly acknowledged due to the censorship of the time. He sites comments/actions by the musical creators to try to prove their sexual intent and asserts that the audience was to infer that the fictional couple was actually having sex. Repeatedly. Like every other classic song.
After about 100 pages, I couldn't read anymore. It got too icky to enjoy - even as a guilty pleasure. And I didn't want his words tainting my enjoyment of innocent songs.
February 6, 2017
Gerald Nachman tells the stories of Broadway's show-stopping songs. He moves chronologically through the age of the classic American musical, beginning in the 1920s and continuing into the 1980s. You learn how some of theater's greatest hits were written, staged, and popularized by creative teams, actors, and other performers. Included are songs from shows like "Oklahoma!", "Annie", "Mame", and many others. Nachman got his information firsthand, in some cases, interviewing performers, songwriters, and production staff about the musicals, the personalities, and the performances.
For me, one of the benefits of reading this book comes when I hear one of the songs it covers on Sirius XM's On Broadway. Now, I know a little about the singer, the songwriting process, and how the song's performance was staged and adapted to fit the show's needs. It adds a new dimension to my enjoyment of the song.
If you're a theater aficionado, this is a worthwhile read, and you can dip in and out of it periodically, because you don't have to follow a long narrative.
For me, one of the benefits of reading this book comes when I hear one of the songs it covers on Sirius XM's On Broadway. Now, I know a little about the singer, the songwriting process, and how the song's performance was staged and adapted to fit the show's needs. It adds a new dimension to my enjoyment of the song.
If you're a theater aficionado, this is a worthwhile read, and you can dip in and out of it periodically, because you don't have to follow a long narrative.
July 24, 2017
Full of really good and interesting information about your favourite Broadway tunes. Unfortunately, the writer's bias becomes overwhelming the longer you read. He very clearly favours older musicals and trashes newer musicals even as he is trying to present their great "showstoppers". And don't even get him started about movie musicals! The background information in the book, while interesting, seems a little sad and sordid - not the shiny and glitzy exterior that we end up seeing. I felt a little disillusioned by the end. If you want something informational but more cheerful and less biased, read 'The Secret Life of the American Musical'.
August 16, 2017
A fun read for musical theater fans like myself! For those who are devoted musical lovers or who have previously studied musical theater history, some of Nachman's song selections and anecdotes may already be familiar. The comprehensive selection of showstopping numbers though and the interviews with Broadway performers, composers, and lyricists are what make this so enjoyable. Highly recommend for avid musical fans or for more casual theatergoers looking to learn the inside scoop and history of some of Broadway's biggest hits.
October 3, 2023
I had trouble putting this book down. I stopped for a while so I could save it for a trip, but it was so compelling I had to pull it out again and finish it!
Nachman goes full force on his reviews. When he hates something he lets loose. When he is impressed he’s overflowing with praise. I found myself agreeing with him most of the time.
I found myself with ear worms of all the songs (even the bad ones) suggested. Sometime I YouTubed the original performances to get the full effect.
For those who love the history of Broadway show, this book is a must read.
Nachman goes full force on his reviews. When he hates something he lets loose. When he is impressed he’s overflowing with praise. I found myself agreeing with him most of the time.
I found myself with ear worms of all the songs (even the bad ones) suggested. Sometime I YouTubed the original performances to get the full effect.
For those who love the history of Broadway show, this book is a must read.
March 21, 2017
It would have gotten 3 stars, but the editing was not very good. There were numerous places where the same sentence was repeated twice in a paragraph. A good editor would have fixed that. Not sure where all the anger about the popularity of "Wicked" came from. There were some interesting tidbits of info scattered throughout, but not too much that I didn't already know.
July 12, 2018
Excellent break downs of song genesis, back stories, anecdotes, and other commentary. Does not include any Lin Manuel Miranda work, but he also hasn't been around that long, and the author of this book probably doesn't quite know what to do with hip hop. Read it anyway, and look up the referenced performances on YouTube for your enhanced understanding.
February 15, 2017
Another almost perfect book for a theater geek like me. Though the book is tedious in brief spots it tells the story behind the creation of some of Broadway's most iconic songs that vibrate into your bones.
May 25, 2017
I will give this five stars because it was a fun read. Some of the lyrics were not accurate in the text, but the backstage stories, the interviews with creators and artists and the trivia and insight made minor infractions forgivable. Any Broadway aficionado should read this book. Well worth it.
December 25, 2018
Nachman certainly is clear with his opinions on what makes the cut as a 'showstopper' and several other concepts of musical theatre. That said, the book is enjoyable, well put together, and gives solid musical history to the reader. If you enjoy Broadway musicals, this is a fun history book.
April 5, 2020
Interesting hearing about the background of the particular showstoppers talked about in the book. Some of them are songs you wouldn't expect. It is also interesting hearing an inside dish about certain actors.
September 6, 2021
Interesting, well written and held my interest
I liked the somewhat in-depth analysis of each song. It also placed each song in context or showed how it was without any context. Good work!
I liked the somewhat in-depth analysis of each song. It also placed each song in context or showed how it was without any context. Good work!
July 9, 2017
Popcorn-like fun to read. Lots of interesting facts and backgrounds about popular show tunes.
July 4, 2018
Enjoyed learning about how certain songs became showstoppers and the backstage info was very interesting
May 23, 2021
A brilliant textbook
I had seen most of the modern shows with original cast. eg: 2nd performance of West Side Story. I’m also a lyricist and learned a lot about placement of songs. Many thanks.
I had seen most of the modern shows with original cast. eg: 2nd performance of West Side Story. I’m also a lyricist and learned a lot about placement of songs. Many thanks.
May 17, 2023
This one took forever to read because I kept having to look up mentioned songs on YouTube 😂
Want to read
December 14, 2023"Gerald Nachman has the great god sense to let the creators of these brilliant theatrical moments speak for themselves, which gives us the feeling that we are really there-
January 5, 2017
If you love Broadway musicals, there are many good entries in here. But for a book about "Broadway's Most Remarkable Songs," the author had a particular ax to grind against some of them (or at least the shows they're in). One would think that he'd just leave them out if he didn't personally like them and couldn't approach it objectively. I'm sure the thinking was they'd be conspicuous by their absence.
He seems to have particular beef with anything 1980s or newer. Heck, he's not too kind to anything post-1950s, but it gets worse as the decades progress. He takes special note every time there has been a movie version (always inferior and without merit, in his opinion). He is rarely kind to any but the original cast version—oh, you poor, pitiful revival casts who just can never measure up to the **STARS** of Bradway's glorious past!
The height of vitriol is concentrated on Wicked. It's no wonder he couldn't get permission to quote lyrics from it. Which he is quite candid about in his intro.
When this book is good, and focusing on what he likes, it is very good. But the digressions into slamming what he doesn't like weight this one down in what, from the title, one would assume is a celebration of the contents. If this had a more indicative title, say, It Stopped the Show!: The Good, the Bad, and the In-Between, or approached the criticism in a more even-handed way, I could give it a much better rating.
As is, the good parts, including especially any shows or anecdotes about Ethel Merman, are probably a 3 or 4. The hatchet jobs deserve a 1. So, aggregate rating: 2.
He seems to have particular beef with anything 1980s or newer. Heck, he's not too kind to anything post-1950s, but it gets worse as the decades progress. He takes special note every time there has been a movie version (always inferior and without merit, in his opinion). He is rarely kind to any but the original cast version—oh, you poor, pitiful revival casts who just can never measure up to the **STARS** of Bradway's glorious past!
The height of vitriol is concentrated on Wicked. It's no wonder he couldn't get permission to quote lyrics from it. Which he is quite candid about in his intro.
When this book is good, and focusing on what he likes, it is very good. But the digressions into slamming what he doesn't like weight this one down in what, from the title, one would assume is a celebration of the contents. If this had a more indicative title, say, It Stopped the Show!: The Good, the Bad, and the In-Between, or approached the criticism in a more even-handed way, I could give it a much better rating.
As is, the good parts, including especially any shows or anecdotes about Ethel Merman, are probably a 3 or 4. The hatchet jobs deserve a 1. So, aggregate rating: 2.
January 18, 2017
I picked up this book just to read some selections and found myself reading the entire book, and spending time on Youtube to watch many of the performances the author writes about. This book is chock full of information on what makes a memorable song, particularly a showstopper. The author covers a wide selection of Broadway musicals starting in the 1920s and working up to 2005. He deconstructs many of the songs so you understand why the writing works, but as the author's selections make clear, a song's success is usually more involved that just the writing. He does a good job explaining all aspects. This book, though, is more than an analysis of songs and dances. The author provides informative and interesting anecdotes and details about the shows and their creators and performers. Nachman even compares some of the Broadway shows with their film versions. There are plenty of inside stories to make you chuckle, to be surprised, and to wonder how some of the shows ever got made. At times the author allows his personal distaste for the state of current productions (overblown, too loud, too much reliance on spectacle, etc.) to enter his writing. Even so, this book remains informative and enjoyable. I think you can be satisfied to just read selections to learn about songs and shows you may have enjoyed, and if you read the entire book you will have a fuller appreciation for the American musical theater and its history.
January 21, 2017
This fascinating book is not one most people would sit down and read cover to cover. Instead, it can be used as an encyclopedia to look up and read about famous musicals. Or, better yet, if one is going to attend a new performance of a particular show, it gives remarkable new insights and facts to an old favorite. Or, as I have delved into it, it is a fantastic trip through the past, reading about favorite productions I have attended. Anyone who loves musicals should have this book!
July 5, 2018
Not nearly as good as I wanted it to be. Probably because there were very few new Broadway show songs included...which makes sense since the author stated several times that he didn't like any of the new shows. Or any of the movies made from a show.
The background stories for the songs were pretty interesting and I did enjoy reading it.
The background stories for the songs were pretty interesting and I did enjoy reading it.
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September 5, 2020 Have YouTube handy when you are reading so you can watch/listen to many of the performances he talks about. I am not even a huge fan of the musical genre and didn't always agree with the author's opinions, but I enjoyed the book because it re-creates the Broadway milieu over many decades. And you get all the backstage gossip.
August 19, 2017
A great concept, efficiently written but kind of a re-tread of other works. The book was published in 2017, but only three shows from post-1990 are mentioned which shows a clear disregard for more modern works. Nachman will also repeat shows rather than name more obscure or more modern shows, it's a shame. I wish the book was more of an explanation of what makes the numbers work, as the backstage gossip is all well covered elsewhere, but it does show the breadth of his research.
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