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The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built
For almost thirty years, Jack Viertel has been a major figure in the Broadway theater world--he's helped create shows like Hairspray, Angels in America, and Into the Woods; served as dramaturg of the Mark Taper Forum in L.A.; and is currently senior vice president of Jujamcyn Theaters, which host such shows as The Book of Mormon and Jersey Boys. Not long ago, Viertel noticed that while colleges offer intensive classes on Shakespeare's plays, dissecting them line by line to uncover their structure and meaning, there was nothing that dealt with musical theater in the same in-depth way. And why shouldn't there be? he asked. If Shakespeare is England's national theater, aren't Broadway musicals ours?
In The Secret Life of the American Musical, Viertel gives musicals the Shakespeare treatment. The book draws on a range of examples--from Carousel to Wicked, The Music Man to The Book of Mormon--and personal encounters to paint a picture of how Broadway musicals are made, taking you through all the phases of a typical musical theater story, from opening numbers to finales. It's a hilarious and compelling look at what Viertel has learned over the course of his career, full of observations about the egotists, geniuses, and workaday professionals who have sustained this unique American art form.
In The Secret Life of the American Musical, Viertel gives musicals the Shakespeare treatment. The book draws on a range of examples--from Carousel to Wicked, The Music Man to The Book of Mormon--and personal encounters to paint a picture of how Broadway musicals are made, taking you through all the phases of a typical musical theater story, from opening numbers to finales. It's a hilarious and compelling look at what Viertel has learned over the course of his career, full of observations about the egotists, geniuses, and workaday professionals who have sustained this unique American art form.
336 pages, Audible Audio
First published February 2, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
June 30, 2016
Jack Viertel’s strong writing and impressive depth of knowledge is probably worth 4.5-5 stars, but my enjoyment of the book was really only around the 3-star level so I’m splitting the difference here.
Part of my disappointment is that I expected this to be a behind-the-scenes look at the business side of Broadway: literally, how you bring a show to the stage from start to finish. In reality, this is a book-length deconstruction of how the songs within the show succeed or fail. The book is divvied up by the typical arc of a conventional Broadway plot: introduction, I Want, romance, big Act Break number, etc. etc. Viertel looks at the way the way each song-as-element fits into the bigger narrative arc and then gives many examples from classic shows to demonstrate his points – though, actually, my biggest complaint is probably that he at times gives just tooooo many examples. Still, it’s clear that Viertel knows his shit. He goes into a lot of detail when explicating the songs, and knows how to make his points regarding each song’s purpose in the larger show without being too academic-y in his language.
Though, I do take exception to the criticism he levied against the show Wicked in the chapter on ‘I Want’ songs. I know a lot of critics panned the show when it first came out, but I think Viertel’s criticisms miss the mark. It’s only like 2.5 pages of a 250+ page book, but it irked me enough that I wrote nearly 1,000 words rebutting him. That’s not really important, but I do think he’s wrong so that’s at the end of this review if you’re interested.
Anyway.
I very much like musicals, but I’m not about to jump up and proclaim myself an expert or even someone who is particularly knowledgeable in theater from before my time. I love the big shows from the 90s and the 21st century, but I haven’t spent a lot of time with the classics like Rodgers and Hammerstein and their peers or with stuff that never made it out of New York. Which was honestly why I wanted to read a book about musicals, but it also means that a lot of this book flew over my head. When you’re reading an explication of a song, it’s hard to follow along without having heard the song – but it’s hard to listen to a Broadway song out of context and still feel like you get what it’s trying to do in the big picture. That was the main reason why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I might have, but I feel like a lot of other readers who do have that knowledge base might appreciate it more.
Then again, I’m not entirely sure someone with that much knowledge needs this book? You’d think the audience would be someone who doesn’t know a lot about theater, but I can’t imagine I’m the only one who will struggle to get through this without being able to hear the songs in my head and in their proper context.
It’s well done…I’m just not entirely sure what audience is going to like this and get the most out of it.
And just because it felt good to write it out, here’s my rebuttal to Viertel regarding Wicked.
Part of my disappointment is that I expected this to be a behind-the-scenes look at the business side of Broadway: literally, how you bring a show to the stage from start to finish. In reality, this is a book-length deconstruction of how the songs within the show succeed or fail. The book is divvied up by the typical arc of a conventional Broadway plot: introduction, I Want, romance, big Act Break number, etc. etc. Viertel looks at the way the way each song-as-element fits into the bigger narrative arc and then gives many examples from classic shows to demonstrate his points – though, actually, my biggest complaint is probably that he at times gives just tooooo many examples. Still, it’s clear that Viertel knows his shit. He goes into a lot of detail when explicating the songs, and knows how to make his points regarding each song’s purpose in the larger show without being too academic-y in his language.
Though, I do take exception to the criticism he levied against the show Wicked in the chapter on ‘I Want’ songs. I know a lot of critics panned the show when it first came out, but I think Viertel’s criticisms miss the mark. It’s only like 2.5 pages of a 250+ page book, but it irked me enough that I wrote nearly 1,000 words rebutting him. That’s not really important, but I do think he’s wrong so that’s at the end of this review if you’re interested.
Anyway.
I very much like musicals, but I’m not about to jump up and proclaim myself an expert or even someone who is particularly knowledgeable in theater from before my time. I love the big shows from the 90s and the 21st century, but I haven’t spent a lot of time with the classics like Rodgers and Hammerstein and their peers or with stuff that never made it out of New York. Which was honestly why I wanted to read a book about musicals, but it also means that a lot of this book flew over my head. When you’re reading an explication of a song, it’s hard to follow along without having heard the song – but it’s hard to listen to a Broadway song out of context and still feel like you get what it’s trying to do in the big picture. That was the main reason why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I might have, but I feel like a lot of other readers who do have that knowledge base might appreciate it more.
Then again, I’m not entirely sure someone with that much knowledge needs this book? You’d think the audience would be someone who doesn’t know a lot about theater, but I can’t imagine I’m the only one who will struggle to get through this without being able to hear the songs in my head and in their proper context.
It’s well done…I’m just not entirely sure what audience is going to like this and get the most out of it.
And just because it felt good to write it out, here’s my rebuttal to Viertel regarding Wicked.
March 11, 2016
Despite the use of the word "built" in the title, this book has nothing to do (unfortunately) with the staging, casting, performing, choreography, or physical production of musicals, but only with how they are constructed as a work. The author has an interesting template--big opening number, star turn, big 1st act closer, etc.--but the book mostly consists of him saying things like, "a big noise number, full of fun and excitement, comes here, and here are 5 examples of such a number." The examples are then given in great detail. Then he moves on to the star turn, etc. It's a lot of fun for a while, but the formula grows stale. By the last third of the book, I was skimming his examples. I'm not sorry I read it, but the title leads you to believe you're getting something more in depth than he provides.
February 28, 2021
This book is a description of musical theater productions in America. The most famous and successful shows are described and analyzed in some detail. The analysis extends to the "rules" of musical theater. These rules are not engraved in stone, but are the characteristics that most successful shows have in common. The overture, the opening number, the "I want" song, the penultimate number, and the finale are all described and analyzed.
I was a bit disappointed in the book. It is mostly aimed to the book-writer and the librettist; the people who write the words and the lyrics. The structure of musicals is the main emphasis. As a composer working right now on a musical, I was mainly interested in how the music is composed and structured. There is not as much about the music itself, as I would have liked or expected. Nevertheless, the book did open my eyes up to the factors that help make a musical successful.
I was a bit disappointed in the book. It is mostly aimed to the book-writer and the librettist; the people who write the words and the lyrics. The structure of musicals is the main emphasis. As a composer working right now on a musical, I was mainly interested in how the music is composed and structured. There is not as much about the music itself, as I would have liked or expected. Nevertheless, the book did open my eyes up to the factors that help make a musical successful.
July 14, 2020
I wasn't going to review this but so many things started bubbling up and eventually becoming gigantic gaps in Viertel's analysis, that I felt like I had to acknowledge it. I absolutely love musical theatre and I love exploring the tropes that are most often present within the canon. I also feel like it's a pretty under-analyzed field, especially in academia, so I appreciate anyone who starts off their work by saying they want to explicate musicals in a way usually reserved for Shakespeare. That said, what started as a fun read that I was looking forward to quickly became boring and then infuriating.
Some of my more major qualms:
-The choice of what to include and more importantly exclude. I'm glad I read the preface where Viertel at least acknowledges that he's not going to write anything about William Finn because I could at least brace myself for disappointment, but seriously, there were so many shows that were so overused that he could have at least devoted part of those sections to better deserving shows. Like literally anything by Finn. And speaking of overusing shows...
-...I was so sick of Guys and Dolls by the time I finished this. And let me clarify, I actually like Guys and Dolls. Not exactly in my top 10, but a show that I still found enjoyable nonetheless. After reading waaaaay too much about how it's basically the best musical since ever, I think I like it just that much less. Yeah, yeah, his love of it is a personal preference but damn, I wish someone had informed him of just how poorly it has aged or that sometimes it adheres to tropes (particularly the misogynistic ones) so well, that in hindsight, it just comes off as bland and unfunny.
-And speaking of shows that have aged poorly, Viertel, like many, clearly prefers his musicals from the golden age (although to his credit, is not nearly as condescending about new musicals as some of his peers may be), which is fine. But this was published in 2016, so maybe you could at least pretend like you're almost woke? I mean, are you really going to pour heapless praise on The King and I without mentioning how racist it comes off to today's audience? Or the aforementioned Guys and Dolls and talk about its misogyny as if it's an asset? You're really going to assert that hip-hop has roots in rock music and Woody Guthrie rather than acknowledge that rock music appropriated black artists' work? And these unacknowledged issues definitely don't stop with the contemporary musicals. Viertel somehow manages to praise "Keep It Gay" from The Producers without writing that that song is basically 6 minutes of nonstop homophobia and manages to overlook white saviorism in Hairspray and racism in The Book of Mormon. Ugh.
-Give the Eleven O'Clock Number its own chapter! Viertel mentions it but then says because it's not present in a lot of musicals (a lot of the tropes which do get their own chapter aren't) and it doesn't appear as often nowadays (which I think is completely wrong, even Hamilton has one, as do many new shows). And yeah, he at least names his old favorite "Rose's Turn" as one and also mentions "Lot's Wife" from Caroline, or Change which is a great and very underrated example but then completely ignores "The Ladies Who Lunch," "Last Midnight", the title song from Cabaret, "What I Did for Love," "Send in the Clowns," and SO MANY MORE. And while we're on the topic of bringing up a trope but forgetting the best examples, you really want to talk about a musical's protagonists achieving their goals midshow only to realize they have bigger goals and not mention Into the Woods? Talk about an oversight.
Viertel clearly has a lot of passion for (certain) musicals. The analysis that he does do is astute. But at the end of the day, this book feels so much longer than it actually is and still somehow neglects so many of the most important points.
Some of my more major qualms:
-The choice of what to include and more importantly exclude. I'm glad I read the preface where Viertel at least acknowledges that he's not going to write anything about William Finn because I could at least brace myself for disappointment, but seriously, there were so many shows that were so overused that he could have at least devoted part of those sections to better deserving shows. Like literally anything by Finn. And speaking of overusing shows...
-...I was so sick of Guys and Dolls by the time I finished this. And let me clarify, I actually like Guys and Dolls. Not exactly in my top 10, but a show that I still found enjoyable nonetheless. After reading waaaaay too much about how it's basically the best musical since ever, I think I like it just that much less. Yeah, yeah, his love of it is a personal preference but damn, I wish someone had informed him of just how poorly it has aged or that sometimes it adheres to tropes (particularly the misogynistic ones) so well, that in hindsight, it just comes off as bland and unfunny.
-And speaking of shows that have aged poorly, Viertel, like many, clearly prefers his musicals from the golden age (although to his credit, is not nearly as condescending about new musicals as some of his peers may be), which is fine. But this was published in 2016, so maybe you could at least pretend like you're almost woke? I mean, are you really going to pour heapless praise on The King and I without mentioning how racist it comes off to today's audience? Or the aforementioned Guys and Dolls and talk about its misogyny as if it's an asset? You're really going to assert that hip-hop has roots in rock music and Woody Guthrie rather than acknowledge that rock music appropriated black artists' work? And these unacknowledged issues definitely don't stop with the contemporary musicals. Viertel somehow manages to praise "Keep It Gay" from The Producers without writing that that song is basically 6 minutes of nonstop homophobia and manages to overlook white saviorism in Hairspray and racism in The Book of Mormon. Ugh.
-Give the Eleven O'Clock Number its own chapter! Viertel mentions it but then says because it's not present in a lot of musicals (a lot of the tropes which do get their own chapter aren't) and it doesn't appear as often nowadays (which I think is completely wrong, even Hamilton has one, as do many new shows). And yeah, he at least names his old favorite "Rose's Turn" as one and also mentions "Lot's Wife" from Caroline, or Change which is a great and very underrated example but then completely ignores "The Ladies Who Lunch," "Last Midnight", the title song from Cabaret, "What I Did for Love," "Send in the Clowns," and SO MANY MORE. And while we're on the topic of bringing up a trope but forgetting the best examples, you really want to talk about a musical's protagonists achieving their goals midshow only to realize they have bigger goals and not mention Into the Woods? Talk about an oversight.
Viertel clearly has a lot of passion for (certain) musicals. The analysis that he does do is astute. But at the end of the day, this book feels so much longer than it actually is and still somehow neglects so many of the most important points.
July 15, 2017
A really good and interesting book, just what I was looking for. Two of the chapters are almost completely off-topic but the rest is a gem.
I had no previous musical theatre education but while reading this book I had no problems at all.
It also was very entertaining and the writing style suited me a lot thanks to its lightness.
I had no previous musical theatre education but while reading this book I had no problems at all.
It also was very entertaining and the writing style suited me a lot thanks to its lightness.
September 8, 2018
To me, this book was very disappointing, and abstruse to a fault. THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN MUSICAL is not about "how Broadway shows are built" but about how an executive at the JuJamCyn theater group thinks they ought to work. Lots of detail, haphazardly presented. Want to know about Broadway history? Skip this soporific and try Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway Revolution by Todd Purdum instead. Want to know how Broadway songs fit the "book" and what makes a good song part of a great show? Read anything about the Broadway musical by critic Ethan Mordden, particularly his Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theatre.
Here's the 'secret' I'd like answered: In 1963 a good orchestra seat to THE SOUND OF MUSIC on Broadway could be had for less than ten dollars. Today, a good seat to BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL will run you about $160. That's twice the rate of inflation for a show where everybody goes into the theater knowing the songs already. How can that be?
Here's the 'secret' I'd like answered: In 1963 a good orchestra seat to THE SOUND OF MUSIC on Broadway could be had for less than ten dollars. Today, a good seat to BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL will run you about $160. That's twice the rate of inflation for a show where everybody goes into the theater knowing the songs already. How can that be?
July 17, 2018
Finally finished!!
I find it really hard to review The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built because in the beginning I enjoyed it sooo much - I wanted to see the umpteen musicals Jack Viertel talks about!! - but with time I had to force myself to continue.
Chapter for chapter the same thing: Musical after musical which fits best to that "building stage" of the musical/chapter (Opening Number, I Want,..). All together it's a few lyrics and story descriptions just strung together and nothing really sticks out.
Jack Viertel knows undoubtedly very much about American Theatre but unfortunately he couldn't convey his knowledge to me as reader.
I find it really hard to review The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built because in the beginning I enjoyed it sooo much - I wanted to see the umpteen musicals Jack Viertel talks about!! - but with time I had to force myself to continue.
Chapter for chapter the same thing: Musical after musical which fits best to that "building stage" of the musical/chapter (Opening Number, I Want,..). All together it's a few lyrics and story descriptions just strung together and nothing really sticks out.
Jack Viertel knows undoubtedly very much about American Theatre but unfortunately he couldn't convey his knowledge to me as reader.
April 17, 2022
This book describes different elements of the theatrical process and how they all come together to create a money-making show. As a musical theatre major, I am someone who enjoys the topics and information discussed in this book, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't enjoy musicals. A detriment of this book is the structure. It introduces a topic in a chapter (love songs, ambitious songs, villains, etc.), then tires out every specific example from every musical ever, and discusses each example to its utmost length. It can be nice when you are familiar with the example, but if you don't know Golden Age musicals, it can be hard to follow, especially when the same examples are used every time. Otherwise, it's a fine book for nonfiction, with compelling information at times, but sometimes unfortunate narration.
July 14, 2017
Well researched...absolutely. Informative...definitely (I felt like I was taking a college course but I was lacking essential background knowledge). Easily readable...well...yes but too much information. I was thrilled when I won this book on Goodreads. I love theater. My family is musical and they love to perform on stage. Currently two grandchildren are performing in a local theatre presentation of "Annie" in the roles of Annie and Molly (the youngest orphan). Proud grandma that I am I have seen the show four times and will be at the closing. With this said, this book just didn't get to the core for me of why I (and so many others like me) love musicals. The academic theories were all there regarding the format for a good show and music, but I missed the "heart" of why we return again and again and leave the theater humming all the way home.
Now that I am retired, I currently usher for our local theaters (musicals, ballet, opera and symphony). I am fortunate to often see four events or more a month. August hosts a three week run here locally of "Book of Mormon". I was particularly interested in Viertel's review of this musical which actually heads an entire chapter. Did I see the similarities between this musical and "King and I"? Truthfully, not until he pointed out the similarities in the storylines. Both productions are about immigrants if you will to a new a different country and culture. Absolutely true. However, "The King and I" depicts the differences with sensitivity and a beginning of understanding. On the other hand, "The Book of Mormon" has some truly nasty elements which pushed my boundaries of decency. This author sticks with structures.
Two years ago Oscar Hammerstein III came as a guest to a night honoring the works of his great grandfather. I loved the stories he told of the struggles and the ups and downs of growing up in that musical family. I was hungering for more of the "inside" stuff rather than the "outside" structure of musical theater in this book. I think I took the title, "Secret Life of the American Musical" to mean unknown behind the scenes stories. My mistake. Rather, it does a fine job of explaining how Broadway shows are "built".
This is a good reference book written by a seasoned and knowledgeable theater expert. I acknowledge this and look forward to sharing this with the other ushers (300 of us). "Hamilton" comes this year. I wonder how many times I will be able to usher for this production. Hopefully several!
I appreciate receiving a free copy of this book from Goodreads.
Now that I am retired, I currently usher for our local theaters (musicals, ballet, opera and symphony). I am fortunate to often see four events or more a month. August hosts a three week run here locally of "Book of Mormon". I was particularly interested in Viertel's review of this musical which actually heads an entire chapter. Did I see the similarities between this musical and "King and I"? Truthfully, not until he pointed out the similarities in the storylines. Both productions are about immigrants if you will to a new a different country and culture. Absolutely true. However, "The King and I" depicts the differences with sensitivity and a beginning of understanding. On the other hand, "The Book of Mormon" has some truly nasty elements which pushed my boundaries of decency. This author sticks with structures.
Two years ago Oscar Hammerstein III came as a guest to a night honoring the works of his great grandfather. I loved the stories he told of the struggles and the ups and downs of growing up in that musical family. I was hungering for more of the "inside" stuff rather than the "outside" structure of musical theater in this book. I think I took the title, "Secret Life of the American Musical" to mean unknown behind the scenes stories. My mistake. Rather, it does a fine job of explaining how Broadway shows are "built".
This is a good reference book written by a seasoned and knowledgeable theater expert. I acknowledge this and look forward to sharing this with the other ushers (300 of us). "Hamilton" comes this year. I wonder how many times I will be able to usher for this production. Hopefully several!
I appreciate receiving a free copy of this book from Goodreads.
July 17, 2016
As a devotee of the American musical, this was a wonderful book to read. Viertel, who is a Broadway producer, has worked at the Mark Taper Forum and produced the City Center Encore series, is a perfect guide to the musical and its evolution over time. The book starts with the early days of the musical and goes up to and includes Hamilton. Viertel shows what makes a successful musical, song by song, giving examples from many musicals. As he talks about the changes, he also talks about what is constant, what engages audiences and what is special about the musical form. His discussion of primary and secondary plots is enlightening. He highlights those musicals that changed the form. What is essential over time is not only the music, but a story and characters that engage the audience. His discussion of the eleven o’clock number, the I Want song, the second act opening number are all informative. He writes with humor as well as knowledge that comes from his years of experience and his pleasure in the form and the great performers. His analysis of Gypsy is an example of how he captures the power of a particular musical. His discussion of the transition from the piano to the guitar is fascinating. As a Woody Guthrie fan, it was nice to see his influence acknowledged. Having seen many of the musicals on Broadway or in regional productions, finding out how their magic works was a pleasure. As an added bonus, Viertel reviews available recordings of the musicals he discusses as well as some outstanding musicals that he did not discuss. This a must read for anyone who cares about the unique contribution of the American musical to world culture.
April 28, 2016
Well-nigh irresistible to an erstwhile theater kid, and anyone who's ever loved a musical will surely feel the same. Viertel's favorite musicals and mine don't always line up (I'm with him on Guys and Dolls and Fiddler on the Roof, but I've never seen Carousel, prefer The Sound of Music to South Pacific, and never managed to warm up to Sondheim), but his enthusiasm is contagious, his analysis thoughtful, and his love of musicals and firm belief in their importance is apparent on every page. A delight from the overture to the curtain call!
June 22, 2016
I'm not deluding myself into thinking that a non-theater person would find this as fascinating as I did, but this was first-rate. Viertel's walk through the architecture of musical theater delivered a lot of familiar info, but it was also loaded down with stuff that had never occurred to me. Plus, it's just fun because of all of the examples that he uses to illustrate his points. This is going to change the way I watch any musical.
January 9, 2018
I love musicals, and I’m glad to have read something from a strictly American standpoint. Webber and the creators of Les Mis and Miss Saigon are talented, but I want to know about more than that. Viertel breaks down the structure of a good musical and explains why each component makes a show successful. Plus, he’s funny.
February 19, 2026
I have an abiding affection for musicals, though in a peculiar way where the one Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode is more central to the concept for me than Oklahoma! I also have a good friend who lives and breathes them, and after a bit of research this seemed like an excellent birthday gift for her (I insist on getting people books as gifts whenever possible, because I hate myself). Thankfully, even as someone with only a moderate interest in the subject, this was a light, engrossing and even educational read.
The book is about what Viertel calls the Golden Age Broadway Musical – its cultural lineage, its rise and fall, its structure and anatomy, and the whole world that grew up around it. Viertel has spent more or less his entire adult life working in and around them, and the book is adapted from a set of lectures given to aspiring theatre professionals (if, one assumes, softened and punched up for a general audience of fans). The book’s thesis is that there is a peculiarly American stage musical tradition, and that works that follow in it have a surprisingly consistent structure (even if the truly incredible ones inevitably deviate from it here or there). Each chapter of the book is organized around a piece of that structure, from overture to curtain call, with a double-handful of examples drawn from throughout to provide illustrative examples.
All of which is fairly interesting – and the template Viertel lays out does seem to fit the works he’s based it on – but by far the bigger draw of the book for me was as a cultural history of Broadway’s Golden Age (here defined as ending some time in the 1970s, whereupon the scene spent a few decades more or less surviving on British imports before a recent revival). As mentioned, I’ve got a passing interest in musicals, enough that I’d heard of a lot of the shows, creatives and stars mentioned but couldn’t tell you a single thing about them. While hardly exhaustive or encyclopedic, the book does a good job explaining the significance of the standouts and defining personalities, as well as the development of the musical from prewar operettas and vaudeville acts to its recognizable modern form.
In the process it also accomplished something I always treasure in a history – it actually gives a sense of the world around the subject, captures a bit of the experience of living through it, and of the wider cultural milieu and how it shaped it. The incredibly emic nature of the book helps a lot with this, of course – Viertel lived through basically everything he’s writing about and saw most of it firsthand (if only from the audience).
Viertel’s voice and perspective save the whole thing from being a bit of a dry textbook, honestly. He’s opinionated, biased, blinkered, clearly reminiscing about the Good Old Days for one chunk of the book and clearly yelling at clouds for another. Generally, he gleefully leans into the role of the cantankerous old mentor he’s written for himself. The things he just takes as givens and doesn’t even bother to justify – that musicals, whatever else they aspire to be, are first and most fundamentally romances, for example – are often more interesting to turn over than the stuff he’s explicitly trying to teach. Even the occasional rambling detours into memoir are usually pretty interesting.
I’ve said that the template Viertel lays out seems to fit the plays he uses as examples for it, but it’s hardly like I know them all well enough to do more than take his word for it. Still, even if I’m never going to have anything to do with producing a musical, as a guide and as a list of tips and guidelines for creating compelling, melodramatic works of fiction there’s a lot that seems worth stealing for the creative work I do dabble in.
Though really, most of all, the book has absolutely convinced me I need to see a live production of Fiddler on the Roof.
The book is about what Viertel calls the Golden Age Broadway Musical – its cultural lineage, its rise and fall, its structure and anatomy, and the whole world that grew up around it. Viertel has spent more or less his entire adult life working in and around them, and the book is adapted from a set of lectures given to aspiring theatre professionals (if, one assumes, softened and punched up for a general audience of fans). The book’s thesis is that there is a peculiarly American stage musical tradition, and that works that follow in it have a surprisingly consistent structure (even if the truly incredible ones inevitably deviate from it here or there). Each chapter of the book is organized around a piece of that structure, from overture to curtain call, with a double-handful of examples drawn from throughout to provide illustrative examples.
All of which is fairly interesting – and the template Viertel lays out does seem to fit the works he’s based it on – but by far the bigger draw of the book for me was as a cultural history of Broadway’s Golden Age (here defined as ending some time in the 1970s, whereupon the scene spent a few decades more or less surviving on British imports before a recent revival). As mentioned, I’ve got a passing interest in musicals, enough that I’d heard of a lot of the shows, creatives and stars mentioned but couldn’t tell you a single thing about them. While hardly exhaustive or encyclopedic, the book does a good job explaining the significance of the standouts and defining personalities, as well as the development of the musical from prewar operettas and vaudeville acts to its recognizable modern form.
In the process it also accomplished something I always treasure in a history – it actually gives a sense of the world around the subject, captures a bit of the experience of living through it, and of the wider cultural milieu and how it shaped it. The incredibly emic nature of the book helps a lot with this, of course – Viertel lived through basically everything he’s writing about and saw most of it firsthand (if only from the audience).
Viertel’s voice and perspective save the whole thing from being a bit of a dry textbook, honestly. He’s opinionated, biased, blinkered, clearly reminiscing about the Good Old Days for one chunk of the book and clearly yelling at clouds for another. Generally, he gleefully leans into the role of the cantankerous old mentor he’s written for himself. The things he just takes as givens and doesn’t even bother to justify – that musicals, whatever else they aspire to be, are first and most fundamentally romances, for example – are often more interesting to turn over than the stuff he’s explicitly trying to teach. Even the occasional rambling detours into memoir are usually pretty interesting.
I’ve said that the template Viertel lays out seems to fit the plays he uses as examples for it, but it’s hardly like I know them all well enough to do more than take his word for it. Still, even if I’m never going to have anything to do with producing a musical, as a guide and as a list of tips and guidelines for creating compelling, melodramatic works of fiction there’s a lot that seems worth stealing for the creative work I do dabble in.
Though really, most of all, the book has absolutely convinced me I need to see a live production of Fiddler on the Roof.
December 23, 2025
3.5-4⭐
Decent. The title is a misnomer which leads one to believe this is about the behind-the-scenes of creating a show - the producers, the money, the creative process, how it runs. The introduction makes it quickly apparent that it's about the structure of musicals and what makes them work.
I thought this could have been more focused. The content was largely examples, with some throughline, which I enjoyed because I like musicals and recognized a lot of the examples given and could contextualize them. It would have been better with a bit more connective tissue, and the examples could become tedious, especially if you aren't familiar with the show.
Also this man is OBSESSED with Guys and Dolls and Gypsy lol. It was novel for me because I saw Guys and Dolls for the first time in the middle of reading this book, but oof a chapter did not go by without an allusion to the perfect structure of Guys and Dolls.
Decent. The title is a misnomer which leads one to believe this is about the behind-the-scenes of creating a show - the producers, the money, the creative process, how it runs. The introduction makes it quickly apparent that it's about the structure of musicals and what makes them work.
I thought this could have been more focused. The content was largely examples, with some throughline, which I enjoyed because I like musicals and recognized a lot of the examples given and could contextualize them. It would have been better with a bit more connective tissue, and the examples could become tedious, especially if you aren't familiar with the show.
Also this man is OBSESSED with Guys and Dolls and Gypsy lol. It was novel for me because I saw Guys and Dolls for the first time in the middle of reading this book, but oof a chapter did not go by without an allusion to the perfect structure of Guys and Dolls.
December 7, 2023
This book is a well written, interesting breakdown of how the different songs in a musical are created and arranged to successfully tell the story, but it falls short in a few regards. I had hoped Viertel would take a deeper look into musicals as a whole, including the book, staging, choreo, design, management, acting, but he only focused on the songs. And boy, did he FOCUS on the songs. He gave many good examples of the types of songs he was talking about, but a) he used almost entirely golden age musicals to illustrate his points and b) he gave so many examples and talked about them at such length that I got pretty bored by times. The narrow lens of this book makes me think he should re-think his broad title. I also think the author should go out and see some musicals that don't have majorly sexist and racist undertones. There are plenty.
July 16, 2022
I enjoyed this a lot! It's structured in the same way as many musicals, with chapters on the "I want" song, conditional love songs, the "noise" before the second act, the 11 o'clock number, and more. Each kind of song is defined and then fleshed out with many examples from well-known shows. That was really fun for me--I was familiar with most of the examples, and I liked thinking more about how those scenes function in the larger framework of the show.
The author highlights Golden Age musicals in particular (1940s-70s), but also brings in a few hits from recent years. I disagree slightly with some of the author's takes, but that's fine--I learned a lot. The narrator for the audio version was great, too.
The author highlights Golden Age musicals in particular (1940s-70s), but also brings in a few hits from recent years. I disagree slightly with some of the author's takes, but that's fine--I learned a lot. The narrator for the audio version was great, too.
June 19, 2019
Really enjoyable read that’s got me exploring some shows I’d never seen before. Not what I expected it to be, but I enjoyed it more because it was so different from my expectations!
April 25, 2020
I learned a lot from this book: first and foremost, that my two all-time favorite musicals (Les Mis and Phantom of the Opera) are not American musicals at all but are actually British. So, with that rather embarrassing admission, you can see why this book fits into:
2020 Reading Challenge Category: A book on a subject you know nothing about.
Fortunately, I found the topic of American musicals fascinating. Viertel does a great job of exploring the history and structure of American musicals in general, and does a deep dive into analyzing several specific shows (none of which I have ever seen and some of which I had never even heard of before.) I can't say how much someone more well versed in the history and inner workings of Broadway would enjoy this book, but for me, The Secret Life of the American Musical was inspiring. It opened my mind and expanded my worldview in the way that only a good book can. And thanks to the magic of the internet, I've even listened to a few of the new songs myself and added several shows to the list of musicals I'd like to see in person.
If I had to note the tiniest of tiny downsides, it would be that more recent American musicals, like Hamilton (which I have seen--it is amazing!) and The Book of Mormon (which I have not seen in person but want to now), get comparatively little attention in this book. Most of the attention is paid to older shows like Gypsy (never seen it) and Guys and Dolls (ditto.) Learning about these classic shows was a great education (see 2020 Reading Challenge Category above), but I would have loved to have had a bit more of a peek behind the curtain into the creation / structure / inner workings of the newer shows.
2020 Reading Challenge Category: A book on a subject you know nothing about.
Fortunately, I found the topic of American musicals fascinating. Viertel does a great job of exploring the history and structure of American musicals in general, and does a deep dive into analyzing several specific shows (none of which I have ever seen and some of which I had never even heard of before.) I can't say how much someone more well versed in the history and inner workings of Broadway would enjoy this book, but for me, The Secret Life of the American Musical was inspiring. It opened my mind and expanded my worldview in the way that only a good book can. And thanks to the magic of the internet, I've even listened to a few of the new songs myself and added several shows to the list of musicals I'd like to see in person.
If I had to note the tiniest of tiny downsides, it would be that more recent American musicals, like Hamilton (which I have seen--it is amazing!) and The Book of Mormon (which I have not seen in person but want to now), get comparatively little attention in this book. Most of the attention is paid to older shows like Gypsy (never seen it) and Guys and Dolls (ditto.) Learning about these classic shows was a great education (see 2020 Reading Challenge Category above), but I would have loved to have had a bit more of a peek behind the curtain into the creation / structure / inner workings of the newer shows.
January 11, 2019
Jack Viertel really knows his sh*t - he's produced or consulted on a wide variety of Broadway hits over his career. This book isn't a memoir or autobiography however, although there are bits of autobiography sprinkled throughout. Rather, this is a masterclass of the mechanics of the musical, written (and written well) by a true expert; Mr. Broadway becomes Professor Broadway (as narrated by David Pittu, it's exactly like being in a masterclass as well; if I ever would hear the real Jack Viertel speak in person, I would be confused to not hear David Pittu's voice coming out of Jack's mouth). Viertel's knowledge is positively depth and breadth too. He breaks the musical down into chunks, and then uses shows from Showboat to Hamilton to explain everything from the beginning of a show to the end: the overture, various kinds of songs, characters and scenes, and even the intermission (the most autobiographical part, actually and really interestingly). This is a hearty stew, meaty and with gossipy tidbits sprinkled here and there. Lovers of musical theater should DEFINITELY pick this one up.
December 30, 2022
Immensely readable and highly informative walk through the story structure of the American musical. For anyone who enjoys musical theatre, this book explains not only why we respond positively to a well structured musical, but also why we are let down by one’s that make mistakes. The examples are expansive and detailed, and the author’s credentials as a dramaturg shine as he draws back the curtain and illuminates the underlying structures we respond to without even being aware of them. I learned so much from this book.
You don’t need to have seen all the shows he references and alludes to through out the book to fully appreciate the points being made, but here is a list of a few that are frequently referenced and worth having some familiarity:
- Gypsy
- Guys and Dolls
- My Fair Lady
- Sweeney Todd
- The Book of Mormon
- Fiddler on the Roof
- Carousel
- Oklahoma
- She Loves Me
The author includes a recommended listening list of cast recordings in the order they are referenced in the book as an appendix, and it’s extensive as well.
You don’t need to have seen all the shows he references and alludes to through out the book to fully appreciate the points being made, but here is a list of a few that are frequently referenced and worth having some familiarity:
- Gypsy
- Guys and Dolls
- My Fair Lady
- Sweeney Todd
- The Book of Mormon
- Fiddler on the Roof
- Carousel
- Oklahoma
- She Loves Me
The author includes a recommended listening list of cast recordings in the order they are referenced in the book as an appendix, and it’s extensive as well.
June 9, 2016
A course turned into a book makes perfect sense, as Jack Viertel has had years of experiences from audience member to producer to teacher to consider the subject. Here, he ruminates at length structuring the most readable book as a musical, from Overture to Curtain Call. To maintain focus, he sticks to just a handful of musicals to illustrate each point although he sprinkles in many others from throughout the Golden Age of the musical, from 1943's Oklahoma to 1975's A Chorus Line. He keep things modern looking at more contemporary material right up to Hamilton.
As a result, there will be your favorite shows underused or missing outright. For me that would include personal favorites like Chicago. Historically, I think he missed the impact of Grease in the 1970s and almost entirely ignores Bob Fosse.
That said, if you are musical theater fan, this work is a terrific survey and I find myself looking at shows with fresh eyes which is fun.
As a result, there will be your favorite shows underused or missing outright. For me that would include personal favorites like Chicago. Historically, I think he missed the impact of Grease in the 1970s and almost entirely ignores Bob Fosse.
That said, if you are musical theater fan, this work is a terrific survey and I find myself looking at shows with fresh eyes which is fun.
July 24, 2020
This was a really interesting exploration of different 'typical' musical numbers and their history, illustrated by taking a close look at some examples. I got a lot out of this and was tempted to rate this 4 stars, if it weren't so limited to the author's own preferences.
He does acknowledge this, but then still makes very decisive judgments and focuses on whatever he wants to focus on. That's his right as an author, of course, but I sometimes felt it made the book jump around a bit and distributed the focus somewhat unevenly between topics.
Still, I really enjoyed it and definitely learned from it, too!
He does acknowledge this, but then still makes very decisive judgments and focuses on whatever he wants to focus on. That's his right as an author, of course, but I sometimes felt it made the book jump around a bit and distributed the focus somewhat unevenly between topics.
Still, I really enjoyed it and definitely learned from it, too!
March 19, 2017
Jack Viertel is a "tote." A tote, according to my group of friends, is someone who is so totally into a subject that you become swept up in their enthusiasm. Jack Viertel knows Broadway shows and writes eloquently and knowledgeably about the architecture that makes them tick. I loved his totie take on the subject and look forward to listening to the many cast albums he recommends in the final chapter. Best parts for me were the examples of problems that were fixed on the road, turning potential turkeys into hits. Good stuff.
Want to read
March 13, 2016This looks totally fun. Positive NY Times review.
October 19, 2024
Mmm, this one is challenging to rate. On the whole I liked it, but I think the title is misleading — the book is really just about how *songs* in a musical construct the narrative in the musical. Still interesting if you’re a nerd like me and don’t mind hearing the author mention how good Gypsy is for the hundredth time
January 20, 2017
I loved this book. I have seen most of the musicals discussed, and have a list of new musicals where I need to track down and listen to the cast recording. The only problem? Every time he quoted songs lyrics for a song I knew, I had to stop and sing!
February 18, 2017
A must for lover of musicals having an extensive repertoire. His analysis made me appreciate in new ways, shows I have seen dozens of times.
September 9, 2018
This book was a magnetic read despite being pretty analytical throughout, which I suspect is a consequence of being structured the same way that musicals are themselves (with an opening number, a big finish, and even an entr'acte in the middle describing how the author got into producing in the first place). It also helps that the topic of discussion is one that's close to my heart, and that Viertel's way of thinking about it was one that's completely new to me. In any case, I thought his analysis was spot-on, and his humor and the love he lavished on his favorites made this a delightful read.
June 26, 2019
I was expecting background on stage set up, casting, costuming, etc. That isn't what this book is about. It's about the writing of musicals and what makes them a success. It was informative, and the author cites great musicals and examples (songs and scenes) from them that explain how and why the show was a success. It covered so many musicals and really gave great back ground on the writers and musicians. I liked the book. I just wanted to know the nitty gritty of people working their way up to be in a musical and how those dynamics all play out.
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