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Jagged Little Pill
The official behind-the-scenes look at the powerful new musical based on Alanis Morissette's cult classic album Jagged Little Pill.
Celebrating its 25-year anniversary in 2020, singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette's Grammy-Award winning album Jagged Little Pill has come to define a generation. In the "triumphant and moving" (Variety) Broadway musical of the same name, Morissette's iconic numbers-including smash hits like "Ironic," "You Oughta Know," and "Hand in My Pocket,"-are paired with new songs by the beloved musician and a powerful original story by Academy Award-winning writer Diablo Cody (Juno). Hailed as "urgent, wildly entertaining, and wickedly funny" (The Boston Globe) and "joyful and redemptive, rousing and real" (The New York Times), the Jagged Little Pill musical is a poignant and emotionally revelatory experience that is speaking to audiences across generations.
Now, for the first time, this book will take you behind the scenes with stunning photography, original in-depth interviews with the cast, crew, Alanis Morisette, and Diablo Cody, and an introduction from Morissette herself on the album's genesis and journey from release to acclaimed musical-including details and anecdotes on her collaboration on the show. Including the full annotated libretto and a retrospective look at Alanis's artistic influences and the significance of the album within the cultural context of the 90s as well as its long-term impact on the music world as we know it, this beautifully rendered book is a must-have keepsake for anyone who has been touched by this production or Morissette's music.
Celebrating its 25-year anniversary in 2020, singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette's Grammy-Award winning album Jagged Little Pill has come to define a generation. In the "triumphant and moving" (Variety) Broadway musical of the same name, Morissette's iconic numbers-including smash hits like "Ironic," "You Oughta Know," and "Hand in My Pocket,"-are paired with new songs by the beloved musician and a powerful original story by Academy Award-winning writer Diablo Cody (Juno). Hailed as "urgent, wildly entertaining, and wickedly funny" (The Boston Globe) and "joyful and redemptive, rousing and real" (The New York Times), the Jagged Little Pill musical is a poignant and emotionally revelatory experience that is speaking to audiences across generations.
Now, for the first time, this book will take you behind the scenes with stunning photography, original in-depth interviews with the cast, crew, Alanis Morisette, and Diablo Cody, and an introduction from Morissette herself on the album's genesis and journey from release to acclaimed musical-including details and anecdotes on her collaboration on the show. Including the full annotated libretto and a retrospective look at Alanis's artistic influences and the significance of the album within the cultural context of the 90s as well as its long-term impact on the music world as we know it, this beautifully rendered book is a must-have keepsake for anyone who has been touched by this production or Morissette's music.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published November 10, 2020
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About the author
Alanis Morissette
53 books134 followersAlanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She has won twelve Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, and has sold more than 55 million albums worldwide. She gained an American citizenship in 2005. Morissette began her career in Canada, and as a teenager recorded two dance-pop albums, Alanis and Now Is the Time, under MCA Records. Her international debut album was the rock-influenced Jagged Little Pill, which is the best-selling debut album by a female artist in the U.S., and the highest selling debut album worldwide in music history. According to RIAA and United World Charts, Alanis is defined as the biggest selling female rock artist in music. Morissette took up producing duties for her subsequent albums, which include Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, Under Rug Swept, So-Called Chaos and her upcoming release Flavors of Entanglement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 16, 2024
If you’ve seen the musical, Jagged Little Pill, or missed the musical when it was on tour and want to know more – Jagged Little Pill: you live, you learn : the stories behind the iconic album and groundbreaking musical will shine the light on all you know and more. You’ll learn about how the show was created, from the album’s beginning to songs being chosen for the show, as well as how the plot evolved as the actors workshopped the show. Although she is still mum on who “You Oughta Know” was originally written about (my guess is still Dave Coulier), Alanis Morissette offers many behind-the-scenes details on her songs and plot points in the show. This book has interviews with the cast, amazing photography, and the full, annotated, libretto (amazing!).
I heard the album, I read the book version of the show (Jagged Little Pill by Glen Ballard), I saw the Broadway musical on tour, and now, after reading Jagged Little Pill: you live, you learn : the stories behind the iconic album and groundbreaking musical, I understand, appreciate, and love it all a little deeper.
-Diana F.
I heard the album, I read the book version of the show (Jagged Little Pill by Glen Ballard), I saw the Broadway musical on tour, and now, after reading Jagged Little Pill: you live, you learn : the stories behind the iconic album and groundbreaking musical, I understand, appreciate, and love it all a little deeper.
-Diana F.
December 8, 2020
Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway
Being a person of a certain age... there are things that take me by surprise or catch me off guard these days. Scrunchies are back? Wasn't there a whole Sex and the City episode about this? Why is everyone talking about Friends again? Kevin Smith is 50? Jagged Little Pill was released 25 years ago?
Madness. I'm not old, you're old.
This book was like revisiting the best parts of my memories of those times; my senior year of high school for anyone keeping score. I had the CD with me all the time, I knew it forwards and backward and tried to be as cool as Alanis though I fear I never quite hit the mark. And that was OK, as the lady herself said:
I will admit that I'm not as familiar with the Broadway show as much as I am with the album, and just as I loved revisiting such formative music I enjoyed seeing the creative process for the show. This is a beautiful book, it's gorgeous through and through. If there weren't a three-year-old roaming my house, I'd likely leave it out to thumb through from time to time.
Being a person of a certain age... there are things that take me by surprise or catch me off guard these days. Scrunchies are back? Wasn't there a whole Sex and the City episode about this? Why is everyone talking about Friends again? Kevin Smith is 50? Jagged Little Pill was released 25 years ago?
Madness. I'm not old, you're old.
This book was like revisiting the best parts of my memories of those times; my senior year of high school for anyone keeping score. I had the CD with me all the time, I knew it forwards and backward and tried to be as cool as Alanis though I fear I never quite hit the mark. And that was OK, as the lady herself said:
I, recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone
I certainly do
I, recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time
Feel free
I will admit that I'm not as familiar with the Broadway show as much as I am with the album, and just as I loved revisiting such formative music I enjoyed seeing the creative process for the show. This is a beautiful book, it's gorgeous through and through. If there weren't a three-year-old roaming my house, I'd likely leave it out to thumb through from time to time.
April 26, 2022
Ok, it didn't hurt the rating that I'm listening to the soundtrack right now! And I'm going to be obsessed, I can tell. But, I'm seeing in my head where the songs could fit in the book. It's a great book with a lot of interwoven current problems.
February 9, 2022
What a cool book!! Listening to the audiobook it was amazing hearing the voices of the actors, choreographer, director, and Alanis herself describe the experience of creating the musical and intentionally using the songs to create a story. I immediately listened to the original cast recording when finishing and not only did it make me want to see the musical, I will have a greater appreciation for it when I do understanding more deeply what went in to creating this finished product.
December 16, 2020
I was lucky enough to see the musical in November 2o19 on Broadway. It was brilliant. This companion volume is perfect for those who have seen the musical and for those who have yet to experience it.
April 30, 2022
Not familiar with the album, I was not sure I was interested in seeing this production. After listening to this, I am intrigued and looking for an opportunity to see this with my daughter, who has always been an Alanis fan.
April 8, 2021
This isn’t the edition I read; however, it wasn’t available on Goodreads. I’ll need to add it, then follow up with a proper review!
April 24, 2021
I think this was one of the last Broadway shows I watched before the pandemic, and it was inspiring, uplifting, heartbreaking, and so relatable. The book was piercing as well.
Notable lines:
“Ten years from now or two years from now, there’s going to be some reflection on what beauty was yielded from it. And in the moment, when hard, challenging, difficult times are happening, it’s tough for me to conjure the ‘You Learn’ energy. But that is what it’s all about. Even when it’s not fun.”
“’Hand in My Pocket’ . . . says that it is OK to feel conflicted or torn apart or even exhausted. It’s OK to not have it all figured out just yet. It says everything is going to be fine, even when the world is confusing and unpredictable. All we have to get through it are our own two hands, and they are capable of doing so much.”
“And they’re like, ‘I know, but your whole self was so happy.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, they were both happening.’ I was happy and struggling.”
“Bella: Why do you even care what happened to me?
Frankie: Because it could happen to any of us.”
“I felt as if no one had the right to give unsolicited feedback, which I think is one of the most violent kinds of communication.”
“You’re my kid, that’s normal. Most people don’t know their parents until it’s too late.”
Notable lines:
“Ten years from now or two years from now, there’s going to be some reflection on what beauty was yielded from it. And in the moment, when hard, challenging, difficult times are happening, it’s tough for me to conjure the ‘You Learn’ energy. But that is what it’s all about. Even when it’s not fun.”
“’Hand in My Pocket’ . . . says that it is OK to feel conflicted or torn apart or even exhausted. It’s OK to not have it all figured out just yet. It says everything is going to be fine, even when the world is confusing and unpredictable. All we have to get through it are our own two hands, and they are capable of doing so much.”
“And they’re like, ‘I know, but your whole self was so happy.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, they were both happening.’ I was happy and struggling.”
“Bella: Why do you even care what happened to me?
Frankie: Because it could happen to any of us.”
“I felt as if no one had the right to give unsolicited feedback, which I think is one of the most violent kinds of communication.”
“You’re my kid, that’s normal. Most people don’t know their parents until it’s too late.”
May 5, 2021
A great book about Jagged Little Pill and the musical that was inspired by it. I had no idea JLP had been made into a musical, and while they're not normally my thing (except, obvs, Hairspray) JLP is one of my faves so I decided to give it a go. It is so in depth and comprehensive! There are the expected interview excerpts from cast members, producers, writers, choreographers, and Alanis Morisette herself, but there were sections about the initial reception of JLP, Alanis' career history, Alanis' influences and thought process behind the album, and of course, a very detailed focus on the story of the musical, and how it was created and developed from paper to performance. There are lots of difficult topics handled in the musical: addiction, sexual assault, isolation, navigating queerness, inter-racial adoption, heartbreak, academic pressure, anxiety, and climate change. What I really loved was that every topic was so thoughtfully researched and presented in a way that was comprehensible for someone completely unaware of the topic, and there were directions to further information services. What an amazing book documenting a well-produced musical based on a brilliant album by a talented artist. I hope one day this comes to the UK or gets recorded because I am so enthralled and fascinated with the story, characters, and historical influences that I am desperate to watch it now.
February 21, 2021
I have been an Alanis fan my entire life. Jagged Little Pill was the first cassette I ever bought with my own money, I played it until it broke, then Jagged Little Pill was another early cassette I bought with my own money to replace the dead one. I knew every word, loved every song, and felt every word. “Perfect” still makes me cry to this day. I relate so hard to that song. So when I saw there was a musical, naturally I got the CD immediately (fortunately, they don’t wear out as easy as tapes). I couldn’t have prepared myself for how much it spoke to my activist heart. Every song was so well performed, even the two new ones. But it was missing something...like, a plot. Bc it’s not a sung musical. Then this book showed up on the shelf at the library and I swallowed it down (what a jagged little pill...) in a single day. This book is amazing. Not only is it basically the Hamiltome for the play, but it has interviews with Alanis about the songs and information about the very serious issues handled in the story. I loved seeing the pictures and pairing faces to voices. Now all that’s left is to finally see the play. Oh, Jagged Little Pill. I had no choice...but to hear you.
November 15, 2021
I'm a huge Alanis Morrissette fan and was thrilled to see Jagged Little Pill has become a stage show.
This book dives into the making of the show and scenes from it. Alanis shares behind the scenes Easter eggs about the creation of Jagged Little Pill album and the creation of this show. We get to read scenes from the show, see pictures, and interviews with the cast. The book also dives into topics covered in the show like addiction, sexual assault, and transracial adoption. There's not a super in-depth plot, but is an interesting look into the lives of the Healy family.
It's an interesting look at the show and the music it's based off of.
This book dives into the making of the show and scenes from it. Alanis shares behind the scenes Easter eggs about the creation of Jagged Little Pill album and the creation of this show. We get to read scenes from the show, see pictures, and interviews with the cast. The book also dives into topics covered in the show like addiction, sexual assault, and transracial adoption. There's not a super in-depth plot, but is an interesting look into the lives of the Healy family.
It's an interesting look at the show and the music it's based off of.
January 5, 2021
This was a very quick, fun read! I really enjoyed seeing behind the scenes of the show... which I was supposed to see in April on a NYC trip which (of course) was canceled. Some of the interviews/essays felt a little repetitive, but over all I really enjoyed seeing the show from many perspectives. I also enjoyed getting read the libretto! It just made me even more excited to see the show when Broadway comes back!
November 14, 2021
I read this in 2 sittings before I saw the show on Broadway and I'm SO HAPPY THAT I DID. The way the book is put together, the graphics, the photos, the profiles of the characters mixed in with Alanis Morissette's history mixed in with the backstory for the choreography mixed in with actor interviews, etc., it was just masterful. It gave me all the feels and all the extra context that I wanted before seeing the show. I'm a massive fan.
Read
July 29, 2023Fun! I listened, and it definitely felt like more of a podcast / series of interviews than a book. But I enjoyed learning about one of my favorite musicals and albums — everything from analyzing original song lyrics, to character development and arranging/changing the show. There are SO many topics that the musical includes, and they seem to touch it all in this — climate change to transracial adoption to sexual assault and of course so much more.
January 3, 2021
I just loved this book. As a fan of the musical, it answered all of my many questions about the choices in writing and development. It was lovely to listen and read through the show and *almost* felt like I was seeing it again. (Which made me miss live theater even more.) I can’t wait to see this show again.
January 16, 2023
Really loved getting deep into this musical, the artist and album that started it all. I didn't know anything about the musical at all before this book, and now I have tickets purchased for when the show comes into town. This was just what I needed. I love behind the scenes stuff, and interviews, and this book had all of it. Very thoughtful currated, from writing to art to layout, cover to cover.
January 11, 2021
I’m just so obsessed with the design and layout of this book. It’s so fun visually. Also the behind the scenes of the album and the musical were very interesting. Love this show! I’m sure it’ll get the Best Musical Tony (whenever that happens).
April 9, 2022
Super quick audio book, but it was awesome. This album was such a critical part of my youth and every song is talked about and getting the insights of the actors was a really pleasant piece. I’m super fired up to see the musical when it starts touring again!
December 30, 2022
Great book about the stories and themes behind the musical. I'm looking forward to seeing the musical even more, after reading this book. It includes a couple of songs that are in the musical that are from Alanis's other albums.
May 30, 2021
I HAVE TO SEE THIS MUSICAL OH MY GOD!!!!!!!
January 1, 2022
This is a great book about a fantastic musical that is tragically soured by the knowledge of the transphobia that went down behind the scenes.
February 19, 2022
Definitely want to see this on Broadway!
May 16, 2022
A quick read, full of youth and angst and family drama we can all relate to. The dialogue slips in the lyrics of Alanis Morisette used in the Broadway play.
July 29, 2023
I loved revisiting this musical and hearing perspective from all involved. The audio was difficult to hear at times during the interviews but other than that, fantastic.
November 12, 2023
I loved the soundtrack and I love the novel. This was just as amazing
March 5, 2021
Reflections and lessons learned:
In a normal time this would be unusual, and possibly a bit sycophantic and indulgent in places, but I thought that an analysis of a play that was suspended as a result of lockdown was great.
Madonna, Kirsty MacColl, Janet Jackson, Bananarama, Betty Boo, Fuzzbox, L7, Kate Bush, Bonnie Tyler, half of Bucks Fizz - as a girl of the 80s and 90s I’ve been lucky in having many strong female musical icons. In 1995 angry female rock suddenly started to breakthrough into mainstream proper though with Morrissette and Shirley from out of Garbage - the two albums that everyone at Kidderminster college suddenly loved.
I really enjoyed the Ironic lyrics discussion that we all had, drunk in the pub, back in day... irony vs bad luck vs twists of fate “isn’t it a mere stroke of coincidence rather than anything deeper... don’t you think...!” Anything that makes me feel like shouting along , I can get in board within... and I’d definitely jump up for a standing ovation
In a normal time this would be unusual, and possibly a bit sycophantic and indulgent in places, but I thought that an analysis of a play that was suspended as a result of lockdown was great.
Madonna, Kirsty MacColl, Janet Jackson, Bananarama, Betty Boo, Fuzzbox, L7, Kate Bush, Bonnie Tyler, half of Bucks Fizz - as a girl of the 80s and 90s I’ve been lucky in having many strong female musical icons. In 1995 angry female rock suddenly started to breakthrough into mainstream proper though with Morrissette and Shirley from out of Garbage - the two albums that everyone at Kidderminster college suddenly loved.
I really enjoyed the Ironic lyrics discussion that we all had, drunk in the pub, back in day... irony vs bad luck vs twists of fate “isn’t it a mere stroke of coincidence rather than anything deeper... don’t you think...!” Anything that makes me feel like shouting along , I can get in board within... and I’d definitely jump up for a standing ovation
January 2, 2021
Read this in a handful of sittings. I was (shamefully) largely unfamiliar with Alanis Morissette's music prior to this show, but I have been absolutely obsessed with it for well over a year now. I knew this musical would have a good book, but I was unprepared for how good. Finally seeing how all of the songs fit together in the narrative was wonderful.
In general, this is just a gorgeous coffee table book. I have read many theatre books like this, and I think this one is definitely in my top two (the other being about Rent). The photography is amazing, the interviews with the cast and creatives are refreshingly in-depth, most of the songs are discussed in multi-paragraph detail, and Alanis's notes provide great insight into her original songwriting process. This is not filler, this is a must for anyone who loves this show.
In general, this is just a gorgeous coffee table book. I have read many theatre books like this, and I think this one is definitely in my top two (the other being about Rent). The photography is amazing, the interviews with the cast and creatives are refreshingly in-depth, most of the songs are discussed in multi-paragraph detail, and Alanis's notes provide great insight into her original songwriting process. This is not filler, this is a must for anyone who loves this show.
June 24, 2025
Begynte på boken rett før Alanis-konserten, og avsluttet den litt etter, en veldig fin sammenheng å lese denne musikalen og alt annet denne boka inneholder i. Fikk jo aldri dratt på den når den gikk, så i den forbindelse ble boken kjøpt, og det er jo en stund siden. Men fytti for en stor bok både fysisk og psykisk. Den lar deg virkelig få «se» musikalen og lar deg få lære alt underbyggende fra både skuespillere, dansere, de som står bak kulissene og Alanis selv. Gleder meg ikke mindre til å se musikalen nå kan du si…
July 25, 2021
(LISTENED TO AUDIOBOOK)
This was okay. It explained the process of making the album into a play in a very brief way, and gave light insight into each character along with resource information for the various traumas that informed them. Ultimately, however, it felt more like the last minute night before book report of a high schooler. It needed to be longer to really count as anything more than a cursory review.
This was okay. It explained the process of making the album into a play in a very brief way, and gave light insight into each character along with resource information for the various traumas that informed them. Ultimately, however, it felt more like the last minute night before book report of a high schooler. It needed to be longer to really count as anything more than a cursory review.
June 25, 2024
After reading this it really made me or all of us who like the musical/show really what went through the people behind/on stage what they thought of when they went through this show and this show was on broadway for a short amount of time it deserves a revival I saw the show this year 2024 on tour and the show blew my mind
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews