Broadway

by Brooks Atkinson

Traces the history of Broadway theater from 1900 to 1974, and assesses the most memorable productions of each era

Genres: Nonfiction, Theatre

484 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1985

About the author

Justin Brooks Atkinson was an American theatre critic. He worked for The New York Times from 1925 to 1960. In his obituary, the Times called him "the most important reviewer of his time."

Reviews

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a traditional history of Broadway, you can't go wrong with this. Its style is almost that of a textbook, dealing mostly in chronological history, and sometimes following a particular person (actor, writer, impresario, director, etc.) across their career. Though I have followed the theatre most of my life, many of the names in here were new to me and I was glad to have a fuller knowledge of Broadway in its various aspects. This edition was published in 1974 and it spends perhaps a bit too much time and detail on the most recent years, which dates the book a bit. But it's still an enjoyable read.

[Martin Denton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many many years ago; it was one of the choice items in my collection of books about theater (when I had one). Brooks Atkinson was one of the most famous drama critics of his time (roughly, the 1930s thru 1960s). His terse, opinionated style is eminently readable even if his ideas about some plays (like Waiting for Godot) are way off the beam.

Anyway, this book is a chronicle of Broadway from its emergence as the center of American theater in the late 19th century through the time of its publication (about 1970). It's an excellent history, filled with great photos and insider stories, accounts of the creation of some of the most significant work in American drama, and lots of background about the business, the theaters, and the Broadway community.

I'm not sure that I can recall anything specific that I learned from this book, but I know that I enjoyed it and treasured having it.