A review by dotsonapage
Broadway: The American Musical by Laurence Maslon, Michael Kantor

4.0

Ok I'll admit it, I'm a huge musical theater snob. I've loved the musical since I was two or three and saw The Sound of Music for the first time. I have large collections of playbills and cast albums, and I saw the excellent PBS documentary that serves as a companion to this book three times all the way through. So I guess it wouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that I really enjoyed this book. It's not just about the history of the musical. It's also an examination of American history and culture throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries. Favorite composers and performers are profiled, the stories behind favorite songs are told, and the book is filled with photos, posters and other fun stuff. If you're as big a musical theater fan as I am, this is a must-read.