Theater History Books

[Pumpkin]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:07am

Suggestions? Favorites? Least favorites?

Fiction or non-fiction, looking for a few new reads.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:24am

Be The Parade Passes By - About Gower Champion
The Abominable Showman - About David Merrick
Everything Is Possible - Re the original Follies

As others come to mind, I will post them. These titles may be out of print so try Amazon

Updated On: 7/23/14 at 11:24 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:48am

I have to ask: what would a FICTION Theater History book be? Lies?

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:52am

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Ferderle is a fiction theatre book.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:52am

Double post

Updated On: 7/23/14 at 11:52 AM

[Pumpkin]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:53am

I thought I should have clarified that before I posted. Please include fictional novels that center around the theater. For example, many consider "The Cather in the Rye" to be a valuable source for New York City history even though it is fiction.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 12:00pm

So, really, you are looking for any books about theater, at all?

Ginger -- That's a CHILDREN'S book, and nothing to do with Theater History -- which is what the op originally asked for. (As far as I can tell.)


Check out Jenn Tepper's series of books: The Untold Stories of B'way.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 12:03pm

As the OP said, "please include fictional novels that center around theatre."

That is a fiction novel which centers around theatre, regardless of the intended audience.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 12:06pm

His original post did not make that clarification. His OP asked for theater history books. Sheesh.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 12:10pm

Either way, my original post was a response to your question about fictional theatre books. I was pointing out that they do exist.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 1:21pm

The Season by William Goldman
Act One by Moss Hart
Ghostlight by Frank Rich

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 1:22pm

No, my question was asking what a fictional theatre HISTORY book would be like. I know there are fictional books involving theater. There are fictional books about EVERYTHING.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 1:25pm

I've read and liked
Stop the Show!, Nothing Like a Dame, Not Since Carrie, Song of Spiderman

Also check out the book or DVD series Broadway: The American Musical

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 1:28pm

I think we can reasonably interpret "fictional theatre history book" as a historical fiction about theatre.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 6:09pm

The two best of the countless books I've read:

THE SEASON, William Goldman (mentioned above)
SONDHEIM & CO. (rev. ed.), Craig Zadan

The worst:

Any of the many editions of HISTORY OF THE THEATRE, Oscar G. Brockett.

Think of Brockett as a pocket encyclopedia. He refuses to cut anything and instead relies on countless paragraphs that list "major playwrights of the 1820s" and the like. It is virtually unreadable as a book. I know because I was forced to teach it for years.

(To be fair, my "best" selections cover the second half of the 20th century, while Brockett is trying to cover all theater history since before the Greeks. But that's his fault, not mine.)

Updated On: 7/25/14 at 06:09 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 6:15pm

Not mentioned yet-- Everything Was Possible - Ted Chapin

Posted: 7/23/14 at 6:20pm

Looks like this is coming out soon…. http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product%2Fproduct&product_id=781

[sabrelady]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 8:42pm

's a PLAY but Compleat Female Stage Beauty is a work of fiction based upon historical events taking place in the Restoration period theatre.
The Libertine is as well come to that.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 8:58pm

Eric, Everything Was Possible was mentioned nezr the top.

5, 6, 7, Nate
The Ruby Preston books
Nothing Like A Dame

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 9:11pm

LOL... I shoulda read better. Oh well, it bears repeating. I would put it up there with The Season (though the homosexual thoughts in that book are badly dated and come off as pretty offensive, it's still a terrific read.)

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 9:24pm

Agreed, it does bear repeating. I couldn't put it down.

[ooblogway]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 10:09pm

Playing Underground: A Critical History of the 1960s Off-Off-Broadway Movement by Stephen J. Bottoms

Caffe Cino: The Birthplace of Off-Off-Broadway by Wendell C. Stone

On Edge: Performance at the End of the Twentieth Century by C. Carr

Ridiculous!: The Theatrical Life and Times of Charles Ludlam by David Kaufman

[mattmarkowski99]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:27pm

Act One by Moss Hart or Second Act Trouble by...I forget who.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 12:04am

Underfoot in Show Business by Helene Hanff

Diary of a Mad Playwright by James Kirkwood

[HorseTears]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 12:33am

Ooh. I like this thread. Any recommendations for, well, the kind of books that wouldn't be on any respectable theatre history instructor's syllabus?

Less of the academic process stuff and more of the memoir/behind-the-scenes/gossipy-name-dropping-and-full-of-sometimes-wickedly-funny-theatre-anecdotes type of reads?