Books on Creating Theater

[PatrickDC]

Following some surgery later this month, I'll be laid up for a few weeks and am lining up all the books I want to catch up on. I'd like to read about "the business of show," and behind-the-scenes creation of productions. I'm not interested in celebrity, biography, and gossip-style books, but rather factual real-life books about the industry. I found a few on Amazon, and wondering if there are others that you found particularly interesting and informative. Thanks!

Four that sound interesting . . . 

The Business of Broadway

The Commercial Theater Institute Guide to Producing Plays and Musicals

The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows are Built

Broadway General Manager: Demystifying the Most Important and Least Understood Role in Show Business

[daredevil]

Here are some others: The Seesaw Log, by William GIbson, about the road to Broadway of his play,

Two for the Seesaw.

The Story of the Fantasticks---not sure who the author is, probably easy to find out.

Arthur Laurents' autobiography has interesting memories of creating West Side Story and other musicals he worked on.

There are two books about the making of Fiddler on the Roof, and three biographies of Jerome Robbins, that discuss in details, the making of all his musicals and ballets.

Hope this helps

[CaseyBrent41]

I don't think there's a better book than Everything Was Possible by Ted Chapin. Its a perfect book about the road to creating Follies. 

[dramamama611]

The Empty Space by Peter Brook is pretty terrific if you haven't read it yet.