This is the second time I've posted about this topic, the first time being a couple years ago!
I collect the large coffee-table books about the creative process and construction of Broadway musicals. They are absolutely stunning and often include original set and costume sketches, backstage photographs, annotated full librettos, secrets and stories from the cast and crew, and more! Over the years I have found more online than I ever expected to exist - with a lot of help from this forum! I now own:
Wicked: The Grimmerie
Les Miserables: Stage to Screen
Book of Mormon: Testament of a Broadway Musical
Hamilton: The Revolution
Dear Evan Hansen: Through The Window
Mary Poppins: Anything Can Happen If You Let It
Aladdin: A Whole New World
Spring Awakening: In The Flesh
RENT: Jonathon Larson
I do not yet own but also know of and want:
Hairspray: The Roots
The Lion King: Pride Rock on Broadway
The Little Mermaid: From the Deep Blue Sea to the Great White Way
Beaty and the Beast: A Celebration of the Broadway Musical
Great Comet: The Journey of a New Musical
The Art and Making of The Greatest Showman
Avenue Q: The Book
Do you know of any that I have missed on these lists? Let me know and I can add them in so we have a master list!
Additionally, do you own any of the above books? Which is your favorite?
And lastly, which musicals would you like to see this style of book for? I would love them for Newsies, Falsettos, and Into the Woods!!
Its not a coffee table book but I believe Tom Schumacher, head of Disney Theatrical, wrote a book as well. I won a copy a few years ago at an Aladdin preview event I attended.
I used to have a coffee table book for Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida. Say what you want about its quality as a musical, but the design was gorgeous and the book had some amazing photos. (Unfortunately my copy got bad water damage - I've been meant to find another).
I also have an Avenue Q coffee table book, complete with orange fuzzy cover.
I love these coffee table books as well. Strand Bookstore always seems to have a few in their oversized theatre/film section, so if you're ever in NYC I recommend looking there (I bought one on The Producers not too long ago).
I also loved the Playbill Yearbook series -- it was a fun, behind the scenes look at all the shows running every season. I miss them!
I've said this before, but I really hope a coffee table book is released on the making of Come From Away, especially now with all of the international productions opening up.
Kitsune said: "I used to have a coffee table book for Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida. Say what you want about its quality as a musical, but the design was gorgeous and the book had some amazing photos. (Unfortunately my copy got bad water damage - I've been meant to find another).
I also have an Avenue Q coffee table book, complete with orange fuzzy cover."
Ooh I remember hearing about the Aida one, I'll have to start having a look around online for it! Sorry your copy got damaged. And yes I definitely want the Avenue Q book with the fuzzy fluffy cover!! So cool!
Emmaloucbway said: "I love these coffee table books as well. Strand Bookstore always seems to have a few in their oversized theatre/film section, so if you're ever in NYC I recommend looking there (I bought one on The Producers not too long ago).
I also loved the Playbill Yearbook series -- it was a fun, behind the sceneslook at all the shows running every season. I miss them!
I've said this before, but I really hope a coffee table book is released on the making of Come From Away, especially now with all of the international productions opening up."
I absolutely would love to see one for Come From Away! I've also heard the Playbill Yearbook Series is great, perhaps I will look into it.
Thanks for the heads up about Strand Bookstore! If I find myself in New York anytime soon I will definitely go take a look. I'd love the Producers book, I'll start looking around online for it!
There is also Tarzan: The Broadway Adventure, Sunset Boulevard: From Movie to Musical, and The Lion King: Twenty Years on Broadway and Around the World.
My favorite is Pride Rock in Broadway, a fascinating look into the show and the many versions/designs it went through.
I have one for Phantom that I found at a local secondhand book shop. It's set up like a usual coffee table book, although it's a little smaller than my others and paperback. Has the libretto, pics of Crawford and Brightman, all the usual stuff. Really cool HD pic of the Phantom makeup.
There's also one for Les Mis that wasn't on your list that has the libretto and other similar stuff with Colm Wilkinson, Frances Ruffelle, and others.
It's not devoted to one show, but Martin Gottfried wrote two BIG books, "Broadway Musicals," which ends around the time of "A Chorus Line," and a second volume that goes into the '90s. The first is hard to carry, the second less so.
There was one created for the London production of Sunset Boulevard. Many photos of Patti and the rest of the original London cast. It's out of print now, but looks like a number of copies are available on Amazon in varying conditions.
joined:10/13/14
joined:
10/13/14
Posted: 1/24/19 at 9:53pm