For anyone who is a fan of classic Broadway history, this is an
essential read. In the grand historical tradition of previous “oral
histories”, the Frommers gathered the remembrances of dozens of Broadway
luminaries — both on stage, and behind the scenes — and in this volume
they let those memories flow. Sometimes the effect can be of letting
Carol Channing go on a stream-of-consciousness ramble, or Celeste Holm
recollect how she got her role in the original cast of Oklahoma,
sometimes it’s the children of famous Broadway composers and lyricists,
remembering what their noteworthy parents’ creative processes were like —
growing up hearing Dad tinkle out future Broadway hit songs on the
piano in his home office.
There’s a strong feeling of sitting around a cozy living room,
listening to Broadway legends tell their personal little stories in this
volume. Originally published in 1998, and re-printed in 2004,
It Happened on Broadway
captures the history of Broadway from the earliest days of vaudeville
and Tin Pan Alley, up through the mid-1980s. This volume is definitely
oriented towards readers who have at least a passing knowledge of
Broadway’s movers and shakers in the mid-20th century. Fortunately, it
also includes a Who’s Who index at the front of the book, giving
nutshell biographies of all the folks who are quoted throughout the
book. The oral history recollections are then broken into thematic
sections, including: “Broadway Calling” (break-in stories), “Look, Look,
Look Who’s Dancin’ Now”, “The X Factor” (what makes certain performers
unique), “That’s the Craft” (behind-the-scenes lore from the folks whose
hard work allows the actors to shine), and so much more.
This is a marvelous historical volume. My only complaint is that it
ends with the 1980s — Broadway, in many ways, has re-created itself in
the past 3 decades, and it would have been nice, especially in the 2004
reprint edition that I read, to share more recent stories. Otherwise,
this is marvelous fun and I highly recommend it. Rather than a dry and
studious volume on theatrical trends, this is a collection of memories
from the folks who actually put on the shows…and the love they have for
the business of the theatre shines through!
[ official
It Happened on Broadway web site ] | [ page dedicated to
The Frommers at Dartmouth ]
Recommended by
Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library
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