Theatre-related books

Isn’t that kinda the point of an autobiography?

I've recently read the autobiography of Don Black - The Sanest Guy in the Room: A Life in Lyrics. A very interesting book, not so much a "start at the beginning" autobiography but lots of shorter chapters relating to the many, many songs and projects he's been involved with. Highly recommend

Oh I didn’t realise he had done a previous book. Thanks for mentioning- I’ll have to hunt it out.

I'm currently reading Judi Dench's latest book and it's very cute. Maybe not as insightful as Harriet Watler's Brutus and Other Heroines, but full of fab anecdotes.

Thanks for recommending this. Got it for Christmas and really enjoying it.

I also have "When the British Musical Ruled the World" on my pile to read.

At the end of last year I read the Fosse biography by Sam Wasson which was a bit of a brick but really good with some hilarious stories.

Still to read: I've got Judi Dench's Shakespeare book (signed copy, dear), "Out for Blood" about the flop Carrie musical, and also "I was Better Last Night" by Harvey Fierstein which I'm looking forward to.

Yikes!! Corrected.

David Weston's "Covering McKellen" is about his year as McKellen's understudy on his (doomed, one could say) first go at King Lear. It is very interesting and several people come out of it badly.

Some more:

A Cats Diary - How the Broadway Production of Cats was born by Stephen Mo Hanan

Stephen Mo Hanan created the role of Gus the Theatre Cat, including the completely new Growltiger sequence that was especially created for his unique talents, in the original New York production of what became the longest-running show in Broadway history, Cats. Hanan kept a diary of every day's work from the first rehearsal through opening. Appearing in print for the first time, this is an unparalleled insider view of how a big Broadway show is put together, written in a lively, articulate, and engaging style. Not only does it offer fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses, it's also a great educational study for actors and directors. Hanan explores the fine nuances of his role, keenly observes Trevor Nunn's directorial methods, and develops strong artistic and emotional bonds with fellow cast members as they journey together to a historic opening night.

A Year with The Producers - Jeffry Denman

"Here, Denman offers a candid one-year diary of his experiences as singer, dancer and understudy in the production. His style is breezy and refreshingly honest, charting each step from audition to opening night. Denman's emotional narrative maintains suspense and sufficiently informs, making this a textbook for anyone seeking a theatrical career and yearning "[t]o change, alter, enhance, deepen, and magnify the hearts of people who sit there watching. Even those lacking in showbiz aspirations will enjoy this book; it has a strong inspirational angle. That, along with the show's blockbuster success, guarantees an instant hit." -Publishers Weekly."
"From the closing night of one smash, "Cats," to the opening night of another, "The Producers," Jeffrey Denman takes us on a delightful and insightful backstage tour of the Great White Way. His portraits of Mel Brooks and Susan Stroman are gems and add much to our understanding of how these towering creative talents work. How lucky for us that Mr. Denman is as fine a writer as he is a performer. Michael Riedel, The New York Post."

Making It Big - The Diary of a Broadway Musical by Barbara Isenberg

How does one of Broadway's most anticipated musicals end up folding its tent after just six months and with a potential loss of more than $10 million? In Barbara Isenberg's behind-the-scenes account, readers follow step by step as Big, the musical struggles against nearly insuperable odds. The long-awaited stage adaptation of the popular Tom Hanks film was not to have an easy journey. Led by the highly-regarded Crazy for You duo of director Mike Ockrent and choreographer Susan Stroman, the show's cast and crew had some very bad luck heading for Broadway with one of the most expensive, high-profile musicals in recent history. In this authoritative, insightful and readable journal, we go backstage as the $10.3 million production is cast, rewritten, rehearsed and performed, first in Detroit, then in New York. Doors are opened to high pressure rehearsals, passionate advertising debates, stern budget talks and endless rewrite sessions in out-of-town hotel rooms. Day by day diary entries report the high hopes and deep disappointments of Ockrent, Stroman, producer James Freydberg, playwright John Weidman, composer David Shire and lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr., as they take on blizzards, set glitches, indifferent audiences, even a convention of witches at their Detroit hotel. Maltby and Shire turn out 58 songs, leading lady Crista Moore has to learn 5 different opening ballads and leading man Daniel Jenkins has knee surgery just weeks before opening night. Postponed from fall, 1995, to spring, 1996, Big was pilloried in Detroit, then substantially reworked for Broadway. But by the time it arrived, Broadway had changed even more than it had. From the minimal competition expected at the start ofits odyssey, Big faced and was shunted aside by two of the most innovative and critically successful musicals of recent memory, Rent and Bring in 'de Noise, Bring in 'da Funk. Big became not an instant classic, but in the words of Julie Andrews about her own show, Victor/Victoria, "egregiously overlooked". Making It Big illuminates the harsh realities of musical theater - a much-loved but high-stakes, high-risk art form. It is a book for everyone who cares about Broadway musicals and their survival.

I remember reading Without You years back as a holiday read and finding it extremely moving. I remember it being about 50/50 his personal life and actual behind-the-scenes stories, but it has been a while. Either way, think I'm going to revisit it now that this thread has jogged my memory.

Darn, so many of these books are really hard to get hold of! Would love the Barbara Isenberg book but it's £50 on Amazon 🫤

Would also recommend Backstage on Broadway by Marty Bell- each chapter looks at an aspect of putting on a show via a different person involved in the shows of the 1992-1993 Broadway season. Even has a chapter on the massive flop Nick and Nora