Off Broadway Musicals, 1910–2007

Despite an often unfair reputation as being less popular, less successful, or less refined than their bona-fide Broadway counterparts, Off Broadway musicals deserve their share of critical acclaim and study. A number of shows originally staged Off Broadway have gone on to their own successful Broadway runs, from the ever-popular A Chorus Line and Rent to more off-beat productions like Avenue Q and Little Shop of Horrors. And while it remains to be seen if other popular Off Broadway shows like Stomp, Blue Man Group, and Altar Boyz will make it to the larger Broadway theaters, their Off Broadway runs have been enormously successful in their own right.
This book discusses more than 1,800 Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway, showcase, and workshop musical productions. It includes detailed descriptions of Off Broadway musicals that closed in previews or in rehearsal, selected musicals that opened in Brooklyn and in New Jersey, and American operas that opened in New York, along with general overviews of Off Broadway institutions such as the Light Opera of Manhattan. The typical entry includes the name of the host theater or theaters; the opening date and number of performances; the production’s cast and creative team; a list of songs; a brief plot synopsis; and general comments and reviews from the New York critics. Besides the individual entries, the book also includes a preface, a bibliography, and 21 appendices including a discography, filmography, a list of published scripts, and lists of musicals categorized by topic and composer.

Dan Dietz is a former professor of composition, world literature, and modern drama at Western Carolina University. He lives in Falls Church, Virginia.

Dan Dietz
Format: library binding (8.5 x 11)
Pages: 656
Bibliographic Info: discography, filmography, chronology, appendices, bibliography, indexes
Copyright Date: 2010
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3399-5
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5731-1
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

OFF BROADWAY MUSICALS      5

Appendices:
A: Chronology      507
B: Discography      513
C: Published Scripts      515
D: Filmography      516
E: Black Musicals and Revues      516
F: Children’s Musicals and Revues      517
G: Gay Musicals and Revues      517
H: Jewish Musicals and Revues      517
I: Women’s Musicals and Revues      517
J: Burlesque Musicals and Revues      518
K: Musicals Based on Writings of Lewis B      Carroll      518
L: Musicals and Revues Based on Writings of William
Shakespeare      518
M: Composer and Lyricist Tribute Revues      518
N: Al Carmines Musicals and Revues      519
O: Kurt Weill Musicals and Revues      519
P: Ben Bagley Revues      519
Q: Julius Monk Revues      520
R: Rod Warren Revues      520
S: Forbidden Broadway      520
T: Second City Revues      520
U: Theatre “Curses”      520

Bibliography      521
Song Index      523
Name Index      591
Theatre Index      646

ALA Outstanding Reference Source
“the most comprehensive look at off-Broadway musicals. Recommended”—Booklist; “unique..fills a major hole..detailed…a must-have…essential”—Choice; “a goldmine of information”—ARBA; “book is the result of careful scholarship and love”—Theatre Journal.