Showstoppers!

October 15, 2016

In what has been a boffo year for Broadway musical bios and narratives (e.g., Some Enchanted Evenings; The Secret Life of the American Musical), veteran theater critic Nachman pens a valentine to the quintessential American musical set piece, the showstopper. In the over-the-top world of the musical the showstopper is simultaneously a literal and figurative trope for the transformative power of a Broadway song and Nachman dishes them up on a sterling Tiffany's platter: "If I Were a Rich Man," "Hello Dolly," "What I Did for Love," "Don't Cry For Me Argentina," "Some Enchanted Evening," and "Willkommen" (if you can't attach the shows to the songs, this book is not for you) are just a few of the 70-plus iconic songs in the American musical canon included. Each is placed within production context and examined for its theatrical mechanics and popularity. Random "Backstage Dish" features add inside information and the occasional leading actor interview (e.g., Bebe Neuwirth kibitzing about Bob Fosse and Chicago). VERDICT If you know that "Send in the Clowns" is Sondheim, not Judy Collins, and can sing along with those countless Glee videos on YouTube, then you're a member of the tribe for whom this title is intended.--Barry X. Miller, Austin P.L., TX

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2016
Nachman, a journalist who has written about musical theater for more than 50 years, presents 75 of the most showstopping Broadway tunesyou know the songs, the ones that bring the house down at every performance, the iconic tunes that even those who aren't fans of musical theater can identify. Nachman covers show openers ( Willkommen, from Cabaret), songs made famous by movie or radio versions ( Some Enchanted Evening, from South Pacific; A Little Night Music's Send in the Clowns ) and those that are Broadway Anthems ( Memory, from Cats; Showboat's Ol' Man River ). Entries for each song average three to four pages, and many are accompanied by a promotional photograph. The narrative is in-depth yet extremely informal; the trend in Broadway books is to feature a dishy, insider tone, and Nachman doesn't disappointsome entries even feature a sidebar titled, Backstage Dish, filled with bullet-point trivia and gossip. He knows these songs and these shows inside-out and has conducted tireless research and multiple interviews. Fans of show tunes will enjoy dipping in and out of these short, easy-to-read snapshots.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)