The Complete Book of 1940s Broadway Musicals

September 1, 2015

Dietz (The Complete Book of 1960s Broadway Musicals) shines the spotlight on the decade that many consider the birth of the modern musical, given the Broadway bow of Oklahoma! in 1943. He details the amazing sweep of 273 productions that opened during this period, including Brigadoon, Pal Joey, and South Pacific. Essay entries are organized by show opening date, with an alphabetical shows index also provided. Entries have header listings of book/lyrics credits, cast members, number of performances, and other information that is sure to please musical fans, but sadly no illustrations. Eight appendixes (covering discographies, filmographies, and more) conclude the work. VERDICT A rich tour of a landmark decade on the Great White Way.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2015
This hefty volume covers the 273 musicals that opened on Broadway from 1940 through 1949, from the familiar (Annie Get Your Gun, Brigadoon, Carousel, Kiss Me Kate, Porgy and Bess) to the obscure (John Henry, which ran for five days). The technical details for each production include opening and closing dates; number of performances; names of the writers, composers, directors, and casts; and a brief description. This is followed by a full listing of the musical numbers and a narrative (ranging from one to three pages) about the show. The narrative portions of the entries consist of facts and figures, quotes, and interesting detailsand, as in his earlier volumes in the series (which covered musicals of the 1960s and the '50s), Dietz writes in an objective manner, leaving out his opinion or preference. There are eight appendixes, including a chronology by season; a chronology by classification (e.g., Revues and Return Engagements ); and a list of shows by Broadway theater. Musical-theater enthusiasts will enjoy paging through this volume, and students or researchers in the field will find this to be a good starting point. Recommended for medium-sized and large public library reference collections as well as academic libraries supporting performing-arts programs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)