Broadway Musicals: From the Pages of The New York Times

This is a great idea: to gather together the NY Times reviews of 110 musicals to create a record of what the critics wrote about major shows at the time of their premieres. The book's strong points are its thoroughness (110 musicals, including several important revivals) and many large production photos. What's missing is any sort of essay that might put things in perspective --- why not have Brantley's essays point out some of the ways in which various shows influenced the theatre, or even which shows survived a critical drubbing/failed despite glowing reviews. Another problem is that many reviews (especially those of revivals) are severely truncated, leaving as few as 200 words in some cases. For $35, it's still welcome, but I wouldn't pay list price.

I run a Musical Theater and have quite a collection of books with information about Broadway Musicals but this is a page turner with great photos and covers the scope and history of musicals in this country with just enough information for the average person. I always purchase a book or DVD collection for our outgoing Board Presidents as a thank you. I liked this one so much that my son bought me one for Christmas.

This book is way overpriced, the choices of shows and omissions are questionable, and we've seen most of the photos ad naueseum in other books. But this book is also something else that I'm sure Ben Brantley did not foresee and could not have intended --- it is downright funny. Why? Because so many of the reviews, now read in retrospect, simply undercut the credibility of the Times' reviewers. And, indeed, it makes one question whether some of these so-called critics were even qualified to pass judgement on many of these shows in the first place. The bitter underside to many of these questionable opinion makers is that for years the NY Times has held the power of life and death over shows, regardless of the critic.Examples of critical ignorance abound in this volume. For instance, while Brooks Atkinson gushed over Arthur Laurents'book, Leonard Bernstein's music, and Jerome Robbins' direction and choreography for "West Side Story," he failed to even mention that anyone wrote the lyrics, let alone the name of the lyricist - Stephen Sondheim. Granted, this was Sondheim's first show, but, really, someone had to write the lyrics. Or did Atkinson actually believe the old joke "The actors make up the lyrics as they go along"?In a similar vein, an unnamed critic, in 1907, went on and on about the beauty of the music in the original "Merry Widow," but he didn't name the composer (Franz Lehar) anywhere in his review. (Maybe he realized his stupidity and that's why he chose to remain anonymous.)At least for "Gypsy" Atkinson acknowledged that Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics to Jule Styne's music, though, in his mind, Sondheim's lyrics were merely "amusing." He dismissed "Bye Bye Birdie" with "It needs work." His review, dated October 2, 1933, of "As Thousands Cheer" did not even mention a little Irving Berlin ditty introduced in that show (by an elaborate production number no less)called - ahem-- "Easter Parade." (And they named a theater after this character?)Clive Barnes treated the score for "Hair" as if Beethoven, Mozart, and Verdi had been reincarnated as rock composers and jointly wrote the score, ignoring the fact that much of that show's music was amateurish, even by the rock standards of the time. By comparison, Barnes didn't throw his hat in the air for Kander and Ebb's score for "Chicago," calling their songs "unmemorable." (For more on Barnes' incompetence as a critic, see William Goldman's great book "The Season.")By all accounts Ethel Merman stopped "Girl Crazy" cold and became an overnight star, but you'd never know it from the (anonymous)reviewer who summed up Merman's performance in that show in a single throwaway sentence.While one can argue that a critic's opinion is merely that -- an opinion - and all of us may differ in our opinions of a work of art, a critic, especially one with the power of the NY Times to make or break a show, needs to at least offer an educated opinion. And, while these shows became successful and indeed have become part of the musical theater repertoire, it makes one wonder about the shows the Times panned. How many of those might have survived - perhaps also becoming part of the theater repertoire- if the Times' critics had given them more intelligent reviews?Even if you're a real musicals buff (as I am) and you feel you have to have it, wait until you can buy a used copy of "Broadway Musicals,"at a substantial discount, because, in the end, all it's worth is a few laughs.Another reviewer suggested Martin Gottfried's book. I have had serious reservations about anything Gottfried wrote ever since I found his biography of George Burns "The Hundred Year Dash" to be riddled with factual errors. If you choose to buy Gottfried's book, I suggest a used copy at a discount price ---- but beware of potential mistakes of fact.

I am a long time fan of musicals and this book gives the reader a comprehensive view of musical theater from past to present.

Just opened what is a gorgeously produced coffee table book. I'm shocked. One of the most touching and poignant and originally staged musicals in American music theater history is missing -- CARNIVAL! I know every reader will have their favorites, but it's odd to me that there's nary a mention of this Gower Champion / Bob Merrill / Michael Stewart masterpiece produced by David Merrick. I find the omission peculiar and I wonder about the scholarship involved in this hefty volume's undertaking. In any case, it's a glitzy and informative book in other ways, but I object to its description as definitive -- it ain't!!!

The book is set-up to take you through the different decades of musical theater. The back stories are intriguing and the photography amazingly beautiful

Amusing views of classic reviews of an American art form. It is especially interesting where reviews of revived classic musicals are of interest.

lots of fun to read about the hisstory of musicals, and to remember some that I saw so many years ago.

Amazing and informative hardback! Brilliant book for anyone truly interested in musical theatre. My wife first read a copy from the library on board Cunard's cruise ship Queen Elizabeth. She was enthusing so much about the book that I ordered her a copy online from Amazon, while returning home by rail from Southampton. Super prompt delivery!

Giftee was thrilled