It's a Hit!: The Back Stage Book of Longest-running Broadway Shows : 1884 to the PresentFilled with absorbing theatre lore and vintage photos, It's a Hit! relates the history of the Broadway theatre through the story of its most popular and successful shows. Spanning more than a century of American theatre, this is the first book to survey all the musicals, comedies, dramas, and thrillers that have run 500 or more performances. In fact-filled profiles, author David Sheward, Managing Editor of Back Stage, tells all about the unique events surrounding the creation and staging of each show, the personalities involved, the press reactions, and the subsequent touring productions, motion pictures, and telecasts that were derived from the Broadway hits. Trivia buffs will love the numerous behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the authors and songwriters, the producers and directors, and, of course, the performers: stars who captured the spotlight, burlesque and vaudeville veterans, hard-working chorus members, and scene-stealing unknowns. Opening dates and venues, production teams and original cats are listed. A final section is devoted to the hits of off-Broadway, and important awards like the Pulitzers and Tonys are highlighted as well. |
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actor actress adaptation Alan Anne Arthur audience Best Musical Best Play Betty Bob Fosse box office British Broadway Broadway's Carol Cast character Charles Choreographed chorus comedy comic dance David David Merrick director Dorothy featured film version Frank George Abbott Girl Hammerstein Harold Harold Prince Harry Helen Howard included Jack James Jerome Jerome Robbins Jerry John Joseph Lady later lead London Martha Swope Martin Mary Merman Merrick Michael Miller movie Music and lyrics national tour Neil Simon off-Broadway Opened December Opened March Opened November Opened October Opera original Oscar Oscar Hammerstein II Paul Performances Peter playwright Prince Produced revival revue Richard Richard Rodgers Robbins Robert Rodgers Rodgers and Hammerstein role Rose Ruth scene score script season show's Simon Sister Sondheim songs stage star Stephen Sondheim story television Theatre Directed Tony Award tryout wife William wrote York young Ziegfeld