For Broadway audiences of the 1980s, the decade was perhaps most notable for the so-called "British invasion." While concept musicals such as Nine and Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George continued to be produced, several London hits came to New York. In addition to shows like Chess, Me and My Girl, and Les Miserables, the decade's most successful composer Andrew Lloyd Webber was also well represented by Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Song & Dance, and Starlight Express. There were also many revivals (such as Show Boat and Gypsy), surprise hits (The Pirates of Penzance), huge hits (42nd Street), and notorious flops (Into the Light, Carrie, and Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge). In The Complete Book of 1980s Broadway Musicals, Dan Dietz examines in detail every musical that opened on Broadway during the 1980s. In addition to including every hit and flop that debuted during the decade, this book highlights revivals and personal-appearance revues with such performers as Sid Caesar, Barry Manilow, Jackie Mason, and Shirley MacLaine. Each entry includes the following information *Opening and closing dates *Plot summaries *Cast members *Number of performances *Names of all important personnel including writers, composers, directors, choreographers, producers, and musical directors *Musical numbers and the names of performers who introduced the songs *Production data, including information about tryouts *Source material *Critical commentary *Tony awards and nominations *Details about London and other foreign productions Besides separate entries for each production, the book offers numerous appendixes, including a discography, filmography, and published scripts, as well as lists of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, black-themed shows, and Jewish-themed productions. A treasure trove of information, The Complete Book of 1980s Broadway Musicals provides readers with a comprehensive view of each show. This significant resource will be of use to scholars, historians, and casual fans of one of the greatest decades in musical theatre history.
Industry Reviews
Dietz continues his examination of Broadway musicals after publishing separate volumes covering the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The 1980s installment examines 250 traditional musicals that opened during the decade, along with personality reviews, revivals, operas, and more. Entries include the hosting theater, opening and closing dates, and Tony awards or nominations. Authors and composers, production personnel, and cast are also detailed. A list of musical numbers with the principal performer follows. Some delightful commentary and unknown facts are also divulged, and Deitz provides a thorough synopsis of each show's plot as well as information about the production staff and performers. Critical reception and review references are also provided. Deitz manages to include information on cast recordings and movie or video/DVD releases-some rather rare and hard to come by-as well as information on published scripts and librettos. Numerous appendixes finish out the volume, along with a detailed index and bibliography. This volume is yet another robust addition to this collection of works covering Broadway musicals decade by decade.
Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. * CHOICE *
The book contains 250 entries of various musicals by type, most notably book musicals, revues, and commercial revivals. Moreover, as noted in great detail by the author in the introduction, each entry is brimming with useful data, ranging from the typical (e.g., name of theater where performed; opening and closing dates; cast member names and characters portrayed) to the unconventional (e.g., advertising tags ['La Cage Aux Folles-The Broadway Musical']; names of scenic and lighting designers; and musical numbers by performer rather than character). Included in each entry is commentary, consisting of brief plots; trivia; information about published scripts and recordings; and various media adaptations; and, where applicable, award winners and nominees. Rounding out the book are 11 appendixes, comprised of chronologies, discographies, and the like, as well as compelling details about typically obscure features of 1980s Broadway, like black and Jewish revues and musicals. At 500 pages, the book is an exhaustive, comprehensive dossier of vivid details and descriptions, with variation in length among the entries according to applicable information. While the book does provide a simple list of alphabetized musicals, along with their relevant page numbers, the entries are further organized according to one-year seasonal increments within the 1980s, beginning with the '1979-1980 Season' and ending in 1989..... [T]he book is formidable in its scope, and is well-written and refreshingly objective. * American Reference Books Annual *
