Broadway

The musical has often been described as a uniquely American art form. Published in conjunction with the PBS documentary of the same name, Broadway: The American Musical combines a lively, in-depth history with a treasure trove of photographs, sheet music, posters, scenic renderings, production stills, rehearsal shots, and illustrations, many previously unpublished. Accompanying the history are sidebars that highlight the personalities, shows, and songs and essays on aspects of popular culture that either were influenced by or had an effect on the American musical. Highlighting each chapter are pieces written by the major figures of the musical at the time, such as George Gershwin writing on the New Anthem (Jazz), Eddie Cantor on Al Jolson, Walter Winchell on Your Broadway and Mine to essays by major, contemporary Broadway figures addressing the history and influence of their own specialty, including Stephen Sondheim, Cameron Mackintosh, Julie Andrews, and Hal Prince, to name a few. This archive of source material paints the picture of Broadway from a perspective rarely seen - the people who created the medium and work in it today.