Musical Theatre For Dummies

Discover what goes on behind the curtains of your favorite musical

Do you want to know more about the fascinating history of Broadway musicals, the stars of yesterday and today, and what goes on behind the curtain of a musical production? In Musical Theatre For Dummies, Broadway insider and host of Sirus/XM Radio’s ON BROADWAY channel Seth Rudetsky takes you backstage and reveals everything you want to know (and what you didn't know you wanted to know) about life in the theatre. How did musical theatre begin? How did Broadway stars become stars? How can you launch your own musical theatre path, whether in a school musical, community theatre, or on a path toward Broadway? Get answers to all these questions along with tons more insight from the unofficial "mayor of Broadway." 

• Learn the history of musical theater and discover the stories of shows that have run for years ... or closed before opening night!
• Trace the development of productions, from the initial idea all the way through opening night and beyond
• Discover what it takes to make a musical come together, from pit musicans, stage managers, and swings to designers, casting directors, and more.
• Get insider advice on the skills you need to perform in professional or amateur musical theater productions

Whether you're completely new to musical theatre or have a few Tony awards displayed over your fireplace, this is the book for you. Enjoy real-life anecdotes shared with the author by Broadway's biggest stars as you become a musical theater know-it-all.

Seth Rudetsky is the afternoon host of “On Broadway” on SIRIUSXM^®. Seth has played piano and/or conducted more than a dozen Broadway shows, including Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Grease. He co-wrote and starred on Broadway in the New York Times Critics pick musical DISASTER! During the COVID lockdown, he and his husband James Wesley raised more than $1,000,000 for the Actors Fund with their online show Stars In The House. For more info go to SethRudetsky.com.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Musical Theatre 5

Chapter 1: Before the Curtain Rises: Just the Basics about Musical Theatre 7

Chapter 2: The History of Musical Theatre (in “only” 100 pages!) 19

Chapter 3: Finally the Anatomy of a Musical 123

Chapter 4: Oklahoma, Chicago, Avenue Q: Where Musical Theatre Takes Place 139

Chapter 5: Experiencing the Magic of Musical Theatre 167

Part 2: The People Who Make Musical Theatre Happen 189

Chapter 6: Making the Musical — The Creators 191

Chapter 7: Creating the Big Picture — “The Room Where It Happens” 217

Chapter 8: Delivering the Details — The Creatives 231

Chapter 9: “Being Alive” — The Performers 249

Chapter 10: Introducing the People Who Work the Show Night after Night 271

Part 3: The Blood, Sweat, and Tears of Theatre Life 295

Chapter 11: Understanding How an Idea Becomes Broadway Gold 297

Chapter 12: “Hi-Ho, the Glamorous Life” (of a Broadway Performer) 319

Chapter 13: Landing a Role (Paying or Not!) 339

Part 4: The Part of Tens 363

Chapter 14: Ten (Plus) Songs You Didn’t Realize Came from Musical Theatre 365

Chapter 15: Ten Celebs Who Started in Musical Theatre 369

Index 375

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.