The Complete Book of 2000s Broadway Musicals

by Dan Dietz

Overview

In the first decade of the twenty-first century, Broadway was notable for old-fashioned, feel-good shows (Hairspray, Jersey Boys), a number of family-friendly musicals (Little Women, Mary Poppins), plenty of revivals (Follies, Oklahoma!, Wonderful Town), a couple of off-the-wall hits (Avenue Q, Urinetown), several gargantuan flops (Dance of the Vampires, Lestat), and a few serious productions that garnered critical acclaim (The Light in the Piazza, Next to Normal). Unlike earlier decades which were dominated by specific composers, by a new form of musical theatre, or by numerous British imports, the decade is perhaps most notable for the rise of shows which poked fun at the musical comedy form, such as The Producers and Spamalot.

In The Complete Book of 2000s Broadway Musicals, Dan Dietz examines in detail every musical that opened on Broadway from 2000 through the end of 2009. This book discusses the era’s major successes, notorious failures, and musicals that closed during their pre-Broadway tryouts. 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 Patti LuPone, Chita Rivera, and Martin Short.

Each entry contains the following information:

1. Plot summary
2. Cast members
3. Names of all important personnel, including writers, composers, directors, choreographers, producers, and musical directors
4. Opening and closing dates
5. Number of performances
6. Critical commentary
7. Musical numbers and the performers who introduced the songs
8. Production data, including information about tryouts
9. Source material
10. Tony awards and nominations
11. 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 black-themed shows and Jewish-themed productions.

This comprehensive book contains a wealth of information and provides a comprehensive view of each show. The Complete Book of 2000s Broadway Musicals will be of use to scholars, historians, and casual fans of one of the greatest decades in musical theatre history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442278011
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	04/06/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	514
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Dan Dietz is a former professor of composition, world literature, and modern drama at Western Carolina University. He is the author of The Complete Book of 1960s Broadway Musicals (2014), The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals (2014), The Complete Book of 1940s Broadway Musicals (2015), The Complete Book of 1970s Broadway Musicals (2015), The Complete Book of 1980s Broadway Musicals (2016), and The Complete Book of 1990s Broadway Musicals (2016), all published by Roman & Littlefield.

Editorial Reviews

The 2000s brought in a spate of tongue-in-cheek musicals such as Urinetown and The Drowsy Chaperone that make fun of Broadway conventions and perhaps signal the passing of an era compared to the family-friendly shows of the 1990s. Dietz continues his detailed encyclopedic series of Broadway histories—he has already covered 1940 through 1999—with this volume, which largely chronicles the lack of quality in new scores and book musicals as a genre. The 213 featured revues and musicals (compared to 271 listed in the volume treating the 1960s) include 37 with new music, 15 with preexisting scores, 25 imports, 31 revivals, and 30 pre-Broadway closings. As in the earlier volumes, Dietz gives plot summaries, casts and crews, run dates, critical commentary, musical numbers and performers, source material, awards and nominations, and other pertinent data. Nine useful appendixes conclude the volume. Dietz does not hold back his own opinions, and readers might find themselves disagreeing with his analyses, but his and other critics' comments make for a highly enjoyable, sometimes hilarious complement to the narratives. All musical theater collections and Broadway fans ought to add this new edition to their collections, along with the previous volumes in the series.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

Choice Reviews

The latest in Dietz’s excellent series covers the 213 musicals that opened on (or were set to open on) Broadway between 2000 and 2009, from the familiar (Avenue Q, Spamalot) to the obscure (Casper, which didn’t make it out of the preview tour). The technical details for each production include opening and closing dates; number of performances; names of the writers, composers, directors, and casts; and a brief description. This is followed by a full listing of the musical numbers and a narrative (ranging from one to three pages) about the show. There are eight appendixes, including a chronology by season; a chronology by classification; and a list of shows by theater. Recommended for medium-sized and large public library reference collections as well as academic libraries supporting performing-arts programs.

Booklist

The 2000s brought in a spate of tongue-in-cheek musicals such as Urinetown and The Drowsy Chaperone that make fun of Broadway conventions and perhaps signal the passing of an era compared to the family-friendly shows of the 1990s. Dietz continues his detailed encyclopedic series of Broadway histories—he has already covered 1940 through 1999—with this volume, which largely chronicles the lack of quality in new scores and book musicals as a genre. The 213 featured revues and musicals (compared to 271 listed in the volume treating the 1960s) include 37 with new music, 15 with preexisting scores, 25 imports, 31 revivals, and 30 pre-Broadway closings. As in the earlier volumes, Dietz gives plot summaries, casts and crews, run dates, critical commentary, musical numbers and performers, source material, awards and nominations, and other pertinent data. Nine useful appendixes conclude the volume. Dietz does not hold back his own opinions, and readers might find themselves disagreeing with his analyses, but his and other critics' comments make for a highly enjoyable, sometimes hilarious complement to the narratives. All musical theater collections and Broadway fans ought to add this new edition to their collections, along with the previous volumes in the series. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

Choice

The 2000s brought in a spate of tongue-in-cheek musicals such as Urinetown and The Drowsy Chaperone that make fun of Broadway conventions and perhaps signal the passing of an era compared to the family-friendly shows of the 1990s. Dietz continues his detailed encyclopedic series of Broadway histories—he has already covered 1940 through 1999—with this volume, which largely chronicles the lack of quality in new scores and book musicals as a genre. The 213 featured revues and musicals (compared to 271 listed in the volume treating the 1960s) include 37 with new music, 15 with preexisting scores, 25 imports, 31 revivals, and 30 pre-Broadway closings. As in the earlier volumes, Dietz gives plot summaries, casts and crews, run dates, critical commentary, musical numbers and performers, source material, awards and nominations, and other pertinent data. Nine useful appendixes conclude the volume. Dietz does not hold back his own opinions, and readers might find themselves disagreeing with his analyses, but his and other critics' comments make for a highly enjoyable, sometimes hilarious complement to the narratives. All musical theater collections and Broadway fans ought to add this new edition to their collections, along with the previous volumes in the series.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

CHOICE

The latest in Dietz’s excellent series covers the 213 musicals that opened on (or were set to open on) Broadway between 2000 and 2009, from the familiar (Avenue Q, Spamalot) to the obscure (Casper, which didn’t make it out of the preview tour). The technical details for each production include opening and closing dates; number of performances; names of the writers, composers, directors, and casts; and a brief description. This is followed by a full listing of the musical numbers and a narrative (ranging from one to three pages) about the show. There are eight appendixes, including a chronology by season; a chronology by classification; and a list of shows by theater. Recommended for medium-sized and large public library reference collections as well as academic libraries supporting performing-arts programs.

Booklist

06/15/2017
The seventh and most recent in a series of "Complete Books of Broadway Musicals," which started with the 1940s, this volume is comprehensive in coverage, including summaries and information such as each show's personnel, dates, number of performances, known changes, other productions, etc. In these respects, and with the book's organization, series author Deitz (emeritus, composition, world literature, & modern drama, Western Carolina Univ.) succeeds. One aim of this title is to be of use to not only scholars and historians but also casual fans of musical theater: a lofty goal. Dietz neglects to follow the "golden rule of reference": just the facts. Incorporating quotes from the major reviews of the time is both warranted and valuable. But the frequent snippets and citations presented as fact from New York Post gossip columnist Michael Riedel strain credibility. And while Dietz's own opinions ("grandiose orchestrations," "effusive choral effects," "bombastic pomposity") are amusing, placing them in equal value to factual content detracts from the work. VERDICT Despite its shortcomings, theater buffs will eagerly read this volume cover to cover. Not an essential purchase, but owing to the well-organized information and amount of detail, this offering merits addition to theater collections.—Gerald A. Notaro, Univ. Libn. Emeritus, Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg

Library Journal