Anything goes : a history of American musical theatre

Summary: This work offers a history of American musical theater from the 1920s through to the 1970s. After six volumes on the musical's history, decade by decade from the 1920s through the 1970s, the author takes an entirely fresh look at the musical, from 'The Beggar's Opera' to 'Wicked'. Looking at the 'Star Comic', the 'Sweetheart Heroine', the war between musical comedy and operetta, the rise of the sexy story in the 1920s, the wedding of ballet and hoofing in the 1930s, the Oklahoma! and Carousel "musical play" in the 1940s, the Novelty Star in the 1950s, and other developments, the author takes us from George Gershwin to Ethel Merman to Jerome Robbins to the director-choreographer and the offbeat contemporary show: 'Porgy and Bess', 'Gypsy', 'Fiddler on the Roof', 'Chicago', 'A Chorus Line', 'Grand Hotel', 'Grey Gardens', 'Rent'. The author emphasizes not only the writing of musicals but the performing of them, taking the reader virtually into the theatre to experience what a great show is like, whether Victor Herbert's 'The Red Mill' or Stephen Sondheim's 'Follies'.