Introduction

You know that expression that people who love cocktails used to encourage day drinking? They pour themselves a drink at 11 a.m. and toast the air saying, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere!" I've repurposed that saying to be about musical theatre, and here it is:

No matter what time of day it is where you are, there is a musical being performed somewhere in the world.

Yes, musicals are an American art form, but they're beloved all around the world. Well, not all around the world. There are definitely some places where musicals aren't performed.

Yet.

You see, I'm hoping musicals will eventually be performed in every city, town, and village the world over. Think how much safer the world would be! What do I mean by that? Well, my friend Kristine Zbornik said it best in her show Ball of Confusion during the opening number entitled "Show Tune" (written by Jason Robert Brown). She'd say, "I believe it is physically impossible to commit a violent act while singing a show tune." People would laugh because she was obviously exaggerating . but was she? Hmm. I say you and I try it first and then decide. Yes! We can see what happens if the people of the world spend the bulk of their day singing show tunes. That, my friends, is what this book is for! To spread the love of musical theatre. Globally. And also, hopefully, to impart some knowledge. And definitely, to give you some fun inside stories directly from the mouths of people who perform on Broadway! This book is for people who know every little thing about Broadway, and it's for people who have never heard of Cats, Wicked, or Hamilton.

Like musical theatre, this book is for everyone.

About This Book

Why read this book? Well, you can use it to discover historical information about how musicals have developed over time, or to figure out if you want some kind of career in theatre, or to read some fun stories about your favorite musical or favorite star. Musical Theatre For Dummies can help you brush up on theatre terms before you start rehearsal for your next show. It's also a way to take a break from the outside world and get lost in all things musicals.

And why was I asked to write this book? Well, I've been working on Broadway since the early 1990s, so I have ye olde "street cred*. I began as a pianist in the orchestra (the original Broadway run of Les Misérables), graduated to conducting, then to acting on Broadway, and then to co-writing my own musical as well. (*The street is Broadway.)

And throughout all those years, I've been chatting with stars and creators and everyone else who works on Broadway in the various talk shows I've done. First, in my weekly talk show at Don't Tell Mama that raised money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS called Seth's Broadway Chatterbox, and then in my weekly talk show on SiriusXM radio called Seth Speaks. I've heard countless tales of bizarre auditions, hilarious mishaps onstage, last-minute ideas that saved a musical, wrong choices that doomed a show, costume failures, wig debacles, and so much more! And I've put all that knowledge that's been floating around my head for years into this book.

Full disclosure: If you like (stuffy) academic writing, this probably isn't the book for you. However, if you want information about musical theatre directly from the people who create it and/or are part of it eight times a week, this book is for you!

Foolish Assumptions

Are you at a bookstore right now flipping through this book and thinking "Hm . am I interested? Or should I spend this money on a latte?" Well, my therapist always tells me I project, so here are some of the assumptions I'm pretty sure you might be making right now:

• YOU'RE THINKING: You don't know anything about musical theatre, and this book will be all inside information and theatre sayings and you won't know what the H is happening.

  ASSUMPTION BUSTER: I wrote this book so someone unfamiliar with musical theatre can discover the basics about it and enjoy stories about some universal hilarious situations.

• YOU'RE THINKING: You know everything about musical theatre, and you don't need to read a whole book about stuff you yourself could teach at a university.

  ASSUMPTION BUSTER: Even if you have a PhD in musical theatre, this book has stories you've never heard before. Why? Because some of them were only told to me! Yes, I admit I'm breaking some boundaries and revealing inside stories so you can be entertained!

• YOU'RE THINKING: I want to do musicals one day, but I'm too old/overweight/clumsy/short/tall/<insert adjective here>.

  ASSUMPTION BUSTER: This book will give you confidence to pursue your dream.

• YOU'RE THINKING: I hear Seth on the radio all the time, and his voice gives me a splitting headache.

  ASSUMPTION BUSTER: Guess what? This book is made up of the written word, so you can hear it in your head in any voice you want. Why not imagine the dulcet tones of Meryl Streep reading it . in one of the millions of accents she's perfected.

Icons Used in This Book

In the margins of the book, you'll find these icons, and here's why they're there.

This means that it's a fun, possibly tangential, story. These are the kind of stories with which you'll want to regale your musical theatre pals!

This icon appears next to insider tidbits that are good to know, so you can throw them around at cocktail parties.

Sometimes I really want to emphasize the point I'm making, and this icon helps me do that.

Beyond This Book

If you're a musical theatre freak like me and want to know as much as you can about the goings-on on Broadway and more, check out the following:

• Cheat Sheet: You can find the Cheat Sheet, complete with additional nuggets of information, for this book by going to www.dummies.com and searching for "Musical Theatre For Dummies Cheat Sheet." Save it in your bookmarks and refer to it whenever you need a quick refresh.

• My websiteSethRudetsky.com: This has info on all my upcoming performances all over the world . many with Broadway stars who I mention in this book! It also has info on my Broadway Cruise. Yes, it's a super fun vacation to sail on a fabulous boat to delicious destinations, but it's also a place where you can see some of the Broadway stars I mention in this book in performance up close and personal! And you can apply all the knowledge you've read in this book to some of my many Broadway trivia games on the boat. Or use it to impress one of the stars! Walk up to Audra McDonald and tell her "I heard your wig fell off in Ragtime at the end of Act One"! She'll be a combination impressed by your insider knowledge and furious at me for telling that story. P.S. If you like to perform, you can even take one of the master classes that are taught by me and a star! And if you're nervous about singing in front of a star, just remember: What happens in the middle of the Atlantic, stays in the middle of the Atlantic.

  My website www.SethRudetsky.com also has links to tons of Broadway books that I've read and loved (plus links to all the other books I've written).

• YouTube: You can find so many incredible Broadway performances on YouTube. I recommend searching for "Tony Awards" or "The Ed Sullivan Show" or "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" or just the name of one your favorite stars or musicals. The Internet has really made Broadway performances accessible to everyone, so take advantage of it.

  I also have my own YouTube channel where you can watch tons of filmed performances of me showcasing some amazing Broadway singers plus my signature deconstructions. Take a gander at www.youtube.com/SethTV.

• SiriusXM 77: There's only one satellite Broadway radio station and it's on SiriusXM, broadcasting 24 hours a day. You can listen at SiriusXM 77 and hear nonstop Broadway music plus my fabulous co-hosts! Christine Pedi is on in the morning, I'm on in the afternoon, and John Tartaglia is every Sunday. Who needs to listen to today's pop hits when you can hear five different versions of "Rose's Turn" (Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and Patti LuPone)?

Where to Go from Here

I wrote this book so you can flip to a section that interests you and read it, or you can start from the beginning and read all the way through. Or you can read the entire thing backward a la Merrily We Roll Along.* (If you know, you know.) *For movie fans, a la Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

If you're not sure where to start, flip to the Table of Contents or Index, find a topic that piques your interest, turn to that chapter, and start reading.

My point is, read it however you want! All right, everyone. Time to start. As Zach says in A...