Jerry Herman
Poet of the Showtune
Will be published approx. on 15. October 2004
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-0-300-10082-2 (ISBN)
Description
The first in-depth biography of the celebrated composer/lyricist who created Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles
This revealing and comprehensive book tells the full story of Jerry Herman's life and career, from his early work in cabaret to his recent compositions for stage, screen, and television.
Stephen Citron draws on extensive open-ended interviews with Jerry Herman as well as with scores of his theatrical colleagues, collaborators, and close friends. The resulting book-which sheds new light on each of Herman's musicals and their scores-abounds in fascinating anecdotes and behind-the-scenes details about the world of musical theater. Readers will find a sharply drawn portrait of Herman's private life and his creative talents. Citron's insights into Herman's music and lyrics, including voluminous examples from each of his musicals, are as instructive as they are edifying and entertaining.
This revealing and comprehensive book tells the full story of Jerry Herman's life and career, from his early work in cabaret to his recent compositions for stage, screen, and television.
Stephen Citron draws on extensive open-ended interviews with Jerry Herman as well as with scores of his theatrical colleagues, collaborators, and close friends. The resulting book-which sheds new light on each of Herman's musicals and their scores-abounds in fascinating anecdotes and behind-the-scenes details about the world of musical theater. Readers will find a sharply drawn portrait of Herman's private life and his creative talents. Citron's insights into Herman's music and lyrics, including voluminous examples from each of his musicals, are as instructive as they are edifying and entertaining.
Reviews / Votes
"This is an extraordinary and invaluable work about the extraordinary and invaluable talent Jerry Herman. Any lover of the musical theatre should be grateful to add it to their library. I know I am."-Fred Ebb, Lyricist "Should be required reading for anyone who has ever enjoyed a comic lyric or a brassy piece of melody from Hello, Dolly!, Mame or La Cage aux Folles. It's a splendid biography, festooned with a generous analysis of his libretto and compositions. Herman's imperishable spirit is all here in this personal, sharp-as-tacks portrait of a composer-lyricist whose heart-and archive-seems to have been an open book."-Randy Gener, American TheatreMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
40 halftones
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
722 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-10082-2 (9780300100822)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
12/2004
1st Edition
Yale University Press
€49.99
Available for download
Person
Stephen Citron is well known for shedding fresh light on the American musical theater and the artists who inhabit it. His previous books include Songwriting, The Musical from the Inside Out, and biographies of Noel Coward, Cole Porter, Alan Jay Lerner, Oscar Hammerstein 2nd, Stephen Sondheim, and Andrew Lloyd Webber.