For more than a century, musical theater productions have captivated audiences around the world, on stage and screen. DK Publishing explores the history, glamour and key figures of this celebrated art form in Musicals: The Definitive Illustrated Story.
Beginning with Tin Pan Alley and the influence of vaudeville, the book travels through the golden age of musicals (1940–1969) to the rock operas of the 1970s, the "mega musicals" of the 1980s (such as Les Misérables) up to the present day, highlighting current smash hits such as The Lion King and Matilda. Actors like Fred Astaire and Ethel Merman get top billing in two-page spreads, as do composers such as the Gershwins, Rodgers & Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Packed with colorful production photos and movie posters, with fascinating backstage tidbits about the shows and stars, Musicals is sure to be a toe-tapping hit for fans of the footlights. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams