The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built by Jack Viertel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
If you’re a fan of musicals, this is a fun book, for have you ever really stopped to ponder what makes a musical work well? And why you like them? And why the ones you may not like as much don’t seem right, or have some random comic number near the start of the second act?
This book is written in a straight-shooting tone of voice, by someone who has long experience in the industry, is a lifelong lover of musicals and has both practical experience but also has put a lot of thought into the subject, honed by actually teaching courses on the American musical.
I enjoyed it, learned from it, and enjoyed his passion and whimsy. It put into words for me something that I’ve felt but been too shy to express: as ridiculous as it may seem to some people, people breaking into song, in musicals, that are well-structured and created, have the ability to reach for the heights of emotion and the most beautiful parts of human nature.