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The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, and Television (Oxford Companions) | 
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| Author: Thomas S. Hischak
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $23.78
You Save: $16.17 (40%)
New (27) Used (7) from $23.78
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 21599
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 960
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.2
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.2 x 2.2
ISBN: 0195335333
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.14097303
EAN: 9780195335330
ASIN: 0195335333
Publication Date: June 2, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
From the silver screen to the Great White Way, small community theatres to television sets, the musical has long held a special place in America's heart and history. Now, in The Oxford Companion to the American Musical, readers who flocked to the movies to see An American in Paris or Chicago, lined up for tickets to West Side Story or Rent, or crowded around their TVs to watch Cinderella or High School Musical can finally turn to a single book for details about them all. For the first time, this popular subject has an engaging and authoritative book as thrilling as the performances themselves.
With more than two thousand entries, this illustrated guide offers a wealth of information on musicals, performers, composers, lyricists, producers, choreographers, and much more. Biographical entries range from early stars Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, and Mae West to contemporary show-stoppers Nathan Lane, Savion Glover, and Kristin Chenoweth, while composers Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and Andrew Lloyd Webber all have articles, and the choreography of Bob Fosse, Tommy Tune, and Debbie Allen receives due examination. The plays and films covered range from modern hits like Mamma Mia! and Moulin Rouge! to timeless classics such as Yankee Doodle Dandy and Show Boat. Also, numerous musicals written specifically for television appear throughout, and many entries follow a work-Babes in Toyland for example-as it moves across genres, from stage, to film, to television. The Companion also includes cross references, a comprehensive listing of recommended recordings and further reading, a useful chronology of all the musicals described in the book, plus a complete index of Tony Award and Academy Award winners.
Whether you are curious about Singin' in the Rain or Spamalot, or simply adore The Wizard of Oz or Grease, this well-researched and entertaining resource is the first place to turn for reliable information on virtually every aspect of the American musical.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 A guide to the history of the genre focusing on America's past great musicals September 6, 2008
High School Musical has sparked interest in the genre of musicals once more, but "The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, and Television" is a guide to the history of the genre focusing on America's past great musicals such West Side Story, Rent, and Grease - with looks in on the great minds behind them such as Andrew Lloyd Webber. Covering anything anyone would want to know about the American musical, "The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, and Television" is a top pick for community library collections dedicated to television, movies, and theatre.
Attention all lovers of musical productions June 29, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is the reference book all musical theater fans have been been waiting for. This all-inclusive guide to everything musical in film, theater and television is indispensable. If you love musicals this is THE show biz reference book!
Believe Marni! June 29, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Poor stupid me! After 60 years of seeing musicals on Broadway and myriad other theaters, in films, and on television, after directing many and even writing one, I derived infinite pleasure from wandering through the pages of Thomas Hischak's Oxford Companion. Little did I know that I should have been looking for omissions and confusions to carp about. I was just enjoying the fantastic feast of theatrical lore, trivia, and history spread out before me. I'd start reading one of the entries and find myself eagerly chasing down cross-references that usually fed me interesting facts I hadn't known or had long forgotten (and what a pleasure to have something long forgotten brought back to one's consciousness!).
For example, I had never known of Louise Beavers's career as a singer, having known her only as the perennial maid/cook roles that Hollywood put her great talent into. But I was looking at Holiday Inn, one of my favorite of all time Christmas treats, and came across that surprising cross-reference.
Oh, one could carp. Why is there no entry for James Jewel, the handsome tenor who toured the country with Nancy Walker in On the Town? Why doesn't the author list all the songs of the seminal Mask and Wig Club productions? Why doesn't he mention Richard Whiting's other daughter, Barbara?
Who cares? There is enough material there for a lifetime of pleasurable browsing. Take Marni Nixon's advice: "Simply enjoy it." I sure am.
Excellent Musical Theatre Reference June 28, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
THE OXFORD COMPANION TO THE AMERICAN MUSICAL by Thomas Hischak is a superior and up to date comprehensive reference book devoted to the American Musical Theatre, encompassing Film and Television as well. The research is solid, accurate and thorough; not surprising given Mr Hischak's previously published works in this area. He has become one of the foremost authorities on the American Musical experience, as this most recent volume ably demonstrates. Mr Hischak's book is a rock solid source for anyone in the profession, or any theatre lover in the audience, and a valuable addition to the bookshelf.
Sandra Zecchini PhD
Tennessee
New Hischak book a prodigious accomplishment June 28, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Hischak's new book is a tour de force. I own many books on the theater, including several others by Hischak. I bought this book (at a nice price through Amazon) and started flipping through, and couldn't put it down. Ronald Reagan as musical performer? Who would have guessed? The sheer ambition of this project, its extravagant cross-referencing, and wide-ranging coverage are deeply impressive. Among Hischak's many other books on the theater, this is his crown jewel.
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