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| Lady in the Dark Biography of a Musical |  | Author: Bruce D. Mcclung
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
Buy New: $24.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 748314
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0
Dimensions (in): 0.1 x 0.1 x 0.1
ISBN: 019538508X
Dewey Decimal Number: 792
EAN: 9780195385083
ASIN: 019538508X
Publication Date: February 16, 2009 (In 39 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet published
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Product Description
When Lady in the Dark opened on January 23, 1941, its many firsts immediately distinguished it as a new and unusual work. The curious directive to playwright Moss Hart to complete a play about psychoanalysis came from his own Freudian psychiatrist. For the first time since his brother George's death, Ira Gershwin returned to writing lyrics for the theater. And for emigre composer Kurt Weill, it was a crack at an opulent first-class production. Together Hart, Gershwin, and Weill (with a little help from the psychiatrist) produced one of the most innovative works in Broadway history.
With a company of 101 and an astronomical budget, Lady in the Dark launched the career of a young nightclub performer named Danny Kaye and starred Gertrude Lawrence in the greatest triumph of her career. With standees at many performances, Lady in the Dark helped establish the practice of advance ticket sales on the Great White Way, while Paramount Pictures' bid for the film rights broke all records. New York Times drama critic Brooks Atkinson hailed the production as "splendid," anointed Kurt Weill 'the best writer of theatre music in the country,' and worshiped Gertrude Lawrence as "a goddess."
Though Lady in the Dark was a smash-hit, it has never enjoyed a Broadway revival, and a certain mystique has grown up around its legendary original production. In this ground-breaking biography, bruce mcclung pieces together the musical's life story from sketches and drafts, production scripts, correspondence, photographs, costume and set designs, and thousands of clippings from the star's personal scrapbooks. He has interviewed eleven members of the original company to provide a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the backstage story.
The result is a virtual ticket to opening night, the saga of how this musical play came to be, and the string of events that saved the experimental show at every turn. Although America was turned upside down by Pearl Harbor after the production was on the boards, Lady in the Dark played an important role for the war effort and rang up 777 performances in 12 cities. In what may be the most illuminating study of a single Broadway musical, this biography brings Lady in the Dark back to the spotlight and puts readers in the front row.
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| Customer Reviews:
 A book fit for a lady June 10, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I have so far only read half of this book and am thoroughly enjoying it. It is very detailed and the description of the opening night performance is fascinating. Those without a background in music may be a little put-off by how technically it goes into the music (I have a background in music and was still a bit confused). But, so far, so good. A great book for Broadway, Gertrude Lawrence, Kurt Weill, Moss Hart and Ira Gershwin fans, as well as those who want a good look into the puting of a Broadway musical in 1941.
Perhaps this book can spark a revival February 14, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I think that this is the most complete discussion of a musical show that I have ever seen. 'Lady in the Dark' is certainly worthy of study. It was a musical that broke new ground in theatre.
Mr. McClung begins with the first concept sketches for staging and costumes. From there it's on to discussion of the first drafts of the play, production scripts, and more on to final drawings for for the sets. With a cast of 101, it was a huge production with what was for then a sky high budget.
When it opened it broke new ground in that the leading lady (played by Gertrude Lawrence) is going through psychoanalysis.
Since its closure all three of the shows originators have died (Moss Hart, Ira Gershwin, Kurt Wheill). Their indivitual estates have rights to their particular parts of the play. It would be a major undertaking to put together such disparate people to revive the show. It hasn't happened yet. Perhaps this book will spark enough interest that a revival becomes possible.
The Bible of Lady in the Dark February 3, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
For anyone who has an interest in the musical play Lady in the Dark, this book is a Bible of knowledge for the reader! McClung misses nothing and dissects the score, production, development and every nuance present in making a full diagnosis of this exceptional musical piece. The introduction, most notably, is one of the most impressive points, where McClung recreates scene-by-scene Opening Night of Lady in the Dark at the Alvin Theater (now the Neil Simon Theater) back in 1941. His insights and deep understanding of the plot, music and structure opens doors to how (and how not!) to update this piece for the current Broadway stage, which hopefully, this book will be the first step in the process. He also paints a lasting picture of one of the stage's most talented actresses, Gertrude Lawrence through interviews with the remaining living cast members of the original production and other sources.
In a personal review point, I thank McClung for writing this book, as Lady in the Dark has been a favorite show of mine for many years and I have always wanted to know more about it but the resources were scarce. With this book, almost every resource is there, and nearly every question answered. And even for those who don't know Lady in the Dark, this is the perfect opportunity to learn, and this book makes a precedent of how great musicals should be dissertated and studied.
A stellar piece of writing, a must read for anyone interested in the stage or musical theater history.
A fascinating book January 29, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Having no prior knowledge of "Lady in the Dark", I found this book to be incredibly well-written and informative. I have never read a biography of a show before, and it's a fascinating way to not only re-live the experience of 60 years ago, but to also learn the backstory of the show, its actors and creators, and the widespread effect of this ground-breaking musical on Broadway and society in general.
In one of my favorite chapters, Bruce McClung goes into incredible detail on the musical score, showing how virtually every note had a distinct purpose and was conceived to be an integral and vital part of the performance. Since this musical was written in a style completely different than those of its era, Bruce shows clearly that it wasn't just a coincidence that it worked so well; it was conceived to be vastly original. The other chapters of his book are just as exhaustively researched, with original photos, interviews and quotes from written and telegram correspondence, copies of the work during the creative process, and even tie-in merchandise.
This book is a truly remarkable look at this show and also how a major work of art can influence society and entertainment. One thing I found really interesting was the contrast between how actors and the entertainment industry responded during WWII, as compared to the actions of today's entertainers and celebrities during the current war.
Another fascinating aspect is that with the normal run of revivals of older shows, "Lady in the Dark" was too 'modern' to its era to be successfully revived without major overhaul. One more interesting contrast between today's society and that of the 1940s.
I hope that this book will generate interest in this show and introduce theatre and musical fans to an influential work, perhaps one that they are not familiar with. It is very well-written and although very detailed, it is presented in a way that kept my interest even in sections that I'm not well-versed on.
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