Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops

Rating:
Summary: Delightful and informative.
Review: This is a book for any theatre lover. Haven't you wondered whatever became of a show that didn't run very long or how it got that way? The author, through interviews and reading scripts and listening to selections from shows (often audition tapes, since these shows, for the most part, didn't cut original cast albums), discusses shows that never could have made it as well as shows that deserved better than they got. I saw some shows in the book that I had seen on stage and enjoyed the comments made about some that I felt were better than their run had indicated. Anybody can offer their opinions of the smash hits, but if you want a more complete look at an often neglected area, take a look at this book. It will be a great addition to any theatre library.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for those interested in musical theatre.
Review: This is an excellent book that outlines the flops of the last forty years on Broadway. It should be especially importannt for those interested in writing for the theatre as it points out the mistakes made by the novice writers, producers, etc. Also, flops are just plain funny!

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant and Affectionate Look At What Went Wrong
Review: Whether appalled at something gone horribly wrong that had potential ("Carrie," "Do I Hear A Waltz?") or railing against a musical that was a bad deal from the start ("Clavell's Shogun: The Musical"), Ken Mandelbaum has written that classic text on how not to write a musical. Granted, many people will not take this sterling advice. At least we have the benefit of Mandelbaums narration of other's follies to warm us.