Show and Tell: The New Book of Broadway Anecdotes

by Ken Bloom

Overview

Did you know that Frank Sinatra was nearly considered for the original production of Fiddler on the Roof? Or that Jerome Robbins never choreographed the famous "Dance at the Gym" in West Side Story? Or that Lin-Manuel Miranda called out an audience member on Twitter for texting during a performance of Hamilton (the perpetrator was Madonna)? In Show and Tell: The New Book of Broadway Anecdotes, Broadway aficionado-in-chief Ken Bloom takes us on a spirited spin through some of the most intriguing factoids in show business, offering up an unconventional history of the theatre in all its idiosyncratic glory. From the cantankerous retorts of George Abbott to the literally show-stopping antics of Katharine Hepburn, you'll learn about the adventures and star turns of some of the Broadway's biggest personalities, and discover little-known tidbits about beloved plays and musicals from The Black Crook to Beautiful.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190221010
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	10/03/2016
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Ken Bloom is the author of Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time and Broadway: An Encyclopedia. He has directed and produced shows at Town Hall, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and other venues. Bloom is the founder of the website InsideSongs.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Personalities
The Idea
Writing the Show
Naming the Show
Songs
Producing the Show
Auditions
Rehearsals
Out of Town
Theatres
Previews
Opening Night
Critics
Box Office
Audiences
Superstitions
Publicity
Stunts
Performing the Show
Tragedies
Quotes
Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

"Show & Tell is a book likely to find its way into both public and academic libraries, and readers are likely to come away from it much more informed than before... The amount of inside information this book contains is rather undersold by the title, which implies a random assortment of witty asides and gossipy small-talk from and about Broadway life... Although there are plenty of memorable encounters, sarcastic put-downs, near-the-knuckle jokes and theatrical memorabilia (quite enough to help any after-dinner speaker with some material), there is also a generous store of knowledge about Broadway shows and theatre." — Stuart Hannabuss (Independent Reviewer and Researcher, Aberdeen, UK); Reference Reviews Volume 31, Number 6, 2017

"Ken Bloom's new book is a thoroughly delightful tribute to what makes the theatre great — the passion, creativity, craziness, and sadness, too. I loved it!"—Charles Strouse

"Opening Ken Bloom's book is like popping a cork of vintage champagne where every bubble bursts with delicious anecdotes from Broadway's best! I can't think of a better cocktail party!"—Lee Roy Reams

"Ken Bloom hears and knows everything. Inside this tome you will find some of the most amazing nuggets of fascinating factoids, ridiculous rumors and classic Broadway lore."—Adrian Bryan-Brown, Broadway press agent

"Can a book make you laugh and cry at the same time? Well, Ken Bloom's newest book, Show and Tell, had me on an emotional seesaw. I thought of all the wonderful people I worked with and the crazy things that happened to us. That's the great thing about live theatre, and this book reminded me how lucky I am to be part of it."—Penny Fuller

"Ken Bloom knows more about me than my husband. Oh God! I've told him EVERYTHING! And it's all true!"—Anita Gillette

"[A]n amusing look at the business of show."—Library Journal

"[Bloom] has compiled stories both hilarious and tragic from the hits and flops of history...theatre folk and their shows come to life on this funny, occasionally poignant page-turner."—Broadwayworld.com

"For the Broadway theatre fan it is the joy of having all of these anecdotes in all one place and to savor them - a must read for theatre enthusiasts."—NewsNotes Dance Blog

"For the Broadway theatre fan it is the joy of having all of these anecdotes in all one place and to savor them - a must read for theatre enthusiasts."—News Notes Dance Blog

"I love books like this. Anything that tells stories of celebrities and makes me laugh or gasp is a winner in my mind. Ken Bloom, an aficionado of all things Broadway, has put together a book of choice remarks or insights into the world of theatrical entertainment and it is a hoot...[T]his is a delicious compendium of theatrical gold. I would advise the reader not to treat it as a book but as a large tin of assorted confectionery, there to be opened and dipped into whenever the mood takes you. And, just like the tin of chocolates, there are going to be those you love and want more of, and those that leave you with that 'they were okay' feeling. Did you know that Ann Miller's feet were so bad during the run of Follies at the Paper Mill Playhouse that stagehands had to carry her on and off the stage for her numbers? Did you know that Jerry Robbins didn't choreograph 'America' or the 'Dance at the Gym' in West Side Story?"—Musical Theatre Review

From the Publisher

06/15/2016
Author (Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time), producer, director, and raconteur Bloom's decades-spanning collection of showbiz stories is divided into chapters that follow (somewhat) a production's time line. Starting with "Personalities" and "The Idea" through "Opening Night" to "They Died with Their Boots On" and "You're Fired," the book presents hilarious (and horrible) vignettes about writing, casting, producing, rehearsing, staging, performing, and enduring myriad shows. There's a cast of thousands, from legendary producers and directors (George Abbott, Hal Prince, Bob Fosse) to lyricists and songwriters (Richard Rodgers, Betty Comden & Adolph Green, Irving Berlin) to beloved and bedeviled actors (Ethel Merman, Danny Kaye, Angela Lansbury). A few costume and lighting designers even make cameos. Some anecdotes are head-scratchers, but there are plenty of juicy items here, too, especially now that many of the players have passed on and homosexuality is no longer so stigmatized. Bloom's tone is winky-nudgey, with many "we're in this together" references. There are mentions of Hamilton and other contemporary shows, but the author seems more comfortable relating yarns from the "golden years" of theater. VERDICT Lack of dates assumes a familiarity that readers may not possess. Still, it's an amusing look at the business of show.—Liz French, Library Journal

Library Journal