The Abbott Touch: Pal Joey, Damn Yankees, and the Theatre of George Abbott

This in-depth and original study examines 100 productions and analyses why George Abbott's name became synonymous with the 'golden age' of Broadway. What did Abbott contribute? How did he work? How did he innovate the industry? How did he survive so long? All of these inquiries, and more, lead to the most fundamental question of all: what exactly was the famous “Abbott touch”?

For sixty years, George Abbott was a vital force in the American theatre. As an actor, playwright, director, libre...