Making of the Great Broadway Musical Mega-Hits: West Side Story (The Great Broadway Musicals)
by Al Kasha, Joel Hirschhorn
Category: Composers

In 25 rare and revealing interviews, the composers of Broadway's most memorable songs offer an intimate glimpse into the makings of such classic musicals as Mame, Annie, Pippin, Cabaret, and Funny Girl. From Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story) and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof) to Marvin Hamlisch (A Chorus Line) and Tim Rice (Evita), the Great White Way's legendary songwriters candidly comment on their creative craft. Where do the ideas for songs come from? What is a songwriter's greatest challenge? What makes a show a hit? Who are the greatest composers in theatre today? What is the future of musical Broadway? Successful Broadway songwriters themselves, Kasha and Hirschhorn solicit insightful answers from the men and women interviewed for this book. Lavishly illustrated with 135 photographs drawn from the songwriters' personal files, this book captures the glamour, excitement, and drama of musical comedy on Broadway.