Second act trouble
Subtitle: behind the scenes at Broadway's big musical bombs
By: by Steven Suskin.
Publisher: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books
Published: 2006
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 388
ISBN-13: 9781557836311
Subjects: Musicals -- New York (State) -- New York -- History and criticism
Description: "If Broadway's triumphant musical hits are exhilarating, the backstage tales of Broadway failures are tantalizing soap operas in miniature. Behind every fabled flop is a set of claims, countercharges, and recriminations from some of the biggest egos in the public eye, struggling to save face. Second Act Trouble puts you with the creators in the rehearsal halls, at out-of-town tryouts, in late-night, hotel-room production meetings, and at after-the-fact recriminatory gripe fests."

"Steven Suskin has compiled and annotated long-forgotten, first-person accounts of 25 Broadway musicals from the 1930s to the 1990s that stubbornly went awry. Contributions come from such respected writers as Patricia Bosworth, Mel Gussow, Lehman Engel, William Gibson, Lewis H. Lapham, and John Gruen. No mere vanity productions, these; you can't have a big blockbuster of a failure, it seems, without the participation of Broadway's biggest talents. Caught in the stranglehold of tryout turmoil are Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne, Jerry Herman, Cy Coleman, Charles Strouse, John Kander, Mel Brooks, and even Edward Albee."

"These cautionary tales are provocative, highly instructive, occasionally brutal, and, from a safe distance, downright hilarious, making Second Act Trouble the perfect Broadway bedtime reader - unless you are prone to nightmares."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes index.
Table of contents: title: When everything goes wrong; title: The act : sweat and sequins, shine it on; title: Seesaw : "It's not where you start"; title: Breakfast at Tiffany's : "Excruciatingly boring"; title: Dude : mud in the valley (at a $15-top); title: Star turns; title: Hellzapoppin : fits and fights and feuds (and egos); title: Fade out-fade in : disposition and indisposition; title: Illya darling : the one-eyed prostitute; title: Irene : that's how the money goes; title: Material objection; title: Mack & Mabel : goodbye, Mabel!; title: Hallelujah, baby! : a conclave of ego-maniacal children; title: Kwamina : the rising edge of hysteria; title: Cry for us all : a little turntable music, please; title: Salvage jobs; title: Golden boy : "misbegotten but alive"; title: Tenderloin : "Any suggestions?"; title: How now, Dow Jones : the doctor is in; title: I remember Mama : fjord every stream; title: Outside interference; title: Subways are for sleeping : calling all critics; title: Skyscraper : Thanksgiving turkey; title: Flying colors : breakdown; title: On a clear day you can see forever : a shot in the arm; title: Battle stations; title: Pickwick : a case of mumps; title: Rex : knockout; title: The red shoes : "The secret vision"; title: Nick & Nora : ten big boys in a room; title: The nadir; title: Kelly : "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp".