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 This incredible book on Broadway should inspire even the most jaded drag queen to whip up a new costume and jump on the stage, writes Evelyn Hartogh.
Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time may appear at first to be a reference book with an alphabetical listing of the most successful shows, but reader beware!
The playful, often deliciously scandalous, anecdotes in each entry have so many musical and entertainment industry in-jokes, that a novice may be easily tripped up.
The background information about shows such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949, Zeigfeld Theatre, 740 performances), makes this book so deliciously fun.
Long before the 1953 movie with Marilyn Monroe as Lorelei, Carol Channing played the lead role in the Broadway Musical version, but before that, the 1925 novel by Anita Loos hit the stage in several theatre versions, to rather mixed reviews.
The sheer number of Hollywood stars who made their start in Broadway shines out in the rare photos of an incredibly young Florence Henderson (Mrs Brady in TV’s Brady Bunch), Bea Arthur (Golden Girls), Julie Newmar (Catwoman in TV’s Batman), and of course triple-threat notables such as Fred Astaire and Barbara Streisand, whose musical roles translated very successfully into film.
It’s fascinating to discover just how many beloved song standards and popular films made their start in early Broadway musicals, and how nowadays musicals reflect other popular mediums.
 Wicked (2003, George Gershwin Theatre, 1682 performances to date) is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 book (and opens in Melbourne in July) and Cats (1982, Winter Garden Theatre, 7485 performances) is based on a poem by T. S. Eliot.
The trials, backdrop and controversy faced by shows and stars are discussed in a fabulous gossipy style, which makes the reader feel they are held in camaraderie with the author.
In-jokes, nods and winks aside, the book tells much of its story through rare production photos that cover more than half of each page.
There are amazing shots such as Barry Bostwick, later to play Brad in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, playing Danny Zuko in the opening season of Grease (1972, Broadhurst Theatre, 3,388 performances).
John Travolta, who later made the Danny Zuko role his own in the film version, was among the many replacements during the musical’s first run. Others included Richard Gere and Patrick Swayze.
The book also reveals the origins of some television in-jokes. Did you ever wonder why there was a running gag in Ally McBeal, and now again in 30 Rock, about how everyone is trying to stop Jane Krakowski’s character from doing more singing and dancing?
The reason is that in Grand Hotel (1989, Martin Beck Theatre, 1017 performances), Krakowski played Flaemmchen, the woman hungry for Hollywood, a role made famous by Joan Crawford, in her screen debut, in the film version with Garbo.
Krakowski garnered incredibly impressive reviews, and much jealously ever since, which she seems to take with good humour, judging by her willingness to play along with the joke in her television appearances.
As well as the entries on productions, there are a few entries with provocative titles such as Flops, T & A, Pink Slips, and Guilty Pleasures to name a few.
From start to finish, this book is an absolute delight. With the cheery, candy bright photos, and all the heads up to the scandal surrounding each show, it will definitely leave you smiling and wanting more!
Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time is published by Black Dog & Leventhal. RRP $35.
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Broadway babes
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