Thomas Hischak

What links the popular songs "You'll Never Walk Alone", "Send in the Clowns", "Memory" and "I Am What I Am"? They all originated in Broadway musicals. Song of the Season is for those who believe that the score is at the heart of a musical and is the essential building block on which the rest of a show is built. Through a systematic historical survey from 1891 to 2023 it argues that the best musicals survive because of their songs, from early 20th century classics such as Show Boat and Oklahoma! through to the contemporary sound of Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton. looking at outstanding songs from each Broadway season, the development and history of the musical is illustrated with a fresh perspective. As song styles and popular music tastes changed throughout the decades this structure charts the progress of American showtunes alongside popular music forms as songs evolved from the waltz and ragtime to jazz, rock, rap and hip-hop. Factual analysis and historical context combine to offer a rich picture of the American songbook from Irving Berlin to Elton John. Song of the Season paints a fresh picture for musical theatre students and fans alike, illustrating significant changes in the form through the music. Analyzed in an accessible and engaging way that doesn't rely on music theory knowledge, and including a link to playlist where all the 'songs of the seasons' can be listened to, it is a must-have for those looking to expand their knowledge of the form and trace the social history of the American showtune.

What links the popular songs "You'll Never Walk Alone", "Send in the Clowns", "Memory" and "I Am What I Am"? They all originated in Broadway musicals. Song of the Season is for those who believe that the score is at the heart of a musical and is the essential building block on which the rest of a show is built. Through a systematic historical survey from 1891 to 2023 it argues that the best musicals survive because of their songs, from early 20th century classics such as Show Boat and Oklahoma! through to the contemporary sound of Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton. looking at outstanding songs from each Broadway season, the development and history of the musical is illustrated with a fresh perspective. As song styles and popular music tastes changed throughout the decades this structure charts the progress of American showtunes alongside popular music forms as songs evolved from the waltz and ragtime to jazz, rock, rap and hip-hop. Factual analysis and historical context combine to offer a rich picture of the American songbook from Irving Berlin to Elton John. Song of the Season paints a fresh picture for musical theatre students and fans alike, illustrating significant changes in the form through the music. Analyzed in an accessible and engaging way that doesn't rely on music theory knowledge, and including a link to playlist where all the 'songs of the seasons' can be listened to, it is a must-have for those looking to expand their knowledge of the form and trace the social history of the American showtune.

Here is the story of Shankspeare - author of such theatre classics as Loins Labors Lost, King Porkrind the Third, A Midsummer Night's Pig Roast and MacBoar, and the creator of such unforgettable characters as Julius Razorback, Brute Chops, Katherina Pigiron, Swineo and Drooliet, and Hamhock, Prince of Denmark - as told by pigs Blasphemy? More like a delightful farce with a large, flexible cast. And the play actually sheds light on the famous Swan of Avon. We follow Shankspeare from a humble birth in Fatsford-on-Avon, to fame in the city of Loin-don, and ending with the monument in Westhamster Abbey. This action-packed comedy is filled with puns, satire, silliness, and even brief scenes from Shakespeare given a new porcine twist

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, librettist, play doctor, and producer, he laid his "touch" on approximately 100 New York productions, from The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees through to Once Upon a Mattress and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Spanning this incredible figure’s work chronologically, each chapter of The Abbott Touch examines a period of creativity in his life, culminating in how he became the famous multi-hyphenate artist he is now celebrated as. Beginning with his early career in 1913 through to his work on the 1994 revival of Damn Yankees, this book analyses his key contributions to his primary works, all of which have relied on his genius. The first study of its kind, The Abbott Touch provides key insights into the working life of one of the 20th Century's most prolific theatre practitioners, as well as a vital history for theatre scholars and fans alike.

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, librettist, play doctor, and producer, he laid his "touch" on approximately 100 New York productions, from The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees through to Once Upon a Mattress and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Spanning this incredible figure’s work chronologically, each chapter of The Abbott Touch examines a period of creativity in his life, culminating in how he became the famous multi-hyphenate artist he is now celebrated as. Beginning with his early career in 1913 through to his work on the 1994 revival of Damn Yankees, this book analyses his key contributions to his primary works, all of which have relied on his genius. The first study of its kind, The Abbott Touch provides key insights into the working life of one of the 20th Century's most prolific theatre practitioners, as well as a vital history for theatre scholars and fans alike.

Throughout the ages, men and women have gone beyond what was only previously observed to discover scientific breakthroughs and create new inventions. The 21 short plays in this collection seek to humanize science by looking at these advances from the point of view of both famous and unknown men and women. They go as far back as the ancient world and continue into the modern age. This anthology explores various branches of science - from physics and medicine to astronomy and even cryptology - making important scientific concepts and notable scientists more real by dramatizing them. Each play runs between eight and ten minutes with a cast size of two to five characters, and has simple costume, prop, and set listings. Especially ideal for STEM or STEAM middle and high schools, the stage directions and production notes help students visualize the scene, even if simply being read in class. The "Background" before each play gives information about the scientist, that particular aspect of science, or the historical context of the drama to follow. The "Aftermath" that concludes each play explains what happened after the moments captured in the drama. These sections help students better understand and appreciate how the events of the play fit into the world of science and history as a whole.

The 25 plays in this collection are short theatrical pieces that aim to bring to life moments in American history from the early nineteenth century to the 1970s. Most of the characters in these plays are not famous figures or even factual people. They are ordinary Americans who did not make history, but rather, lived it. The plays can be read aloud, simply staged in the classroom, or fully staged with the help of complete set and costume descriptions included with each scene. To enhance the educational value, each play includes background information of the historical situation as well as an aftermath that explains what happened after the dramatized event. Ideal for middle school or high school drama classes wanting more relatable period pieces or for American history classes wanting to make past events and times "real" for today's students, these engaging scenes capture the essence of the American spirit of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.