One More Kiss: The Broadway Musical in the 1970s

by Ethan Mordden | Entertainment |
ISBN: 031223953x Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 10/1/2004
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Friday, October 1, 2004
I've thoroughly enjoyed Mordden's "Buddies" series of linked-essay books about a group of gay friends/lovers, and was curious to see what his non-fiction was like - when he's not being a novelist he's a Broadway theater reviewer and historian, and has written a series of books on the history of Broadway, decade by decade. This book covers the '70s, and is, I believe, the last that Mordden plans to write - at least, it ends with the death of Gower Champion and "the Golden Age was over"...

While the book contains a lot of interesting tidbits about musicals of all types, some I love and some I'd never heard of, it does tend to be so detail-oriented that it often lost me completely; someone who knew the scene better than I do might get a lot more out of the book. I was amused to note which musicals Mordden loves vs. which he hates; A Chorus Line is among his favorites, so much so that he quoted some of its music in the "Buddies" books as the character-very-much-like-himself finally confesses his love - to the tune of "At the Ballet". Lots of background info here, as well as snarky remarks about the film: discussing the casting of Michael Douglas as Zach, "Who is less persuasive than Douglas as a director-choreographer casting a show? Rex the Wonder Horse?" Meow!

Mordden also has lots to say about one of my favorite musicals, Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, nearly all of it positive, so of course I think he's a marvel among theater critics {grin}.

[While I did say above that the book sometimes lost me due to too much detail and excessive dryness, I note that near the end there's a seriously punny footnote on the name of Patti LuPone, in which Mordden states that the family name is "not LuPone, but Pone. Patti Lu's siblings are Robert Lu, William Lu, and Jubilation T. Corn." Groan!]

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing at Shell Station At Exit 4 in Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Released on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at about 3:00:00 PM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Shell Station at Exit 4 in Nashua, New Hampshire USA.

RELEASE NOTES:

I left this book inside the ATM booth at the Shell station at about 4:30. As there's a wonderful Broadway-show retrospective airing on the PBS channels I thought this might be a timely release...

Journal Entry 3 by Foodtester from New Milford, Connecticut USA on Wednesday, April 27, 2005
This book is in great condition and is interesting for Broadway Buffs.

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