The Oxford Handbook of The American Musical (Oxford Handbooks) - Tapa dura

The second book of the three-volume set will most interest producers and directors of musicals. (Peter Filichia, Music Theatre International)

The pragmatic usefulness of the volume is evident throughout. ... The book illuminates a fine range of key perspectives in the history and theory of the musical, aimed at students on countless university minor study programmes. ... The volume is impressive in scope and will funciton as a contesting rival to existing volumes on musical theatre in university libraries and curricula around the world. (George Rodosthenous, Theatre Research International)

The American musical, though one of the United States' most popular and emblematic musical genres, has long been neglected as a topic for academic study. Only recently have scholars taken up the serious study of musicals, and serious criticism and commentary available to non-professionals is still sparse. The Oxford Handbook of the Amreican Musical is designed to be used by students in all disciplines concerned with the genre, as well as non-academic listeners who want to enrich their experience as audience members. Taking the form of a "keywords" book, it introduces readers to important concepts and terms that shape the history of the musical as a genre, and offers ways to reflect on the specific choices that shape the musicals and their performance. The Handbook offers ways of thinking about musicals that will be of interest to scholars and students as well as performers of all kinds.