Strike Up the Band: A New History of Musical Theatre Review

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Strike Up the Band: A New History of Musical Theatre ReviewI'm not going to wax poetic but this is the PERFECT textbook for my high school musical theatre class. It is written at a level that is accessible to students but doesn't pander. It is well researched and informative but still includes occasional editorial comments that remind us that the author is human and really does have a personality. I appreciate the fact that the book is relatively short and will not overwhelm someone who just picks it up and wants to travel chronologically through the history of the American musical. Obviously, Miller's book is not exhaustive and he admits this up front. He doesn't waste time talking about musicals that weren't socially or theatrically important or influential (The Sound of Music) but also touches on a few groundbreaking but relatively underrated shows like Little Johnny Jones. The best thing about this book is that Miller takes a decade like the 1940s (arguably one of the most rich and influential periods in musical theatre) and gives us the basics in fifteen pages. But he hits ALL the high points. That book is such a great jumping off point for so many great discussions because Miller really does a good job showing the *development* of musical theatre and its connectivity to their contemporaneous social and political conditions. Overall, this is just a refreshing and sophisticated rendering of musical theatre that doesn't get bogged down in trivialities or tangents. Miller keeps moving and consequently, keeps us looking forward. THANK YOU!
My ONLY two complaints... Miller considers Porgy and Bess an opera and therefore omits it entirely. Also, I wish there was a hardcover edition.... as a textbook, the paperbacks will not stand up well to the abuse of high school students :)
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