Anyone who grew up watching "Sesame Street" on public television will quickly be able to identify the inspiration for "Avenue Q." Most of the characters in the show are puppets, and the set depicts several tenements on a rundown street in New York City. Several characters are parodies of "Sesame Street" regulars: for example, the roommates Rod and Nicky are based on Bert and Ernie, while Trekkie Monster is based on Cookie Monster. However, these characters are in their twenties and thirties and face adult problems; despite the fuzzy faces, this is not a children's show. After a run lasting more than six years and 2,534 performances, the Broadway production of "Avenue Q" ranks in the top 25 longest running shows in Broadway history and continues to have productions run worldwide. Paperback, 160 p.

This book includes nearly 80 quizzes on every aspect of the Broadway musical, including sections devoted to the careers of major Broadway stars, songwriters, directors, and producers, ranging from Ethel Merman to Stephen Sondheim. It also features thematic quizzes - such as musicals set in France, adaptations from literature, food and drink, British shows, references to sports, biographical shows, and jukebox musicals - and quizzes covering each decade from 1900 to the present. With over 700 shows mentioned, and over 1200 questions, "The Broadway Musical Quiz Book" is detailed and thorough: the answer section doesn't merely list the answers, it provides further information on the quizzes' subjects (and often on wrong answers, too!). Paperback, 300 p.

It happens every season: Broadway has one, two, or a few hit musicals, but many, many more flops. This book takes a look at the extreme cases from each season of the past half-century. From hits like "The Sound of Music," "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Producers" to flops like "Via Galactica," "The Civil War" and "Lestat." Broadway is the oldest established permanent non-floating crap game in New York, and Peter Filichia takes a look at 100 shows that met either the most glorious or the most ignominious fates. Paperback, 260 p.

For many young people, the most intense performing experiences they may have are as part of a cast in a musical or play. Or, they may fall in love with a Broadway or touring production to the extent that they jump headlong into the pursuit of such a dream without the necessary planning and thought that should accompany such a big decision. Veteran actor and educator David Ladd has created a practical guide for performers, teachers and parents to help the decision-making process for aspiring performers as they contemplate their futures in the theatre. Drawing on his experience as a singer/dancer, including a sabbatical year in New York where he chronicled his challenges and successes, Ladd presents the full range of information students need before setting their sights on a music theatre career, including a full range of interviews from professional actors detailing the significant obstacles to success in the field, statistics on costs of housing, transportation and training, and the audition/casting process for a new, non-union performer. The final section of the book guides readers as they explore their own career options, with thought-provoking questions, journaling opportunities and career resources, making this especially useful for teachers working one-on-one with students or in the classroom. It's not an easy path, but if performing is your passion, pursue it with an open mind and listen to your heart - the successes can be glorious!

This volume collects 28 biographies of the greatest songwriters and lyricists of Broadway musicals. It goes below the surface to see what made them tick and to uncover the secrets of their success - as well as the personal foibles that sometimes led to their downfall. In presenting these life histories, full of drama, humor, and poignancy, "The Geniuses of the American Musical Theatre" gives us the story of the golden age of Broadway from a well-informed, witty, and warm-hearted new perspective. The first book of its type ever assembled, it is a tremendous attraction for all those who love theatre and popular music, with intimate, little-known details of popular songwriters' lives.

Here is the first major survey of Broadway musical theatre stars, telling the life stories of 40 stage luminaries from Al Jolson, Fanny Brice and Gwen Verdon, to Nathan Lane, Patti Lupone and Audra McDonald. Author Robert Viagas describes each star's most important stage roles as well as the triumphant, tragic, inspiring, and cautionary tales of how they achieved and maintained their status as top Broadway stars.

His best-known song is Mack the Knife, with words by Bertolt Brecht, from The Threepenny Opera, first performed in Weimar Berlin in 1928. Five years later, Kurt Weill fled the Nazis to come to America, where he soon emerged as one of the most admired composers of the Broadway musical stage. His shows included: Knickerbocker Holiday, Lady in the Dark, One Touch of Venus, Street Scene and Lost in the Stars. His songs: My Ship, September Song, Speak Low and It Never Was You. This biography concentrates on Weill's career in the United States, but its aim is to explore the truth in the comment made by Weill's wife, the unforgettable Lotte Lenya: There is no American Weill, there is no German Weill. There is no difference between them. There is only Weill.

In Les Miserables: From Stage to Screen, the reader can find out how the musical came to life - the trials and tribulations of turning it from the initial concept into a thrilling musical extravaganza - and how the new film version starring Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe and directed by the Oscar-winning Tom Hooper ("The King's Speech") has emerged from the show that has been seen by over 55 million people worldwide. To bring this fascinating story to life, the book also contains at least 15 facsimiles that highlight key moments in the creation of "Les Miserables," both on stage and on the screen, including: Original costume sketches; Annotated scripts; Original music scores and librettos; Film screenplay extracts and anniversary mementos. Hardcover book, 96 p.

With this book, the many wonderful musicals that played the small theaters and cabarets of Off Broadway are finally given the spotlight they deserve. "Little Musicals for Little Theatres" is a comprehensive reference guide to over 150 small musicals that any theater or school can produce with limited resources. Each entry includes writing credits, synopsis, cast size, musical numbers, production notes and licensing information. The book also includes the few Broadway musicals that have small casts and can be performed in almost any circumstances. Photos give the reader a look at production requirements, and statistics on the number of performances indicate how successful a show's original production was.