 Sing for your supper: the Broadway musical in the 1930s.
Author: Mordden, Ethan Published: 2005 In the 1930s, America was struggling in the midst of the Depression. Aficionados of the Broadway musical have always maintained that this was the decade of the serious, political show, but in this sparkling survey Ethan Mordden shows, once and for all, that it was the time of some of the most enjoyable, fun-filled, and starry vehicles that ever graced the stage. Cole Porter's Anything Goes featured the one-time stenographer Ethel Merman, Rodgers and Hart teamed up for On Your Toes, Babes in Arms and The Boys from Syracuse, Fred and Adele Astaire charmed first nighters in The Band Wagon, and Jumbo brought the circus to Broadway. Innovations in dance were pioneered by Albertina Rasch and George Balanchine, and Joe Mielziner brought a new look to scenic design. |
