Though Ellington wrote many theatrical pieces, he never achieved success as a composer for the stage, and today his stage shows receive little attention from music historians. The works,
however, occupied a significant place in Ellington’s imagination, and many of the ideas he employed in their composition found their way into his other work. Franceschina (theater arts,
Pennsylvania State U.) provides a survey of every theatre piece Ellington is known to have worked on, beginning with the 1925 revue The Chocolate Kiddies and ending with the unfinished ＂street
opera＂ Queenie Pie . He includes plot summaries and analyzes the scores of works including full-length musicals, revues, ballets, and incidental music. With scattered b&w photos and
publicity stills of Ellington and various productions. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
