Songwriters of the American Musical Theatre: A Style Guide for Singers

The stylistic range required of a musical theatre performer is expansive. From the favourites of Tin Pan Alley to today’s international blockbusters, musical roles require the ability to adapt to a panoply of characters and vocal styles. By breaking down these styles and exploring the output of the great composers, this book offers singers and performers an essential handbook. Each composer - from Gilbert and Sullivan and Irving Berlin to Alain Boublil and Andrew Lloyd Weber - is examined through a brief biography, a stylistic overview, and a comprehensive song list with notes on suitable voice types and further reading. Chapters run the gamut of the modern musical, from English light opera through the American golden age up to the ’mega musicals’ of the late Twentieth Century, giving today’s students and performers an indispensable survey of their craft.