Songwriters of the American Musical Theatre

The stylistic range required of a musical theatre performer is expansive, with musical roles requiring 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, giving today's students and performers an indispensable survey of their craft.