Author Description
The Shubert Name Has Been Synonymous With Broadway For Almost As Long As Broadway Entertainment Itself. In 'the Shuberts And Their Passing Shows', Author Jonas Westover Investigates Beyond The Shuberts' Business Empire Into Their Early Revues And The Centrifugal Role They Played In Developing American Theatre As An Art Form. Introduction -- A Twelve-hour Show Squeezed Into Three: The Creative Forces Behind The Passing Shows -- A Matchless Melange Of Mirth And Melody: The Stars Of The Passing Shows -- The Hebrew Messenger Boy And The Thespian: The Howard Brothers -- A Downpour Of Talent, A Niagara Of Beauty: Chorus Girls And Chorus Boys -- The Mastodon And Musical Extravaganza: Song, Dance, And Scenic Effects -- A Sure Cure For The Blues: Creating The Passing Show Of 1914 -- A Carnival Of Travesty: Textual And Musical References In The Passing Shows -- America's Foremost Musical Institution: The Shuberts, Ziegfeld, And The Battle For Supremacy -- A New, Bright, And Welcome As The Morning Sun: The Birth Of A Legend And The Demise Of A Genre. Jonas Westover. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
How did the Shubert brothers' 'Passing Shows' influence the development of American musical theater and challenge the dominance of rival producers like Florenz Ziegfeld? Author Jonas Westover examines the Shubert organization's early revue productions, analyzing their creative output, star power, and business strategies. By situating these shows within the broader context of early 20th-century entertainment, Westover argues that the Shuberts were central to shaping the aesthetic and structural conventions of Broadway as a commercial and artistic institution.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the creative teams, performers, and production techniques behind the 'Passing Shows' revue series.
- Historical documentation of the rivalry between the Shubert brothers and Florenz Ziegfeld.
- Examination of the evolution of musical comedy, chorus line staging, and scenic design during the early 1900s.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the early revue era and does not provide a comprehensive biography of the entire Shubert family history.
- The analysis is limited to the 'Passing Shows' and their immediate impact, excluding later developments in the mid-to-late 20th century.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and theater historians recognize this work as a detailed examination of a frequently overlooked segment of Broadway history. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous look at the mechanics of early musical theater production.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
2016-10-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press, Incorporated
ISBN-10:
0190219270
ISBN-13:
9780190219277
Biography
History
Criticism history
Broadway
Theater History
Music History