The year 2017 was a boom year for thoughtful theatre books鈥攆rom memoirs to biographies, annotated playscripts to children鈥檚 storybooks, coffee-table books to novels, and even a Broadway cookbook.
Here are 半岛体育鈥榮 picks for the top theatre-related tomes of the past 12 months.
1.
By Josh Groban
The three-time Grammy nominee and multi-platinum singing star Groban fulfilled a dream to star on Broadway last season when he opened in the co-title role of the musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of of 1812. He tells the story of his odyssey to West 45th Street (and to a Tony Award nomination) in a limited-edition, coffee-table sized book that goes behind the scenes at rehearsals and performances with minimal text and maximal full-color images.
2. 鈥�
By Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul
A behind-the-scenes account of the making of the Tony-winning musical, written by the creative team, and including personal memories, photographs, unreleased lyrics, and the complete libretto.
3.
By Alexandra Silber with a foreward by Sheldon Harnick
Written by the actor who most recently appeared as Tzeitl in the 2015 revival of the classic musical about a Jewish milkman and his family in Czarist Russia, Silber also played Tevye鈥檚 second eldest, Hodel in the West End prior to her Broadway turn. The novel picks up Hodel鈥檚 story after she says goodbye to her father with the beloved 鈥淔ar From the Home I Love.鈥� As described, 鈥淪econd-eldest daughter Hodel takes center stage as she attempts to join her Socialist-leaning fianc茅 Perchik to the outer reaches of a Siberian work camp. But before Hodel and Perchik can finally be together, they both face extraordinary hurdles and adversaries鈥昩oth personal and political鈥昦ttempting to keep them apart at all costs.鈥� The book features an introduction by Fiddler lyricist Sheldon Harnick.
4.
By Jenna Hunterson
When you enter the Brooks Atkinson Theatre to see the Broadway show Waitress, the aroma of real-life pies baked on the premises permeates the theatre鈥攁ppropriate for a musical about a baker. For the dessert-maker on your list, a book with recipes for three dozen of the show鈥檚 鈥渕ost evocative and delicious pies.鈥�
5.
By Tim Minchin
The Tony-nominated composer of Broadway鈥檚 Matilda The Musical and Groundhog Day The Musical has collaborated with illustrator Steve Anthony on a children鈥檚 book built around Matilda鈥檚 Act 2 opener of the same title, in which kids imagine all the things鈥攆anciful and serious鈥攖hey will do when they grow up.
6. : A Life
By Douglass K. Daniel
A comprehensive biography of the actor (1931鈥�2005) who won an Oscar (The Miracle Worker), two Tonys (in The Miracle Worker and Two for the Seesaw), two Golden Globes (The Graduate and The Pumpking Eater), and two Emmy Awards. The book takes a close look at her performance as Annie Sulllivan, the teacher of blind and deaf child Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker, and the politics behind her Oscar win in a category against Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor.
Read More: HOW ANNE BANCROFT BEAT OUT AUDREY HEPBURN AND ELIZABETH TAYLOR FOR HER TONY-WINNING ROLE
