Shelter from those April showers or bask in the early spring sunshine, but make sure you bring along one of these new theatre reads.
We鈥檝e rounded up 9 new releases for Broadway bookworms, including a tween novel series from Mandy Gonzalez, and an analysis of works of theatre in times of crisis.
Crisis: The Theatre Responds
By Carol Rocamora
Rocamora鈥檚 book investigates how playwrights have responded to crises, from the AIDS epidemic to the climate emergency. With discussion of pieces from recent Broadway seasons like Slave Play, Angels in America, and Ain鈥檛 No Mo, Rocamora assesses how theatre can heighten awareness and promote change. from Salamander Street Ltd.
True West: Sam Shepard鈥檚 Life, Work, and Times
By Robert Greenfield
This biography chronicles the life of the late Sam Shepard, actor and playwright (True West, Buried Child). Greenfield鈥檚 book explores Shepard鈥檚 works as well as his relationships with stars like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, and includes a collection of interviews from sources who had never spoken on record about the publicity-averse playwright before. Available April 11 from Penguin Random House.
Broadway Baby
By Russell Miller and Judith A. Proffer
Broadway Baby is a new children鈥檚 book with a motivational message for aspiring performers of all ages. The 鈥渨himsical love letter to Broadway鈥� encourages theatre-loving toddlers, parents, and teachers to be creative, pursue their dreams, and become whoever they want to be. from Meteor 17 Books.
Contemporary Black Theatre and Performance: Acts of Rebellion, Activism, and Solidarity
By DeRon S. Williams, Khalid Y. Long, Martine Kei Green-Rogers, William C. Boles, and Anja Hartl
Artists and scholars come together to study Black performance art in the 21st century in this new release. The book includes analysis of Tarell Alvin McCraney鈥檚 Choir Boy and Lynn Nottage鈥檚 Sweat, a look at Black Lives Matter protests of summer 2020, and queer and Black feminist theories, all to examine the relationship between theatre, racial identity, and activism. from Methuen Drama.
In the Mix (Fearless Series)
By Mandy Gonzalez and Sushil Preet K. Cheema
From actress Mandy Gonzalez (In the Heights, Hamilton) comes the third installment of the tween fiction series Fearless. The novel follows twelve-year-old Hudson Patel, who struggles to balance his passion for theatre with his love for baking. from Aladdin.
Blanche: The Life and Times of Tennessee Williams鈥檚 Greatest Creation
By Nancy Schoenberger
This new release is all about the character Blanche DuBois, protagonist of Tennessee Williams鈥� A Streetcar Named Desire. Author Nancy Schoenberger considers Blanche鈥檚 story as well as how the character is intertwined with themes of 鈥渨omanhood, sexuality, mental illness, and the idealized South.鈥� from Harper Collins.
300 Thoughts for Theatremakers: A Manifesto for the Twenty-First-Century Theatremaker
By Russell Lucas
This self-empowerment book is made up of 鈥渞eflections and provocations鈥� for actors, directors, producers, and anyone else involved in making live theatre. The piece includes tips for brainstorming and idea development, collaboration, show promotion, and more. from Nick Hern Books.
Barbra Streisand: the Music, the Albums, the Singles
By Matt Howe
For fans of the Funny Girl herself, this new book outlines Barbra Streisand鈥檚 recording career since the release of The Barbra Streisand Album in 1963. Readers can learn how Streisand would begin to top the charts at the ripe age of 20, and eventually become one of the most celebrated artists of her time. from Fayetteville Mafia Press.
Quick Bright Things
By Michael Golding
Quick Bright Things follows a New York City rehearsal pianist, director, and his 鈥淕irl Friday鈥� as they work together to create a musical production of A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream in 1948. Golding鈥檚 novel is a 鈥済littering love letter to the Great White Way鈥� as he tells a story of life during Broadway鈥檚 Golden Age. from Michael Golding.
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