Making It on Broadway: Actors' Tales of Climbing to the Top

by David Wienir and Jodie Langel

Countering the misperceptions about Broadway performers leading glamorous lives, the words of more than 150 Broadway stars provide unprecedented insight into their struggle for stardom. With an introduction by Jason Alexander and candid interviews with today's most celebrated Broadway stars, this book offers stories to entertain and astonish theater lovers, as well as serve as a sobering reality check for those considering careers on the stage. This...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1581153465
• ISBN13: 9781581153460
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Allworth
• Length: 267 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.3" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic

This book is brilliant and worth far more than the asking price, if you ask me. Sure, it's got more than its fair share of funny and interesting little theatre anecdotes, but it's also a great textbook about the trials of being a professional actor, as well as a study in the commercialism of modern theatre. I'm actually using it as a textbook in my capstone Theatre course, as we're focusing a bit on "what makes a hit". I think that anyone interested in any aspect of Theatre should give this one a read; it really gives a fascinating view into it, as well as being just a really good read. Oh, and one of my favorite parts is the set of interviews all talking about the Les Mis entrance mishap... funny stuff. Warning: don't read this backstage, or you *will* almost miss your cues!

Beyond the Great White Way

For theatre people or anyone interested in acting this book is a MUST!! It actually is more about making "it" on Broadway. The Great White Way is strewn with many funny, sad stories. These are actors who make a living at their craft. Most of them are not household names but they work primarily in Broadway musicals. This book painfully tells of their youth, their dreams and their struggles. All in their own words. Some of it is very funny and some is very sad. They express anger at what Broadway has become and tell of the hard work and discipline that is required of them. There are some very amusing anecdotes about things that go horribly awry during a production. Dave Clemmons tells a very touching and sad story of a little girl who came to see him in "Les Miserables" in Salt Lake City. It has a happy ending but really tugs at your heart strings. The theatres are old and dirty, and most of the time the pay is not that great. But they do it because they love the theatre. The are all Broadway Babys. Read it, you won't regret one word.

Great

This is a must-have for anyone who wants to work in the musical theater business on Broadway. At it's best it is uplifting and dreamlike, and it's worst is suicidally depressing. But if you want to get onto the Great White Way, you can't allow yourself to be brought down by fear or depression. This book gives you that knowledge straight from the horse's mouth.

BEST Theater related book!

This is such a great read! Theater fans like me love hearing actual broadway actors speak about what the business is really like. Most other Broadway books talk about either the history of theater or how vaguely to construct a show, but this book really gets to the core of what being on Broadway is about. Be prepared for shocking, hilarious, and sometimes even painful stories shared by so many revered performers. It's an extremely truthful and important read for everyone even vaguely interested in theater!

An absolute must read

For everyone who is in school or training for a career in musical theatre, this book is the priceless information you will receive that a lot of times is not told to you at your school or studio. From the moment I started reading the book I couldnt stop reading. It takes you on an ubelievable journery from the beginning of their lives in this business to where they are now. It is so beautifully crafted. The book is literally story after story, but the way they were streamlined together makes it like one person reciting an autobiography. If there was ever a time that all of the tears of joy and pain from trying to "make it" were combined, it is in this book. It will inspire you to work even harder, not to be a broadway star, but to just work and do what we love. The only reason I put the book down was to run on stage for an entrance, seriously!