American Musical : History and Development

“This is a good, straight forward introduction to the genre: easy to read, but with enough information to give you a grounding in the subject…This is a great book for those who want to study musical theatre…”
-Martin J. Saxton

The American Musical is a unique fusion between drama and music, which has become especially important during the past 50 years. Peter Riddle provides us with a detailed exploration of the evolution and development of this form of music theatre in North America. The American Musical: History & Development traces the origins of music theatre from its 18th century European roots to the present. Highlights include an exploration of the minstrel show, burlesque and the revue along with discussions about Kern and Hammerstein’s Show Boat, Cole Porter, the Gershwin Brothers, Rodgers and Hart, Oklahoma, Richard Rogers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Weber.

Peter H. Riddle is professor of Music at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. A former band director, he has taught theory, history, conducting and instrumentation. He has published ten non-fiction books and three novels, as well as numerous articles. He holds a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University.