The Show Makers: Great Directors of the American Musical Theatre

"As it says in Gypsy: "You either got it or you ain"t." --Arthur Laurents"There's no secret to working with kids. They either charm you and you can work with them, or they don't charm you and you feel you're stuck with them." --Jerome Robbins"It's sort of a maternal kind of leadership: strong but accessible. I don't have children, but it is a very maternal feeling that I feel when I become the director, when I become the leader." --Graciela Daniele"The thing that you can most do is empower any artist to feel as though they have a right to go on the journey." --George C. Wolfe"Just take a look at some of the musicals on the boards. Take a look at how abominable some of the acting is, and you'll understand that these people have not been directed to act." --Jerry Zaks The Show Makers are twelve of the most creative and influential directors of the contemporary musical theatre. Lawrence Thelen creates lively portraits of theatre people at work. James Lapine's early involvement with photography becomes an influence on Sunday in the Park with George. Harold Prince's early desire to be a playwright is rechanneled into directing. George C. Wolfe speaks of the ongoing involvement of black artist with musicals since the last century. Jerome Robbins, in his final interview, on collaboration and the role of dance in the musical.Lawrence Thelen's book is part theatre history, part interview volume, part celebration. Richly anecdotal, it communicates the passion and joy that motivate our wizards of the musical stage.