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Title: Broadway Theatres: History and Architecture by William Morrison ISBN: 0-486-40244-4 Publisher: Dover Publications Pub. Date: 01 December, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.67 (3 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: New York theaters 1873-1932
Comment: William Morrison's book covers 74 theaters from 1873 to 1932, including those demolished as well as those still standing. Most theaters get two pages of coverage, consisting mostly of b&w photos of both the exterior and interior. The accompanying text emphasizes noteworthy performances. This book is a nice overview of the topic, although I preferred van Hoogstraten's "Lost Broadway Theaters," which gives more information about the interior layouts, but doesn't cover theaters that are still standing.
Rating: 3
Summary: Great photo tour,suffers from omissions, errors & redundancy
Comment: This book serves as a great photo album of the many legitimate theatres, which were constructed over the last century in New York. The style of this book is almost identical to Nicholas Van Hoogstraten's LOST BROAWAY THEATRES, which makes me question its necessity (some of the photos are duplicated). However, Morrison's book has some omissions that I feel are inexcusable. Two major theatres are missing: The CENTRAL, Broadway and 47th St and The ASTOR, Broadway and 45th ST, along with several minor ones. Also there are some errors in text such as when Morrison claims the ERLANGER became the ST JAMES in 1951, in fact the name change was decades earlier. Another error occurs when Morrison states the HOLLYWOOD (later HELLINGER) sealed its Broadway entrance in 1934, this actually occurred when the house went "legit" during late 40s. Never mentioned in any of these books is the PICADILLY (later WARNER, where sound movie were introduced in 1926) and COLUMBIA (later MAYFAIR and DEMILLE) Theatres, which started as stage houses but spent most of their existence as movie houses. I do not understand the continued emphasis being placed on NY's Broadway theaters without ever giving the great Times Square movie palaces (ROXY, PARAMOUNT, CAPITOL, etc) their due. Because of their vast size and popularity, the movie palaces, attracted more people to the Times Square area than the legitimate stage can ever hope to. New York's movie palaces were the largest, most expensive and arguably the finest ever built and I feel it's about time their place in Times Square's history is properly acknowledged. BROADWAY THEATRES by William Morrison offers a fine overview of its topic for those who are marginally interested. But for others expecting more insight and accuracy, Morrison's book should only be used as a starting point.
Rating: 5
Summary: Well-written, comprehensive overview of undercovered subject
Comment: Ever sat in a Braodway theater and wondered about the history of the place and what shows had played there before? This book tells you. I took it with me on a recent trip to New York and discovered that one of the buildings in which I was doing business (The Hippodrome) was built on the site of the late Hippodrome theatre, where many spectacular productions, including Billy Rose's Jumbo, where staged. Morrison obviously is an expert in both theatrical history and architecture, making his essays on the individual theatres informative and lively. The play is what we go to see, but the house in which it's staged is often critical to a play's success--as Morrison demonstrates on page after page. Broadway Theatres: History and Architecture has made a great addition to my theatrical library.
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Title: At This Theatre by Louis Botto, Robert Viagas ISBN: 1557835667 Publisher: Applause Theatre & Cinema Book Publishers Pub. Date: 01 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: Lost Broadway Theatres by Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, Nicholas Van Hoogstraten ISBN: 1568981163 Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press Pub. Date: 01 September, 1997 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Theaters by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates, Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates ISBN: 0823089444 Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications Pub. Date: 01 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $40.00 |
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Title: The Shuberts Present : 100 Years of American Theater by Maryann Chach, Reagan Fletcher, Mark Evan Swartz, Sylvia Wang ISBN: 0810906147 Publisher: Harry N Abrams Pub. Date: 01 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $60.00 |
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Title: The New Amsterdam : The Biography of a Broadway Theater by Mary C. Henderson ISBN: 078686270X Publisher: Disney Editions Pub. Date: 10 October, 1997 List Price(USD): $75.00 |
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