Great Theater

This fiftieth-anniversary edition commemorates Joseph Heller’s masterpiece with a new introduction; critical essays and reviews by Norman Mailer, Alfred Kazin, Anthony Burgess, and others; rare papers and photos; and much more. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The...

Includes an introduction written and read by Jesmyn Ward, a foreword written and read by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s granddaughter, Eleanor Lanahan, and an afterword written and read by Professor James L. W. West III The only edition of the beloved classic that is authorized by Fitzgerald’s family...

George S. Patton was a general who achieved greatness in his field by contradicting his own nature. A cavalryman steeped in romantic military tradition, he nevertheless pulled a reluctant American military into the most advanced realms of highly mobile armored warfare. An autocratic snob, Patton created unparalleled rapport and loyalty with the lowliest private in his command.

A masterful work by Pulitzer Prize–winning author David Herbert Donald, Lincoln is a stunning portrait of Abraham Lincoln’s life and presidency. Donald brilliantly depicts Lincoln’s gradual ascent from humble beginnings in rural Kentucky to the ever-expanding political circles in Illinois...

Winner of the 2025 Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Absolutely gripping.” —The Washington Post “A masterpiece of oral history…stirring, surprising, grim, joyous, moving, and always riveting.” —Evan Thomas From the New York Times...

In the late Fifties and Sixties, iconoclastic young rebels in Chicago opened two tiny theaters—The Compass and The Second City—where they satirized politics, religion, and sex. Developing scenes by improvising based on audience suggestions turned out to be a fine way to develop great actors, directors, and writers. Alumni went on to create such groundbreaking works as The Graduate, Groundhog Day, and Don't Look Up. Many of them also became stars on Saturday Night Live. Something Wonderful Right Away features the pioneers who founded the empire that transformed American comedy.

In Nothing Like a Dame, theater journalist Eddie Shapiro opens a jewelry box full of glittering surprises, through in-depth conversations with twenty leading women of Broadway. He carefully selected Tony Award-winning stars who have spent the majority of their careers in theater, leaving aside those who have moved on or occasionally drop back in. The women he interviewed spent endless hours with him, discussing their careers, offering insights into the iconic shows, changes on Broadway over the last century, and the art (and thrill) of taking the stage night after night.  

I can hardly believe that it is more than half a century since I first stepped on to the stage of the Old Vic Theatre and into a way of life that has brought me the most rewarding professional relationships and friendships. I cannot imagine now ever doing anything else with my life except...

The Great Depression and Broadway: Finding Light in the Darkest Hours By Richard Fleischman Step into the heart of Broadway during one of the most challenging eras in American history. In The Great Depression and Broadway: Finding Light in the Darkest Hours, Richard Fleischman takes you on an unforgettable journey through the iconic musicals that lifted the spirits of a nation struggling to survive. From the glitzy lights of Radio City Music Hall to the stage of the Great White Way, Broadway became a sanctuary of optimism, providing both a temporary escape and a lasting sense of hope. This ...

Architects of the Nineteenth Century: Biographical Studies of the Figures Who Shaped Modern Culture, Politics, and Art BOOK ONE: Edwin Booth Explained: The Life, Art, and Legacy of America’s Greatest Shakespearean Actor is a comprehensive biography of one of the most influential and complex figures in American cultural history. Best known as the greatest Shakespearean actor the United States ever produced, Edwin Booth’s life was marked by artistic brilliance, personal discipline, and extraordinary moral burden. Born into a legendary theatrical family and shaped by the volatile genius of...

At the height of the McCarthy era, an experimental theater troupe set up shop in a bar near the University of Chicago. Via word-of-mouth, astonished crowds packed the ad-hoc venue to see its unscripted, interactive, consciousness-raising style. From this unlikely seed grew the Second City, the massively influential comedy theater troupe, and its offshoots - the Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, SNL, and a slew of others. Sam Wasson charts the meteoric rise of improv in this richly reported, scene-driven narrative.

Since she was a little girl, the wind has dictated every move Vianne Rocher has made, buffeting her from the small French village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes to the crowded streets of Paris. Cloaked in a new identity, that of widow Yanne Charbonneau, she opens a chocolaterie on a small Montmartre...

Oh No! What antics has that lovable Ghost Farley, Jinx the Cat and Pierre the Rat been up to since the last production at Mystery Theater? Escape to the town of Peculiar and find out in this fun, twisty mystery with some of your favorite characters you love to curl up with at the end of the day. When a well-known actor, with a failing career, signs up to play the lead role in the next production of the small theater in Peculiar, strange things begin to happen. A nosy, over-bearing, crew member goes missing. Odd occurrences surround the new actor. Will Ghost Farley get blamed for mishaps ...

Are you stuck in a rut in the entertainment industry, yearning for more acting opportunities and financial success? Does life feel like a never-ending loop, leaving you sleepwalking through your days? Imagine a world where you can break into the entertainment industry on your terms, showcasing your unique talents. Picture yourself climbing the mountain of success, changing directions, and finally making things happen in your acting career. Introducing GOING SOLO, the industry's most comprehensive guide that blends the art and business of solo theatre. Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned...

Looking to dive into the heart of London's most cherished performing art scene, the dazzling West End? If yes, you've come to the right place. Uncover the fascinating story of its evolution! Did you know that the first theatre in the West End was established in the 16th century and was simply dubbed "The Theatre"? This doesn't even scratch the surface regarding the captivating history that shaped this iconic theater district.

Europe’s attempts to appease Hitler failed, as Nazi Germany swallowed up Austria and Czechoslovakia by 1939. The straw that broke the camel's back, however, was Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1 of that year. Two days later, France and Great Britain declared war on Germany, and World War II had begun in earnest. Of course, as most people now know, the invasion of Poland was merely the preface to the Nazi blitzkrieg of most of Western Europe.The narrative is that the British stood alone in 1940 against the Nazi onslaught....

Theatre journalist Eddie Shapiro sits down for intimate, career-encompassing conversations with 19 of Broadway's most prolific and fascinating leading men. Full of detailed stories and reflections, his conversations with such luminaries as Joel Grey, Ben Vareen, Norm Lewis, Gavin Creel, Cheyenne Jackson, Jonathan Groff, and a host of others dig deep into each actor's career; together, these chapters tell the story of what it means to be a leading man on Broadway over the past 50 years.

Go behind the scenes of the Great White Way with this illustrated guide to the Theater District’s hidden history--an essential book for your explorations of the district from a seasoned Broadway guide. Broadway is one of New York’s greatest treasures, and where there is treasure, there is a...

For all of her days, Reta Winters has enjoyed the useful monotony of happiness: a loving family, good friends, growing success as a writer of light fiction, novels 'for summertime.' This placid existence cracks open one fearful day when her beloved oldest daughter, Norah, drops out of life to...

Guys & Dolls...The Boyfriend...How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying...Can-Can... These are just a few of the many Broadway shows produced by the legendary Cy Feuer, who, in partnership with the late Ernest H. Martin, brought to life many of America's most enduring musicals. Cy Feuer was at the center of these creations, as well as the films based on two of Broadway's most exceptional musicals, Cabaret and A Chorus Line. He was the man in charge, the one responsible for putting everything together, and - almost more important - for holding it together.