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Title: Put On A Happy Face: A Broadway Memoir - Charles Strouse
ISBN: 1402758898
Author:
Charles Strouse
Publicate Date: 2008-07-01
Publish: 2008-07-01
List Price: $19.95
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $9.93
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $9.85
Amazon Merchant Price: $13.57
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Fascinating memoir.
Strouse is one of the most underrated composers of the American musical theatre. This is mostly due to the large number of failures he has been associated with. After reading his revealing memoir, it is easy to see why that happened. Strouse is singularly lacking in self esteem, and has been far too easily led, nor has he stood up for himself properly. This is a shame, because he wrote some of the best scores of the late twentieth century, including his masterpiece "Rags," a show that seems certain to be rediscovered one day and take it's place among the great ones.
Strouse promised a lot of "dirt" in this book, but I can't say it really delivers in that regard. Other than revealing that Arthur Laurents is an egomaniacal bastard (hardly a news flash) and that Strouse and Adams made a contribution to the development of "Hello, Dolly!," there isn't anything much along those lines.
One thing that emerges that is sort of surprising is how many close friends of Strouse's are gay; to the extent that it comes as a shock that he isn't gay himself! It is a testament to his open, accepting spirit.
It becomes very clear by book's end that Strouse suffers from chronic depression. One wonders why he isn't on medication for it. His creative output, despite that, is astounding.
I would have enjoyed more about Strouse's creative process, his aesthetic tastes, his opinions of the work of his contemporaries, and so on. The personal details are interesting, but after all, it is their work that fascinates us about these geniuses.
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2: Warm and witty
A fascinating autobiography of a genuinely 'nice' gentleman. Too often Strouse is left out in the panoply of great Broadway composers. As a (former) HS musical director, I conducted Annie, with with my staff on Birdie and the quality of the scores is beyond reproach. I remember the original Applause on Broadway; it's still one of my favorite scores. I enjoyed the 'backstage' chit-chat between producers, directors, and choreographers. It would have been wonderful to be a fly on the wall. My only disappointment is that I wanted to know how Lee Adams felt when Charles began collaborating with other lyricists. Highly recommended and a fast read!
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3: Compulsively Readable and Full of Feeling
What sets this autobiography of the great Broadway composer Charles Strouse apart from other "and then I wrote" memoirs, is that although Mr. Strouse gives plenty of fascinating info on the what, who and where of his career, his main focus is on how it felt to create those shows, work with those people, and live that life. So the reader is drawn in and effortlessly identifies with him, coming away with the experience of a life lived in musical theatre. The only curious element is that, although his portraits of famous collaborators like Arthur Laurents, Alan Jay Lerner and Sammy Davis, Jr. are quite vivid, we are left with only a shadowy outline of Lee Adams, who wrote the lyrics to many of his most famous shows, such as "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Applause."
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4: Insightful and interesting
A truly enjoyable and quick read. Many insights are offered into the world of Broadway musicals. Strouse reveals several things about himself that are very interesting. Some Broadway writers,producers, etc. really come off as horse's a---s. Like the bit where he ways he has made more money than he can spend. Was sorry that it wasn't longer!
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5: A candid entertaining and heartwarming autobiography
A must-read for all fans of musical theatre, this heart-warming candid and funny autobiography provides a fascinating look into the world of showbusiness. Charles Strouse writes candidly about his ups-and-downs in showbusiness, the nagging insecurities that have followed him throughout his career and of course provides juicy tidbits about Teresa Stratas, Arthur Laurents, Leondard Bernstein and more.
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