The Oxford Companion to American Theatre » (REV)

Gerald Bordman is the author of many books, including American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle, Jerome Kern: His Life and Music, and Days to be Happy, Years to be Sad: The Life and Music of Vincent Youmans.
Thomas S. Hischak is a playwright, professor of theatre at SUNY Cortland, and author of award-winning books on theater including The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia, Stage It With Music: An Encyclopedic Guide to the American Musical Theatre, and Word Crazy: Broadway Lyricists from Cohan to Sondheim.

In order to incorporate new information into Bordman's reference without the volume filling up with gaps or becoming too heavy to lift, playwright Hischak (State U. of New York-Cortland) has shortened and combined existing entries rather than dropping them entirely whenever possible. More plays, musical, and people are included, but also new entries on such topics as Asian American theater, gay and lesbian theater, the redevelopment of 42nd Street, solo performances, road tours, AIDS, participatory theater events, and various New York theater companies. Entries of plays include plot summaries and sample reception. Extensive cross-referencing substitutes for an index. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Library Journal

While both books give a broad view of the American theater, they have different strengths. The Oxford Companion is an extensive revision of the 1984 edition and is updated with about 700 entries on contemporary playwrights, performers, and plays, which brings the total to approximately 2600 entries. Both Bordman and Hischak have written extensively about the Broadway theater, particularly musicals, and their experience and interests are reflected in the text. The Oxford has many more entries on producers and individual performers (e.g., Bernadette Peters, Audra McDonald, and Ruby Dee have separate entries here but do not in The Facts On File Companion). The articles are more numerous but tend to be shorter, and there is no index or bibliography. The Facts On File Companion reflects the scholarly training of editor Bryer (English, Univ. of Maryland). There are fewer entries (600 total), and many of the articles run several columns with discussions of a particular title (e.g., discussions of Death of a Salesman and Mourning Becomes Electra are each almost three pages). Articles usually have a brief bibliography. Bottom Line If your library has money for only one volume, go with The Oxford Companion. It has more ready-reference detail, and some of the Facts On File analyses of plays can be found in other library sources. However, if the budget allows, buy both, as they complement each other nicely.-Susan L. Peters, Univ. of Texas, Galveston Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.