The Playbill Broadway Yearbook »

This inaugural volume of the yearbook profiles the shows, actors, and other theater professionals who worked on Broadway in New York City from June 1st, 2004, to May 31st, 2005. Borrowing the basic format of a high school or college yearbook, the yearbook contains a chapter reproducing the Playbill theater program for each of 65 Broadway shows, plus additional color photos and notes on favorite moments and backstage antics. There are photos not only of actors, but people behind the scenes as well, from producers to ushers. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Publishers Weekly

Playbill publisher Philip Birsh decided he would create "a yearbook, like a high school yearbook," which would include photos of every person working on a Broadway show in a given year. So Viagas, one of the magazine's editors, reprinted the head shots and text from the official Playbills of each production, from Aida to Wonderful Town, and arranged group shots of performers, directors, box-office staff and ushers. In addition, pictures of the staff for producers' offices, press agents, union leaders and even personnel from nationwide Playbill publications are included in a section called "Faculty." Like high school shots, most photos show people standing in a line and smiling awkwardly for the camera. In an attempt to add some spice to the project, a member of each production answered questions, such as the casts' favorite snack food or the most memorable celebrity visits, which appear in the "Scrapbook" section. None of the answers, however, lend insight or helpful information; mostly, they're of the "you had to be there" variety. As with high school yearbooks, this will be a source of nostalgic reminiscence for the participants, but of minimal use for historians or theater buffs. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.