American Musical Theater

American Musical Theater provides a chronological history of musical theater within a cultural context. Covering the major artistic trends, seminal works, and leading figures in the field, the text uses case study musicals in each chapter as a lens through which to explore themes and developments in the evolution of musical theater over time. In addition to exposing students to the musical theater canon, author James Leve encourages them to think across the disciplines, drawing on their knowledge of music, literature, popular culture, and history. For anyone from diehard musical theater fans to novices to the style, American Musical Theater offers a definitive guide to this inherently American art form.

“"The writing is compelling, and the expansive approach to musicals of the last twenty years and the musical analysis is better than anything else that I've seen." - Constance Cook Glen, Indiana University "American Musical Theater is practical and informative. The author does a nice job of presenting the history in a clear, concise manner." - Merlaine Angwall, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh "This insider's approach-- as in 'here's the real story of how this musical came about'-- will engage my students." - Valerie Trollinger, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania "Instructors who are teaching in fields like African American studies, American studies, digital humanities, English, music, and theatre can use Leve's textbook. Educators and students would benefit from this work in courses about not only the history of the musical, but also popular culture, race, and sex. Leve's textbook is well-written, its argument and evidence are clear, and its large number of illustrations in black-and-white and color are helpful ... Leve's textbook is recommended to anyone who counts among their teaching interests the place of American musical theatre in the production of cultural knowledge." --The Journal of American Drama and Theatre (JADT)”

"The writing is compelling, and the expansive approach to musicals of the last twenty years and the musical analysis is better than anything else that I've seen." - Constance Cook Glen, Indiana University

"American Musical Theater is practical and informative. The author does a nice job of presenting the history in a clear, concise manner." - Merlaine Angwall, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

"This insider's approach-- as in 'here's the real story of how this musical came about'-- will engage my students." - Valerie Trollinger, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

"Instructors who are teaching in fields like African American studies, American studies, digital humanities, English, music, and theatre can use Leve's textbook. Educators and students would benefit from this work in courses about not only the history of the musical, but also popular culture, race, and sex. Leve's textbook is well-written, its argument and evidence are clear, and its large number of illustrations in black-and-white and color are helpful ... Leve's textbook is recommended to anyone who counts among their teaching interests the place of American musical theatre in the production of cultural knowledge." --The Journal of American Drama and Theatre (JADT)

James Leve (Ph.D., Yale University) is Professor of Music at Northern Arizona University, where he is also the director of the graduate program.

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