Diary Of A Mad Playwright

The hilarious, heartbreaking, and no-holds-barred account of the Mary Martin-Carol Channing production, Legends!--by prize-winning author (and near casualty) James Kirkwood. Illustrated.

Mary Martin was one of the greatest stars of her day. Growing up in Texas, she was married early to Benjamin Hagman and gave birth to her first child, Larry Hagman. She was divorced even more quickly. Martin left little Larry with her parents and took off for Hollywood. She didn't make a dent in the movie industry and was lured to New York where she found herself auditioning for Cole Porter and his new show "Leave It to Me!". After she sang the bawdy "My Heart Belongs to Daddy", she ended up on the cover of Life magazine. Six years later, she became the Toast of Broadway when she starred in "South Pacific". After that, she flew as "Peter Pan", yodeled in "The Sound of Music", took "Hello, Dolly!" on the road and shared a four-poster with Robert Preston in "I Do! I Do!". Her personal life was just as interesting: In NYC, she met and married Richard Halliday, a closeted upper-class homosexual who adored her, Broadway and interior decorating (though probably not in that order). They were a powerful twosome. There were rumors about Martin, too, being in a lesbian relationship with both Janet Gaynor and Jean Arthur. Peopled with legends like Ethel Merman, Ezio Pinza, Noel Coward and a starry cast of thousands, David Kaufman's "Some Enchanted Evenings" is the delectable story of the one and only Mary Martin, a woman who described herself as a chicken farmer from Texas only to become Peter Pan and capture America's heart.

From Key Largo to the Dry Tortugas, this true insider’s guide to Florida’s subtropical islands, offers a comprehensive look at famous attractions such as daily sunset celebrations, historic bars, renowned restaurants, and America’s only living coral reef. Supplemented with information about local hidden gems, it offers tips about secret gardens, hip diners, and beachfront bistros. The swashbuckling history of the Keys and some of its most famous inhabitants are brought to life with charming text—from Jimmy Buffett to the ever-present ghosts of Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams.

​As Barranger traces Crawford’s career as an independent producer, she tells the parallel story of American theater in the mid-twentieth century, making A Gambler’s Instinct both an enjoyable and informative biography of a remarkable woman and an important addition to the literature of the modern theater.

A landmark late-twentieth century pictorial archive that beautifully chronicles, in illuminating detail, fifty important American artists and writers in place: Edward Albee, John Chamberlain, Annie Dillard, John Hersey, Carl Hiaasen, Elmore Leonard, Roy Lichtensein, Alison Lurie, William Manchester, James Merrill, John D. MacDonald, James A. Michener, Jules Olitski, Robert Rauschenberg, Larry Rivers, James Rosenquist, Isaac B. Singer, and Joy Williams, among others. Book jacket.

Middleton's top-of-the-line crostics, culled from his popular series, take puzzle solvers to a new level of difficulty--and satisfaction.

(FAQ). The ultimate treasure trove of information, A Chorus Line FAQ presents history and fun facts, including: the unique workshop process through which the show was developed and written, the stories of its creators, the record-breaking Broadway run and numerous touring productions, and the captivating movie version. The book also features all-new chapters on the Broadway revival, the two London productions, and notable regional productions around the country. In addition to a chapter on A Chorus Line cultural history with a guide to all the pop cultural references in the show the book includes extensive photos as well as biographical information on the casts of the major productions. There are also chapters on recordings, previous books on the topic, and the landmark show's influence on subsequent Broadway musicals and films.

The first book of theater celebrity gossip, can you believe it? Here's the book that airs Broadway's dirty laundry! Inspired by the classic Hollywood Babylon (in print for more than forty years, more than 100,000 copies sold), Broadway Babylon presents a hyper-entertaining look at the Great White Way's biggest scandals, best-kept secrets, and most over-the-top feuds. Author Boze Hadleigh, the preeminent disher of celebrity dish, serves up 400 pages of tasty, never-before-told stories about such show-biz icons as Ethel Merman, Tennessee Williams, Lucille Ball, Bette Davis, and many, many others. Get it while it's hot!