This inaugural volume in the new Forgotten Stars of the Musical Theatre series sets Lydia Thompson, queen of burlesque, under the spotlight. The book and the series will attempt to restore to their place in theatre history performers and writers who were famous in their era, yet who have since faded inexplicably from popular memory. We intend to resurrect their lives and legacies for the theatre enthusiast. Outlandish tales of Lydia's touring burlesque company, the British Blondes, and such lurid episodes as her horsewhipping of a Chicago editor, a romance with a Russian Grand Duke, and her...

A colourful biography of William B. Gill, a famous musical-comedy playwright and comedy performer of the late 19th century who is now mostly forgotten, but who changed the course of American musical theatre.

David Braham (1838-1905) was the musical director for the famous vaudeville team of Harrigan and Hart, writing music for many of their comic songs, including The Mulligan Guards, Sallie Waters, Paddie Duffy's Cart, and many more. His long career as a theatrical composer in New York helped establish a new style of Broadway musical. He came from a family well-entrenched in the music and theater worlds, and his story touches upon nearly all aspects of the history of American musical theater and burlesque of this er

Harry B. Smith was the most prolific writer of librettos for the American musical theatre in history, with nearly half of his 300 works actually opening in New York City. In addition, Smith was instrumental in adapting and popularizing foreign musicals in America, significantly influencing writing and composing styles of American shows. He worked with every major composer in America between 1880 and 1920, and consequently this examination of his work and process is highly instructive of the history of the American musical.