?A notable addition to the literature on the American musical and especially its history, this collection of essays and edited panel discussions is diverse and rich in its scope.... Based on the combined efforts of theater and dance specialists, musicologists, librarians and archivists, and professional musical theater practitioners, this volume attempts to cover aspects of the American musical from its 18th-century beginnings to the synthesizing of the contemporary musical as a work of art. In between there are sections on the musical in the 19th century, 20th-century variety and revue formats, the book musical of this century, dance in the musical, and various methods of preserving the musical theater heritage. ...highly recommended for most libraries, especially those with performance arts collections.?-Choice