(Paperback)

The American musical has achieved and maintained relevance to more people in America than any other performance-based art. This history of the genre, intended for readers of all stripes, offers discussions of how American musicals, especially through their musical numbers, advance themes related to American national identity.

(Paperback)

Addresses a variety of specific themes in musicals that serve this general function: fairy tale and fantasy, idealism and inspiration, gender and sexuality, and relationships, among others. This work considers three overlapping genres that are central to the projection of personal identity: operetta, movie musicals, and operatic musicals.