The Complete Book of 2010s Broadway Musicals

Dietz continues his excellent companions to Broadway shows with coverage of the 240 musicals that opened from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2019. As with previous volumes (all reviewed in Choice), Dietz includes shows with new music, revues, magic shows, operas that received their New York premieres, imports, pre-Broadway closings, and special engagements. It is heartening to note that more shows with new music and scripts opened during the 2010s decade than during the previous one. Technical information (gathered from Theatre World and IBDB.com) includes casts and crews, advertising tags, run dates, name of theater, musical numbers and performers, source material, awards and nominations, and other data, along with plot summaries and cast album information when available. The volume concludes with eight useful appendixes, including one of Black-themed and one of LGBTQ-themed shows. Although Dietz relies heavily on critical commentaries and newspaper reviews, the highly subjective and often amusing comments he adds provide thoughtful consideration not only of individual shows but also of the decade as a whole. This volume, like its predecessors, is a required resource for scholars and fans of Broadway musicals. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.