The Broadway Diaries - by Joseph Pittman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Ever wonder about the person who just handed you a Playbill?

Of course not.

Ushers, ticket takers, those who work the front of the house on Broadway are often the unsung workers of the Great White Way. But in this heartfelt, funny, informative memoir of Broadway's past, readers will get to know what it really takes to raise that curtain.

The stories here will answer such burning questions as:

What made Kathleen Turner nearly stop the show during a performance of The Graduate?

What night was Taboo sold out?

What star misspelled an iconic word while on stage at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee?

Are there ghosts on Broadway, and where-and who--do they haunt?

What's the oldest still-operating theatre on Broadway, and what was its first show?

Name your favorite modern-day Mama Rose? Tyne, Bernadette, Patti?

How many theatres has the revival of Chicago played? It's a trick question.

Who was your favorite Broadway Hedwig?

THE BROADWAY DIARIES is a glimpse at a Broadway rarely seen, the shared experience of a group of people from all walks of life who come to their aisles, ready to seat the patrons, sometimes just for a Wednesday matinee, often working an entire run of the show, or staying on for years. Forget the critics, if you want to know how audiences really feel about a play or musical? Ask the usher.

They'll also tell you where the restrooms are.