Ken Bloom

Ken Bloom is an American theater historian, author, and journalist who has written extensively about Broadway theater and American popular music. His work has focused on documenting the history of musical theater, particularly through biographical accounts of major Broadway figures and comprehensive reference works. Bloom's most notable publications include "Broadway: An Encyclopedia" and "American Song: The Complete Musical Theatre Companion," which serve as authoritative references in theater studies. He has also written detailed biographies of theater personalities, including works on Jerry Herman and Irving Berlin. The author's expertise extends beyond books to his contributions to theater journalism, having written for numerous publications about stage productions and theater history. His research methodology involves extensive archival work and interviews with theater professionals, resulting in historically detailed accounts. Bloom has collaborated with other theater historians, including Frank Vlastnik, with whom he co-authored "Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time." His work is frequently cited in academic studies and used as source material by theater practitioners and researchers.

Readers value Ken Bloom's deep research and detailed knowledge of Broadway history, particularly in reference works like "Broadway: An Encyclopedia" and "American Song." Multiple readers note his ability to uncover obscure facts and anecdotes about theater productions and personalities. Likes: - Comprehensive coverage of musical theater history - Well-organized reference material - Clear writing style for complex theater topics Dislikes: - Some find the writing dry and academic - A few readers mention outdated information in older editions - Dense text formatting makes casual reading difficult Ratings: Goodreads: "Broadway: An Encyclopedia" - 4.0/5 (42 ratings) "American Song" - 3.9/5 (28 ratings) Amazon: "Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows" - 4.4/5 (89 reviews) "Hollywood Musicals: The 101 Greatest Song-and-Dance Movies" - 4.3/5 (41 reviews) One reader summarized: "Encyclopedic knowledge but requires commitment to get through the technical details."

Broadway: An Encyclopedia Complete reference guide covering theater terminology, performers, composers, and productions from 1910 to the present.

American Song: The Complete Companion to Tin Pan Alley Song Comprehensive listing of over 300,000 songs published during the Tin Pan Alley era, including composers, lyricists, and publication dates.

Hollywood Song: The Complete Film & Musical Companion Reference work documenting songs used in American films and stage musicals from 1915 to 1992.

Jerry Herman: The Lyrics Collection of lyrics from Jerry Herman's Broadway musicals with historical context and production information.

Show and Tell: The New Book of Broadway Anecdotes Compilation of behind-the-scenes stories and historical accounts from Broadway productions and personalities.

American Song: The Complete Musical Theatre Companion Reference guide documenting songs from American musical theater productions from 1877 to 1995.

Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time Chronicles major Broadway musical productions with historical details and production information.

Routledge Guide to Broadway Historical overview of Broadway theater, including significant productions, performers, and creative personnel.