Second Act Trouble

Second Act Trouble chronicles the backstage events of Broadway shows that ran into major creative problems during their development and production. The book examines 25 different musicals from the 1950s through the early 2000s, with each chapter focusing on one troubled production. Through interviews, reviews, and production documents, the book reconstructs the challenges faced by creative teams as they attempted to fix problematic shows before opening night. The stories cover casting changes, script rewrites, fired directors, and last-minute overhauls of songs and scenes. The behind-the-scenes accounts reveal the intense pressures and high stakes of Broadway theater, where millions of dollars and artistic reputations hang in the balance. Suskin presents these tales without judgment, allowing readers to understand the complex dynamics between producers, writers, directors and performers. The collection illustrates universal truths about artistic collaboration and the inherent risks of creating new works for the stage. These stories of crisis and attempted salvation speak to the ephemeral nature of live theater and the endless pursuit of perfection.

Readers call this an inside look at Broadway's biggest flops and failures from the 1960s-2000s. The book compiles contemporary reviews and behind-the-scenes accounts from theater critics and industry professionals. Readers appreciated: - Detailed reporting on each production's development and downfall - Original reviews reprinted in full - Focus on lesser-known shows rather than just famous flops - Balanced perspective showing multiple viewpoints on each failure Common criticisms: - Some accounts feel incomplete or one-sided - Too much emphasis on critic Frank Rich's reviews - Limited coverage of more recent shows - Could use more photos and production details Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (52 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 reviews) One reader noted: "Suskin lets the contemporary reviews tell the story rather than imposing his own judgments." Another criticized that "the book sometimes gets bogged down in industry minutiae that casual readers won't care about."

Not Since Carrie by Ken Mandelbaum Chronicles the history of Broadway musical flops from 1950 to 1990, examining the productions' failures through interviews, reviews, and behind-the-scenes accounts.

Broadway Babylon by Boze Hadleigh Documents the scandals, feuds, and production disasters that derailed Broadway shows throughout theatre history.

Everything Was Possible by Ted Chapin Presents a first-hand account of the making of Follies from an observer who worked as a production assistant during the musical's original Broadway run.

The Season by William Goldman Captures one year (1967-1968) in Broadway history through detailed analysis of every show that opened, focusing on the business, artistic, and personal elements that determined success or failure.

Ghost Light by Frank Rich Chronicles the theatre critic's early experiences with Broadway shows and their influence on his career through intimate portraits of productions, performers, and creative teams.

🎭 The book examines 25 troubled Broadway musicals that faced significant challenges during their development, including shows like "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "A Chorus Line." 🎬 Author Steven Suskin drew from previously unpublished documents, private correspondence, and interviews with key figures to reveal behind-the-scenes drama that had never been publicly shared. 📚 Suskin, a noted theater historian, has written several other acclaimed books about Broadway, including "Show Tunes" and "Opening Night on Broadway." 💫 The book's title refers to "second act trouble" - a common Broadway phenomenon where the quality of a musical's second act fails to match the promise of its first act. 🎟️ Many of the shows covered in the book lost significant amounts of money - the 1988 musical "Carrie" alone lost its entire $8 million investment when it closed after just five performances.