Queer Musicals

What links the shows La Cage aux Folles, Kinky Boots and BARE?When was the first Queer musical produced on Broadway?How has queerness evolved in the context of mainstream Broadway musicals? Queer Musicals takes a chronological look at queer musicals that have developed on Broadway throughout the second half of the twentieth century the the early twenty first century. Looking at the inception and development of each show, this accessible study unpacks the creation, production and reception of each musical in order to draw parallels within the wider American dramatic canon.Pulling from multiple primary resources, each chapter traces the show from its inception to its opening night. It introduces the reader to each musical's key creators and company members and places them in the larger context of Broadway history. After examining the contemporary reception of each show and its cultural impact – both when it opened and now - it answers the question as to how and why queerness has evolved from being an anomaly to common in Musical Theatre storytelling. Published in Methuen Drama's Essential Musicals series, this book is perfect for students of Musical Theatre, drawing together different resources to dig into the backstories of Broadway’s biggest hits and mining the historical record for nuggets of information that illuminate our understanding and enhance our enjoyment of musical theatre’s unique brand of magic.

Robert W. Schneider (he/him/his) has been called a “renaissance man of the theatre” by his previous bio….which he wrote himself. He is an award-winning Director, Producer, Author, Educator, and Podcast Host residing in New York City, where he is the Artistic Director of The J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company. Despite finding every excuse imaginable not to go to classes in undergrad, including saying he had Elm Disease which apparently only trees get, it’s ironic that Robert is now one of the most notable figures in theatrical education and holds academic appointments at Pennsylvania State University, New York Film Academy, and Mount Union University. He received his MFA in Direction for the Musical Theatre Stage from Pennsylvania State University and his BA in Political Science from California Lutheran University. Robert is a proud member of SDC, AEA, AGVA, ATHE and has a box at UPS.