Thank you to NetGalley, and Rowman & Littlefield for this eARC. It was an honor and delight getting to read this. Being a reader who loves to read non-fiction, this was a wonderful treat for my grey matter. What a lovely premise, and yay for me to get to read this during non-fiction November.

Women Writing Musicals, is highly detailed, and the content vehemently shows that the author has researched well, and in deep over the subject. It’s commendable how the names and their stories are arranged categorically, making it easy for reader, theatre/musical aficionados, and the commoner or someone naïve with respect to the sub-genre.

The book has narrative in detail not only about achievements, accomplishments, and contributions of women in the history of Broadway and its shaping, but also writes about the difficulties women faced doing so. The contributions of women in the progression of Broadway history is something that remains much overlooked over decades and we can’t say for definite if it’s totally the opposite right now, but something documented like this is a pretty solid manner of bringing it forth for the world to know.

I also applause for the Introduction to the book before the contents even begin, as it shows the state of mind, and motivation of the author to contemplate such a powerful book.

A thorough outline of the amazing women behind the scenes in musical theater. If you want to nerd out, this is it! The author is upfront about how she organized these women, and the women she inevitably had to leave out. I appreciate reading the author's thought process prior to the body of work.

Many thanks to Net Galley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, .
A lovely and informative look at women in musical theatre. In a field that feels overrun by men, it's nice to read about the careers of women who changed the face of musical theatre.

I would love to see this book used in college courses about the history of musical theatre!

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is the author of the iconic Untold Stories of Broadway book series and Creative director of New York’s 54 Below cabaret. I can think of nobody better to write this book, and as a musical theater lover I enjoyed every minute. As someone who has been involved in musical theater for over 50 years (my debut musical, Days O’ The Pioneers, was performed by my 4th grade class) I was also surprised to find out that I learned a LOT. Tepper profiles over 300 women who have been involved as composers, lyricists, and book writers for hundreds of musicals. In a very real way, Women Writing Musicals is the story of musical theater in America, as there isn’t a decade in musical theater history where women have not been involved at the highest levels, often shaping the field with innovative creative material.

Here’s the first thing I learned: the first woman to write a libretto for a Broadway musical was Ann Julia Hatton in 1793. Yep, only a decade after independence the Broadway lights were on and women were a central part of it. By the 1870s, Black women were creating and performing musical shows. Although the Broadway story is overwhelmingly white, I was surprised to see contributions from Black and Hispanic women from as long ago as the 19th Century.

The book is organized by decades, and most of the profiles of the women included are short, ranging from a paragraph to (occasionally) 2 pages. This makes the effect of the book much like an encyclopedia rather than something a casual reader would sit down and read right through, a comprehensive index and list of cited shows is at the end of the book for those who want to explore further. The profiles, however, are not dry or dull Tepper makes these women real, and very interesting. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the theater and wants to learn more.

Many thanks to Rowan and Littlefield and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Women Writing Musicals by Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a fascinating and in-depth exploration of the contributions and impact women have had on the world of musical theater. Tepper, a well-known figure in Broadway circles, sheds light on the often overlooked female creators who have shaped and continue to shape the genre. Through interviews, historical context, and personal stories, the book celebrates the achievements of these talented women while also addressing the challenges they have faced in a male-dominated industry. With Tepper’s insightful and passionate writing, Women Writing Musicals is not only a tribute to the trailblazers but also an inspiring read for anyone interested in the history and future of musical theater. It’s an empowering and essential resource for theater enthusiasts and those who champion diverse voices in the arts.

(Thanks to Rowman & Littlefield for providing me with an eARC.)

The book was organized into small sections about each woman, along with their work in various musicals. The information focused on their musical theatre work instead of being summaries of their lives. It was informative and there were a lot of shows and songs that I wanted to look into further.

I was curious to read this book because my interest in musicals is intro-level and I thought this would be a way to expand my knowledge. It most definitely did that, but I also think this book would be best for people who are musical theater buffs. The book is quite lengthy and I found myself losing interest at points. I did like the framing of the book, with chapters containing a decade of time, and a series of biographies within those chapters/decades. The writing is very accessible and I did feel like I learned a ton of new information about women in musical theatre history. This feels like it would make a good reference book, as well.

As a lover of musical theatre this was such a joy to stumble upon! Women are often so easily overlooked and forgotten in the arts, so it was wonderful to see how much research and effort Jennifer Ashley Tepper put into making sure these women's stories were told and their work remembered. A fascinating deep dive into the world of musical theatre, this book spans the 18th century all the way up to these post-pandemic years, which means there was a of information to absorb, yet it never felt tedious or dry. The author's respect for these women and their craft was clear from page one, which made for a truly lovely read.

Thank you to Rowman & Littlefield, Applause, and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer Ashley Teppler! An icon writing about icons. I loved this look into the role of women writers in the history of the musical, and will definitely be giving this out as Christmas presents to my theatrically inclined friends!

Jennifer Ashley Tepper clearly went in-depth with her research for WOMEN WRITING MUSICALS. It was a very interesting and easily digestible read. I did really enjoy looking at her sources cited as well. It definitely makes you want to go into an in-depth rabbit hole of more niche musical theatre shows that people do not (but should) talk about enough today.

Women Writing Musicals was a fascinating read. After an introductory chapter on the 18th and 19th centuries, the book chapters were organised by decade, and within those chapters were a series of biographies showcasing the women writing for musical theatre in that time period. These paragraphs varied in length from a few lines to a couple of pages depending on the contributions made. On the one hand, I thought this layout worked well, and it resulted in a book that can easily be dipped into for just a few minutes at a time. On the other hand, part of me would have liked more of a narrative, placing each writer within the context of musical theatre at the time. By the end, though, I decided that probably wasn't necessary, as readers of this book are unlikely to be musical theatre novices and fans would already have a good sense of different periods of musical theatre history, having encountered style through the shows themselves or from other general books of musicals. There were small profile pictures of the women, but that was the only illustration throughout; a few additional images, such as show posters or snapshots of relevant sheet music, might have added a little more charm and variety. But overall I thought this book an excellent reference work for musical theatre fans and I am giving it four stars.