Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Act One - Moss Hart


I picked this up at the half price book store for my October trip but finished it before I left!

Moss Hart was a famous playwright and theatre director in the 30's and 40's, dying in the late 50's, married to Kitty Carlisle of the "What's My Line" game show. His auto-biography is considered a classic in the description of life in the theatre. It's an intimate portrayal of his difficult early poverty with alcoholic and disturbed parents and his escape from that life to the magic of Broadway.  I enjoyed the insight into play writing and the collaborative method he used to create many of his plays.

He does come off as rather pompous and overwrought, working himself into a tizzy with worry and doubt.  He was a tremendously hard worker and relentless in writing for his audience.  In any case, the story vividly reveals the behind the curtain activities of the theater and the people who create it. If you know anyone who wants a life in theatre, this is a good gift.

Published: 2014 (2nd edition, originally 1959  Read: October 2015  Genre: auto-biography

  • ISBN-13: 978-1250050892

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