"In this lively and engaging book, Hoffman examines the Broadway musical's attribution of American utopian visions exclusively to those with white skin."
— Lary May, University of Minnesota
"An important and necessary intervention in the study of Broadway musicals, Hoffman’s book reveals the cultural power the form has to shape oft-unacknowledged American attitudes towards race and identity."
— Andrea Most, author of Making Americans: Jews and the Broadway Musical
"The Great White Way is an eye-opener for anyone studying the racial implications of commercial musical theater. Idiosyncratic and surprising, Warren Hoffman strips Broadway of its colorful glitz and reveals its naked whiteness."
— Michael Kantor, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, Broadway: The American Musical
"All culture aficionados should read this book—indeed, a condensed version of it should be inserted into every musical's playbill."
— Library Journal
"Hoffman's book describes how Broadway musicals reflect American social life. He gives prominent attention to A Chorus Line as depicting the 1970s as 'a decade of multiculturalism, ethnic and racial pride, and gay rights.' This useful colume is sure to stimulate discussion. Recommended."
— Choice
"One strength of The Great White Way is Hoffman's ability to make even the most familiar of musicals seem unfamiliar to readers by providing new meanings and resonances for dialogue and lyrics and revealing other visions of what these classic shows might have been. The enterprising musical theatre fan will enjoy this book and its refreshing perspective."
— Theatre Topics
"Hoffman’s encyclopedic knowledge, his love for the subject, and some astute analyses make The Great White Way well worth reading."
— Theatre Journal
"An important advance in musical theatre scholarship, drawing attention to the enduring power of whiteness in the Broadway musical. It will be essential reading for scholars and students alike, for its effort to braoden how we think about power and identity in musical theatre, and how these are supported by the theatricality and performativity that contribute so much to audiences' pleasure in musical theatre."
— Studies in Musical Theatre
"Thought-provoking analysis rooted in a deep sense of the history of American theater makes Hoffman's book a worthwhile addition to the study of the Broadway musical."
— The Journal of American Culture
"Hoffman's book describes how Broadway musicals reflect American social life. He gives prominent attention to A Chorus Line as depicting the 1970s as 'a decade of multiculturalism, ethnic and racial pride, and gay rights.' This useful colume is sure to stimulate discussion. Recommended."
— Choice
"In this lively and engaging book, Hoffman examines the Broadway musical's attribution of American utopian visions exclusively to those with white skin."
— Lary May, University of Minnesota
"Hoffman’s encyclopedic knowledge, his love for the subject, and some astute analyses make The Great White Way well worth reading."
— Theatre Journal
"Thought-provoking analysis rooted in a deep sense of the history of American theater makes Hoffman's book a worthwhile addition to the study of the Broadway musical."
— The Journal of American Culture
"One strength of The Great White Way is Hoffman's ability to make even the most familiar of musicals seem unfamiliar to readers by providing new meanings and resonances for dialogue and lyrics and revealing other visions of what these classic shows might have been. The enterprising musical theatre fan will enjoy this book and its refreshing perspective."
— Theatre Topics
"All culture aficionados should read this book—indeed, a condensed version of it should be inserted into every musical's playbill."
— Library Journal
"The Great White Way is an eye-opener for anyone studying the racial implications of commercial musical theater. Idiosyncratic and surprising, Warren Hoffman strips Broadway of its colorful glitz and reveals its naked whiteness."
— Michael Kantor, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, Broadway: The American Musical
"An important and necessary intervention in the study of Broadway musicals, Hoffman’s book reveals the cultural power the form has to shape oft-unacknowledged American attitudes towards race and identity."
— Andrea Most, author of Making Americans: Jews and the Broadway Musical
"An important advance in musical theatre scholarship, drawing attention to the enduring power of whiteness in the Broadway musical. It will be essential reading for scholars and students alike, for its effort to braoden how we think about power and identity in musical theatre, and how these are supported by the theatricality and performativity that contribute so much to audiences' pleasure in musical theatre."
— Studies in Musical Theatre