The Shuberts Present: 100 Years of American Theater

From the time they arrived in New York in 1900, Sam Lee and (later) J.J. Shubert were a force in the American theatre. These entrepreneurs and impresarios, during their long tenure, championed stars from Sarah Bernhardt and Ethel Barrymore to Al Jolson and Carmen Mirander, Judi Dench and Nicole Kidman. Focusing on the 17 Broadway houses currently owned by the Shubert Organization, this illustrated book surveys the contributions made by the Shuberts to American theatre over the past century: from the magnificent buildings and their architects to the directors, actors and designers who created the countless productions from "Othello", "Camelot", "Hamlet" and "A Doll's House" to "Carousel", "Cabaret", "A Chorus Line" "Phantom of the Opera" and "Fosse" that, seen together, tell a fascinating story of 100 years of theatre in America. A special section documents the 100-plus theatres around the world owned by the Shuberts over the past century. Brief texts by the authors introduce the Shubert brothers and each current theatre, but the main focus is the illustrations. These are divided (in order of priority) among architectural images, archive materials and production shots. Interspersed among the theatre sections are visual "interludes" covering subjects such as Shubert Alley, the Shuberts during wartime, costume and set design, and revues. The book has an afterword by architect Hugh Hardy.