How to Survive a Killer MusicalDouglas J. CohenLabel: Applause Theatre Book PublishersDescription: When the young composer-lyricist Douglas Cohen first secured the musical rights to the novel No Way to Treat a Lady by William Goldman—the acclaimed author of The Princess Bride and Marathon Man—he hoped it would be his big break the first step on a gilt path to artistic triumph and commercial success in the form of a hit Broadway musical.What happened after that while memorable was anything but.How to Survive a Killer Musical chronicles Cohen's decade-long quest to bring that musical to the stage—writing re-writing and shepherding it across the US and Europe amidst all manner of adversity and plain rotten luck. It's a fascinating portrait of passion persistence and resilience—a coming-of-age story populated with famous mentors and formidable adversaries told with refreshing honesty and humor. On Cohen's journey we meet an unforgettable vividly rendered cast of characters including: an Oscar-winning screenwriter who invites Cohen to his personal screening room for a marathon midnight writing session; a Tony Award-winning director making his comeback after a horrific accident renders him a quadriplegic; and a celebrated volatile British director who inspires a fruitful collaboration in London only to later leave carnage in his wake. Catastrophes abound including the near-fatal stabbing of a female lead in rehearsal and an onstage accident incapacitating another leading lady—leaving only the author to go on in her place!Whether you’re a fan of musicals or just someone who’s trying to bring a passion project into the world this tale of fortitude in the face of obstacles personalities and egos will make for an eye-opening and frequently hilarious journey.
