A is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z
by John Robert Allman (Author) Peter Emmerich (Illustrator)
"It's an incredible honor to be included in this amazing book of the greatest talent the Broadway stage has ever known!"--AUDRA McDONALD, six-time Tony Award-winning actress
From Audra McDonald to Liza with a "Z," here is a showstopping alphabet book featuring your favorite leading ladies of the Broadway stage!
Step into the spotlight and celebrate a cavalcade of Broadway's legendary ladies. Start with A for six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, then sing and dance your way through the alphabet with beloved entertainers like Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Lea Salonga, Kristin Chenoweth, Kelli O'Hara, and Liza Minnelli!
Broadway fans and theater lovers everywhere will give a standing ovation to this one-of-a-kind tribute full of toe-tapping rhymes, with illustrations as bright and beautiful as the shining lights on any marquee.
AND DON'T MISS THE SEQUEL COMING IN OCTOBER: B IS FOR BROADWAY: ONSTAGE AND BACKSTAGE FROM A TO Z!
THE RAVE REVIEWS ARE IN FROM THE STARS THEMSELVES!
"A wonderful, enriching, enlightening book for theater lovers of all ages . . . and all that jazz!"--CHITA RIVERA, two-time Tony Award-winning actress (The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman)
"A to Z--awesome to zany--I'm thrilled to be a part of such an illustrious group."--CHRISTINE EBERSOLE, two-time Tony Award-winning actress (42nd Street, Grey Gardens)
"I'm so honored to be included among these fierce ladies--brought to life with such fun illustrations--in this wonderful book for little divas like my own!"--LEA SALONGA, Tony Award-winning actress (Miss Saigon)
"A is for Audra turns the alphabet song into a show stopper! It is literally a love letter to Broadway's leading ladies, and I am so honored to be memorialized alongside all of my sisters!"--RENÉE ELISE GOLDSBERRY, Tony Award-winning actress (Hamilton)
"I'm honored to be included in this illustrious group. A to Z, they are all incredible!"--KRISTIN CHENOWETH, Tony Award-winning actress (You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown)
"What a fun and fabulous celebration of the females of Broadway! Imagine my joy just to be a part of it!"--KELLI O'HARA, Tony Award-winning actress (The King and I)
"H is also for honored--because that's what I am to be included in this beautiful book. I can't wait to show my kids and tell them of all the brilliant leading ladies who have graced the Broadway stage." --HEATHER HEADLEY, Tony Award-winning actress (Aida)
AND CRITICS LOVE IT TOO!
"Women of the Broadway theater take center stage in this loving homage. . . . A lively introduction to a whole new cast of heroines."--Kirkus
"this is a book all kids (and many adults) will enjoy as they learn about and fall in love with the theatre."--Playbill.com
"A true necessity for any kid's bookshelf."--Entertainment Weekly
"a thorough, eye-catching introduction to women of the theater. . . . budding theater lovers will get a thrill."--Booklist
"A sure hit for thespians of all ages."--School Library Journal
"Emmerich's flattering caricatures, paired with [Allman's] verse, are colorful and slick, bringing Broadway's drama to the page"--Publishers Weekly
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Publishers Weekly
This inclusive rhyming abecedarian begins with Audra McDonald and ends with Liza Minnelli. A roster of showstopping women (though Bob Fosse and Stephen Sondheim elbow their way in) and iconic female roles are shouted out in quippy, singsong verse--" 'I's for Idina, / whose vocals you'll know/ from Wicked or Rent/ or from 'letting it go.' " The book is really meant for Broadway buffs, with the text offering fawning raves in lieu of contextualizing information ("She's brilliant and bold and has talent in meters... Ladies and gentlemen, Bernadette Peters!"). Captions identify each performer and role, and Emmerich's flattering caricatures, paired with each verse, are colorful and slick, bringing Broadway's drama to the page. An index offers brief career highlights for each individual mentioned. Ages 3-7. (Nov.)
Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.School Library Journal
K-Gr 4--As in traditional alphabet books, each page features a single letter; beyond that, Allman takes liberties with the format. Some pages highlight one actress; others examine two or more. F is for Fosse, the famed choreographer, but the accompanying illustration includes four actresses, two who have played Velma and Roxie in Chicago. S is for Sutton Foster, tap-dancer extraordinaire, but also for Stephen Sondheim. Some letters correspond to characters such as Dolly (Hello, Dolly) and Rose (Gypsy). In an effort to be inclusive, X is for 32 additional "eXtra-eXceptional" divas. Allman lists the full name of the actress, the musical in which she starred, and the year she performed that role at the bottom of each page. After Liza with a "Z," Allman elaborates with short bios of everyone mentioned, citing additional roles, talents, and awards bestowed. The digitally crafted portrait-style illustrations focus on the women in costume, with bright colors and distinct lines. Occasional background details suggest settings or include props but leave the ladies in the spotlight. VERDICT The simple, rhyming text and cartoon illustrations will entice young readers. Theater aficionados will also get a kick out of this catalogue of leading ladies and the conversations it will inspire. A sure hit for thespians of all ages.--Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs School, MA
Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Emmerich's flattering caricatures, paired with [Allman's] verse, are colorful and slick, bringing Broadway's drama to the page"—Publishers Weekly A sure hit for thespians of all ages.—School Library Journal
JNF023000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Girls & Women
JNF039050 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Performing Arts | Theater
New York
Alphabet
Alphabet books
Theater
Actresses
Broadway (New York, N.Y.)
