Jerry Herman: Poet of the Showtune

Citron (The Musical from the Inside Out), the biographer of Broadway greats Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber, offers up a comprehensive overview of composer Jerry Herman's works and a rose-tinted look at the man behind the music. Drawing on extensive interviews with Herman, Citron relays the arc of his life and career, from the ballad he wrote at the age of 13 (called""It's Not My Fault"") to his critically acclaimed first musical, Milk and Honey (1961), to the smashing success of Hello Dolly! (1963). Citron obviously admires Herman and his oeuvre; in his acknowledgements, he writes""Herman is that rare subject, a joy for a biographer, possessed of total recall and never too busy to answer a question. Honest but never hurtful in discussing colleagues, giving but not controlling."" This effusive praise extends to Herman's musicals: Mame is""foolproof"" and""one of the finest musicals of the sixties,"" while a ballad from Mack and Mabel is""in the top echelon of dramatic art."" And as for Herman's critics, Citron simply dismisses their claims. The result is a one-sided portrait of an unrelentingly nice guy. When Citron isn't lauding his subject, however, he does offer some knowledgeable insights into the musical qualities of Herman's shows. Though this is far from an objective look at Herman's life and work, it is the most thorough biography of this composer to date. As such, it may appeal to theatre scholars and musical aficionados. 40 Photos.