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edgeofstories's review
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Academic for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rise Up! By Chris Jones is an interesting historical look at Broadway shows from Angels in America to Hamilton. The author covers a variety of shows: more popular ones like Angels in America, The Lion King, Hamilton, and lesser known ones like Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. The in-depth explanation of how the shows came to be, how they affected Broadway in their time and afterward, how long they ran, all helped me get a better understanding of something I thought I knew a lot about. Reading about these lesser-known shows placed them in their historical contexts and gave me a glimpse into something I’ll never get the chance to see on stage. By giving attention to these less popular shows and covering heavy hitters, Jones makes sure to give you a wide array of Broadway history.
I found the chapter on Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark particularly fascinating because I thought I’d followed the development of that show pretty closely and I still learned a lot of new information. I also appreciated the coverage of more diverse shows, like the revival of A Raisin in the Sun.
This book was a quick read for me. The pacing is quick and the writing fun and easy to follow, all while giving you historical details and cultural context.
I think every single chapter mentions Hamilton, which at a certain point started to feel like too much. While I love Hamilton and it obviously revitalized Broadway, as is clearly explaining in Jones’ own work, it was a bit too repetitive for me there.
Rating: 4/5
Rise Up! By Chris Jones is an interesting historical look at Broadway shows from Angels in America to Hamilton. The author covers a variety of shows: more popular ones like Angels in America, The Lion King, Hamilton, and lesser known ones like Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. The in-depth explanation of how the shows came to be, how they affected Broadway in their time and afterward, how long they ran, all helped me get a better understanding of something I thought I knew a lot about. Reading about these lesser-known shows placed them in their historical contexts and gave me a glimpse into something I’ll never get the chance to see on stage. By giving attention to these less popular shows and covering heavy hitters, Jones makes sure to give you a wide array of Broadway history.
I found the chapter on Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark particularly fascinating because I thought I’d followed the development of that show pretty closely and I still learned a lot of new information. I also appreciated the coverage of more diverse shows, like the revival of A Raisin in the Sun.
This book was a quick read for me. The pacing is quick and the writing fun and easy to follow, all while giving you historical details and cultural context.
I think every single chapter mentions Hamilton, which at a certain point started to feel like too much. While I love Hamilton and it obviously revitalized Broadway, as is clearly explaining in Jones’ own work, it was a bit too repetitive for me there.
Rating: 4/5
ktdakotareads's review
3.0
Rise Up! by Chris Jones offers a view of the changing Broadway landscape from the early 1990s until 2016 with the emergence of Hamilton. As one would expect the social and political climates of the time found their way to the Great White Way in pieces highlighted through this book. From the talk about AIDS and HIV mentioned in Angels in America, The Normal Heart and Rent! to political indifference from the past that is still present today in Hamilton, Broadway has acted as a beacon for individuals to find their voice and let it be heard. Rise Up! also highlighted works by playwrights such as August Wilson who provided a voice for the African American population that had sadly been missing from the majority of mainstream productions.
My biggest problem with this work was the constant comparison to Hamilton. Don't get me wrong I enjoy this musical and look forward to seeing it in a few months, but I don't think it needs the constant comparisons. Each work prior to Hamilton had their own voice, that may have paved a path for Hamilton, and they should be appreciated in their own light. By the comparison to Hamilton, I felt like it cheapening the works of the playwrights, musicians, actors and everyone else who participated in making those other productions reality. Hamilton will stand the test of time, at least it currently appears, and so will these other works so please let them stand alone.
This book is a good read for those that appreciate theater, want to know more about Broadway's contemporary history and are Hamilton fans.
My biggest problem with this work was the constant comparison to Hamilton. Don't get me wrong I enjoy this musical and look forward to seeing it in a few months, but I don't think it needs the constant comparisons. Each work prior to Hamilton had their own voice, that may have paved a path for Hamilton, and they should be appreciated in their own light. By the comparison to Hamilton, I felt like it cheapening the works of the playwrights, musicians, actors and everyone else who participated in making those other productions reality. Hamilton will stand the test of time, at least it currently appears, and so will these other works so please let them stand alone.
This book is a good read for those that appreciate theater, want to know more about Broadway's contemporary history and are Hamilton fans.
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