Author Thomas S. Hischak to be Featured on Close Up Radio

SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, September 7, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — We love Broadway shows. With larger-than-life characters, spellbinding dance numbers, catchy songs, and heart stopping memorable performances we can’t help but be moved by them. Wicked, West Side Story, Annie, The Phantom of the Opera, and the Lion King are just a few of the must see shows that have quintessentially captivated and entertained us for decades. But did you ever wish you could learn about the rich history of theater shows? While watching your favorite shows have you often wondered about theater jargon and slang you may not quite understand? If you’re a theatre enthusiast you’ll find the more you brush up on your skills and are able to interpret musical theater vocabulary it will help you further enjoy your favorite musicals and plays even more!

Thomas S. Hischak is a notable an internationally recognized author and teacher in the Performing Arts and one of the most influential authorities on the American Musical Theatre. He is the author of over thirty non-fiction books about theatre, film, and popular music, including Musical Misfires Three Decades of Broadway Musical Heartbreak, The Oxford Companion to The American Musical, and his newly released Broadway Decoded.

While in high school, Thomas’s interest in Broadway musicals and their cinematic versions came to life after seeing My Fair Lady and West Side Story. The subject matters, performances, and musical numbers spoke to him so powerfully it launched his writing career and beginning in the early 90s’s he started writing. Although most of his books pertain to musical theater he has also written about film and popular music of the past as well as lesser- known parts of Broadway musicals. Now retired from the university and happily living in St. Augustine Florida he teaches theater and film part time at Flagler college.

In his upcoming not to be missed interview with Jim, Thomas will be discussing his latest release, his well-researched Broadway Decoded, an excellent resource about Broadway musicals. He chose fifty of the most produced and well know musicals and lists all the expressions and idioms that we don’t typically understand and brings them to light. It’s a fun read as well as useful and practical.

As an example, the beloved musical Annie set during the Great Depression in 1933, Thomas explains the attitude of that period and Depression era themes. And take the musical Chicago which takes place in the 1920s “The Jazz age,” where he explains jazz age slang that could otherwise have us scratching our heads in befuddlement. In other words, every mesmerizing show, play, or musical brings its own language which we need to understand to enjoy to its absolute fullest.

Thomas graciously emphasizes that he writes books not for the “scholars,” but your average run of the mill individuals. Even though impeccably researched they are not meant be boorishly academic but lively and fun.

Thomas thoroughly enjoys writing about pertinent topics that he doesn’t want people to forget about because quite simply they should not be forgotten. He insists on lighthearted whimsy. His books never feel preachy, they imbue a fresh authenticity that deserves our attention. Thomas will not let us forget about the vibrant, rich history of our beloved musicals that will continue to touch generations to come.

Close Up Radio will feature Thomas Hischak in an interview with Jim Masters on Monday September 11th at 1pm EST

Listen to the show on BlogTalkRadio

If you have any questions for our guest, please call (347) 996-3389

For more information, visit https://www.thomashischak.com/

Written By: Beatrice Maria Centeno

Lou Ceparano
Close Up Television & Radio
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