{"product_id":"9781493075744","title":"How to Survive a Killer Musical","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat happened after that, while memorable, was anything but.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn 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!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhether 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Douglas J. Cohen","offers":[{"title":"Rowman \u0026amp; Littlefield Publishers |  Hardback | With dust jacket |  2023-09-01","offer_id":46012085764351,"sku":"9781493075744","price":38.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0329\/9075\/7001\/files\/BNCImageAPI_0fe64a33-df04-4599-951a-ce4bf2f7efdf.jpg?v=1732903410","url":"https:\/\/riverbookshop.com\/products\/9781493075744","provider":"River Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}