The Other Side of Broadway: A young producer's journey through New York theatre in the 1970s and '80s, launching Howard Ashman, learning from Hal Prin (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798993520605)

Told through the stories of 1970s and '80s producer and Broadway theatre executive, Stephen Wells, The Other Side of Broadway vividly and engagingly brings to life the world of the New York theatre at the tail end of its golden era.

Ever wonder what Howard Ashman did before he became famous for "Little Shop of Horrors" and the now-classic Disney animated films of the late 20th century? Wells produced two of his early shows and together, against all odds while in their mid-twenties, they formed a wildly successful non-profit off-off-Broadway theatre company that thrived for 25 years and launched numerous careers. The ups, downs, surprises, and disappointments are all related here with uncompromising honesty.

When Wells became head of creative development for Jujamcyn Theatres in 1982, he experienced Broadway from the inside...and the incredible stories that came out of his tenure there are all related here in page-turning fashion. His frequent interactions and one-time collaboration with Hal Prince give new insight into one of Broadway's all-time greats.

In fact, interactions with the famous are on almost every page, with cameos by Lillian Hellman, Mike Nichols, Edward Albee, Paul Newman, Frank Rich, Audrey Wood, Herschel Bernardi, Kathleen Turner, John Rubinstein, Maury Yeston, Scott Bakula, and many others.

It's a compelling read about a Broadway that no longer exists, right down to the legal battle at the end.