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John Kenrick (born October 3, 1959) is an American author, teacher and theatre and film historian. Kenrick is an adjunct teacher of musical theatre history at
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
, Brind School – University of the Arts (Philadelphia) and
The New School The New School is a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for progressive thinkers. ...
, and lectures frequently on the subject elsewhere. His 2008 book ''Musical Theatre: A History'' is a comprehensive history of
musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...
from ancient times to the present. Kenrick is the curator of the extensive musical theatre and film website ''Musicals101.com: The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, TV and Film''


Life and career

Kenrick was born and raised in
Astoria, New York Astoria is a neighborhood in the western portion of the New York City borough of Queens. Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City to the southwest, Sunnyside to the southeast, ...
. He attended
Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School is a co-educational Catholic high school located in the East Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens, New York. As of Fall 2012, the school started accepting young women. Founded by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart ...
and then
Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral Seminary House of Formation is a Roman Catholic seminary college in the Douglaston, Queens section of New York City. It was founded in 1914 as a minor seminary for the Diocese of Brooklyn, eventually growing to two New York City camp ...
in Douglaston, New York, studying English and theology.Crimmins, Cathy E. ''How the Homosexuals Saved Civilization'' (2004) Penguin Group (US) In the 1980s and 1990s, Kenrick worked first as a teacher and then in theatrical production and management. Productions on which he worked included the 1994 Broadway revival of '' Grease'' and the original 1996 Broadway production of ''
Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...
'', as well as national tours of ''
Damn Yankees ''Damn Yankees'' is a 1955 musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., dur ...
'', '' Crazy for You'', '' Victor/Victoria'', ''
Jekyll & Hyde ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is a 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old ...
'', and the original 1995 touring production of '' Busker Alley''. He wrote the lyrics for the
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...
musical ''
Bats Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bir ...
'' and has written material for various cabaret and comedy acts. He served as associate producer for the Celebration '86 Gay Arts Festival.John Kenrick bio
at Musicals101.com
"Broadway and a Bagel:Jews in the American Theatre"
. All About Jewish Theatre, accessed May 29, 2011
Kenrick teaches musical theatre history at
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
's Steinhardt School, The Ira Brind School – University of the Arts (Philadelphia) and
The New School The New School is a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with an original mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for progressive thinkers. ...
, and he has also taught the subject at Marymount Manhattan College. He is a frequent lecturer on theatre and film history. ''Broadway World'' calls him an "Internationally recognized musical theatre and film authority"."Kenrick Continues Conversation Series at York Theatre"
''Broadway World'', August 29, 2007
He is often cited as an expert in the press. Kenrick has been interviewed about theatre and film on numerous US and UK television and radio programs and in national and foreign newspapers and magazines. He has been interviewed in documentaries concerning showtunes,
Jerry Herman Gerald Sheldon Herman (July 10, 1931December 26, 2019) was an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway theatre. One of the most commercially successful Broadway songwriters of his time, Herman was the composer and lyrici ...
, Times Square, haunted theatres, and the history of American burlesque, and he appears in the DVD documentaries for ''The Busby Berkeley Collection'' and for the film musicals '' Three Little Words'', '' Till the Clouds Roll By'' and '' It's Always Fair Weather''. Among other lecture series, from 2005 to 2007, he gave a three-year "musical conversation" series at York Theatre Company. Kenrick has appeared in several documentaries about musicals. Kenrick is the curator of the extensive musical theatre and film website ''Musicals101.com: The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, TV and Film''. Hundreds of libraries, universities and arts sites link to Musicals101.com.List of sites linking to Musicals101.com
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Writings


''The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amateur Theatricals''
Alpha (2006)
''Musical Theatre: A History''
Continuum (2008) *"Theatre in New York: A Brief History", ''Theatre Law: Cases and Materials'' (Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, 2004

Barbra Streisand Archives


Documentaries

*''The 100 Greatest Musicals'' (2003) (Television) *''Busby Berkeley's Kaleidoscopic Eyes'' (2006) (film) *''Footlight Parade: Music for the Decades'' (2006) (V) *''Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History'' (2008) (V) *''Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical Treasure'' (2008) (TV) *''Hollywood Singing and Dancing: 1920s – The Dawn of the Hollywood Musical'' (2008) (V)


References


External links

*
Musicals101.com The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, TV and Film
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenrick, John 1959 births Living people American non-fiction writers New York University faculty