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6 Showstopping Books by Broadway’s Best to Get You Ready for the Tony’s

by  | June 6

This year’s Tony Award celebration is fast approaching, so if you’re like me and can’t wait to get in on all the razzle-dazzle, check out these Tony-nominated authors and their truly showstopping stories!

Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir

Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir

by Cyndi Lauper

You know you’ve had a truly iconic career when writing the music and lyrics to a highly successful Broadway show is just at the tail end of your accomplishments. Iconic is possibly the only word for Cyndi Lauper, who has been singing and performing for decades, while also remaining a powerful gay rights activist and bona fide hair color inspiration. Adding her signature flair to the stage adaptation of Kinky Boots allowed it to secure six Tony wins, including best musical in 2013. In her self-titled memoir, she relives her storied career, which is peppered with Grammy–award winning hits and also a Tony–award winning musical.

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Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel

Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel

by Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

The Broadway darling  of 2017 was the unbeatable Dear Evan Hansen, which took the coveted Best Musical Tony Award in 2017. Along with the completely showstopping vocal Olympics Ben Platt was able to add to the brilliant original score, at the heart of the show’s success is its tragic and heartfelt story. If you haven’t had a chance to see the show, you absolutely need to pick up the novelization by the same name. A coming-of-age story that shines a light on themes of suicide, anxiety, and grief, this beautiful novel is absolutely worth a read, a watch, a listen...any way you can experience this compelling tale you must!

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Sounds Like Me (Audio)

Sounds Like Me (Audio)

by Sara Bareilles

Sara Bareilles has had an incredible journey—from that girl who wrote the catchy “Love Song” to a full-fledged Broadway star in Waitress, the hit musical that she not only starred in but also wrote all the original music and lyrics for. Now with a hit album and tour on the way, Sara Bareilles has found the true mega-stardom she always deserved. But before Waitress, she wrote her hit autobiography Sounds Like Me. In her signature and lovably honest voice, she tells the story behind some of her biggest hits and sheds some insight on one of Broadway's brightest new talents—her own.

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Too Much is Not Enough

Too Much is Not Enough

by Andrew Rannells

Although twice nominated with no wins (yet!), the iconic presence that is Andrew Rannells is known by every Broadway nerd. He has commanded every stage he’s ever stepped on, filling big shoes in such well-known musicals as Jersey Boys, Hairspray, and Hamilton. In his new memoir, Too Much Is Not Enough, Andrew Rannells examines his struggles trying to make it in the early years of his Broadway career and find his way through the chaotic lifestyle of New York City. Reflecting on family dynamics and the ups and downs of the Broadway lifestyle, Rannells reveals what his life is like now, at the peak of his career.

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Born to Run (Audio)

Born to Run (Audio)

by Bruce Springsteen

He’s conquered stadiums, smashed records, and is practically a god in New Jersey, but the world really lost it when Springsteen came to Broadway. The Boss himself took his signature storytelling style and combined it with his iconic tunes to bring a truly special performance to the gorgeous Walter Kerr Theatre. If you missed the show (or couldn’t afford the steep ticket prices), you can still get all the story in his first-hand autobiography, Born to Run. Tracing the story of his life that inspired his legendary career, Born to Run is a deeply thoughtful and compelling story of an incredibly talented man, told in his straightforward, but relatable style.

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A Life in Parts (Audio)

A Life in Parts (Audio)

by Bryan Cranston

Transforming from the goofball dad in Malcolm in the Middle to legendary badass Walter White in Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston has established himself firmly in the “legend” category in television history. Taking his talents to the stage, he also won a Best Actor in a Play Tony Award in 2014 for his prolific run as President Lyndon B. Johnson in All the Way, proving he is a tour de force on both stage and screen. Now back for round two, he is up for the same award this year for his gripping performance as Howard Beale in the stage adaptation of Network. In his memoir, A Life in Parts, Cranston examines how his many roles have shaped his life and inspired his ever expanding career.

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Photo Credit // Photo by Kilyan Sockalingum on Unsplash

Categories // Bookish Lists

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Amy is a Legal Contracts Assistant at Simon & Schuster. She loves thrillers, contemporary fiction, and all things Stephen King! If she isn’t talking about her obsession with true crime podcasts like Last Podcast on the Left she is gabbing on about any and all things film. She loves reading in her favorite NYC bars, which you can see on her bookstagram, @boozehoundbookclub
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