Episode 85: Laurie Winer, author of "Oscar Hammerstein and the Invention of The Musical"

t was a thrill to chat with Laurie, whose impeccable research, combined with her writing and editing skills, resulted in a fascinating biography of Oscar Hammerstein II, starting with his grandfather’s day in vaudeville, and continuing up to his paternal relationship with the late Stephen Sondheim.  Her insights and analysis are helpful in understanding this great man of the musical theater.  And we learn about Oscar’s activities outside the theater world and his efforts to make the world a better place, and why that’s not as naive as it sounds.  The book is published by Yale University Press whom we must thank for producing this must-read for anyone interested in American music theater.