Sweat, Tears, and Jazz Hands

Book excerpt: Sweat, Tears, and Jazz Hands: The Official History of Show Choir from Vaudeville to "Glee" features more than 100 competitive show choirs from around the U.S. in photos, quotations, and stories. The book details the pop culture and theater influencers that, over time, built this unique entertainment genre into the mecca of music lovers that it is today. Read real-life accounts of show choir performers, directors, and choreographers. Catch a glimpse into a once practically unknown society of "swing choirs." Discover what P. T. Barnum, Fosse, speakeasies, cigarette companies, the modern-day blender, and Lady Gaga have to do with this glitter-drenched community of singers and dancers. Take a step beyond the hit show Glee and learn about the real drama, the hard work, the sweat, and the tears. Find out what it takes to build an award-winning competition set; the branding, the budgets, the strategy and the performance. Meet the characters. Learn the lingo. Fall in love with show choirs.