Incidental and Dance Music in the American Theatre from 1786 to 1923 constitutes the first three volumes of a critical survey of incidental and dance music arrangers in the American theatre: what they did and how they did it from the early days of the American musical theatre through the musicals of the millennium. Since no book currently exists that chronicles the art of arranging incidental and dance music in the American theatre, it is the aim of this text to fill an important gap in musical theatre scholarship in language that is easily accessible yet rich in descriptive analysis. In addition, since many successful dance music arrangers were also film composers, it is the hope that this book might appeal to a readership that extends beyond libraries, musical theatre aficionados and students.

The first series, from 1786 through 1923 treats incidental and dance music through the emergence of jazz on the Broadway stage. Future series include Incidental and Dance Music in the American Theatre from 1924 (No, No, Nanette) to 1966 (Cabaret) and Incidental and Dance Music in the American Theatre from 1967 (Hair) to 2015 (Hamilton). Each three-volume series includes introductory essays, chronologies, biographical and critical commentaries, and musical examples drawn from published and manuscript sources.