"Enter the Players: New York Stage Actors in the Twentieth Century is the first book to closely examine the careers of hundreds of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway stage actors in New York. Over 900 actors, singers, dancers, and comics from twentieth-century theatre are covered, from Maude Adams and Al Jolson at the turn of the century, to recent talents such as Matthew Broderick, Audra McDonald, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. All the famous names are included, along with dozens of not-so-well-known actors, many of them favorites in their day or character actors who appeared in many shows but never became stars." "Each player is discussed in a brief biography, followed by a complete list of every play and character they performed in New York. Also included are plays and musicals that were heading to New York but closed before opening. Cast replacements are indicated as well as Tony nominations and awards. Within Enter the Players, each actor comes alive as his or her career is revealed step-by-step, role-by-role. This book is an invaluable reference work and provides hours of fascinating browsing for anyone who loves theatre."--BOOK JACKET.