Peter Filichia, with his encyclopedic knowledge of musical theater history, has written a unique, entertaining and informative book. With humor and expertise, he suggests instructively, with his critical eye, how many musicals indeed might have been improved.

Maury Yeston, two-time Tony-winning composer-lyricist

Peter Filichia's Musical Makeovers is the literary equivalent of your most memorable after-theater dinner conversation with a brilliant friend who knows everything about the Broadway musical and has the insight (and nerve) to lay out how the show could be improved. Outrageous and smart, this is the consummate gift for lovers of the Broadway musical.

Charles Busch, Tony-nominated playwright and off-Broadway legend

Peter Filichia's Musical Makeovers is a love letter to the art form for everyone who has ever left a theater thinking, 'If only…' With wit, scholarship, and a lifelong passion for Broadway, Filichia reminds us that musicals are living things - always capable of reinvention, rediscovery, and even rescue.

Susan Stroman, five-time Tony-winning director-choreographer

Peter Filichia is a true connoisseur of musicals; no one loves them more or knows them better. His latest book has him proposing 'fixes' for the flops, (or sometimes just improvements on the hit shows) most of the tribe know and consider what might have made them better. Whether you agree with Peter's suggestions or not, it's a wonderful, wonderful read as you ponder, one, if he's right, and two, what you would do given the chance.

Lonny Price, Tony-nominated librettist

Peter Filichia, who knows everything about musicals, asks why even good shows go bad: losing the plot, singing cockamamie numbers, contradicting themselves. This wise and playful book catches errors small and vast alike, for instance walking through Irving Berlin's Mr. President scene by scene to show how even the know-it-alls can blunder. And, he asks, why after almost eighty years are they still calling Kiss Me Kate's soubrette Lois Lane? This one isn't Superman's girlfriend, so change her surname, already!”

Ethan Mordden

Peter Filichia's MUSICAL MAKEOVERS: Suggestions for Broadway Musical Flops-and Hits resonates with any librettist who knows that no matter how many Tony Awards a show wins, it could be improved… and no matter badly it tanks, it could've been fixed. In this breezy, affectionate, and remarkably well-informed read, Filichia captures the delicious agony librettists suffer as we consider this plot point over that, and how to write a scene that has enough drama to hold an audience's interest but not so much drama that there's no room for song. MUSICAL MAKEOVERS is a book you'll return to again and again after seeing revivals of your favorite musicals. You'll often agree with Filichia's proposed improvements; even better, you won't which will inspire YOU to articulate your suggestions for how to turn Broadway flops into hits, and Broadway hits into classics.

Dick Scanlan, co-bookwriter and co-librettist of the Tony-winning Thoroughly Modern Millie