In this incandescent autobiographical collage, lyricist, playwright and performer Betty Comden takes an exuberant and rueful look back on a lifetime of celebrated triumphs and private sorrow. With her lifelong collaborator Adolph Green, she has achieved glorious success on stage in such musical milestones as On the Town, Wonderful Town and Bells Are Ringing and on screen in the unforgettable Singing in the Rain and The Band Wagon. But this very intimate memoir takes us behind her experiences in theatre and film to her childhood in Brooklyn, her determined exodus to Manhattan and Broadway, her courtship and marriage and the lessons she has learned as a wife and mother. Off Stage is, then, not only of special interest to theatre and movie buffs. It is also the poignant and inspirational story of a woman of many talents and interests who tried to have it all – and very nearly succeeded.

In this incandescent autobiographical collage, lyricist, playwright and performer Betty Comden takes an exuberant and rueful look back on a lifetime of celebrated triumphs and private sorrow. With her lifelong collaborator Adolph Green, she has achieved glorious success on stage in such musical milestones as On the Town, Wonderful Town and Bells Are Ringing and on screen in the unforgettable Singing in the Rain and The Band Wagon. But this very intimate memoir takes us behind her experiences in theatre and film to her childhood in Brooklyn, her determined exodus to Manhattan and Broadway, her courtship and marriage and the lessons she has learned as a wife and mother. Off Stage is, then, not only of special interest to theatre and movie buffs. It is also the poignant and inspirational story of a woman of many talents and interests who tried to have it all – and very nearly succeeded.

In this incandescent autobiographical collage, lyricist, playwright and performer Betty Comden takes an exuberant and rueful look back on a lifetime of celebrated triumphs and private sorrow. With her lifelong collaborator Adolph Green, she has achieved glorious success on stage in such musical milestones as On the Town, Wonderful Town and Bells Are Ringing and on screen in the unforgettable Singing in the Rain and The Band Wagon. But this very intimate memoir takes us behind her experiences in theatre and film to her childhood in Brooklyn, her determined exodus to Manhattan and Broadway, her courtship and marriage and the lessons she has learned as a wife and mother. Off Stage is, then, not only of special interest to theatre and movie buffs. It is also the poignant and inspirational story of a woman of many talents and interests who tried to have it all – and very nearly succeeded.