Gerald Martin Bordman (September 18, 1931 – May 9, 2011) was an American theatre historian, best known for authoring the reference volumeThe American Musical Theatre, first published in 1978.[1][2] In reviewing an updated version ofAmerican Musical Theatre in 2011,Playbill wrote that the book had "altered the scope of American musical theatre history" and "remained the only book of its kind, and an invaluable one."[1]
Bordman grew up in theWynnefield neighborhood ofPhiladelphia and graduated fromCentral High School andLafayette College, later earning a master's degree and Ph.D. in medieval literature at theUniversity of Pennsylvania. He publishedThe American Musical Theatre four years after selling the family's business, Excell Chemical Products, which manufactured mothballs, among other things.[1] He went on to write over a dozen volumes on American theatre, including biographies onJerome Kern andVincent Youmans, despite having limited musical training.[3][4]
