Ethan Mordden is a recognized expert on the American musical theatre and the author of Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theatre, Make Believe: The Broadway Musical in the 1920s, Beautiful Mornin: The Broadway Musical in the 1940s, Coming Up Roses: The Broadway Musical in the 1950s and Sondheim: An Opinionated Guide, all published by Oxford University Press. His writing has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The New Yorker, and his numerous books include friendly introductions to opera and film as well as five collections of short stories chronicling gay life in New York City. He lives in Manhattan.