Overview

From the award-winning composer/co-lyricist behind such iconic projects as Hairspray, Sister Act, Mary Poppins Returns, and Smash comes a wickedly funny, no-holds-barred memoir. In Never Mind the Happy, musical dynamo Marc Shaiman looks back on five decades of Broadway triumphs, Hollywood hijinks, and unforgettable collaborations. Along the way, he charts the personal highs and heartbreaks that have shaped him—spending his teenage years in community theater, starting a decades-long collaboration with Bette Midler in the ’70s, surviving the AIDS crisis of the ’80s, his award-winning film music career in the Hollywood of the ’90s, right up to the peaks (and valleys) of creating Broadway musicals from 2000 on. Candid, hilarious, and deeply human, Shaiman’s story is a tribute to the power of music, the pull of the spotlight, and the beat that never stops. Part showbiz tell-all, part love letter to the melancholy that fuels creativity, told with perfect comic timing—along with a few wrong notes, and plenty of standing ovations.

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Reviews

“Marc Shaiman is a genius, a doll, and has had one of the oddest careers in show business ever. Fifty years ago, he turned up at my rehearsal, sat down at the piano, and hasn’t left since, going on to carve out an astonishing career both in and out of show business. This saga is hilarious, riveting, and hair raising. So much of what I accomplished in my life would not have happened without him. I am so happy to have him in my life, and you will be too!” -- Bette Midler “Marc Shaiman is responsible for more moments of musical joy in our collective lives than maybe any other living composer. Would that he could bottle a fraction of that joy and sip a little for himself. A tiny draught of contentment before bed. Alas, he can’t, and once again, we’re all better for it, because instead we get this hilarious and moving memoir of how it all happened. Required reading for musical and comedy fans.” -- Lin-Manuel Miranda “Marc Shaiman has written so many wonderful scores and musicals that it’s no surprise he's written this wonderfully charming ‘score’ of his life and career. Like his best works, it is whimsical, humorous, and sentimental in the best way. We’ve been friends and collaborators for forty years and I’m pleasantly surprised at how much I didn’t know. And most of it is true.” -- Billy Crystal “As Marc has told me about himself so many times, what a brilliant, talented, and original genius he is. And how brilliant is this book that celebrates not only those lies, but the countless lies people have told Marc to his face about his immense talent which is celebrated in this wonderfully hilarious and heartfelt tome. Not unlike Marc, I love this book so much and I can’t wait to reread it, with the television off this time.” -- Martin Short “Shaiman’s narrative sparkles with personality and affection for the performers and collaborators who shaped his life. The result is a lively, heartfelt chronicle of creativity, survival, and the enduring pull of the spotlight.” -- <I>Publishers Weekly</I>

Author Information

Marc Shaiman is a renowned American composer, lyricist, arranger, and music producer known for his work across film, television, and theater. Shaiman began his career as a musical director and arranger for Bette Midler before expanding into film scoring. He gained prominence with his work on films such as When Harry Met Sally, The Addams Family, Sister Act, City Slickers, A Few Good Men, Sleepless in Seattle, The American President, and South Park, on television with SNL, and on his recordings with Harry Connick Jr. and Mariah Carey. Shaiman earned widespread acclaim for co-writing the Broadway musical Hairspray alongside his longtime co-lyricist Scott Wittman. The duo has also co-created the musicals Catch Me If You Can, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Some Like It Hot, and Smash. He has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards and has won a Tony, two Emmys, and two Grammys. Marc Shaiman is celebrated for his versatile, emotionally resonant music and his ability to blend classic musical theater sensibilities with modern storytelling. Born and raised in New Jersey, he currently lives in New York with his husband, Lieutenant Commander (ret) Lou Mirabal.

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