As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, there’s nothing better than settling in with a good book. Theatre memoirs make especially inviting company in the fall, offering a mixture of personal storytelling and backstage history that can feel both intimate and illuminating.

Whether it's Barbra Streisand's 970-page magnum opus or Chita Rivera's honest lookback on her career (released shortly before the legend passed), there's no shortage of Broadway stars telling their stories in their own words. Below are 10 recommendations that lets readers slip behind the curtain to experience the joys, struggles, and discoveries that have shaped some of the theatre’s most remarkable lives. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, nostalgia, or simply a great story well told, a theatre memoir is a perfect companion for the season. 

And if you want to expand your reading list further, scroll further down for a list of 40 theatre memoirs and biographies.

Barbra Streisand, My Name Is Barbra

When Barbra Streisand finally put pen to paper for her long-awaited memoir, she gifted readers with a sweeping tome. Equal parts career retrospective and personal reflection, My Name Is Barbra is more than a celebrity tell-all, it is a history of 20th-century performance told through the eyes of a singular talent who shifted the culture around her. The book’s sprawling nature mirrors the ambition of its author, taking the time to detail every song, costume, and leap of faith that has defined her journey—and every meal that fueled her along the way.

The pleasure of reading Streisand is in her candor: sharp, funny, occasionally stubborn, and always deeply considered. Whether describing her early days fighting for recognition on Broadway or navigating superstardom in Hollywood, she makes readers feel like a confidant rather than a fan. For theatre lovers, her recollections of Funny Girl and the early years in New York alone are worth the cover price, but what lingers is the portrait of a woman who refused to let others dictate her destiny.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Unmasked

Few composers have changed the sound of the theatre quite like Andrew Lloyd Webber, and in Unmasked he reflects on the improbable path that led him from the London suburbs to global phenomenon. The memoir recounts his origins as an ardent lover of architecture, through the creation of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera—while also revealing the insecurities and serendipities that shaped them. Webber spares no detail in laying out his creative process, from his partnership with Tim Rice to the ever-present producer pushback against their innovations.

What makes Unmasked so compelling is the way it balances self-deprecating humor with an honest account of triumphs and failures. Rather than simply reliving his greatest hits, Lloyd Webber contextualizes his shows within the broader history of the musical, offering a rare first-person view of how the West End and Broadway shifted over the last half-century. Readers come away not only with anecdotes about cats in rehearsal rooms, but also an appreciation for the restless imagination of a man who refuses to sit still. We're ready for Volume 2, Andrew!

Moss Hart, Act One

Moss Hart’s Act One remains the cornerstone of the theatre memoir tradition, a rags-to-riches tale that has inspired generations of artists. Written in prose that bursts with theatricality, the book traces Hart’s journey from a penniless Bronx boyhood to his breakthrough with George S. Kaufman on Once in a Lifetime. It is not just an autobiography, it is a fable about ambition, artistry, and the hunger to escape the limitations of circumstance.

What endures is the book’s sheer readability. Hart captures both the despair of constant rejection and the giddy intoxication of finally finding success, making Act One a bible for anyone dreaming of a life in the theatre. His descriptions of backstage hierarchies, desperate auditions, and the intoxicating chaos of Broadway in the 1920s bring a vanished world to life. More than 70 years later, Act One still feels fresh, reminding us that every great career begins with a leap into the unknown.

Joel Grey, Master of Ceremonies

With Master of Ceremonies, Joel Grey pulls back the curtain on a life lived in constant reinvention. Known worldwide as the enigmatic Emcee in Cabaret, Grey’s memoir goes far beyond showbiz glitter, delving into his struggles with identity, sexuality, and belonging. He recounts his rise from Cleveland, Ohio's stages to Broadway stardom with remarkable honesty, never shying away from the complications of fame and family.

Grey’s storytelling is crisply vulnerable, punctuated with moments of humor and heartbreak. Theatre enthusiasts will savor his behind-the-scenes tales of Cabaret and Chicago, while general readers will be drawn to the universal themes of reinvention and self-acceptance. In the end, Master of Ceremonies is not just about his creation of roles, but about his ongoing creation of a self, a reminder that even legends must fight to be truly seen.

Donna McKechnie, Time Steps

As the original Cassie in A Chorus Line, Donna McKechnie embodied the dancer’s eternal cry: “God, I hope I get it.” In Time Steps, she offers a memoir as dynamic and passionate as her career. From her early days as a chorus dancer to her meteoric rise as one of Broadway’s most celebrated triple threats, McKechnie chronicles the grit behind the glamour with an honesty that only a true thespian could deliver.

McKechnie writes with the rhythm of a dancer, moving effortlessly between anecdotes of backstage camaraderie and the personal challenges that threatened to derail her. What makes the book resonate most, however, is its humanity: the sacrifices, the heartbreaks, and her unshakable love for the art form. Time Steps is a must for anyone who has ever lost themselves in the lights of Broadway, offering inspiration through the story of a woman who refused to let setbacks define her.

Chita Rivera, Chita: A Memoir

Chita Rivera’s name is practically synonymous with Broadway itself, and her memoir is a dazzling testament to her unmatched legacy. From originating roles in West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, and Chicago to redefining what it meant to be a leading lady, Rivera recounts her journey with the same verve that kept her dancing across stages for decades. Each chapter pulses with her trademark wit and resilience.

Beyond the legendary credits, Chita: A Memoir shines in its celebration of joy. Rivera did not gloss over hardships, injuries, personal losses, and the demands of her relentless career, but instead insisted on framing them within a larger story of perseverance. Reading her words feels like sitting down with a beloved aunt who happens to have transformed American musical theatre. Few books capture the sheer exuberance of living a theatrical life quite like this one, and it will make you miss her all the more.

Ted Chapin, Everything Was Possible

Imagine stumbling into a front-row seat to one of Broadway’s greatest experiments at the age of 21. Ted Chapin’s Everything Was Possible is the remarkably true story of a young production assistant on Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman’s Follies, documenting a young theatre lover living out the ultimate dream. Chapin kept a meticulous diary during rehearsals, rewrites, and chaos, and decades later, he turned that diary into a richly detailed memoir that transports readers directly into the rehearsal room.

Chapin’s book is invaluable, not just as theatre history but as a study of collaboration under pressure. He captures the competing egos, creative breakthroughs, and backstage crises with a clear eye and palpable affection. For fans of Sondheim or simply lovers of process, Everything Was Possible is a time machine back to 1971, when the future of the American musical hung in the balance. And if the name doesn't ring a bell, Chapin is the longtime president of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization.

Leslie Odom Jr., Failing Up

In Failing Up, Leslie Odom Jr. distills the lessons of a career that went from near obscurity to Tony-winning heights with Hamilton. Structured as a series of life lessons rather than a linear autobiography, the book offers guidance as much as reminiscence. Odom writes with warmth and accessibility, welcoming readers to see missteps not as setbacks, but as opportunities for growth.

The theatre anecdotes are plentiful, from early auditions to the transformative experience of working with Lin-Manuel Miranda. But the book’s greatest strength lies in its universality. Odom frames his journey as an invitation to embrace uncertainty, making Failing Up as useful to a student in any field as it is inspiring to theatre devotees. It is a memoir that reads like a pep talk, reminding us that resilience is as essential as talent.

James Lapine, Putting It Together

James Lapine’s Putting It Together is a masterclass lesson in collaboration. Taking readers behind the creation of Sunday in the Park with George, Lapine crafts an oral history that weaves together his own perspective with those of Stephen Sondheim, the actors, and the creative team. The result is less a memoir than a communal scrapbook, brimming with insight into how a masterpiece is made.

For theatre aficionados, the book is an irresistible blend of detail and reflection. Lapine manages to capture the delicate balancing act of artistic vision and practical problem-solving, all while preserving the humor and heart of the process. Putting It Together reminds us that theatre is not born fully formed; it's created through a thousand small choices, and that sometimes, those choices coalesce into something enduring.

Harvey Fierstein, I Was Better Last Night

If Harvey Fierstein’s gravelly voice could be bound into pages, it would sound exactly like I Was Better Last Night. The memoir barrels forward with all the wit, candor, and chutzpah that have defined his career, from Torch Song Trilogy to Hairspray. Fierstein spares no detail in recounting his triumphs and his misadventures, relishing in the contradictions that have made him an icon.

Yet beneath the jokes and outrageous tales lies a deeply moving story of resilience and authenticity. Fierstein writes with disarming vulnerability about love, loss, and the lifelong journey of embracing one’s truth. The result is a book as big-hearted and unforgettable as its author, a rollicking reminder that being unapologetically oneself is the greatest performance of all.

These titles are just the beginning. Explore the gallery below for even more theatre books to add to your fall reading list.

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Memoirs and Biographies To Cozy Up With This Fall

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