Branson native with cerebral palsy exposes Broadway’s backstage secrets

Growing up in the wings of the “Live Entertainment Capital of the World,” musical theater wasn’t just entertainment for local author Kyle Moeskau: it was a lifeline. Born with spastic cerebral palsy and cytomegalovirus, which impacted his cognitive and physical development, Moeskau found an escape in the world of music and stage. Today, he turns that lifelong passion into a published reality with the release of his new book, “Broadway from A to Z.”

The son of a Branson musician/producer and a dancer/choreographer, Moeskau spent his childhood at rehearsals and live performances. His parents met while working at the Frontier Follies Saloon Show in Silver Dollar City. While his physical world had limitations, his creative world exploded at age two when he fell in love with a recording of “Cats.” Years later, seeing “The Lion King” live cemented a lifelong obsession with musical theater.

Now, Moeskau is sharing his “happy place” with the world. “Broadway from A to Z” takes readers past the stage door and directly into the wings for a spectacular, alphabetized celebration of the world’s greatest musicals and the backstage secrets of the Great White Way.

“Music and theater were my escape into a world of wonderful possibilities,” says Moeskau. “I hope this book inspires you to learn more about musical theater, even from the comfort of your own home.”

“In Broadway from A to Z,” Moeskau strips away the commercial glitz to reveal the raw human stories and creative gambles that made the world’s greatest musicals possible. Readers will discover the midnight tape sessions that birthed “A Chorus Line,” how an $8 shelter dog had to be bribed with beef cubes, the chaotic genius of overnight rewrites, and the jaw-dropping historical trivia hidden behind the scenes of Broadway’s greatest hits.

A Book Launch Party will be held at Coffee Creations Café, 433 Animal Safari Rd., Branson, on Aug. 15 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. “Broadway from A to Z,” available now on Amazon, was created with the aid of Nikki Lachen of Cozy Core Publishing. The link to purchase the book is: https://www.amazon.com/Broadway-Behind-Curtain-Trivia-Guides/dp/B0H8DS23F6/