Howard Kissel (New York City) is a cultural reporter for the New York Daily News and was that paper's chief theatre critic. He compiled and edited Stella Adler: The Art of Acting (1-55783-373-7'), 'recently updated Lehman Engel's Words with Music: Creating the Broadway Musical Libretto (1-55783-554-3'), 'and is the author of David Merrick: The Abominable Showman, all published by Applause.