Book Description

The world's most famous guitar has a golden anniversary in 2004, and this official, authorized book/CD package offers the best photos, quotes, facts and sounds to properly celebrate this achievement. From Buddy Holly to Jimi Hendrix to today's hottest players, the Fender Stratocaster defines rock'n'roll for generations of fans and players. Special features include exclusive photos from the world's greatest guitar collection, as well as a CD with musical examples of famous Strat sounds and styles hilariously performed by Greg Koch - even spoken excerpts from the author's interviews with the Strat's beloved inventor, Leo Fender. This book also recognizes that the Stratocaster's deeper significance lies in the music that guitarists have created with it. You'll hear what Strat players have to say about their instrument, their music and each other. The Fender Stratocaster both reflects and influences popular culture worldwide. The Stratocaster Chronicles focuses on the people who brought it into the world, the designers and builders who refined it, and the players who have taken it from there. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Stratocaster Chronicles
Tom Wheeler has done it again !
This will become the "Bible" by which all others books
pertaining to Fender's most famous work of art, the Fender Stratocaster, will be judged.

A must have book for 'Strat lovers everywhere!

Amazing book, the whole story in 264 pages
This by far the best book I own in respect to the Stratocaster and its history. This hardcover, coffee table book is great from front cover to back cover. Carefully binded and in Matte black cover with color printings, The Stratocaster Chronicles is a must for guitar fans, strat players or not.

There is not one of the 264 pages that doesn't include a great picture, from the first strats, to rare prototypes, to newer models, custom shops and stars' models.

The book includes many excerpts with key memebers of the Fender factory in 1950's, including the man himself, Leo Fender, along with Bill Carson, Freddie Tavares and many others. The author dove into his archives to present the most accurate history of the Strat to date, from its inception, the two horns, the origin of the famous peghead and all the details of the most loved guitar.

Rare pictures from the early 50's tell the tale along with narration from the author and dozens of interviews. This book includes an Audio CD with fragments of interviews with Leo Fender, plus 50 different sounds the Strat has become famous for, in the styles from player like Eric Clapton, Hendrix, Knopfler and Malmsteen, you can even learn to make your Strat sound like a Koto, from Japan!

In all, just the pictures in this book are worth the price, the history, interviews and Cd are a great plus. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the instrument that shaped modern music with this great book.

Worth the wait
I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this nearly as much as the 50th anniversary Stratocasters themselves. Full of beautiful photos and tidbits not present in previous stratocaster books, this is destined to be a classic in your library. The CD by Greg Koch is a fun item with Greg duplicating the sounds and styles of many classic Strat Heroes.

waiting, waiting, waiting.....
I finally cancelled my order and got it through Barnes and Noble and they have already shipped it. I have been waiting for 2 months through Amazon and checked the Barnes & Noble site, ordered it, and when I checked the next day they had already shipped it to me. The last time I checked my order before cancelling it Amazon said it should ship in 1-2 months! Forget it Amazon!

Might Be A Good Book???
BUT I DON'T KNOW. I ORDERED IT IN DECEMBER 2003 AND THIS IS MID APRIL 2004!!!!!!!! I'LL PROBABLY CANCEL MY ORDER SOON!!!! AND ORDER IT FROM BARNES & NOBLE!!!! YES THAT'S RIGHT!!!! BARNES & NOBLE!!! WHO KNOWS, BARNES&NOBLE MIGHT EVEN DELIVER IT. I WONDER IF BARNES AND NOBLE, IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO AMAZON, WILL POLITELY, LET ME KNOW IF THEY REALY ""JUST CAN'T GET" "THE STRATOCASTER CHRONICLES: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE FENDER STRATOCASTER"" ... Read more

Book Description

Our matching folio for this multiple-Tony Award-winning musical by Elton John and Tim Rice features 17 outstanding songs, and a stunning 8-page section of full-color photos from the Broadway production. Includes: Another Pyramid * Dance of the Robe * Easy as Life * Enchantment Passing Through * Every Story Is a Love Story * Fortune Favors the Brave * How I Know You * I Know the Truth * My Strongest Suit * Not Me * Written in the Stars * and more. A Piano/Vocal Highlights collection (00313223, $16.95) is also available, featuring 11 songs in standard piano/vocal format with the melody line in the piano part. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Aida songbook
This book is very thorough, includes most all of the songs from the show. Chords are provided for less advanced musicians, but the piano score is quite difficult - not for beginners! Intermediates will be able to play about half the songs easily. True to the soundtrack, and all the parts are provided as well as the lyrics and details about which character is singing. Love this book!

Very good!!!
This book is excellent - it contains piano music for most of the songs in the musical, and the transcriptions are largely faithful to the very pianistic Broadway score. All of the songs are complete, containing the piano versions of the instrumental solos found in the actual score. It also has guitar chords and lyrics for singers, with a separate line for the singers' notes, complete with harmonies. Unlike many Broadway music books, this one is very thorough and does not disappoint!!! Although that playing some songs in their entirety may be a difficult task for beginning pianists, the result of playing the music from this great musical is well worth the effort, and I'm sure that pianists and singers of all levels will enjoy this book.

Exactly As It Should Be
I didn't know what I was ordering at the time because of the lack of description given by this website. This is the music book containing the notes for the music in Aida. It's set up well and it's easy to play. The music is written in both piano and guitar form. ... Read more

Book Description

2004 TonyAward winner for Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical! Playbill.com describes Avenue Q, a decidedly adult puppet/human show, as a meeting of Sesame Street and South Park. Our deluxe songbook features all 20 songs in standard piano/vocal format (melody in the piano part), more than 20 fabulous full-color photos from the production, and a bio of the writing team of Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, who've scored big with their first Broadway show! Tunes include: The Avenue Q Theme * Fantasies Come True * I Wish I Could Go Back to College * I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today * If You Were Gay * The Internet Is for Porn * It Sucks to Be Me * Mix Tape * The Money Song * Purpose * There Is Life Outside Your Apartment * What Do You Do with a B.A. in English * and more. PARENTAL ADVISORY: EXPLICIT LYRICS ... Read more

Book Description

The first book from the leading coach and teacher to thestars, whose client roster has included Brad Pitt (Academy Awardnominee), Charlize Theron (Academy Award winner), Djimon Honsou(Academy Award nominee), Elizabeth Shue (Academy Award nominee) andHalle Berry (Academy Award winner).The Power of the Actorguides the reader to dynamic and effective results.For many oftoday's major talents, the Chubbuck Technique is the first choice - theleading edge of acting for the 21st century.Previous generations ofactors were steeped in the teaching traditions of Stanislavski, Meisnerand Strasberg.Taking the theories of these masters into a new realmof psychological and behavioral study, industry veteran Ivana Chubbuckhas developed a curriculum that moves acting to the next step: how toutilize the inner pain and emotions, not as an end in itself, but as away to drive and win a goal.The result recreates human behavior init's most fundamentally accurate and compelling form, taking the readerto the source of what motivates real behavior.

In addition to her powerful twelve-step process for becoming and livinga character, The Power of the Actor:

* Includes fascinating behind-the-scenes accounts of howcountless celebrities mastered their craft, offering a trove of tidbitsthat are inspiring for actors, writer, directors and fans alike.

* Takes classic and contemporary scripts from film, televisionand theater, and comprehensively breaks them down using Ivanaís scriptanalysis process.

* Provides sections on special acting tools and exercises on howto organically feel drunk or high; creating organic fear; how toorganically feel the mindset of a killer; and creating sexualchemistry.
... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Must Read For High School Techies!
Stage Rigging Hand Book is a great book for anyone responsible for rigging. It covers very important topics and safety issues. Working in one of the biggest and best high school theatres in the state of Virginia, I can say that this book is a major help on any rigging job and is an indispensable book when safety is concerned (and when is safety not involved?). If you are a TD at any high school with a rigging system you must have this book.

Nothing Better
As an instructor in the Canadian College system, I have found this book best sits within easy reach. I am constantly using it as a teaching tool for my students and myself. I had the priviledge of attending a master class with Jay in 2001 and would recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity. When teamed with Harry Donovan, you will find no better pair to flood your mind with all that is entertainment rigging.

An Amazing Book
Jay O. Glerum has written a book filled with history and practical hard-to-find information every theatre tech should have in his/her library. This book is rich with clear illustrations and photos for just about every rigging situation you will encounter. It has chapters on "Loads and Reactions" "Block and Tackle Rigging" "Hemp Rigging" "Motorized Rigging" and much more. There's a very useful chapter on cutting and knotting rope. I was particularly impressed with the sections on "Special Problems" and "Recordkeeping". As today's threatres move more and more toward mechanized scene changes and motorized light rigs, a solid understanding of rigging techniques is more important than ever. Whether you are a novice or have years of experience ... whether you are an independent or on staff, Jay O. Glerum's "Stage Rigging Handbook" will improve your knowledge and give you a wealth of information. I highly recommend this book.

A Must for any Flyrail!
As an IATSE stage rigger, I have worked with people like Eddie Blue and Aaron Hutsch, and I have yet to work with a flyman or rigger who doesn't use and own this book. Glerum's methodical approach to everything rigged, from sand bags and tension pulleys to loft blocks and chain bags makes the complicated art and physics involved with theatrical flying and baton loading easy to understand, and in-depth enough for the novice or master rigger. A must have for anyone persuing a theatrical or IATSE position.

Great Stuff
Stage Rigging Handbook is an excellent book on a subject that's often ignored or glanced over in tech theater books. It's very hard to find, good, authoritative information on stage rigging, but Glerum is "The" authority. The book is packed with information and photos. It clearly covers the physics involved in rigging, the types of equipment (both old and new), the maintenance, and the do's and don't of the craft. It's not always totally clear, but the wealth of practical, and in many cases, vital information more than makes up for it. If you're a TD or Director that's just inherited a house with a fly loft, you must read this book. It sounds melodramatic, but it's true--lives may depend on it. ... Read more

Book Description

Groundbreaking and critically acclaimed from the first edition, PUBLIC SPEAKING: CONCEPTS AND SKILLS FOR A DIVERSE SOCIETY, Fourth Edition continues to train students to be effective speakers and listeners in the context of our multicultural society. Jaffe explores the intertwining nature of diversity and public speakingwith expanded coverage of basic public speaking skills, rhetorical foundations and technology. Topics covered include technology, making an electronic culture, the canons of rhetoric diverse listening styles, civility and speechmaking, the culture of narrative and non-traditional speech organization patterns such as the wave and the exemplum. With a keen sense of what students need to excel, Jaffe infuses each chapter with the concepts, skills, theories, applications, and critical thinking proficiencies essential for success in today's diverse world. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Public Speaking, A culteral Perpecstive by Clella Jaffe
The book is great! After reading this book, I feel that I am able to: 1.Have a broader and deeper understanding of myself and of others. 2. Have a thorough theoretical and working knowledge of the various concepts of public speaking. 3. Listen actively and speak with a greater feel for me and for my audience. ... Read more

Book Description

Discover the secrets of successful songwriting with this essential guide! Cofounder of the Los Angeles Songwriters Showcase John Braheny teaches you the craft of songwriting while going behind the scenes of the music business to reveal insider secrets that will make your work stand out. Dozens of exercises, examples and anecdotes from songwriters such as Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, TLC, Lenny Kravitz and Paul McCartney will you show you how to: develop a songwriter's consciousness; overcome barriers in the creative process; write in all musical styles, and for film and TV; and skillfully manage the business of demos and contracts. This updated edition also covers online opportunities for songwriters."A practical street-level look at today's world of songwriting ... Read and learn."- Diane Warren, six-time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year with more than 50 Top 10 hits ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Ever wondered what it would be like to write a hit song?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to write a hit song? Perhaps you have asked yourself why do some songs become commercial successes while others end up in the dustbin?

Journalist, talk show host, teacher and consultant, John Braheny, provides us with the answers to these queries as well as many other topics in his blue-ribbon manual The Craft and Business of Songwriting-Second Edition.

Braheny was one of the founders, along with Len Chandler, of the Los Angles Songwriters Showcase. For 15 years he was intimately involved with this national non-profit organization that was dedicated to creating opportunities for discovering aspiring songwriters. As a result of this relationship, he accumulated an exceptional amount of knowledge pertaining to the business and craft of song writing. The reader is fortunate to have all of this information neatly wrapped up in a compact manual that is split into two main sections, the craft of writing songs and the business of selling and marketing songs.

Within the section dealing with the craft the author delves into such topics as creativity, inspiration, subject matter, media, listeners, lyric writing, song construction and possible collaboration with other writers. Naturally we would probably be sceptical of a book that purports to teach us how to write a song. Some would say you are born to write a song, others would disagree and say it is possible to be taught the craft. Braheny believes that you can't be taught inspiration or imagination. However, you can be taught ways to get in touch with what you have to say and how to communicate it effectively. Using this premise as a base, the book provides us with the tools that will perhaps uncover our hidden talents.

The second half of the book deals with the business features of song writing and as the author states, "writing a great song is only part of being a successful songwriter. Unsung thousands possess the talent and craft to write great songs, but without understanding the business and knowing how to protect your creations and get them heard by those who can make them successful, those songs are like orphans." Perhaps we should refer to the second half as the entrepreneurial skills needed to sell, promote and market your songs. Within this section we are introduced to such topics as protecting your songs, securing money, publishing, self- publishing, demos, marketing, Internet and record deals.

The appendix of the book provides the reader with a very comprehensive listing of songwriters' resources containing names, addresses, phone numbers, web sites and general descriptions of the various references. No doubt this inclusion will save anyone who aspires to be a songwriter a great deal of time and effort.

After reading the book are you guaranteed that you will be successful songwriter? Probably not. Unfortunately, we don't have a crystal ball indicating who will succeed and who will fail. However, at least after reading and being exposed to the elements of song writing, you will have a better understanding as to how the music industry works in relation to the songwriter, or writer/performer. As the author asserts in his introduction, "it will demystify and humanize what can often feel to a newcomer like a cold, monolithic, and impersonal industry."

The above review first appeared on the reviewer's own site

Bumpy Ride---Great Guide
So what if words and music come natural? We write the stuff down, add a tune and sing it to the world. Then what? This book, The Craft and Business of Songwriting, is a very affordable reference; and probably all you need.I'm happy it contains material that will make me wiser.Buy this or you'll miss out.

A Must Read Book for All Songwriters!
The first Edition of the book, was a must read, now this 2nd Edition, updated with new information and current song references, is also a must read for everyone that writes songs. The most complete songwriting book, for beginning songwriters to the aspiring, to even pro writers will learn from the book. I often refer to it as "The Songwriters Bible", just full of information that we need in the world of songwriting.
I have been a Nashville Songwriters Association International coordinator in Charlotte for (6) years, and do at least one activity or read a quote from a hit writer or music professional in the book at every meeting. This book is years of songwriting seminars and workshops all in one. The reader will learn just like the title says, the craft and business from someone who knows what they are talking about, and has led workshops for some of the best songwriters of all time, including the awesome Diane Warren and several other hit writers. John Braheny made a difference with hit writers, with myself, and other songwriters that I have recommended the book to in the past 14+ years of reading the first edition, and now the 2nd edition. I recomend this as the very first book for every songwriter to read and study. If you know someone who writes songs, buy the book for them, and a copy for yourself. Buy a highlighter or two, to use when reading the book. ...Doak Turner
...

Strategy and structure andlots more
One of my most basic problems when starting off as a songwriter, was the lack of background and knowledge on how to approach a new song. I am talking about your basic strategies and how to structure them into a final product. Where does one begin, what do you need to take into account, what to do first, how to approach rhyme, basic tips about melody, chords etc. I found this book to answer these type of questions in a simple and interesting way.

The author is obviously a specialist with a very good track record. He taught me how to analyse existing songs to expand my knowledge. No more do I just listen to music, I learnt the skill to expand my songwriting knowledge whilst listening to other songs on the radio or on CD.

I have learnt how to decide on a basic structure, how to approach the most important issue of finding a "hook" for your song and refining it to something useful. I have discovered that it is O.K. to rewrite songs, but I have learnt how to approach it. This book has taught me how to make songs more interesting and it has made songwriting a more interesting hobby for me.

I think the most important lesson from this book is how to grow from a songwriter that tries to express his/her own feelings to himself/herself and a few close friends, to someone who can express his deepest feelings in such a way that his song could be loved by millions and could become a commercial success. It also contain an abundace of valuable information on the industry and how to promote your music.

If I did not read this book I would have missed something for sure. If you are serious about songwriting you cannot go without this book.

Terrific book for basics of songwriting & the business
Although this book isn't as comprehensive as others in the songwriting department, it presents information in a very concise and interesting format. It also has a comprehensive section (half the book) on the BUSINESS. It's a quick, easy read and definitely worth the price. But if you want to get serious about songwriting, you'll also need a book with more theory such as WRITING MUSIC FOR HIT SONGS. ... Read more

Book Description

In the 1930s, Broadway's lights still burned brightly. Ethan Mordden completes his history of the Broadway musical by taking a look at this forgotten era. Shows like Anything Goes brought the glitter of Cole Porter and Merman's brass to the public. Innovations in dance were pioneered by Balanchine and others. Scenic advancements made Astaire's The Band Wagon move across the stage in novel ways. Gershwin's revolutionary Porgy and Bess entered the canon of American Classics. And The Cradle Will Rock and Johnny Johnson took the American political temperature. With his trademark wit and style, Ethan Mordden shines the spotlight on Broadway's forgotten decade.
... Read more

Book Description

A richly illustrated book that re-creates the making of one of BroadwayÂ’s biggest hits, based on EliotÂ’s Old PossumÂ’s Book of Practical Cats. Color photographs and drawings by John Napier. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A very good book!
With crisp,easy-to-see pictures,lyrics and costume sketches,
this book captures CATs purr-fectly!I enjoyed having the lyrics printed out so I can sing along with the video and CD!
If you're a CATS fan,you must have this book!

For CAT lovers everywhere!
My child is a huge fan of the musical CATS and I bought this book for him so he could have pictures of all of his favorite characters. He loves this book and I found it definitely worth the price! The pictures are beautifully done, the colors are vibrant and it's a great companion to the CATS video that we already own. I definitely reccomend this for CATS fans!

This cat thinks This Book has been overrated
I loved the stage musical and didn't understand a word except for "Memories". And I love the video to death. But this book is no way a companion to the video, unless you're just looking for the words to the songs. In that case you've spent way too much (the lyrics can be had on the WEB)! The cast in this book is different than the Video and if you have young kids who love the video like mine do, they are going to ask (and say)"Why daddy does Gus look different, or that's not Gus". The only worth while text is from Andrew Llyod Webber and it happens to be the shortest article of the 4 included. I was disappointed to say the least and in hind sight find that 99% of the reviews are "irrationally" positive and not at all realistic.

Cats!
Well There's Not much to it...
Some info about T. S. Eliot, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Others
Lyrics from the Songs which i like
And Pictures of the Original Broadway Cast
A bit pricey for just that...
Still A Good Book...

Meow!
I am a big fan of Cats(we're talkin' realy big!I know all the lyrics and dances)and I found this book a great addition to my Cats Collection,which includes greasepaint, Old Possum's Book, T-Shirt,hat, sweatshirt,ORIGINAL BROADWAY COSTUME WORN BY CYNTHIA ONRUBIA(VICTORIA), fan-made costume, A WIG WORN BY VEERLE CASTELYN(JEMIMA), 5 CDs, Video, 2 DVDs, ticket stubs, autographs, program, magnets, letters from actors, and a WIG WORN BY CYNTHIA ONRUBIA THE ORIGINAL BROADWAY VICTORIA. This book is wonderful and added to my huge collection. It might not be as valuble as the two wigs or the costume, but it is still a cool book! ... Read more

Book Description

This well-respected text balances theory and processes with skill development. The authors are active researchers, lecturers, and communication consultants. They draw on their experiences to provide students with a clear introduction to the study of small group communication. Communication in Small Groups puts theory and research into practice. A primary objective is to discuss small group communication theory and research in a way that allows the reader to apply concepts and principles to the process of communication when working as a member of a team. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Solid Introductionand Overview
I have used this textbook to teach Introduction to Small Group Communication for 10 years.It is a solid overview of key communication concepts, processes and skills in small group communication.I would disagree with the review written by dharting.The average undergraduate has no difficulty reading this book. It may not be in dharting's Top 10,000, but I suspect the bulk of this list is comic books.

Not on my top 10,000 list
This book starts well, and it's obvious that the authors had the initial intention of making this material accessible to the average student.Of the book's 11 chapters, the first several are easy to read; there are "case studies" following the first 10 chapters which illustrate ideas, generate questions, and give students some material to evaluate.Unfortunately, things take a downward turn toward the middle of the book, plummeting into a death spiral in the last few chapters.It felt as if the authors either got tired of translating complex ideas into easy-to-read language or simply ran out of time.The last few chapters are an uphill slog through heavy jargon - just when you're trying to gear up for the final exam.

From the beginning, they relied too heavily on lists, lists and more lists.There were over 100 "core communication skills" of various types strewn about in parcels of up to 20 at a time, and there was no master list to refer to.There are numerous additional lists (the 4 signs of this, the 8 kinds of that, etc.) which a teacher can plunder for exam material - much to the student's grief.Nowhere is there a list of the 14 ways to mutilate a textbook - I'll just have to experiment.

As for the writing style, it varies from friendly and chock full of real-life analogies to passages like this example from Chapter 11:"Differences in the characteristics of individuals are also a class of variables that complicate a unified communication-based theoretical explanation of group output (Gouran and Fisher 1984).Here, we again define the term individual rather expansively to include any demographic (e.g., gender, age, race), psychographic (e.g., belief, attitude, ego involvement), or sociographic (e.g., student, Mason, argumentative) factor that may impact group outcome."Yes, it's readable on the second or third try, but the chapter goes on and on.

If this is the required text for a Small Group Communication course you're planning to attend, you might want to take another look at your schedule. ... Read more

Book Description

Performance Success teaches a set of skills so that a musician can be ready to go out and sing or play at his or her highest level, working with energies that might otherwise be wasted in unproductive ways. This is a book of skills and exercises, prepared by a master teacher. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Who owns the truth
Miller's version of Ibsen's famous play sets it in language and circumstances that one can connect with better than the original - which was full of allusions to things and times which are arcane - but the original's power still remains and is enhanced by Miller. The theme comes up in the newspaper every month - a community threatened by pollution, a media crusading against power - until the power threatens to pull the plug on the media - "science" being portrayed as both the question and the answer - and friends, family and enemies in couplings and cabals to work against each other "for the common good". Read it with friends and see what it does to friendships. ... Read more

Book Description

Dennis Kennedy's comprehensive account of the main scenographic movements of the century investigates how visual elements affect Shakespeare on the stage. This second edition ranges through productions in Britain, Europe, Japan and North America and includes a new chapter on Shakespeare performance in the 1990s. There are more than twenty new illustrations, some of them in color, and previous references have been updated. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A vivid and resounding study
I stayed up all night reading Kennedy's smooth prose, which echoes like a clean white room. I was recommended this book by a professor who thought it would complement my graduate seminar on performance. That it does,indeed--and what's more, I strongly believe this work should be madatoryfor every undergrad Shakespeare course. It is breaks through the notions ofShakespeare on the stage as a merely western, standardized phenomenon,shaking up the image of the auld bard in a delightful manner. The imagesare especially astounding; I only wish I could have seen some of the wildinternational productions that Kennedy discusses here! ... Read more

Book Description

In 1971, college student Ted Chapin found himself front row center as a production assistant at the creation of one of the greatest Broadway musicals, Follies. Needing college credit to graduate on time, he kept a journal of everything he saw and heard and thus was able to document in unprecedented detail how a musical is actually created. Now, more than thirty years later, he has fashioned an extraordinary chronicle. Follies was created by Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, Michael Bennett, and James Goldman - giants in the evolution of the Broadway musical and geniuses at the top of their game. Everything Was Possible takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride, from the uncertainties of casting to drama-filled rehearsals, from the care and feeding of one-time movie and television stars to the pressures of a Boston tryout to the exhilaration of opening night on Broadway. Foreword by long-time NY critic Frank Rich. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The next best thing to attending a Broadway musical
Recommended for fans of the musical is one of the best books you'll see on how major Broadway production was created: Ted Chapin's Everything Was Possible: The Birth Of The Musical Follies. Chapin's insider's account tells a bewitching story of the musical's evolution, from its initial casting to rehearsals, growth, and the fostering of stars. All the roots of a major Broadway production are clarified and given lively analysis, with plenty of first-person insights and observations throughout. The next best thing to attending a Broadway musical in production!

Delightful Memoir and Great Resource
Not to be greedy, but I wish Ted Chapin had been there at the creation of every important musical.His memoir of having been there at the birth of "Follies" is rich and delightful.Every person who finds themselves being glib at the expense of a new work in the theatre ought to read this book, because Chapin illuminates the perilous path of collaborative art -- the expense financially, physically, emotionally.In the words of Tommy Tune, "Contrary to popular opinion, the theatre is not for sissies."I loved hearing about the extraordinary amount of work that everyone did -- how many fears they had to face, how much was on the line for them.I'm so glad I read this book, and so grateful it exists.It is a wonderful resource for theatre students and young professionals.And it is simply a terrific read for anyone in love with theatre and what makes artists tick.

The Sun Comes UP....
I loved this book.I must say that I don't read a whole lot but this book was great especially from a musical actor's point of view."Follies" has always been one of my favorite musicals and Ted Chapin captured a rare moment in history that I wish I was old enough to have witnessed.Luckily, this book gives thoughtful descriptions of what was going on in NY and Boston during the rehersal process.Being a fan of the musical I would often go back to listen to the various songs as they were introduced in the book.I wish the book hadn't ended because I was having such a great time reading it. Hat's Off!

Ted and Yvonne?
The book is good, but it is the book of two men, a young and an old, who are not the best of collaborators.I think the young man to whom most of the adventures happen would have been more gossipy and excited about things were he not held in place by the distinguished older gentleman Ted Chapin of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization.For example, if you read between the lines, it seems pretty clear that the young Ted was pretty much crushed out on the glamorous Hollywood hasbeen Yvonne de Carlo, who came to New York City in full glamor mode and took Ted out on a series of dates to the Stork Club et al, and that when she left his life she left a big hole in it.But the older Ted sees ruefully that if it was a romance at all, it was pretty one-sided and potentially embarrassing.So the issue is tabled.I loved hearing all about how Sondheim created the score as the show was in tryouts; when it began only perhaps twenty minutes worth of music was finished, and the rest was created under intense pressure on the road in hotel rooms and coffee shops.I liked hearing about Mathilde Pincus, the music copyist, and the book gave me a new word I had never heard before."She [Pincus] used a flat pen with black ink and wrote on 11" by 14" sheets of opaque paper called deschon, which had the musical staff lines printed in reverse on one side.Writing with ink on the other side allowed for errors to be erased without affecting the staff lines."I guess I had seen 'deschon" but never knew what it was, just like I went to see "Follies" with De Carlo, Smith, Collins, several times, and never really knew how it came to be created.Thank God for Ted Chapin, the young one and the middle-aged man as well.

Fascinating view of a pretty amazing show
Ted Chapin was pretty much there at the birth of the wonderful musical that is Follies. For anyone who loves Follies, this is an excellent book full of little bits of information that you never knew you would one day know. A broad knowledge of the show is very helpful.

The book has two major strengths. Firstly, the deep knowledge alluded to above, and secondly, it brings to life all the wonderful characters connected with that first production, both onstage and offstage.

Where this book lets itself down is that Ted Chapin has misunderstood the book's appeal. This book is only going to appeal to people who know and love Follies or theatre in general, and I guess those people do not need to have theatrical terms and situations explained to them. At times, these quite lengthy basic explanations detract from the flow of the book.

That said, if you are one of those people who know and love Follies, then do not hesitate to read this book, and just bear with the criticism mentioned above. ... Read more

Book Description

The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, director, and teacher gives us a blunt, irreverent, unsparingly honest guide to acting that overturns conventional truths and tells aspiring actors what they really need to know.

David Mamet leaves no acting tenet untouched: How to judge the role, approach the part, work with the playwright. How to concentrate and think about the scene. How to avoid becoming the Paint-by-Numbers Mechanical Actor, the "How'm I Doing?" Ham Actor, the over-the-top "Hollywood Huff " Actor. The right way to undertake auditions and rehearsals. The proper approach to agents, to individual jobs, and to the business in general. The question of talent.

Mamet is unmistakably clear about why he thinks actors should not be taken in by such highly touted notions as "the arc" of the character or the play, "substitution,""sense-memory,"the Method itself--in fact, by most of what is being taught in acting schools and workshops across the country today.

True and False slaughters some of the profession's most sacred cows. It is bold, witty, and likely to be as controversial as the author himself. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

The best acting book I've read
I started reading this book with a highlighter in hand, just in case anything jumped out at me. At the end of my read, 80% of the book was yellow!

As an actor and director, I have myself felt bound by techniques and seen fellow actors I've directed get trapped by the limitations of "being in the moment" and feeling inadequate about their work.

Mamet, I believe, respects the actor enough to encourage the actor to remove these trappings and focus on their simple task. Not that acting isn't tough work, but we invariably make it much harder than it need be.

Mamet pulls no punches. If you subscribe to the "method", "sense memory", or other schools of acting, this book will offend you as Marilyn Manson might offend a Christian Coalition leader.

There is no middle ground here. You'll either feel liberated as an actor, or want to hurl this book into the closest bonfire.

As for myself, I have a clearer vision of the actor's place in the world, and am performing and directing with more clarity and consistency than ever before.

I owe this to Mr. Mamet.

Some wisdom--a lot of attitude
This is a must read for any serious actor, acting teacher or theatre academic. I suspect much of this book is Mamet intentionally provoking the establishment, but there is much common sense, and a fair amount of traditional actor training included. Anyone who has seen young actors torture themselves (and others) with their understanding of method preparation will enjoy this book. But whether one loves it or hates it, it will spark genuine healthy debate--and that's good. (Oh yes, the playwright is the source of all wisdom concerning his/her play. If the actor remembers that, everything will be fine. Well . . . maybe, Mr. Mamet.)

Disappointing - not very useful
Much of this book is taken up with Mamet raving against the Stanislavski Method, of which he demonstrates a stunning ignorance. For example, he claims that the Method is not practical because you cannot "force" your emotions (those who, unlike Mamet, have actually READ any of Stanislavski's books will recognize that Stanislavski said this exact thing) and you cannot force yourself to believe things (I would suggest that Mamet read Stanislavski's sections on the "magic if," and he would find that Stanislavski also teaches this). When he quits ranting against the Stanislavski Method and what he thinks actors need to stop doing and gets down to what he thinks actors SHOULD do, many of his principals are (or, at least, should be) either painfully obvious (such as, our job as actors is to entertain the audience) or of little use to the professional actor. Unlike Stanislavski (whose approach was "these are the principals of what must happen "internally," this is how it looks externally, this is how it looks when you're creating a character for the stage), Mamet does not consider it important to spend much time explaining how his principals work or how they are to be applied on stage.

I will give Mamet credit for a few things, though. His writing is concise and to the point, and touches on a few of the basic principals of acting. He also points out some of the mistakes that some actors make. The one thing that this book does a very good job with is reminding us of the basic job of the actor, which actors tend to get away from sometimes, such as the fact that the audience is paying good money to see us perform and our first obligation is to them. He makes a few other interesting points (e.g., we learn to act on stage, not in the classroom).

Do not read this book instead of other acting books, but rather in addition to it. The book is pretty short and the writing concise - you should be able to get through it fairly quickly. This might be good to read along with Stanislavski or books on the Method, but do not read it as a the first or only acting book you read, or read it instead of others. I'm not sure that it is necessarily worth buying vs., for example, getting it from the public library - it's possibly worth reading once, prefrably after you've already been studying and acting for awhile, but probably not more than that.

A very dangerous, ignorant approach.
This book is the voice of a scared actor. This is the voice of a stubborn playwright.

Anyone who loves the magic of the theatre knows that a production is composed of two elements: the actor and the play-- not the playwright and his play. It is the actors job to create truth within himself with the part he is given. Plays written by authors like Shaw and Shaffer are crippling to actors, because they write in the lines all that is felt. This is not reality. This is not art. Acting (now, after reading this book, I feel the need to use the words "Method Acting") is the only art that uses real emotions and the human body as it's medium. This book is suggesting that actors need only be an extention of the literature, which my friends, is insane. Stanislavsky knew there was something wrong in the theatre, and composed a path for actors to follow in order to reach that "awareness". Strasburg found it. Chekov found it. Hagen found it. Meisner couldn't think abstractly, so he made revisions, but still believed strongly in the honest actor.

This book is a good example on what NOT TO BELIEVE.

Trying to say that this is a better method of acting is like trying to say that Humphrey Bogart was more believable than Marlon Brando.

If this book is taken seriously by too many, the entire world of our our theatre could be ruined.

Is it true or false?
I was first disappointed when I read this book (it is so high rated in amazon.de and amazon.com). I read Shurtleff, Johnstone, Strasberg and other stuff. There are a lot of phrases to provocate the reader - maybe this was the intention of the author. The reading of this book left a few questions in me. To learn more about this kind of acting, I would recommend the book "A Practical Handbook for the Actor". If you are not a professional actor and do not have some experiences in acting, than this book won't be very useful and interesting for you. ... Read more

Book Description

6 working actors describe their methods and philosophies of the theater. All have worked with playwright David Mamet at the Goodman Theater in Chicago. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Pick Up and Read!
Hi!

Right now I am reading books about the craft of acting. I am learning on my spare time at home about acting in general. This book it's a great tool for beginner or mature actors. I find this little book practical, honest and helpful. So pick up and read this book. You will be glad you did!

Simple and effective!
This is simple straightforward book - I read it in less than two hours. It also details a tried-and-true acting technique. Most of the concepts discussed in this book were not new ones to me, but I've never seen them as concisely and well-expressed as here.

But as the book warns, don't close your mind to other techniques. There is merit in other schools of acting, though they are not always obvious at first sight. And above all, to become a good actor, you need to commit yourself and put in the effort. You're not going to become a Meyrl Streep overnight.

For the teacher and the student alike
I've been an acting student in several settings (high school, university, amateur) and a theater teacher/director in a private high school.

I had the privilege of studying under one of the contributors of this book, Scott Zigler - and have used this book long after my university days were over.

This short, concise, easy-to-implement acting guide transformed acting from an awkward, synthetic emotional experience into a tangibly real, physical action. I HIGHLY recommend this text for anyone involved in theater performance, direction, or production. Bravo, Melissa Bruder and others!

Horrible Book, Impossible to Follow
This book is not only boring, and poorly written, it's near impossible to follow. I would never recommend this book.

This Book Saved my Life
I was recently enrolled in a second year acting class at a midwestern university with a decent theater department. The teacher was a no-nonsense Meisnerian with many years of acting and teaching experience, but I just couldn't get the method. I read many books, including those by Moni Yakim and Michael Chekhov. None of them helped. I was angry, frustrated, and despairing.

On the night before I was to act in the first presentation of my final scene, I picked up my old copy of A Practical Handbook for the Actor. Suddenly everything I had been taught in class made sense. The book brought into relief all the effective aspects of the Meisner approach while trimming the nonsense. I stayed up till 2 a.m. analyzing my scene according to the guidelines in the book.

The next day, December 7, 2000, I performed my first real piece of acting. I was powerful, alive, and in some small degree even knew what I was doing. I scared myself I was so good. Following the book's directions, I dispensed with "emotional preparation" and just silently told myself before the scene started what I would do. Emotional prep never worked for me, but by telling myself what I would do I was nearly quaking with rage. During the scene I was free to perform without worrying about whether I was getting it right. I didn't try to be emotional, yet the feelings poured out, just as the book said it would. Hallelujah!

A Practical Manual is one of very few books on acting that is worth reading. (Acting One by Cohen is another.) It packs more wisdom and common sense than books many times its length. I've read it twice and will probably read it again. (I find myself extrapolating its ideas into playwriting as well.) Furthermore, if I were to study acting formally, the only school I would consider is the one formed by the Manual's authors: the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City.

As David Mamet writes in the introduction, most acting teachers are frauds. Even the ones who know what they're doing--like my teacher--may not be skilled enough to help you grasp the fundamentals, and you may have to do outside research. A Practical Manual for the Actor may be just the guide you need to save your life. It did mine. ... Read more

Book Description

The Technical Brief is a collection of single-focus articles on technical production solutions, published three times a year by the prestigious Yale School of Drama. The primary objective of the publication is to share creative solutions to technical problems so that fellow theatre technicians can avoid having to reinvent the wheel with each new challenge. The range of topics includes scenery, props, painting, electrics, sound, and costumes. The articles each describe an approach, device, or technique that has been tested on stage or in a shop by students and professionals.

Some articles included: Growing Flowers on Stage; Break-Away Glass; Photo-Murals for the Stage; Quiet Wire-Rope Curtain Track; Free Standing Curved Stairs; A Measured Approach to Kerfing; A Low-Voltage Remote Controller for Special Effects; Toggle-Clamp Locks; Comparing Four Plastics as Scenery Glides; Low Pressure Air Casters; A Simple Lift Jack; Using a Piano to Create a Reverberation Effect; Horn-Hat Mics for Sound Reinforcement

* Ten years of The Technical Brief articles bound in one complete volume

* Great reference of tips and solutions to unique technical challenges in theatre production

* Solutions provided by contributors from over twenty different drama programs ... Read more

Book Description

This expansive guide covers the where, when, and how for every step of school play production, including play selection and adaptation, auditions, casting and dealing with disappointed students, budgeting, coaching actors, setting up a production team, rehearsals, publicity, and promotion. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I wish....
I wish someone had recommended this book before I directed half a dozen musicals and learned its contents the hard way...trial and error. While the information is largely common sense, the organization saves the time of having to figure it out yourself. I recommend it highly...especially for school and community theatre.

Everything a director needs to know gathered in one place.
I discovered this book through a fellow theatre professor and was immediately impressed with its scope of information. So impressed, in fact, that I'm planning to adopt it as the textbook for an advanced directing course I teach that culminates with the production of a one-act play.

The authors have covered everything a director needs to know, from selecting the play through rehearsals, peformances,and marketing. This book would be especially helpful for high school/community theatre directors, or those in similar situations where the director is expected to assume some of the responsibilites usually handled by a producer. (The sample forms are especially good for these organizations.)

Although not a substitute for a more thorough book on the pure basics of directing (blocking, composition, etc.), this is an excellent supplement that reviews those basics and enhances them with elements that often aren't covered in directing classes but are faced in production (putting together program copy, for example). Although I've been directing professionally for over 12 years, I immediately ordered a copy for myself after examining it.

THE CHECKLISTS ARE WORTH THE PRICE ALONE
While I didn't actually get any practicle directing techniques from this kit, I wasn't actually looking for any either. Anyone who thinks they can learn to direct from a book, shouldn't be directing in the first place. The kit has several checklists and forms that are a great resource for the new and more experienced director. It also serves as a solid outline of what is or should be involved with directing. It won't teach you how to direct, but then again, that's not the intent.

Perfect for the unorganized or inexperienced director
Survival Kit is the perfect name for this book. The Play Director's Survival Kit has been in great demand no matter what community or regional theater I've worked in. Everyone is borrowing it. Time to buy your own kit. The kit is perfect for the person who may be slightly unorganized (as creative people can be) and will take you through step by step to get your production to a successful conclusion. It's hard to forget anything when you have this kit by your side. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is directing for the first time or who has found that they are not quite as organized as they thought.

Waste of money
It's really a book for amateurs. Most of the tips you can find out yourselves by a little logical thinking. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's the season of battling Bogarts: two biographies, each worthwhile for different reasons. If you want a leisurely, formidably well-documented account of Humphrey Bogart's legendary screen career and four marriages (including a happy final one to Lauren Bacall), this is it. A. M. Sperber conducted some 200 interviews with people who knew the actor before his death in 1994; Eric Lax draws on her seven years of research to create a nuanced, in-depth, elegantly written portrait of the man recently dubbed Hollywood's greatest star by Premiere magazine. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

EXCELLENT - TOOK YEARS OF WORK BY TWO PEOPLE.
No question, by the time you finish this book, you are whirling with knowledge of Humphrey Bogart, whom no one can ever really know because he was so complex with a mixture of his shadow and light side that it seems he was the most confused of all about himself. One thing is certain: He had a great, great talent, and his films are as much loved today as when he was in his prime.

Several things are left out of the book, and I wonder why. One is the fact that Mr. Lax states that Bogart's sister was a great financial responsibility for him as she was in a private sanitarium for mental illness. In 1955 Frances Bogart Rose was a patient in the Metropolitan State Hospital (for the mentally ill) at Norwalk, California. She was allowed occasional visits to the Bogart home, but her return was always a concern because of the heavy drinking at Bogart's home and its effects on her. Perhaps it was at an earlier time that she was in a private sanitarium, but Mr. Lax gives the reader the impression it was for life. Since Bogart, who died in 1957, left her no bequest in his will (in spite of leaving small bequests to the household cook and his secretary), one can assume he knew she in some way would be cared for during her lifetime

Another issue not covered is Bogart's involvement with women during his mariage to Bacall, which even Bacall speaks of in her autobiography, stating she did not find out about some of the women until after Bogart's death (perhaps the best documented claim is about the young lady who cut his children's hair, a total opposite from Ms. Bacall). Yet the author points out Ms. Bacall's attractions (and in the case of Adlai Stevenson, she obviously had fallen in love). As Bacall states in her book, she did not have an actual affair because she knew that Bogart would leave her if she did. This is not to say they did not love each other deeply. Perhaps if she had not rejected another great love of his life, his yaught and sailing, and snooted the crew, preferring instead to attend Hollywood parties, the time and experiences they could have shared there would have resulted in a more close-knit bond. On the other hand, she was only twenty when she married him, and the fact that she lived with such a complex and difficult man until his death says something for her.

This book packs you with a wallop because it is so well written, very well researched and documented, the photos are great. Remember, he was an extremely heavy drinker and all his activities were lived under a cloud of alcohol or the affects of alcohol, even his greatest preformances. A gentleman and a boor. crude and erudite. kind and cruel. But talented, talented, talented!

Great Book About The Greatest Actor
If you go by the poll by the American Film Institute[...],Humphrey Bogart was the greatest actor EVER, numero uno. Iwholeheartedly agree, having seen just about all of his movies overthe years. I used to catch some of them on the Late Show(or even Late Late Show)while babysitting back in high school days, then over the years I've started collecting his films. Bogie was a very complex, highly intelligent man-considering he hated school, he was one smart, tough cookie(sorry-couldn't resist). Expertly researched and detailed, the book is chock full of photos & filmography info at the end. Of the Bogart biographies out there, this one stands out from all the rest. Highly recommended.

Could not put the book down.Took it on vacation!
I enjoyed Bogart a great deal.One correction how ever,on page 153 you have Elisha Cook Jr.playing the punk Wilmer in The Maltese Falcon.Actually I beleive the part was played by Louis Jean Heydt.Heydt died just a few years ago at age 91 in a nursing home.He also played Harry Jones with Bogie in The Big Sleep.Sincerly,Thor Evensen

A must for Bogart fans
I haven't read the entire yet book, but believe me; this book is a winner. Get it! Let me recommend 'take it&like it' by Jonathan Coe as well. Not as detailed, but very charming and full of good pictures!

Did I Read The Right Book?
This book started out great, but once the story evolved into the House Committee on Un-American Activities hearings in Washington,DC it became too too detailed. Did they really need to write so many chapters about it? I don't deny it was a very important issue during that time, but the information was a bit excessive. It took me at least 3 weeks to finally finish this book and other than that chapter, it really is a good story about one of the best actors Hollywood ever produced. ... Read more

Book Description

The History and Theory of Rhetoric offers an accessible discussion of the history of rhetorical studies in the Western tradition, from ancient Greece to contemporary American and European theorists. By tracing the historical progression of rhetoric from the Greek Sophists of the fifth century B.C. to contemporary studies - such as the rhetoric of science and feminist rhetoric - this book teaches what rhetoric is and what unites differing rhetorical theories throughout history.The History and Theory of Rhetoric uses concise contemporary examples throughout and emphasizes the relevance of rhetoric to today's readers. For anyone interested in Rhetorical Theory. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Comprehensive Introduction
Logically enough Professor Herrick begins with an overview of his subject. He concludes with some of the better known modern rhetoricians. In between these two chapters he traces the history of the field and the various contributors. Timelines in the chapters enable the reader to see where the content of that particular section fits in the overall scheme. Sources are clearly identified throughout the book. Sidebars are another asset found in each section.

The glossary in the back of the book is a ready reference for students seeking to quickly understand a term. Herrick seeks to combine modern example with ancient methodology in some places. Generally speaking this book introduces the subject well. It is clear and comprehensive. I have used with favorable results as a textbook when I was teaching in Massachusetts. ... Read more