Reviews (10)

Inspirational, but Flawed
Wendy Buonaventura obviously loves raks baladi ("country" or folkloric belly dance) with a passion. As sometimes happens with authors passionate about a subject, she unfortunately treats her opinions as facts upon occasion. As a dancer, I love the glorious Orientalist pictures, early 20th-century photos and fascinatingly slanted accounts from Western travellers, and I love her feelings for the dance. It's a beautiful book to peruse, and you can get some marvelous ideas for theatrical costuming from it. But like the Orientalists she reviews, Buonaventura presents an exotic and monolithic Middle East, where Egypt represents this entire diverse region and where nothing changes over time. She also perpetuates the popular myth that this is a *women's* dance, whereas in truth both sexes dance at private functions, and in both Egypt and Turkey, men historically performed as well. (Western tourists just weren't interested!) Read this for its lovely artwork and, if you're a dancer, for a feel-good spiritual connection with earlier dancers--but if you're interested in the subject of dance history, do some further research. And if you are involved in the Society for Creative Anachronism, PLEASE don't use this book for costume documentation. Egyptian clothing pre-1600 was very, very different.

Thoroughly enjoyable and informative
I bought this book on the recommendation of my belly dance instructor, who's had a copy for years and says it's a "wonderful resource." I agree wholeheartedly: the author has amassed all sorts of information about the background of Middle Eastern dance, and the historical illustrations (many of which are from private collections) are superb: Dinet's paintings of Ouled Nail dancers made my head spin with costume ideas.
But this volume isn't just for dancers: while dance holds the book together, the author has also created a fascinating study of the uneasy relationship between East and West. The influence has been mutual: Westerners have become obsessed with the seductive East, while Hollywood has had no small influence on Middle Eastern concepts of entertainment.
She also discusses the ambivalent position of the professional dancer in both societies. While Middle Eastern women seem more comfortable with their bodies than Western women, both cultures have historically been conflicted (for religious regions) about the body and sensuality in general. Middle Eastern women may dance in the privacy of their homes for their own entertainment, but a woman who earns her living dancing is viewed with equal suspicion in both cultures.
The illustrations range from the gorgeous (Gerome's beladi dancer entertaining Turkish mercenaries) to the dutiful (stiff studio photographs of early dancers) to the unintentionally hilarious (Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn are a hoot), and the printer renders them well. My only quibble: in the paperbound edition, the binding is so tight that some of the two-page spreads are hard to see as a whole (cf. the Plate Dance!). But in general this is a terrific book, and I'm glad it's back in print.

For the Bellydance Afficionado
Lots of colour pictures ... past & present ...including old paintings, quotes & accounts of the people who actually watched belly dancing...& then tried to describe it!

For those just starting out to find out about Bellydancing & such enthusiasts,there are some pictures of famous older dancers, past & present .. Samya Gamal, Fifi Abdou & Sohair Zaki.
More like a collection of cameos than a real in-depth exploration of the Art Form, or Elucidation of the styles & Expression... but it IS a good coffee-table book & nice, informative read .

FOr the Pictures, if Nothing Else
I can't speak to the accuracy of Wendy Buonaventura's history of belly dancing, though I found no evidence of the most controversial complaint, that she fails to note the role of European Orientalists in fabricating our notions of Middle-Eastern dance. In fact, she discusses this very thing at length.

The treasure in the book is the collection of paintings. Where else can you see Dinet's gorgeous watercolors? I had never even heard of him. Are the pictures accurate? I suspect they are. Are they representative? Of course not. Like Gauguin in Tahiti, the Orientalists saw what they wanted to see.

great pictures but...
The quality and quantity of pictures in this book is wonderful and there is also some good information but unfortunately all the information is not very accurate and there are even many things that are not true. As a book this is nice to watch but as this book has become "a bible of belly dance" when other more accurate documents have been hard to find I can't rate this higher because readers tend to believe everything that is written here. ... Read more

Book Description

Now in its 23rd edition, Dramatists Sourcebook-the best-selling guide for opportunities for stage writers-is completely revised, with more than 900 opportunities for playwrights, translators, composers, lyricists and librettists, as well as opportunities for screen, radio and television writers. In an easy-to-use format, the Sourcebook details script-submission procedures for more than 350 theatres seeking new plays; more than 150 prizes and sections on submission guidelines, fellowships and grants, organizations, script preparation, agents, colonies and residencies, workshops, publishing opportunities and a submission calendar. Thoroughly indexed, with an invaluable calendar of submission deadlines, this is an indispensable reference work for any playwright.

Amazon.com

This is by far the must-get theater book of the year. With dazzling punk graphics that will quickly win book industry awards, the volume contains the entire libretto of the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical about love and loyalty among starving AIDS-stricken artists in New York's East Village. But editors Evelyn McDonnell and Katherine Silberger wisely understand that the story of the show's creation is as compelling as the musical itself--so more than half of this volume is devoted to an oral history of the composer/lyricist/librettist Jonathan Larson, who came to New York hoping to revolutionize musical theater--then died of an aortic aneurysm the night of the show's final preview. It's an event book for an event musical. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A good book for a great musical!
This book changed the face of rent for me. I had seen the musical, about three times, and it never really clicked for me, what it all meant. Then I got the book. I saw what true struggles, this book came from. I realized what it meant to be an artist, starving for the next day, starving for a piece of the good life. While I read this book, I went through the entire course of human emotions. When rent went into the workshop, I smiled, when Jonathan died the night before he was to make it to "GLORY", I cried. Few books have had this effect on me. The music alone is enough to make you cry. If you want to truly find out what rent means, read the book, and when it gets to the script, pop in the cd. What makes this book great is the stunning reality, of the stuggle for fame, the struggle for life, and the life long struggle for love. Overall the visual effects of this book are stunning. From the front cover to the end. The actors bios at the end are a nice to! uch. I have never seen any other musical book, go this indepth. A truly great buy.

I laughed and cried as I read this incredible book!
This book takes you through the life and dreams of a man whom I believe was a genius, Jonathan Larson. There are tons of amazing quotes from him and those close to him . This book gave me a chance to learn even more about my absolute favorite musical, and it felt like I almost got to know Jonathan Larson. The large pictures of cast members performing each song in the libretto make it easier to explain the plot to friends. I seriously cried when reading about how Jonathan Larson died and everyone's reactions to his death. Overall, this is an awesome piece of literature for any Renthead or musical theater fan. NO DAY BUT TODAY!!!!

A must for all RentHeads
When I first discovered RENT, I heard that all RentHeads have "The Bible", which is this book. I bought it, and it took me into a world of RENT, and also the sad story of Jonathan Larson.

In the contents of this book, there are interviews with Jonathan Larson's friends and family, and also the original Broadway cast. Also, in this incredible book, lies the RENT libretto, along with pictures to go along with each song.

I learned so much from this book, and so would anyone who wanted to learn about RENT. This is a must for all RentHeads!!

Also known as "The Rent Bible"
If you have any interest in the play, the lyrics, the story or Jonathan Larson ... get this book. A MUST HAVE for any Renthead. No Day But Today!

Every Fan's Necessity
This book can only be described as beautiful. It's content, the pictures, everything is a true dedication to the work of Jonathan Larson.

The book begins as a biography to the creator of Rent, Jonathan Larson and his original vision of the play and of life itself. Reading his story was quite inspirational. If only he were alive to see his success and how he has touched many people's lives.

The remainder of the book is the whole libretto for Rent complete with pictures from a stage performance. The presentation of the libretto and pictures is wonderful. Honestly, I was in complete awe the first time I saw it.

There are also in-depth interviews with the cast and people behind the scenes, and some rare photos.

This book is the Rent fan's necessity. And, as I said before, could be seen as a true inspiration thanks to Jonathan Larson. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Must Have Reference
Dr. Carlson does the remarkable by condensing the dominant Western theatre ideals and theories into a series of chapters. Major names and works are cited along with the theories. While a work of this sort cannot go into great detail, this book is a must have for anyone interested in theatre history and theory. ... Read more

Book Description

Focusing on materials andmethods for teaching drama, rather than on theoryor history, this text offers a collection ofpractical, progressive techniques for usinginformal drama in elementary classrooms.KEYTOPICS: It covers role drama that introduceskey features of the British approach to dramateaching; literature for narrative pantomime;pantomime activities and stories; verbal activitiesand improvisation; planning drama lessons; andmore. For creative dramainstructors. ... Read more

Book Description

A Director Prepares is a fascinating and thought-provoking examination of the challenges of making theatre. In it, Anne Bogart speaks candidly and with immense wisdom of the courage required to create "art with great presence." No other book on the art of theatre comes even close to offering this much understanding, experience and inspiration. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Landmark for Theater
Bogart writes from her years of experience and vision in A Director Prepares. Readers merely looking for a book on "how to direct" may want to look elsewhere: this manifesto takes on serious issues faced by theater artists every day. While other books "on directing" explain how to get actors from point A to point B, A Director Prepares examines the shoulders that theatermakers stand on: artistically, historically, politically. And it's not just for Bogart/SITI Company disciples. Like the creation of theater, A Director Prepares requires heightened attention and a clean slate every time you dive into its pages. It's inspiring, but also a challenge to theater makers to rethink how we approach our processes and to question upon whose shoulders we stand.

A Director Does What?
This book was a requirement for my directing class and I must say it did not help me at all. The title is misleading suggesting that a reader actually gets advice on how to prepare for directing. Instead, readers get Bogart's theory on what theater directing is. The book gives aspiring directors a confidence boost where Bogart basically says, "you can do it, just be persistent and brave." If anyone wants to get a book that gives a better description of what directing entails, the best bet is to get the book, A Sense of Direction, written by William Ball.

Inspiring and unpretentious
Far from being a prescription about how to direct, this book offers the wisdom of Anne Bogart's experience as a collaborator, investigator of the human condition, and artist committed to making theatre that is alive and relevant. I have had the pleasure of knowing and studying with Anne, and this book codified and elaborated on so many of the things I wished I'd written down at the time. The book illuminates her way of working more than it promotes any particular aesthetic, and in that, I think it should be incredibly helpful and informative to all theatre artists at any stage in their careers. Some reference point for Anne's work or the work of her SITI Company might make the more esoteric sounding parts of the book clearer for the reader, but all in all, this is a great read. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

A Master Playwright
Every time I pick up this collection, I find myself sitting and reading for hours. Something about Stoppard's command of the language, his own personal calling card, is undeniably riveting.

And though there are times (especially in Day & Night) where it seems that characters are too clever for their own good, his sense of timing and his love for delivering a smart, believable group of people amazes me.

This collection is wonderful in its scope, including everything from the frequently produced "Hapgood" to the more recent treasure "Indian Ink." It's a must-have.

A Fantastic Collection
This is a great collection of Tom Stoppard plays, and includes some of his best works.

Arcadia is one of Stoppard's greatest plays - a bizarre combination of physics, mathematics, poetry, a good old-fashioned academic stoush and romance (or lust) to boot. A fantastic play to see, but very good to read also.

The Real Thing, Hapgood and Indian Ink are also among Stoppard's more mature and better plays, and nicely round out this collection. These are some of Stoppard's better known plays (and you can read reviews of them on their own pages) but I'll just summarise by saying that I think they are fantastic.

Night and Day is an earlier Stoppard play and maybe not quite as good - it is concerned with journalism in war-torn Africa and does take a deep look at issues faced by a journalist in that situation. However, in comparison to the other plays in this volume, it just doesn't seem quite as good - however it is still a fine play in its own right and does make for interesting reading nonetheless.

Overall, I definitely reccomend this volume, particularly since it's cheaper than buying each of the plays individually.

A magnificent collection
After seeing Stoppard's "The Real Thing" in London, I was blown away. I purchased this collection to have "The Real Thing," and was blown away but all 5 of Stoppard's masterpieces. He writes convincingly of love, redemption and what it means to exist and to live. I cannot recommend this collection (or anything by Stoppard) enough. ... Read more

Book Description

This best-seller's practical approach to building speaking skills emphasizes speaker responsibility, critical thinking and listening, and cultural awareness.In an easy-to-use way this book covers everything you need to know to speak successfully in public. anyone interested in improving their public speaking skills. ... Read more

Amazon.com

So much mystery and veneration surrounds the writings of the great Russian teacher and director Stanislavski that perhaps the greatest surprise awaiting a first-time reader of An Actor Prepares is how conversational, commonsensical, and even at times funny this legendary book is. After many productions with the Moscow Arts Company, Stanislavski sought a way to introduce his new style of acting to the world outside of his rehearsal hall. The resulting book is a "mock diary" of an actor describing a series of exercises and rehearsals in which he participates. He details his own emotional and intellectual reactions to each effort, and how his superficial tricks and mannerisms begin to disappear as he increasingly gives over his conscious ego to a faith in the creative power of his subconscious. Rarely has any writer on the theater achieved the sort of lucid and inspired analysis of the acting process as Stanislavski does here, and his introduction of such now-standard concepts as "the unbroken line," "the magic if," and the idea of emotional memory has laid the groundwork for much of the great acting of the 20th century. While much excess and nonsense was to follow in the steps of Stanislavski's writings, his original texts remain invaluable, and surprisingly accessible, to any actor or student of drama. --John Longenbaugh ... Read more

Reviews (21)

An absolute must for actors!
This book covers everything you could ever want to know about acting. If you want to be an actor or actress then all you have to do is read this book, and you're there. This book covers every possible technique you will ever need on the stage! Stanislavski takes on the role as a teacher for his students in this book, but the fact is that he is both the actors and the teacher. He uses the students to ask the questions you are wondering about, and answers them as the teacher. His discriptions are so good that you sometimes wonder if you are really there. The only thing that makes you sure is that he can't give you feedback on your efforts at home. But apart from that it is just like having a very knowledgable teacher of your own, that can answer all the questions you have about acting, and then some. It is an awesome book. A must have for everyone!

the fog lifted from my eyes
The first in a series of three, an Actor Prepares deals with the inner process/preparation an actor must explore in order to prepare for a role, how to control and stimulate your mind in order to convey the truth of your character. The story is told through the eyes of Kostya, the ex-stenographer who know shorthand, thus enabling him to take notes of the class. The instructor, Tortsov, is Stanislavski in disguise.
The book takes you on a journey of the art - acting. From learning about the magic "IF" to learning how to find your super-objective there is something for all in this book. Everything interrelates forming a web of knowledge and tools that you can take with you forever.
When you read it, however, keep in mind what the author said about his books:
"It is not a hand-me-down suit that you can put on and walk off in; or a cook book where all you need to find is the page and there is your recipe. No, it is a whole way of life."

Very Informative
This book really backgrounds & outlines the actor's process. It is a must-have for aspiring artists. Don't let the wordy, overly detailed prose discourage. For the valuable info if provides, it is worth it.

Stanislavski's Blueprint Pulses With Life and Passion
I found "An Actor Prepares" to be a deeply rewarding read, and I found its message applicable to all of the arts. Opening a window to a time and place where great strides were made in the modern theater, we join a fictionalized group of students awaiting their first lesson with the great master "Tortsov" (really Stanislavski.) I simply drank in Constantin Stanislavski's wisdom, enjoyed his consummate readability, and shivered in amazement that he was able to advance the philosophy and praxis of acting to such heights at the time that he wrote - he lived from 1863 to 1938. I'm currently inhaling the second volume in this series: "Building A Character." I fully intend round out my reading with some Strasberg, Meisner etc. after I finish Stanislavski's trilogy, but at this moment I am quite content to be able to gaze back in time to the Moscow Art Company, and imagine that I'm there amid the heady acting sessions of these books. Although trailblazers and pioneers in any art or science rarely leave a perfectly polished jewel as their legacy, it is a great mistake to pass over their immense contributions. Read Stanislavski as the great building block he was in the technique of acting.

A Must Avoid!
Just Kidding.
Every actor should sit through this one and then balance it off by reading David Mamet's 'True and False' or for a better if less vehement critique Hornby's outstanding 'The End of Acting'

Personally, whenever I feel it would have been a happier world if Stanislavski had never been born I realize I've been spending too much time with film actors and so I go out and see bad theater.

( Not out of masochism it's just that if you see enough theater you're bound to run into some turkeys)

Usually the reason it's bad is because of some sin Constantin ranted against.

Ranting is actually an appropiate word to describe the style of his writings. He's not theorizing, he's discovered The Organic Truth Of The Uiverse, etc. All this dogmatizing is forgivable when one realizes it's the oupouring of a Slavic soul, but it does tend to eclipse the fact that his system is--stripped of all the hyperbole--based upon, of all things, logic.

What's the objective? Ok, play that.

Or if you wish amore detailed dissertation: To [...] with what you're feeling. Play the objective.

Otherwise you may weep and rave about but fail to find the brooch pinned to the curtain, like the student actress in this book.

Now does it work? Well, if you have faith in it. . .

The progression (some would say the degeneration) of Stanislavski in the US goes something like this: Charles Conrad (who taught for Meisner and never wrote anything, his is the Zen-style of Stanislavski) to Sandford Meisner (who taught for Strasberg and wrote an unintelligible book but who is much admired for getting method actors off their introspective derrieres and on their feet) Lee Strasberg who, unlike Stella Adler never met The Master himself, so felt free to um.. theorize even further, and Michael Checkhov, (the only great actor of the bunch who Stan considered his best student even though he rejected the system) whose mystical ideas are floating somewhere in the stratosphere.

Strasberg, by far the most influential, founded Method Acting (not to be confused with the Stanislavski System or 'The Method of Physical Action ' a short treatise in Creating a Role ) which emphasized remembered mamory a.k.a. emotional memory which at times superseded the objective by demanding a pavlovian type of identification/ conection which would ensure real tears.

In away he set theater back to before 'finding the brooch'

Later, Stanislavski himelf rejected the emotional memory/pavlovian experiment after many of his actors started freaking out..

The main moral of an Actor Prepares is that if you're going to write a world changing treatise on acting, it helps if you've got a genius playwright like Michael's uncle whose palys you can produce.

The second is to play the--oops said that already.

May I also humbly recommend Mike Green's 'The Art of Coarse Acting' Shurtleff's 'Audition' Keith Johnstone's 'Impro' and Klaus Kinski's bio, for a sense of, if not sanity, at least a healthy dose of skeptical heresy? ... Read more

Book Description

Dance Kinesiology reflects modern techniques and includes articles addressing eight important systems of body work: the Pilates Method, Rolfing, the Feldenkrais Method, the Alexander Technique, Ideokinesis, Body-Mind Centering, the Bartenieff Fundamentals, and Laban Movement Analysis. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fantastic resource for dancers, dance teachers, therapists
This book (in the second edition) is a fantastic resource for dancers, dance teachers, Pilates instructors, and physical therapists in training. It covers a lot of functional anatomy as it relates to dance. The first 2/3 of the book are devoted to anatomy. The last 1/3 is devoted to articles on various topics related to dancer health and conditioning.

There is an excellent article on Pectoralis Minor Syndrome - a condition that I have not seen addressed in other texts outside the physical therapy arena.

The chapter on Somatics, Relaxation, and Efficiency is very useful, with the exception of the article on Pilates, which reads like advertising copy for the Pilates Studio in NY. Mary Bond writes the article on Rolfing which is an excellent article for introducing Rolfing to people who may not have been exposed to the method before.

A must have for dancers who want to know their body
Dr. Fitt's book fills an important gap in the education of all dancers. Anatomical knowledge is of crucial importance to dancers and this book qualifies as both a basic reference for beginners and as an important resource for intermediate/advanced students of the body. It is easy to read but is not lacking in depth. My only complaint (about the first edition) is that all of her dancers are headless (there is no chapter on the head - Alexander would roll over in his grave!). This minor oversight should in no way take away from the monumental acheivement of this most excellent book ... Read more

Book Description

A lively look at the ways in which American women in the 1920s transformed their lives through performance and fashion. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An interesting look at life for women in the 1920s.
The author's basic premise is that in the 1920s, women used display to resist, while at times seeming to conform to, those who would have squeezed them into the molds of how society would have them appear. In the first few chapters, she does a good job of this. Especially insightful is the example of her own grandmother, who as a young woman in this time period, disguised both her bobbed hair and her married state so that she could continue in her chosen profession as teacher.

However, in the latter two chapters of the book, the author seems to focus more on the exploitation of women by the theatre industry and it's effects. In this, she seems to stray too far from her theme. It would have been better if she had had more examples like that of her grandmother which supported her theme, rather than diverging off of the topic.

I really do recommend this book at least for the initial chapters, which are an interesting look at the attitudes of an era that has been very much stereotyped. It gives you an idea of the some of the restrictions that would have been felt by a woman who was, not a Gretta Garbo or Clara Bow, but an average person trying to live from day to day. ... Read more

Book Description

This annotated translation is the first systematic rendering into any Western language of the nine major treatises on the art of the Japanese No theater by Zeami Motokiyo (1363-1443). Zeami, who transformed the No from a country entertainment into a vehicle for profound theatrical and philosophical experience, was a brilliant actor himself, and his treatises touch on every aspect of the theater of his time. ... Read more

Book Description

Detailing production design for theater, opera, and ballet, Designing and Drawing for the Theater provides a professional picture and encyclopedic reference of the design process. Lavishly illustrated with detailed lined drawings and photographs, the book conveys the beauty and excitement of production design. To further convey a real-life picture of the design process, each chapter is followed by a conversation with an outstanding designer working in today's theater. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A great general reference
The text provides names of existing professionals in all the fields of theatre design. It provides many production photos and technical drawings to use as examples. The book also provides something unique: interviews with designers and draftspeople. If you are looking for a general guide to design, this is a great source for visuals. It contains a step by step guide on the design process, but in reality it is a general guide on how to design without messing up royally.

The word "design" doesn't belong in the title
I ordered this book after reading evryone's raving rviews, and expected to get a really great book. I must say, though, that I was disappointed. Depending on what kind of book you are looking for, it can be good or bad. What the book does have is immense collections of details for different objects - dozens of different window frames, for example, or many options for stair railings. What I found missing from this book is theory. The author talks lengthly about all sorts of details such as how long it takes to strike different kinds of sets, or what kinds of specifications a scenic shop needs in order to build a set. All of this stuff is pointless if you haven't yet designed a set. I think that the author should either have talked about different scenic styles, disscussed the use of color and proprtions and talked about the creative process involved in designing a set and being part of a whole production. Since she did not do this, I suggest that in her next edition of the book she remove the word "design" from the title. I also suggest that she arrange the pictures (which are actually great) so that on the page where she writes about a certain kind of scenery, there are pictures of those kinds of sets - especially since she had the right pictures stuck in different parts of the book so it is just a matter of putting them onto the right pages.

One thing that I found exclusive to this book as opposed to other books (aside from the lack of solid content and over-abundance of pointless precticalities) was the extensive interviews with designers such as Ming Cho Lee and John Napier. All though her questions as well kept on missing the point and dealing with irrelevant pracicalities, it is amazing to find such a collection of interveiws. Though you must agree with me that it is very stupid to have a chance to talk to some of the greatest designers of the century and then ask them questions like "So how many inches apart were the backdrops hung when the were flown?" or "What were the exact dimensions of the conveyor belts that you used in 'Annie'?". The questions that I would have liked to hear the answers to are things that you couldn't ask anyone else, such as "So what made you decide to use that particular style?" or "What kind of artists, if any, have effected your designs over the years?".

So this is a great book if you already know what you are doing in theater design and need some workshop techniques and to copy Ms.Pecktal's doorframes and wallpaper patterns.

www.earthcorp.com/ELInet

excelent for the student studing scene design
excelent for the student studing scene design, it goes over all the basics a person will need to know when coming into this feild, like how to book your self, how to arive at a concept and tools, skills and knowlege you will need to have to be a great scene designer.

A must-have designer's reference...
This wonderful book, though pricey, is worth every penny. It's full of hundreds of pictures, great interviews with designers, and lots of reference materials (pages of doors or windows or chairs or whatever else it is that you need). Whenever I'm stuck on a design, I can always find inspiration--or at least hours of distraction--in this book. Especially useful for the begining design student.

A "must-have" book. Expensive but invaluable.
There is simply no other book available today on this subject that can compare. Every library and serious professional needs to own a copy. Put it on the shelf with the priceless (and long out of print) "Stage Design Throughout The World" series. Included are hundreds of illustrations of the work of the best American theatre designers: undeniably the most influential and dynamic designers in world theatre during this period. It illustrates what is likely to be known as the high-water mark of American theatrical design. Anyone who has ever done compelling design work in the theatre is here. Students, professionals and amateurs, indeed, anyone who loves the performing arts, will devour it at one sitting then browse with deepened pleasure over a lifetime. A "must have." Get it before it goes out of print! ... Read more

Book Description

For amateurs, students, or professionals, master carpenter Andy Wilson offers an expert guide to making theatrical props, featuring 200 photographs and diagrams. ... Read more

Book Description

Discover songwriting techniques from the hit makers! This comprehensive guide unlocks the secrets of hit songs, examining them, and revealing why they succeed. Learn to write memorable melodies and discover the dynamic relationships between melody, harmony, rhythm, and rhyme. Fine-tune your craft and start writing hits! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A great book on melody
This is a good book, well written , and clearly laid out. It offers the reader a methodical approach to writing better melodies by showing you that good melodies are the result of contrast, balance and fluidity. It also covers harmony and its relationship with melody giving examples from popular songs. The book is a refreshing change as it does exactly what it says on the cover; it looks at melody within song writing, and approaches it as a serious subject to be studied and learned. If like myself you get slightly lost every now and then, read the chapter through, go back and read it again, its really worth it because once this stuff begins to sink in, you go away and see what he's talking about as soon as you turn on the radio or listen to your favourite music. I say a refreshing change because it differs from other song writing books that I have recently purchased with titles such as "How To Write That Hit!" etc which seem to spend about 3 pages telling you how to write songs then divide the rest of the book between telling you how to "Pitch that song in the market" or patronising the reader with little cute stories about how they wrote their half a hit that came out 200 years ago "Oh and then Bruce, as in Springsteen, called up asking how the song was coming along, it was all so hilarious". We don't want cute stories , we want guide lines to the craft of writing beautiful songs. Lastly, in this book, Perricone does not attempt to suggest that technique is more important than inspiration, indeed he says that both work hand in hand, each one necessitating the other. As an aspiring young song writer myself I have often heard this debate between those that believe in the dreaded technique, and those that believe in inspiration alone. The argument on the one hand goes, the decline of the modern pop song is due to the fact that writers no longer learn their craft, long gone are the golden years of song writing (Berlin, Porter, Rogers and Hart etc.). On the other hand, I've heard lots of song writers (none of whom ever got a publishing deal!) saying "you dont need to learn technique, inspiration is what I use". often said with a kind of religious conviction. The example people in this camp always wheel out is the fact that, yes neither Lennon nor McMartney read or wrote music. What these people seem to fail to comprehend is that both Lennon and McCartney were almost musical scholars when it came to the popular songs of their time, analysing, dissecting and pinching sections of these songs. Anyone who's ever read "Revolution in the Head" by Ian Mcdonald (a fantastic book!) will tell you so. My own point of view is consistent with that of Perricone. Having read his book I feel that the knowledge of a little technique has only propelled and projected my creativity and to me at-least it seems preposterous that song writers should think that they need not learn a little craft. Try and become a painter or a carpenter with out a little technique. Now after years of heart ache, not knowing how to develop that little melody in my head and putting the guitar down after five minutes to make a cup of coffee, with a little know how, I am writing better songs. At least my girlfriend thinks so!!! Go and create people! We need good songs to wrap up our memories. Best wishes, jack.

The absolute best book of its kind
THIS is the book that songwriters should be reading in order to truly craft STRONG melodies...Jack has both an instinctive and a trained sense of how to use the structures of rock, classical, blues and jazz songs to craft great pop melodies.

From the first two notes of the first chorus I'd ever heard of Jack's songwriting, I knew he knew something special about how to make those note-by-note choices that make the difference between monotony and magic.

And, lucky us, he shares that knowledge.

Melody in songwriting:tools and techniques for writing hit s
I've read lots of books related to songwritings and I must say, that, this book is one of a melody builder book. It will give you clearer and more focus and guidance for a step by step melodius song result. It's one book for everyone who would like to know that such a melody or a melody for a song is a soul, and each soul will match sometime only for one song alone.

TRIPLE-A FOR "STUCK" SONGWRITERS!
Jack Perricone is a great admirer (and practitioner!) of the pop song, and in this book he outlines successful strategies for songwriters to get back IN the groove, or to break OUT of their writing "ruts". Granted, this material may seem rather "heady" at times, and less intuitive than we like to think creativity is, but when you need a jumpstart to get back on track, you'll be glad to have this assortment of options at hand. Although this book is nominally about Melody only, the author includes all other song components as they interact, and provides a fresh perspective and analysis on how and why certain songs reach us and connect with the public. There's as much respect shown toward rock and blues songs as more traditional pop, and a lot of very valuable stuff for writers of ALL styles of songs. ... Read more

Book Description

For those interested in learning and honing the art and craft of creative playwriting! With an infectious enthusiasm for the theater, Catron presents the basic principles of playwriting, including plot, dialogue, and character development, as well as the more complex issues of creating multi-dimensional characters and writing stageworthy plays that will attract producers, directors, actors, and audiences. Throughout, he sprinkles examples from classical and modern plays, provides exercises for sharpening and developing skills, and offers practical guidelines on working with actors and directors, getting produced and published, and finding an agent. Favoring concrete advice over theory, The Elements of Playwriting is an invaluable resource for both beginning and advanced playwrights and for anyone involved in the art and craft of theater. Special features: 1) provides step-by-step techniques for improving a play; 2) includes information about copyright, agents, organizations, and references; and 3) offers end-of-chapter exercises for fine-tuning creative application of topics discussed. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Catron helped get my play on stage
I completed the first draft of my play "American Brass" back in 1999. It was pretty awful. Then, I found this wonderful book by Prof. Catron. Following the guidelines and inspiration contained in his book I eventually transformed the draft into a stageworthy script.

Before reading his up front advice "Don't show anyone your first draft", I had given a reader a look at the play. The reader, an experienced theater person, tried to be helpful with constructive comments, which I came to understand after reading Catron's book meant - I had no plot, my characters were flat and I was writing narrratives rather than dialogue.

This book provides a clear understandable guide to the structure and dynamics of a successful play and how to write one. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.. and before each rewrite review Caron's book for insight and inspiration.

There's also practical advice - look to get your play on stage not necessarily on Broadway. So I had a high school do a reading and then a church group and now I have the area community theater interested in a full production.

Thank you Prof. Catron

CORE TEXTBOOK FOR THE SERIOUS PLAYWRIGHT
I am a Midwestern physician by day and fledgling playwright by night. One year ago I decided to take an idea to paper and wrote my first play. The story was clear in my mind so the writing went easy. Within six weeks I had completed a rough first draft. At this point I ventured over to the local bookstore to see what books they had on playwriting. There were several, but Louis Catron's The Elements of Playwriting caught my immediate attention. Standing there, I skimmed the contents then read a few pages. The book was full of pearls gleaned obviously from a lifetime of experience in the theater. I bought the book and ordered a coffee to read more, (isn't that the way it always happens?)

Catron goads our left and right brains into action in ten chapters that range from how to get the play started, formatting the text and incorporating Aristotle's six elements of live theater into the work, to suggestions on getting your work published and performed. Various exercises to get the point across are used along the way. The book is a joy to read; a superb "nuts and bolts" treatise for the novice and veteran writer alike. I pick up something new each time I read it. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on how to be a playwright, involving as much with how one "thinks" as what ones "does."

In my opinion, Louis Catron's The Elements of Playwriting is the best book on the subject out there. It helped me complete my play and make it a more polished work. The book would be perfect as the main textbook in any college playwriting class. Louis Catron's "Elements" certainly "plays in the heartland!"

BEST OF THE BEST
I am delighted to see this wonderful title in print again. Unlike many playwriting books on the market today, Catron's guide deals in specifics rather than in mumbo jumbo or vague generalities. (And, from an aesthetic point of view, this reprint edition boasts a far more attractive cover than did the original first edition (hardcover) or the previous paperback edition.)

Dr. Catron deals with being a playwright, the characteristics of plays, turning ideas into plays, creating characters, building plot, constructing dialogue, evaluation and revision, script format, and resources for playwrights. Seven of the ten chapters conclude with excellent exercises designed to get the reader WRITING.

A note of constructive criticism: While the chapter on formatting the script is better than most, I would have liked to have seen it go into even greater detail. Even so, I can recommend this book without reservation and have given copies of it to friends who have become as enthusiastic about it as I.

Not Just For Playwrights!
Don't let the title deceive you - this is a masterly guide for all fiction writers. Catron's insights into creating characters, building plots, constructing dialogue, overcoming writer's block, finding inspiration, and turning ideas into plays apply to all forms of dramatic writing.
Catron is both a playwright and a professor, and this is reflected in his conversational, yet erudite, writing style. He covers the practical aspects of shaping stories from the artisan's point of view, and the intellectual concerns of literature from the scholar's.
The book begins with perhaps the most useful chapter on 'becoming a writer' of any 'how to' book on the market. If you've ever abandoned a work halfway through, despairing over where to go to next, or if you've ever questioned why you even bother to write fiction, then this chapter offers the solution. Catron asks that you begin with the statement 'These things I believe' - what you subsequently write will form your 'Personal Credo'. This will help you define your attitudes, beliefs and passions, and help you find enough thematic material to drive your future work. The 'Credo' is the first step to finding your individual voice, and a treasure-trove that you will plunder endlessly for the rest of your writing days. This first chapter alone makes the book worth owning.
Another great chapter is 'Turning Your Ideas into Plays', again, applicable to all fiction writing. Catron analyses ideas as one of three basic types: character, situation or thematic. From there, he takes you through a series of exercises to help nourish your 'seed' into a full-grown fictional work. Along the way, he provides relevant examples from the masters to help you visualise your own work. In fact, the book is peppered throughout with entertaining and relevant quotes from writers to inspire the beginner and to provoke thought on pertinent subjects.
The remaining chapters deal with character, dialogue and plot building, revising and re-evaluating your work, resources for playwrights, and proper script format. I recommend this book, not only for playwrights, but also for those interested in putting some direction in their work.

Excellent for Bare-Bones Structure
Catron's latest shares excellent information concerning the basics of playwriting. The finest well-known playwriting instructor of our time, this book is second only to Catron's first (also available here), and one that can only be gotten via private distribution. Uh oh. I just realized I wrote a review for this a year ago. ... Read more

Book Description

Lighting is a blend of the aesthetic and the technical that can create an infinite number of dramatic effects. Good lighting design completes the emotional and literal portrayals of any performance piece, accenting words, music, and movement. Stage Lighting Revealed explains what designers need to know when creating or executing an effective lighting design, including: understanding the basic functions of lighting and the qualities of light used to carry out these functions; understanding the equipment that will be used, including its mechanics and functions; deciding what they want to create, or say, with lighting; laying out the visual messages they wish to convey; creating original interpretations with light; determining how the design can be executed. Cunningham s reader-friendly introduction to stage lighting and design is ideal for getting prospective lighting designers started on their own journey. Readers are encouraged to experiment and tap their creativity by selecting from the processes and techniques detailed throughout the book. Many diagrams, charts, and photographs complement and enhance the concepts presented in the text. Among the topics discussed are: using color to play to the audience s emotions; what to consider when you place instruments in the five basic lighting positions; breaking a performance into lighting moments, laying the lighting design, and bringing that design to life; using and maintaining the many types of stage lighting fixtures; commonsense troubleshooting; stretching your lighting budget; pulling off a successful load-in, production, and postproduction. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The only lighting foundations book you need!
Stage Lighting Revealed: A Design and Execuation Handbook is absolutely perfect for both the novice or the experienced lighting technician/designer. Because the book covers all three aspects of stage lighting, it is absolutely perfect as a book of foundations for theatrical lighting. All sections are explained clearly and in great detail, assisted by the use of comprehensive photographs, diagrams and illustrations. As well, it is not outdated like many other lighting books on the market. For anyone interested in theatrical lighting, YOU NEED THIS BOOK!

WOW! Amazing Introduction
Recommended to both beginner and intermediate users in stage lighting, this book is what got me started! After reading tons of other books and finding myself nowhere, this book revealed everything. A++

A most helpful introduction to the basics of Stage Lighting
I knew pretty nothing about stage lighting beyond making sure you were in the lights when acting on stage, so when I was suddenly teaching a Drama class and putting on one-acts for the entire school, I knew I needed big time help. Glen Gunningham's handbook was exactly what I needed, a clear and concise primer. Part I deals with Lighting Design, covering the basics of design layout, color and positions. Part II details the Equipment of the trade, from Lamps to Par Lights to Followspots, Ellipsoidal and Fresnel Spotlights, Scoops and Striplights, as well as basics on electricity, wiring and special effects. Part III focuses on Lighting the Show going through all the stages of production. Above all, Cunningham explains the basics so that even beginners like me can get the job done and not embarrass ourselves in public. "Stage Lighting Revealed" helped me big time.

Almost Perfect
I'm still searching for the perfect lighting design book, but Stage Lighting Revealed is as close as I have seen. It's small and lightweight, (and inexpensive) and packed with practical information. It covers everything from the fundamentals of electricity to state-of-the-art equipment. It would be nice if it had a bit more information on specific lighting techniques, but with the amount of clear, practical information in this book, I can't complain. A perfect book for beginners and intermediate designers alike.

Explains the basics well, lots of great easy-to-find info
Stage Lighting Reavealed ,by Glen Cunningham, is the most comprehensive, well-written Stage Lighting Book I've seen. It was easy to bury myself in a large chair for a couple hours and read this book. I recommend it to anyone who is at all interested or involved in stage lighting, especially young people and beginners who want to learn about the subject. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A Romp Through Georgian London
This book is of interest to anyone who cares about 18th century England but it also could work well for someone looking for an introduction to those extraordinary days.The struggle to survive has never been more acutely portrayed than in this remarkable and yet true story of a daughter spurned by a famous but cold hearted father.You will laugh and cry with and about Charlotte but you cannot come away from this book without a deep appreciation for just how easy our lives are today. ... Read more

Book Description

A landmark work in the study of Black theater and drama, African American Theatre offers the first comprehensive history of a major cultural phenomenon until now too often neglected.In this fast-paced investigation, Hay seeks out the origins of Black theater in social protest, as envisioned by W.E.B. Dubois, and as a formal branch of arts theater.Divided between these opposing forces--the activist and the artistic--Black theater, Hay argues, faced conflicts of identity whose traces still haunt the medium today. African American Theatre thus offers a means of locating Black theater in the larger context of American theater and in the continuum of African American history from the nineteenth century to the present--and in doing so offers a profile of dramatic expression shaped and scarred by the forces of repression, of self-affirmation, and of subversion.Sweeping in scope, original in approach and provocatively written, this important book mines the origins and influences directing Black theater, while charting a course for its future survival. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Definitely worthwhile
African American Theatre: An Historical and Critical Analysis", by Samuel A. Hay, is a must for every theatre enthusiast who has long realized that general works on Theater History show an appalling lack in dealing with the contribution of the African American community to theatre (like so many other 'histories'!). The first two chapters of Hay's book provide a very dense history of African American theatre from 1898 to the present and correspond to the two major schools of African American theatre: the Black Experience School of Drama, and the Black Arts School of Drama, the first based on Alain Locke's philosophy, the second on the teachings of sociologist William E. B. DuBois.The classification of the two schools into periods, classes and subclasses gets very confusing very fast, but Hay provides a helpful outline of the divisions at the beginning of his book.I admit that Hay's system of classification presented a problem for me: I have never liked people putting everything into preconceived little boxes.This first part of the book is very informative, but also extremely dense. The last three chapters of Hay's book comprise the 'critical analysis' portion, which simultaneously works as a very passionate appeal to African American theatre enthusiasts/students to persevere and help keep African American theatre alive.

I definitely recommend this book to all African American theatre students and to everyone else who is seriously interested in all aspects of theatre history, and who has long suspected that there might be more to African American theatre than "A Raisin in the Sun". It's not easy reading, but definitely worthwhile.

Definitely worthwhile
African American Theatre: An Historical and Critical Analysis", by Samuel A. Hay, is a must for every theatre enthusiast who has long realized that general works on Theater History show an appalling lack in dealing with the contribution of the African American community to theatre (like so many other 'histories'!). The first two chapters of Hay's book provide a very dense history of African American theatre from 1898 to the present and correspond to the two major schools of African American theatre: the Black Experience School of Drama, and the Black Arts School of Drama, the first based on Alain Locke's philosophy, the second on the teachings of sociologist William E. B. DuBois.The classification of the two schools into periods, classes and subclasses gets very confusing very fast, but Hay provides a helpful outline of the divisions at the beginning of his book.I admit that Hay's system of classification presented a problem for me: I have never liked people putting everything into preconceived little boxes.This first part of the book is very informative, but also extremely dense. The last three chapters of Hay's book comprise the 'critical analysis' portion, which simultaneously works as a very passionate appeal to African American theatre enthusiasts/students to persevere and help keep African American theatre alive.

I definitely recommend this book to all African American theatre students and to everyone else who is seriously interested in all aspects of theatre history, and who has long suspected that there might be more to African American theatre than "A Raisin in the Sun". It's not easy reading, but definitely worthwhile. ... Read more