2 comments about 50 Professional Scenes for Student Actors: A Collection of Short 2 Person Scenes.

1. As a Drama Teacher, I'm always on the lookout for new scene material. An Actor/Teacher friend recommended this book, so I sent for it. The scenes are short and have at least a few levels in each - enough to spend valuable class time on. Good stuff.



2. Great book for middle school students with excellent pieces for Declamation Contest and auditions.

No comments about Bodas de sangre (Letras Hispanicas).

5 comments about The Winter's Tale (Folger Shakespeare Library).

1. I'm from England and I'm studying this play for A level (as a mature student - normally taken when aged 17) but although the UK is the home of 'The Bard' this item is not available in the UK! I'm very impressed with Amazon.com who delivered it quickly and cheaply!
   
   The CD itself is great. It really helps to hear the play, as the intonation is correct, which is sometimes difficult to do when reading it yourself.
   
   The actors' voices are clear and suit their parts perfectly. I'd definitely recommend it - and I will look out for more titles in this series when I've finished studying this one!



2. Although this play is not one of Shakespeare's better known plays, it is one of his very best. It is a tragicomedy suffused by gentle melancholy. Unreasonable and cruel jealousy are also portrayed. We also have two endearing young lovers to liven up the story. These characters are very well-drawn, and the story is quite beautiful.



3. I have always favoured the Oxford Shakespeare series over others (Folger, etc), and the Winter's Tale is no exception. It's translation notes and lexigraphical assistance makes reading a joy and brings out the true heart and soul of one of Shakespeare's commonly overlooked tragi-comedies.



4. As usual in Shakespearean plays, the language here is very prettily written. As usual in Shakespearean comedies, there are plot holes that one could easily drive a tank squadron through. But since this is not just a comedy, but a tragicomedy, in which the first part is a tragedy and the second a comedy, not everything comes out well in the end: some worthy characters die. Also, as is usual for Shakespeare, we have a morality play on the evils of jealousy and closed-mindedness. Really, though, other than the pretty Shakespearean turns of phrase, there isn't much to recommend this book.



5. Early compilers of Shakespeare's plays classified this a comedy, but there is much tragedy in it. Later it was called a romance. Through irrational jealousy a king is apparently responsible for the deaths of his entire family -- wife, son and daughter -- by mid-play. Time is a character in the play and at his one appearance summarizes the passage of sixteen years. If you have an overy high regard for realism, you may not much enjoy this play, but that will be true of more of Shakespeare than just this one tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
   
   I look forward to seeing it. I've ordered the BBC DVD and it's being performed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2006. These Cambridge School editions have the play's text on right-hand pages; they have summary, commentary and exercises, and vocabulary on the facing left-hand pages. As I read through the play, I'd read the summary, read the play text paying attention to vocabulary, and then read the commentary and exercises. Some additional, unusual vocabulary was only explained in the commentary. I felt I got a deeper understanding of the play than if I had just read the play proper.mmary, commentary and exercises, and vocabulary on the facing left-hand pages. As I read through the play, I'd read the summary, read the play text paying attention to vocabulary, and then read the commentary and exercises. Some additional, unusual vocabulary was only explained in the commentary. I felt I got a deeper understanding of the play than if I had just read the play proper.

5 comments about Illustrated Theatre Production Guide.

1. A very good look at stage craft management. Pleasingly
   technical and to the point. Good stuff.



2. There are a few grammar and even mathematical mistakes in the book, but overall it does its job.



3. John Holloway's stagecraft textbook, "Illustrated Theatre Production Guide", is an excellent introductory text to basic scenery construction and stage work. The text is clear and succinct with carefully drawn illustrations providing instructions on the use and operation of stage equipment and the construction of useful scenic elements. Mr. Holloway's direct manner of writing makes the book very readable and easily accessible to students of theatre technology. The information included is thorough and very valid for any theatre program and the volume will prove to be a solid reference text for any technical theatre program. It has proven to be successful in the classroom and helpful to the beginning as well as the seasoned stage practitioner. The illustrations are particularly helpful in further clarifying scenery construction and operations. I recommend this text for any beginning or advanced stagecraft class.



4. Have you ever been interested in theatre production? Then this is one book you should definately read. It contains thorough instructions on the construction of modern scenery and discusses these topics with a wry humour. The topics of this book are broad and range from welding steel frames to the use of styrofoam forms to replicate stone structures. Holloway starts each section with an explanation of the tools that are commonly used and why. The "why" part of this book gives you the information necessary to synthesize your own new ways of construction and create anything you can imagine.



5. John Holloway's book Illustrated Theatre Production Guide is a great choice for any novice or skilled person wishing to take their creative ideas and put them on the stage. The practical advice provides a step by step guide to constructing the basic set pieces like platforms, flats, steps etc. Illustrated pictures of each step make the amateur or professional set designer able to construct their designs with little or no technical knowledge. It's the "Set Construction for Dummies" answer for the beginner and the "go to" book for the educated.
   I was a theatre major in college 20 years ago and if I had a book with this kind of information, in a step by step, illustrated guide, it would have made my life so much easier! It is a book to own.

   This book represents a life time of knowledge of practical technical theatre information. It doesn't treat you like you should already know this information. It is easy to read and spells out the smallest of details so that if you have never picked up a hammer you can use this to construct your design.

   If I could only buy one book to instruct me as a "How to guide" this would be it.

3 comments about Meeting of Minds : The Complete Scripts, With Illustrations, of the Amazingly Successful PBS-TV Series - Series I.

1. This is a must hear for all Americans. Thought provoking, globally analytical, it is a positive tribute to the brilliance of Mr. Allen.



2. this book alone with its companion cassettes tapes should be required study in every school and drama class in the u.s. the scope and depth of its humor and ideals are simply extrodinary. if there is anyone who 'thinks' history must be dull or doubts mr. allen's intellectual brilliance then this book is for you. you will not regret the experience. find the vhs tapes of these programs if you can.



3. this book [alone with its companion cassette tapes or VHS-TAPES] should be required study in every school in america; and maybe drama classes as well. steve allen's take on history and great historical personalities and ideals is truly stunning in its humor, brilliance, scope and insight. you will not soon forget its impact. [get the cassette tapes if you can] if you are fortunate the vidio tapes even more so.

5 comments about Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978 to 1986.

1. Just finished reading GOING TO PIECES and thought it was a good but not great book on slasher films. It's very well written with good detail (such as release dates, budgets, how much they made, behind-the-scenes trivia, etc.) but in most cases doesn't give any new information that hasn't already been printed elsewhere. Some films are mentioned only by title while others are given more description. The book also goes beyond 1986 and dedicates it's last chapter to the resurgence of the slasher film in the late 1990's. There are just over 100 black and white photos and a bibliography and brief description of other books related to horror and slasher films. The only drawback is that the author gives away the identity of the killer or killers when describing the films and the only major mistake I noticed was in chapter 4 when Rockoff references ALIEN he mentions how "an alien spawn bursts from the chest of crew member William Hurt." It was of course John Hurt who was in ALIEN.



2. After meeting Rockoff I picked up his book. I expected it would be filled with references that fans would appreciate. What I found was so much more, as Going to Pieces is one of the more thoroughly researched books about any film genre that I have read. Rockoff's interviews are fresh and he tracked down a lot of people whose contributions have largely gone unnoticed. What's more, Rockoff's style is unpretentious and often very, very funny. I loved this book and if you want to go beyond the films and filmmakers every other book or magazine cites, then this book if for you, too.



3. Loved this book! Lots of interesting factoids about many of the stand-out Slasher-thrillers from the 70s/80s, and plenty on the ones barely seen. Rockoff knows his stuff and shares it in what was for me a nostalgic, breezy read. As others have written, I would've preferred a longer, more extensive guide with a larger number of stills, (and color would've been nice), but all-in-all
   a much needed addition to any Horror-geek's library. If you love drive-in classics like 'The Burning', 'Silent Night, Deadly Night', and 'Nightmare', pick this one up.



4. Upon first appearance I have to admit, I felt somewhat cheated. The book was smaller than I'd pictured it would be for a hardbound, there wasn't a dust jacket, and it looked pretty lean considering the audacity of its title. I was hopeful upon ordering but disappointed in "presentation," otherwise I would have given this book a 5-Star Rating. The reason I give this book the other four stars is because this author knows exactly what he is talking about! The thought and attention to detail are absolutely amazing: an absolutely delightful and juicy read! I'm a longtime fan of slasher films, merely for their entertainment value, of course, :0}, and have contributed to this particular genre personally on more than one occasion. Hardcore fans of the 'slasher genre' should, and will, crave this book as though it were 'the law' of the subject! Trust me, trust me, trust me, having experienced this genre firsthand, both inside and out, you will not find a better reference for this unique list of sub genre horror films! This book is the first truthful, forthright, and unbiased look at a mini-genre that was despised publicly but loved inwardly. And, despite the supposedly 'lurid' premise of its subject matter, it never strays from being 'politically correct'. A+



5. This thoroughly entertaining book is a must for any fan of the horror/slasher genre. Author, Adam Rockoff, has compiled an impressive list of slasher films, both the well known and the little seen. Rockoff offers detailed information for the majority of the films he has listed in the book, including plot synopsis, behind the scenes anecdotes, quotes and stories from those involved in making the movies. The author is not afraid to offer his own opinions (both good and bad) of each film as well. The book is filled with lots of photographs as well, although curiously, none are color photos.There is even a list of films that go by multiple titles at the back of the book. This book has inspired me to search out many of the films reviewed within which I haven't yet seen. If I have a quibble (and it is a small one) it would be that in Mr. Rockoff's breakdown of each film's plot, he reveals (and quite logically so) the film's ending, possibly spoiling some of the tension for you if you haven't yet seen the film. Also of note: at 214 pages, some may feel that the book's [$$] pricetag is a bit steep. That aside, this is a great reference guide for anyone who appreciates a little blood and guts with their popcorn.

5 comments about Buried Child.

1. It's clear to see why Buried Child won the 78-79 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play borders on theatre of the absurd with it's illogical circumstances, and bizarre plot. We learn soon that a baby was buried, but we are entertained as the story processes and unfolds through the eyes of this dysfunctional family. The conflict is between the need to reveal the truth, and refusal to speak about the truth. A visitor to the home causes the revealing of the truth.
   
   
   Dodge is a sickly 70ish year old drinker, smoker and frequently has violent coughing outbursts. Married to Halie, 65 year old, they have 3 boys. Halie spends time (tipsy time) with the church Father.
   
   Tilden, the oldest, shows up after 20 years, spent time in jail and got run out of New Mexico. Tilden was an All-American quarterback or fullback, the family can't remember which. Now he is mixed up in the head and can't take care of himself.
   
   Bradley, they determine isn't very bright; he chopped his leg with a chainsaw. Bradley has serious conflict with Dodge.
   
   And Ansel, the soldier who died in a motel, on his honeymoon with the Catholic Italian girl, the mob. Haley swears he was doomed when he married her. Ansel played basketball and could have made money, could have taken care of Dodge and Halie.
   
   Father Dewis just tries to mediate. For Halie, he would erect a statue of Ansel with a rifle in one hand and a basketball in the other.
   
   Vince, the grandson, Tilden's son arrives after 6 years and nobody recognizes him. He is symbolic of the buried unwanted child.
   
   Shelly, Vince's girlfriend is thrust into this bizarre scenario, and it is she who becomes the focus of the unveiling truth of the child.
   
   The most prominent symbolism in Buried Child is the rain, and how the vegetables in the field have grown. The rain is mentioned a lot, and it serves to be the nuturing of the vegetables, like nuturing the family for the truth.
   
   This play is brilliant, engaging, and very entertaining. The dialogue is real, paces well and there are a few lengthy monologues. Like good literature, it requires a second reading. Don't skip that.......MzRizz



2. Shephard's 1995 revision of his play that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1979 builds tension for two acts and dissipates it in the third. If it is "symbolic," the symbols are opaque. There is the trademark Shephard old crank (Dodge), sons who don't get along (Tilden and Bradley), outbreaks of smashed crockery, and a young man unsuccessfully seeking recognition (Vince). There is also a blatantly unfaithful wife (Halie) and a nervous younger woman (Vince's girlfriend Shelly). Their ennui and ambivalences are on the family's "old home place" in Illinois rather than in a desert that mirrors the desolation of the fissioned nuclear family.

   The play can be read(/performed) as comedy rather than existentialist tragedy, especially since it sputters out rather than achieving catharsis. It seems to me that Harold Pinter's "The Homecoming" is a more effective vision of a similar return "home" to a viper's next and that the third act of "Buried Child" would be better if Shelly established her dominance rather than Vince inheriting the place after Dodge's (perhaps unreliable) confession.




3. There might be some people who tend to think of Buried Child as an elusive play, for there are a lot of actions they don't quite understand. Nevertheless, I think something is weird because Shepard's focus is not simply on the realistic level, but on the symbolic level as well. The backyard in this play, for one, is conveying this two-fold level. On the one hand, it is physically a backyard as many people have in real life. It is, on the other, a mysterious place inasmuch as there is no detailed description of the place, yet a few significant events all so happen to take place at the backyard. That is, growing crops and burying the child is all relating to the backyard. In my opinion, there are many other actions and events that have such a two-fold meaning in this play.



4. Buried Child is a story of coming home and coming to terms with the past. Sheppard's use of visual imagery and his mastery of simple, stark, but powerful dialog make this one of the better modern American plays. 5 men, 2 women, one set.



5. A courageous work that deserved the Pulitzer. It's American Theater of the Absurd at its best.

   The familes dysfunction is depicted in a disturbing climax. The title depicts the family's metaphorical "skeletons in the closet" in a quite literal way.

   Be prepared, this is not your usual drama. If you enjoy the absurd, you've come to the right place.

1 comments about Music Publishing 101.

1. A good solid guide with new and old information about success in the music industry. This guide doesn't spike in any area but is an overall excellent book covering al the aspects of music industry success. Starting from copyright issues to aggressive promoting and finishing with the management of funds this book has all the aspects explained in an easy structure and accessible language. I recommend this book for anyone that wants to start a career in music and doesn't have a clue about the insides of the industry .

3 comments about Four by Sondheim (A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum).

1. The scrips are just like what you would get if you cot just one. more than 600 pages of pure script. I love it!



2. This book is amazing. It has almost everything that you could want in a book like this. What does it include do you ask? WELL! It includes the scripts to A Funny Thing happened on the way to the Forum, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Tood, and Sunday in the Park With George. In addition to that it also has Original Hirschfeld drawings, Lyrics to cut songs and where they would go in the script, Costume Designs, Production Photos, Cast Lists from Original, Touring and Revival Casts, and also the discography for each of the shows. My only question... Where is volume two??? I would like to see the following shows put into a collaborative edition like this: Into the Woods, Assassins, Company and Follies. WOOO Amazing and entertaining. Recommend this to all musical lovers everywhere!



3. While I have all four of these books in Paperback and therefore have had no need to buy this book I have looked through this book and I think buying this one is a MUCH better idea than buying them seperately. This book includes pictures, Drawings by Al Hirschfield, Cut-Lyrics and more. All four of the shows are purely genius and provide you with laughter while provoking thoughts. This is a must for all Sondheim fans and musical fans and anyone interested in 4 great shows: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sunday in the Park With George,Sweeny Todd, and A Little Night Music.

2 comments about Technical Design Solutions for Theatre (The Technical Brief Collection, Volume 1) (The Technical Brief Collection).

1. besides the good ideas, there's a section for beginning Hydraulics. enough to get you started and make a functioning set piece.



2. Great resource! Everyone in Production has borrowed them to source info or browse through on breaks. Every so often you just need to shake up the brain and these volumes cover such a wide range of topics that even if its not your department the problem solving has great crossover potential. Excellent addition to any Technical library.