5 comments about La dama del alba.

1. this was a school book for spanish literature class, it wasn't the proper book this is the more complicated play version used for actors, but it was still quite good.



2. Spanish literature has this strange fascination with death. This play, not a book like some below have called it, is one of the best I have read, having just finished many plays from the Romanticism era. This play has two major themes, acceptence of death and letting things from the past go. Greatly reccomended! Enjoy the read!



3. I read this play in a college Spanish class. The play was very good, and It really motivated me to figure out what was being said. Reading Spanish literature is a great way to learn Spanish, this is a must read for anyone who is learning Spanish.



4. This play is a masterpiece of the Spanish language. The play is inspiring, rich in the use of the language and a precise reflection of the people of Asturias (a region in Northern Spain). I fully recommend it. There is no reason for anybody educated not to like it (unless you're from Newton, MA, you're name is Alan Flamerwald and you don't know how to write nor read in Spanish). Please, read the play and judge.



5. This play is captivating and is a fun and interesting way to learn Spanish. If I didn't understand a word, or sentence I raced to find out what was being said so that I could understand crucial plot events. I couldn't put it down until the end. Wonderful!

1 comments about The Articulate Voice: An Introduction to Voice and Diction (4th Edition).

1. This book has helped increase my vocabulary and improve my diction greatly, I heartily recommend.

3 comments about Lost Illusions: American Cinema in the Shadow of Watergate and Vietnam, 1970-1979 (History of the American Cinema, V. 9).

1. The 70's is part of the landmark series created and edited by Charles H. Harpole. Each volume covers about a decade and was conceived as a readable scholarly history, each with the same coverage: the stylistic, technological, and economic factors of American feature, documentary, and avant garde cinema. The goal is to be comprehensive, judicious, and well researched without losing the love of the movies. The illustrations are particularily good in that they are often real frame enlargements or are not published elsewhere. The U.Calif. Press paperbacks are reproductions of the Scribner $70 hardbacks and thus are a bargain.
   Look for the other 9 books of the Series and enjoy!



2. Of the volumes in the excellent History of the American Cinema series, this is the best by far. Cook provides a superb, balanced overview of the film industry in the 1970s, considering practically every aspect of the topic--from the economics of the industry to the production trends to even the distribution and innovations in film technology. For any serious student of film history, this is a must read!



3. David A. Cook's volume Lost Illusions contributes Volume 9 to the ongoing History of the American Cinema series, covering the period from 1970-79 when American cinema operated against the social conditions of Vietnam and Watergate. The rise of film conglomerates is charted along with new filmmaking techniques.

No comments about The House of Bernarda Alba / La Casa de Bernado Alba: Methuen Student Edition (Methuen World Classics).

4 comments about The Shuberts Present: 100 Years of American Theater.

1. Any theatre buff will think he or she has died and gone to hog heaven. It is virtually impossible to put this gorgeous book down. Put together by the archivists who work for the Shubert Organization, this book covers Broadway with the Shuberts for the past 100 years. Currently the Organization owns 17 Broadway houses. A history of each theatre and what has played there is covered on these pages. The photography and beautiful design make this one of the best coffee table size books I have ever seen. And I have quite a collection. You won't regret your purchase!



2. An amazing book that I couldn't put down. The Shuberts have compiled a great tribute to Broadway theater. It's worth the money if you are a theater history buff!



3. As far as I know, no Shubert family members contributed or added to the writing of this book. As a result, I disagree with the title, The SHUBERTS Present: 100 Years of American Theater. It should read: The Shubert Foundation Presents:

   With a little research the author could have located our small family around the country to interview or get a thumbs up to fly.

   Also, I don't think the Shubert Foundation "IS A GOOD THING", as mentioned in the end of the book. Consider the dark,sinister,devious and backstabbing individuals within the organization, taking over The Shubert Theaters after the very untimely and questionable death of J.J. Shubert.

   The lawyers that once worked for the Shuberts now represented the "Foundation" garanteed the family would never have anything financially to do with the theaters again.

   Think about it, what family would merrily walk away from Three Quarter's of a Billion dollars...Unless they were scared or frightened?

   I believe the young Grandchildren of J.J. have a right to know the tragic truth regarding the takeover of their rightful dynasty. Someday soon I will tell them the story of their Grandpa and Great Grandpa and theaters they built. The most spectacular art forums in this country.

   After the Curtan Closed...

   Life continues along a much different path.




4. I purchased this book shortly after its publication and it has fast become a treasured element in my collection.

   The publication (yes, I know it's a bit pricey) covers all of the theatres currently owned and operated by the Shubert Organization in New York City (and a few across the country).

   The beautiful, full-colour spreads give details that the average theatre-goer would not be able to see in a visit. History abounds in the richly detailed text that encompasses 100 years of American theatrical history.

   There are many production photos that add to the story that each individual house holds in its history. Many of these shots are previously unpublished or are quite rare to say the least.

   I can fully recommend this book to any person who holds a love of the theatre and/or the unique architecture that composes this luxurious world.

   Note: The Winter Garden Theatre does not have a large spread of, shall we say, post Cats-era photographs (the way it would look today). I wish that the publishers could have waited a few months to get the new shots, it is a beautiful house.

   All in all, I'm sure many will agree that the 5 star rating I gave the book is well merited. Don't let the price scare you, the endless hours of great reading and history will make the cost seem minimal.

No comments about Dance Words (Choreography and Dance Studies , Vol 8).

5 comments about Pictures in My Head.

1. Because I had written a few blog entries complaining about the popularity of the my-horrible-childhood genre of books someone suggested I read this book. I knew Byrne as an actor but little else about him but his skill as a writer and a storyteller is equally evident. The story of his growing up years in Dublin is charming and told with affection and humor --- such a refreshing change from other recent books about Irish childhoods! Byrne's youth was neither better nor worse than other such stories but the warmth of his narration made the story so much more believable.
   
   His stories about his beginnings as an actor, his anecdotes about his fellow actors, and his love of the people of Ireland is told with wit, amusement and a tenderness that allows the reader to see into the lives of others through the eyes of someone who seems a genuinely warm and loving person --- not something often found in Hollywood memoirs. I particularly loved the little vignettes of his fellow actors including Liam Neeson, Michael Cain (whose mother couldn't understand why no one hung out laundry in Hollywood), and his ex-wife Ellen Barkin. In fact, I was so charmed by the quality of the narration that I bought the audio book just so I could hear his lovely Irish brogue as he told the stories. What a treat that was! He has a gift for narration that made me think I was actually listening to Richard Burton, the cast of "The Quiet Man", and one utterly lovely story told in the voice of a "tinker", one of the traveling people of Ireland.
   
   This is a beautiful, warm collection of stories told with affection and humor that gives the reader insight into a world few of us get to see and even more insight into the character of a genuinely loving and admirable writer.



2. "Pictures in My Head" demonstrates Gabriel Byrne's uncanny ability to convey the essence of time and place with an economy of words. This slim volume of vignettes from Mr. Byrne's life transports the reader from his early childhood through his success in Hollywood as an adult until 1995.
   
   Mr. Byrne's writing is unique and lyrical. His style of writing mimics the disjointed, natural flow of internal thinking, jumping from one fragment of an idea to another. For that reason, in addition to vocabulary and cultural references unfamiliar to the American reader, the text is sometimes difficult to digest upon first reading. Many passages require a second pass, but upon re-reading I found myself effectively transported into Mr. Byrne's world. The title of the book "Pictures in My Head" perfectly embodies the essence of what this book is about.
   
   The stories from the early part of Mr. Byrne's life are particularly enthralling. The retelling of events of his early childhood in Ireland include incredible detail. Mr. Byrne has the rare talent of recalling small details that most people wouldn't notice, much less recall. Rarer still is his ability to then take those small details, recount them and essentially capture a moment with words. However, I agree with another reviewer who found the second half of the book less satisfying. In addition to seeming a bit more rushed, Mr. Byrne's desire to protect the privacy of his friends, family and himself in the second half of the book unfortunately hinders his ability to write with the same freedom and compelling detail that made the first half of the book so captivating.
   
   Despite this criticism, the same honesty, intelligence and sensitivity that contribute to Mr. Byrne's success as an actor translates well into his foray as an author. "Pictures in My Head" is a compelling triumph. Gabriel Byrne's capacity for conveying the beauty and poignancy of life as a human being is remarkably gripping. I sincerely hope Mr. Byrne will continue to write.



3. This is a very sweet book, written by a wonderful actor. Sadly, it lacks a few things. Details, for one. It's very good in some places, and then it seems to rush on when you want to know more. And it jumps around like "Pride and Prejudice"...I had a hard time keeping track of where he was in his life.

   All in all, it's a nice story. However, if you read this and "Angela's Ashes" right tight together, you realize something. You realize that even though you thought at first that Gabriel had it kind of bad growing up, he is almost a spoiled little rich kid, compared to Frank McCourt. Let's see some real life, here!




4. I get the impression that Mr. Byrne is superbly sensitive to his surroundings and absorbs everything. I envy his photographic memory and ability to live completely in the moment. :o) This is the perfect book to curl up with under your favorite green soft blanket.



5. I must say this book really surprised me! I got it as a Christmas present last year, and I never expected it, because I had only been a Gabriel Byrne friend for about three months or so, but after I had read it, I felt I knew Gabriel personally. I have never met him, but I am longing to see him. The book is very well written, so I wonder why he doesn't write more. Probably because he doesn't have time... I'm awaiting his new film or book. Whatever it is, I'll buy it. Buy this book, you won't be disappointed. If you're a Byrne fan, it's a must! If you're not, after reading the book, you will be!

5 comments about A Guide to the Star Wars Universe.

1. This book is only good if you wish to increase your knowledge of the expanded universe, however if I were you I think I would wait on a new edition to come out, because it isn't fully updated from episodes 2 or 3. I do like it but, I Would rather rcomend the Essential guides to you for they are far more updated and have better detailed information



2. Because the "Star Wars Universe" this guide covers is as vast and populated as George Lucas' "galaxy far, far away," it's impossible for even the most prolific researcher/writer to keep up with all the new additions as books, games, collectibles and even animated episodes appear almost on a monthly basis. For even though the Star Wars canon (read, "official version") only includes the six filmed Episodes, their novelizations, and their direct off-shoots (such as the National Public Radio dramatizations and the Cartoon Network's Clone Wars miniseries), there are also tons of Lucasfilm-authorized Expanded Universe novels, comic books, and games (roleplaying and computer games) that have added planets, political entities, droids, weapons, spacecraft, alien and human characters that go beyond Lucas' filmed works.

   In some ways, Bill Slavicsek's 596 page A (as in A-3DO, a droid once owned by the Jedi Knight Andur Sunrider) to Z (ZZ-4Z, yet another droid, this time once Han Solo's mechanical housekeeper, last seen recovering from an attack by Boba Fett) book serves as a "poor man's Star Wars Encyclopedia," since the format is very similar and essentially covers the same territory -- down to the style of the entries -- as Steven J. Sansweet's more expensive and even more outdated (circa 1998) reference book.

   The Guide is, obviously, a must-have reference work, and Slavicsek has done an excellent job at compiling all the data from not only the first four filmed Episodes (the cutoff point in this edition for the movies is Episode I: The Phantom Menace) but also every licensed media release, including young reader books (The Glove of Darth Vader), comic books (Tales of the Jedi Knights, the Dark Empire series), and such forgotten (and forgetable) TV offerings as the Droids animated series.

   I don't know if there will be an interim Guide published by Ballantine Books before the release of Episode III next year; I had hoped to see a fourth edition this year that would cover Episode II and the New Jedi Order series after Vector Prime. Then again, Sansweet's more expensive Star Wars Encyclopedia has not been updated yet, so I am guessing the next editions of these two wonderful references will be released in a few years.




3. I got this book around the time it came out, and 3 years later it is still the first book I go to for Star Wars look ups. Its biggest problem is that it is dated and cuts off right after Vector Prime, so it is not much help for looking up things in the New Jedi Order. That being said, it is still very valid and apart from the NJO and various newer comic book series, it covers pretty much everything. This book is a must for any serious Star Wars reader, and I highly recommend it as such. I would like to see a new edition with up-to-date material released after Episode III comes out.



4. This book is a very nice work in the Star Wars universe, since it encompass not only the classic Trilogy, but also the new Trilogy and the New Republic facts. The only problems that I see in it are that the entries are very shor in some cases, missing some information and the illustrations are very poor in most of the cases. However, it is a good book for a Star Wars fan.



5. The Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy is a handy reference for any fan of the books and movies. Because it was published in the year 2000, it came after a wave of new books and a new movie, thus making it up to date up until that time.
   While not as complete as the Star Wars Encyclopedia, it has information that SWE did not cover. However, it does not contain the wealth of information that SWE has, and the illistrations are black and white, whereas the Encyclopeida's are color.
   The Guide covers new information in the Han Solo Trilogy, the X-Wing series, Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the New Jedi Order (Just Vector Prime) and several other novels.
   So, this is just right if you are a fan that likes up to date information.
   However,it is already out of date and does not contain everything that is new. There is nothing about the second and third parts of the X-Wing series, nothing beyond Vector Prime and several other books that are already out. Hopefully there'll be a new editon in the near future.

4 comments about Comedy Improvisation: Exercises and Technique for Young Actors.

1. While I'm sure Delton T. Horn has spent a lot of time in bars performing in front of drunks, he really doesn't seem to have a true grasp of the theatrical convention of improvisation. This book was a total waste of time and money.
   
   If you really are interested in the art of improvisation, buy "Truth in Comedy", "Impro for Storytellers", or "Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out".



2. As the title of this book suggests, it is intended to provide "Exercises and Technique for Young Actors." Everyone begins somewhere. Heaven knows I certainly did. However, if this book is all a young improv team uses to glean knowledge of the art, they will be sorely disappointed.

   The book begins with a lengthy explication of what improv comedy is and why it's important, but fails to stress important points like why it's bad to force a joke, or how to constitute a themed show. The author also warns young performers away from doing full shows of improv on the grounds that it would be too overwhelming for audiences. I've never heard such a thing.

   Most of the space in this book dedicated to exercises focuses on work for beginners, such as the mirror exercise. Granted, improv doyenne Viola Spolin, in the third edition of her classic "Improvisation for the Theatre," lists eleven different kinds of mirror exercise. However, each of Spolin's exercises is concise and straightforward, while Horn rambles on about why the exercise is important and how it's done correctly. Besides, compare Spolin's 416-page textbook to Horn's 144-page primer, and see which is allocating space most effectively.

   Horn also gives time and space to how to form a group, find work, secure good contracts, and protect copyright. These are all important issues for young performers, especially young performers who want to get paid for their work; but this takes away copy space from the specific how-to of performance. This is really meat for a separate book. Besides, young performers don't need to be told how to form groups, they'll partner up as skills develop and similar tastes and abilities become evident. The copyright information, moreover, is a decade out of date, and vague even when it was written.

   This book is not worthless. That must be stressed. Young performers who want to play at parties or for family and friends will be served well by this information, spare though it is. Too much more detail might overwhelm young performers with light goals and no outside mentor.

   However, as performers begin to seek outside their limited experience to deepen their performances, or as they seek professional work or recognition, this book will fail to suit their needs, and they will have to go to other resources if they don't want to have to go it alone. Good books like "Truth in Comedy" or "Improvisation for the Theatre" are more highly recommended for those who want to stick with this art over the long haul.




3. As "Whose Line Is It, Anyway?" becomes more popular, and more improv groups begin performing in high schools and colleges and bars, it's discouraging to think that many new performers will turn to books like this for guidance. Horn's guidelines promote gimmicky, self-serving, impatient, one-dimensional scenework. Audiences are better served by troupes who look to Spolin's "Improvisation for the Theatre," Johnstone's "Impro," Close & Halpern's "Truth In Comedy," and Napier's "Improvise!" for inspiration. The actors on "Whose Line?" only make it look easy-they've worked hard to get there. "Comedy Improvisation" is for troupes who's highest goal is to play for friends in a bar--not those who take making people laugh seriously.



4. A super book for anyonw wanting to get started in stand-up or even wanting to make every-day things a bit more funny. I reccomend it to anyone.

5 comments about Cabaret: The Illustrated Book and Lyrics.

1. I feel that the book is an excellent manual documenting the brilliant production of CABARET by one of the great theatrical directors of our times. Sam Mendes. It is readible; it's well laid out;includes personal comments and historical facts and notes/interviews; and is an interesting insight into how the show was staged including costume sketches, the conversion of the former NY Studio 54 into a "classy" cabaret, etc. The photographer brings all contents to life and the whole work borders on being a topnotched manual of all theatrical arts.



2. This book is absolutely delicious. It is filled with gorgeous, glossy photos of the entire beautiful cast, with lots of attention paid to my favorite, Alan Cumming. This book is a must have for any Cabaret fanatic. Even my roommate, who isn't really a fan, couldn't help but read it cover to cover! This book is breathtaking.



3. I just got this book. It is so neat. I couldn't stop reading it. I love Broadway shows, and this book tells so much that I want to know. The pictures in this book are also great! I have yet to see the show but this book almost makes you feel right in the theater. I fyou want a goog Braodway book, this is a VERY good choice!



4. This is the next best thing to seeing Cabaret in studio 54! Pictures of the Roundabout theater production light up this book and tells the story of the revived new musical. This book does not tell the story of the Liza Minelli version, or any of the other Cabaret versions, but of that of the revival. I have seen the new production in person, and can only say that this is the next best thing...and the book even has the whole libretto in it!



5. I've seen the movie, the revival, and I remember the original production with Joel Grey from my childhood....but nothing ever beats the book! A complete script, with stage directions and brilliantly captured moments of the play; a thick and hearty slice of life backstage at one of Broadway's most fun and intriguing shows-- get it now!