3 comments about How to Audition for TV Commercials: From the Ad Agency Point of View.

1. This was a great find. Easy and fun to read with a lot of great behind-the-scenes insights! If you're an actor who wants to make the audition process a lot less of a mystery--read this book!



2. W.L. Jenkins' How To Audition For TV Commercials From The Ad Agency Point Of View tells how to land TV commercials by understanding what ad agencies are really seeking. W.L. Jenkins is a former actor turned ad agency executive, so he's in a rare position to understand both sides of the table. From how commercials are created to understanding scripts and storyboards and adding elements to a presentation which will capture ad agency attention, How To Audition For TV Commercials is a necessary reference.



3. I have been buying books about auditioning for commercials for several years, as well as studying the craft. I have finally found THE book that has given me the tools to turn my auditions into jobs. The style of the book is witty, and relaxed, but very professional and hits the target of what I have been striving to accomplish. I am so thankful that someone finally got real, and shared the secrets to success in this field!!!

1 comments about The London Merchant.

1. The London Merchant has disappeared from the stage with little loss to modern audiences. As an example of Restoration drama, it is occasionally assigned reading for English majors. The critic Charles Lamb described it as a nauseous sermon.

   Nonetheless, George Lillo's play was a resounding success in London in the summer of 1731 and was apparently performed 179 times by 1776. Its repetitious moral lessons and its laudatory attitude toward commercial trade seemingly resonated with eighteenth century audiences.

   The London Merchant is based on a popular ballad that recalled a notorious criminal event from the previous century. The honest, young merchant apprentice George Barnwell was captivated by the charms of a calculating, amoral, woman of pleasure, Mrs. Millwood, and was persuaded to embezzle money from his employer. Murder follows.

   Why should a nauseous sermon rate three stars? The moralistic tone of The London Merchant clearly dates Lillo's work and would make it difficult to perform today. And yet, possibly this play remains fascinating to read simply because it is so foreign and so different.

   In talking about love of women, Barnwell says, "My youth and circumstances make such thoughts improper in me yet." Was such naivete credible? In facing execution, he calmly reasons: "Thus justice, in compassion to mankind, cuts off a wretch like me, by one such example to secure thousands from future ruin." We readers are intrigued with this insight into eighteenth century moralistic philosophy.

   The fifth act is unlike any that I have encountered. It prolongs the story to once again reiterate the moral lessons. The final eleven scenes include a lengthy sermon between Barnwell and his former master Thorowgood, a tearful good-bye between Barnwell and his close friend and fellow apprentice Trueman, a revelation that Maria had long loved him (if only he had only remain honest and moral), and a final visit with the unrepentant Millwood.

   The introduction and editing by William H. McBurney in the Regents Restoration Drama Series was quite good. The appendix includes an epilogue, a final scene (the execution), The Ballad of George Barnwell, and a chronology of the Restoration period.

No comments about Two Sisters and a Piano and Other Plays.

No comments about Classical Monologues: Women: Volume 4: From the Restoration to Bernard Shaw (1680s to 1940s).

4 comments about The Complete Cabaret Collection: Vocal Selections - Souvenir Edition.

1. I just love this musical. This book has ALL the songs of the 1966 production, the movie and the revival. Buy it today!



2. I have to be completely honest with you, I think the love story behind Cabaret is extremely unnerving, even grotesque, However, I love the music, the music is beautiful.

   Although I like all of the songs, I do not think the singing from any of the productions can compete with the explosive performance combination of Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli in the film version of the show.

   Thankfully the book does not make you choose one production over the others, you get all three, and for a very low price.

   The book has three glossy pages in the front, each representing a different rendition of Cabaret with brightly colored pictures. On the bottem of each of these pages are the Tony or Academy Awards that were achieved by that specific production.

   A Small note: The musical Cabaret has won 12 Tonys and 8 Academy awards in its lifetime.

   The rest of the book is music, except for the chapter or show titles, which have black and white pictures from each production.
   The music is great, however, it is the orchestral scores from the origional productions translated into piano, so not all of the music is there.

   You could compare it to "Raphsody in Blue" being performed on one piano rather than by a whole orhcestra, there are many notes missing when you try to put an orchestra into one piano.

   This is why I gave it 4 star. My music teacher has the music score from the movie for piano, and from seeing that sheet music, I can say that if you buy it from the productions individualy, you will have more accuracy in your music and lyrics, since each production has its own variation.

   In this book there is only one version of "Money,Money,Money" the movie version, and only one version of "Willkommen", the origional 1966 version. The problem with this is that "Money, Money, Money" is very differant in the new broadway production, and "Willkommen" is done differently in each production too, but only one version of each song is availiable in this book.

   I am still thrilled with the book, it's a wonderful addition to any music collection. It is harder music than your average broadway musical, so if you cannot play the piano, and do not plan on learning, I would advise you not to get this book.

   "Maybe This Time" is my favorite song in the book, a beautiful slow ballad. "Mein Heir" and "Money, Money, Money" are next to it; they are wonderful songs.

   The songs from the revival are obsolete in comparison to the earlier numbers, although, many of the numbers cut from the origional 1966 production are very worth while.

   The 1966 cut production number that have been added into the book are what make this book worth buying, they are fabulous numbers that never really had a day in the sun.

   I am still tempted to give the book 5 stars because it is wonderful music. If you like Cabaret at all, its music, or Kander and Ebb, its the perfect book to have, not just as a collecters item to sit on the shelf, but as a book you can play from all the time.

   "What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play. Life is a cabaret, old chum,- come to the cabaret-."




3. As you might guess - for the title above - I'm a huge, I mean, HUGE, 'Cabaret' fan and collector. So, of course, I found this book delightful, but - taking the risk of making a fool out of myself - I must warn to anyone who doesn't know it that these are the scores of the songs. I bought it thinking that it was something else - I don't know exactly what -, and I don't regret it, but it's not what I expected it to be... Thanks God I have a pianist friend so he can play it for me :-)Anyway, it's a must-have for every 'Cabaret-collector' out there.



4. This is the finest of all song and sheet music books from the Broadway show and film version of "Cabaret". It contains not only every musical number from most productions and the film, it gives background information and contains great photos as well. For anyone looking for the music from "Cabaret" or anyone wanting a look inside what the experience of "Cabaret" is, this is the book to buy. A necessity for any actor or "Cabaret" lover.

1 comments about Millennium Monologs: 95 Contemporary Characterizations for Young Actors.

1. Compiled and edited by Gerald Lee Ratliff, Millennium Monologs is an impressive collection of ninety-five contemporary monologue characterizations drawn from a vast variety of authors, including both established playwrights and up-and-coming new talents. Each monolog is quite suitable for either male and female actors of all ages and races. A diverse selection especially suitable for auditions and personal training in the art of acting, Millennium Monologs is a welcome and recommended addition to personal, professional, school, community theater, and public library collections.

5 comments about My Wonderful World Of Slapstick (Da Capo Paperback).

1. It's always interesting to read how a celebrity describes his or her own life, especially when that person's on-screen persona has captivated audiences worldwide and over several generations to such a degree as Buster Keaton has. With such a reputation, namely as the most famous comedian alongside Charlie Chaplin, it's very appropriate that his autobiography should be entitled "My Wonderful World of Slapstick", and throughout the book the focus is on this style of comedy, both on-screen and off. Obviously a natural and born comedian, Buster fondly recalls many private, off-screen gags, practical jokes and other funny moments, even telling more serious events of his life with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. So for those expecting more laughs and other funny stories about his films, this book won't be disappointing. But for those seeking some more in-depth, personal revelations or just the man behind the screen image, it might be a bit frustrating how Buster skims over family matters and refers to his second wife in just one sentence, namely "that second marriage of mine did not last long, which is the nicest thing about it I remember." On the other hand, Buster does not flinch or hold back in honestly recounting his worst years when he lost everything in his divorce and became an alcoholic landing in clinics and institutions, and the mere fact that he struggled to climb back out of this dark hole and returned to acting also speaks highly for him. This straightforward honesty and the stories of his successful early years in Hollywood were the highlights of this book for me personally. Reading about his childhood in vaudeville shows and then his success in films from 1917 onwards allows the reader to briefly go back in time to another world where things were obviously very different, such as simply the nature of vaudeville and some slapstick, which for us today may seem very crude, violent and distasteful at times. It was interesting to read, however, that as Buster was growing up, several new laws came into force to protect children from being literally thrown about in vaudeville shows. But lucky for us, perhaps, Buster grew up in such an environment and only went to school for one hilarious day in his life, which built the foundation for his keen sense of comedy and his physical skills in tumbling, falling and other dangerous stunts just to make us laugh. These things he also describes in some detail, as well as special people he knew such as Harry Houdini, some behind-the-scenes goings-on and the sad story of his friend, Roscoe Arbuckle's demise. While none of these contain any special insights for us today, they are nonetheless Buster's own views, and although co-authored, this book reads smoothly and fluently as if Buster himself were sitting comfortably in your lounge, telling you his life story in a fairly casual, rambling manner in that deep, slow monotone voice of his. Anyone fond of Buster - and most people are - would enjoy at least some aspects of his book, if not all. My only quibble is that the few photos in the middle are grainy and not very clear, but for a soft-cover book published first in 1960, with many historic titbits and anecdotes of days gone by, this is still a very enjoyable and special little book.



2. Many people rave about Buster Keaton's work in the silent era and very few are fans of his work during the talkies. For those people, this book is an excellent read because the bulk of the material is about the gags in his silent films, various pranks played on other people of the profession, and his start on the stage. Unfortunately, this book does not delve into all of Buster's life and sometimes only gives a short overview of specific events, some good and some bad. Fans of The General will be disappointed that the only information given about the film is that it was one of Buster's personal favorites. Thankfully, though, some films get extra special attention like The Navigator, Seven Chances, Steamboat Bill Jr., and The Cameraman.
   
   The book has an added feature. Keaton writes very well (although some credit should be given to co-write Andy Samuels). None of the dialogue is too highbrow to read, but it is intelligent stuff. Our author has certainly given his life some thought.
   
   He could have spent more time talking about his later life, but Keaton takes the route of Mickey Rooney and simply explains that the reason he made so many bad films later in life was because of his desperate need for money. Thankfully, he is optimistic, and leaves the reader uplifted instead of brought down. This book is highly recommended.



3. Though this book was well written, entertaining and enjoyable.... Buster never wrote about THE GENERAL! (except to say it was one of his best films) Hello!!!!!! How could he not even write one paragraph about the best-known movie he created? That would be like William Shatner forgetting to mention Star Trek...... For that reason, I cannot honestly give this book more than 3 stars, much as I enjoyed it! S



4. I really enjoyed reading this book. This should be the first book anyone reads when researching Keaton's life and trying to get a sense of his personality. You will be left with questions after finishing the book. Keaton obviously leaves out details and names in a lot of his stories but you can always fill in the gaps with another book about his life. He didn't dwell too much on the bad times in his life but he openly tells the story about his battle with alcoholism. I applaud him for showing respect to those people in his stories for which he doesn't name. These were people who hurt him in his past but he didn't bad-mouth them and never did-publicly or privately. This fact alone tells a lot about what kind of man he was. This book is a must-read for all Keaton fans.



5. Yes Keaton could have told us more about his problems, but I don't think that Keaton actually dwelt on his problems as much as some of us dwell on Keaton's problems, he would rather talk about all the good things that have happened to him and there was a lot. In one of the chapters he talks about how he would like to be a millionaire, but he points out he has many things in his life that he is very happy about, his pretty wife, new car, nice house etc. I loved this book you can hear Keaton's voice in every word written and isn't that really what you want from an auto-biography.

No comments about Persuasive Communication Campaigns.

1 comments about How to Read a Play.

1. I use the British phrase because the author is British, and a playwright himself. This must be a new edition of one of the best guides to script analysis in theatre I've ever come across. I've used it as a teacher in drama classes, and I've used it to come up with "guidelines" for readers when I was a theatrical literary manager. It is also useful for playwrights to see why something does or does not work. It's short and wastes no time making its points-- meaty and readable. A must for any theatrical library.

5 comments about Dizzy & Jimmy: My Life with James Dean: A Love Story.

1. I had a great deal of expectations to this book and finished it within 24 hours. I have been a Dean fan for almost 10 years and have read a great deal of biographies on him. Im not going to give a resume`of what the book is about, obviously Liz Sheridans romance with James Dean. The thing that kinda lost my interest halfway through is the way Sheridan describes the romance, excuse me for not bealiving the mushy love they shared and the feely romance. Its too fictional for me, and I do bealive they shared a romance but that it was so defiant and heavy loaded with passion and love, sorry dont bealive it.



2. This book is written by the wonderful, funny, and deeply honest Liz "Dizzy" Sheridan. All of these attributes show up in this beautiful, wrenching love story about her time with James Dean. I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who wants to read of the joyful glow and searing pain of love affairs, to step into Dizzy's heart, mind, and world--Manhattan in the early 1950s, and to gain unique insight into the real James Dean rather than the icon, who lived fully until his tragic death in 1955, to the beat of his own drummer, letting few others deeply tap that drum along the way. Dizzy was surely one of those few.



3. I bought this book online because I couldn't wait for it to come to the nearest Borders store. I received it earlier than expected and I was very excited. Elizabeth Sheridan describes to us a man who did not always appear to others the way she knew him. Many other books describe James Dean as being an angry, introverted, and selfish young man. All this may have been true about him, but he also had a sweet side to him which was not always seen. From this book, it is clear that it meant you meant something to him if he expressed his feelings, thoughts, and emotions to you. It portrays a young man who had a sense of humor and who was a hopeless romantic. Reading what Elizabeth Sheridan has said about him shows his fans that he was capable of love and that other books about him aren't 100% true, that he wasn't a cold-hearted person. This is a firsthand account of James, before he became a star and it truly captures the essence of who he was, who he was when he let his guard down and trusted others. By the end of the book, I started to tear up when they parted from each other because I myself wouldn't have been able to do that with someone I loved. I then broke down crying when it described how Sheridan found out about his death. Just reading the words about it made me feel so empty inside, as if I had known him personally, as if he had once been a part of my life. It's as if I had been there. This book is truly a heart-felt account of a misunderstood young man, who in the midst of all things, really wanted to love and be loved. I love this book and whoever reads it shouldn't be disappointed.



4. Its just love, thats all it is. Its not ment to BE a story about the great James Dean. Its truly about a girl named Dizzy and the boy named Jimmy who she fell in love with. Somehow you can drift into this book and become the characters, you can feel the love, you can remember how it feels to be in that kind of love, where nothing else matters and reality is just something other people talk about. I read this book over and over. I bought it because it was about James Dean and i am a fan. I love it because its about the kinda of love that everyone should get to experience at least once.



5. This is the love story of James Dean and Liz Sheridan (she played Jerry Seinfeld's mother on "Seinfeld.") They met in New York when he was barely scraping by and not yet famous and she a dancer. She was quite a looker with a long ponytail and he was of course scruffy and hunched over with the ever-present cigarette hanging from his lips. I enjoyed reading about their short-lived romance as it shows a side of James Dean that I'm sure he did not reveal to too many people - very sweet and tender. If you are a James Dean fan you will enjoy this book.