1 comments about Where Do We Live and Other Plays.

1. I don't review on Amazon, but since no one else is saying it here, I feel I should. Christopher Shinn is a damn good playwright. He talks about things relevant to our times w/o simplifying things. His characters are psychologically credible and complex. He has range (he doesn't simply write the same play over and over). He's not a writer who will hit you over the head, but his intelligence and subtlety can be even more rewarding. Also, he does have his own voice, and set of obsessions. He's a moralist in the tradition of all great writers, meaning not that he's moralistic but that he seems interested in bringing into question accepted mores and stereotypes. "Other People" and "Where Do We Live" are two of the best plays I've read recently (and I read a lot of plays). The other plays in the book are also really good. People who criticize him for writing naturalistic plays are way off. It's like criticizing someone for NOT writing naturalistic plays; it simply reveals more about the person's preferences than any actual shortcoming. Moreover, the plays are not really that naturalistic. "Long Day's Journey Into Night" is not really that naturalistic either. Like any good dramatic writing, Shinn's plays lend themselves to a variety of possible stagings. I recommend this book to anyone who loves theatre.

5 comments about The Joy of Music Leonard Bernstein.

1. I've had this book for a couple of decades in the original hardback version. It's a reminder to me of what I watched, live on television back in the fifties, when television had "culture." His Omnibus lectures were thrilling to behold and I wish dearly they were on dvd. His description of how perfect the Fifth was defies description; you had to have seen him use musicians as notes and move them around to show what happened if one note had changed. Or how a little discussion around a table with a man and a woman becomes something else again when sung (La Boheme) or explaining about a piece concerning a little nightengale when introducing Stravinsky.
   
   The man was pure genious and millions of Americans became interested in classical music through this man. This teenaged girl did.



2. This is Leonard Bernsteain at his best. It's a fun book, an engaging and fascinating book. All the Bernstein wit and wisdom is here. It's a book for both musicians and those wanting to learn about music in a fun way.
   
   You won't regret spending time or money on this gem.



3. Leonard Bernstein excelled at everything he tried--he was a fantastic conductor, composer, and writer. From popular music from West Side Story to jazz to "serious art music" like Chichester Psalms and his Mass, Bernstein was never constrained by any seeming limitations. This book is a compilation Bernstein's writings. The first section consists of dialogues between Bernstein and several imaginary characters regarding society's philosophy of music. These discussions are quite intellectual and thought-provoking. The second section contains seven television transcripts about subjects ranging from Musical Theater to J.S. Bach. This half is much more accessible and a breeze to read. If you can't read music, you would enjoy getting CDs of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Brahms' First Symphony, and Bach's St. Matthew Passion before curling up with this book. It will enhance your enjoyment of Bernstein's exciting descriptions, and will make them come to life.



4. This is a complete, lucid, approachable and vibrant book. The dialogues at the beginning reveal the many facets of Bernstein's character and of his startling brilliance, and the section on modern music should not be missed. Of course, for the sections taken from his Omnibus television programs, the textual medium can only inform the reader what would be happening on screen, and those descriptions probably lack the power of audio-visual aids. It is, however, a work that any student of music, or any lover of music, would be able to take for granted in a Perfect World.



5. This is a great book for those who wish to know how a composer/conductor thinks about music. The discussion presented is witty, intelligent and very insightful. My only problem with the book is that it should be accompanied by a CD or video tape. All of the examples are presented as written music. If you can't read and play/sing the music in the book you will have only a vague idea of the point the author is trying to make.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Standard Script Formats: The Screenplay.

1. I've worked in the hour-long TV business as writer's assistant, then staff writer, then producer, for almost 15 years, and I recommend this book to everyone I work with and all my students. This book was written by professional studio typists, back before there were word processors, when every produced script was typed by people who did that as their full time job. It contains THE industry standard for how scripts should look -- which is sometimes not the default setting of those expensive script programs. This book is MUST HAVE for anyone who wants to be a professional script coordinator or staff writer, and for anyone who wants their scripts to look just like professional ones. It isn't really designed for, or necessary for, people who are just starting out, although I personally think it should be required reading for every aspiring writer, especially in TV, because understanding how a script is used as a blueprint for filming, such how the scene headers are used to create the shooting schedule, can really help new writers to understand how to create a script that is not only interesting but filmable. Combine this with Ralph Singleton's Film Scheduling/Film Budgeting Workbook. Script formatting and scheduling programs are great timesaving tools, but you should be telling the programs how to format your script, not the other way around.



2. I've just finished my first script. I suppose it's okay, but not awesome. I've read a half dozen books on screenplays. Of those books, this one is likely one of the least helpful. It was writen in 1983!! and hasn't been updated. I suspect that much of the formatting advice this book offers is now out of date, old fashioned to what professional script writers are doing this days. Two newer books I would recommend instead would be CRAFTY SCREENWRITING by Alex Epstein (2002) and HOW NOT TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY by Denny Flinn (1999). You'll get modern formatting information from these books PLUS a lot more useful advice about how to write well.



3. I bought this book thinking it would give me all the technical terms and definitions of a script. It does have some, however I found another book which is more what I was looking for. This book is useful (meaning I did not return it) however, it is not easy to read if you know nothing about scriptwriting to begin with.



4. The first time I looked at a screenplay script format, I thought I'd never be able to understand what went where and why. After a few days with "The Complete Guide to Standard Script Formats," I felt like an expert. It should be understood that this book is an excellent resource for understanding the format component of writing a screenplay. It does not address the art writing or the literary aspects of how to construct a story suitable for making into a film. If you've already got the story down and learning the proper format for your first screenplay is your task at hand, this is the book for you.



5. After downloading a few scripts from drew's scriptoroama, Basic Instinct, Fargo, Blade Runeer (the original Hampton Fancher version ), etc., I thought it would be a good idea to get familiar with what is recommended practice., since scripts tend to look pretty similar but with inconsistencies in some of the details.

   Cole and Haag give plenty of clear advice, coupled with why the block elements and the inner details of a script are formatted and timed as they are. The section dealing with the setting up of a word processor to make the work easier was somewhat garbled, but the part for typewriter set up looked to be okay.

   This is a book well worth having, so that you can format and structure your script to be as effective as possible, and to take care of the parts that script formatting applications such as Final Draft 6.0 or Screenwriter 2000 don't attend to. A minor example would be capitalising text to highlight sounds in a direction section.

4 comments about Theatre for Community Conflict and Dialogue: The Hope Is Vital Training Manual.

1. I work as a Art Focus Drama teacher for K-7 students who come from various socio-economic backgrounds and home lives. I found this book a very valuable resource, especially for students who have a difficult time with issues of trust, language, and ensemble work. It is great to have a resource that contains detailed exercises within a logical framework, that not only works, but explains itself in a manner that even classroom teachers, with no drama experience whatsoever, can accomplish.

   A highly suggest this for teachers who want to use drama as a way to improve communication and explore problem solving in a new, creative, and very effective way.




2. This book provided a guide for Becca Kirsch and I to work with a group of high school students. The activities described in the book build on each other and it was inspiring to watch the students' enthusiasm and discovery through the process. Michael Rohd is correct when he says that the activities help people to get to know each other in new ways. I think that the interaction that comes from participating in these theater games is crucial to help build new ways of communicating and problem solving.



3. I came across this book in February 1998 during a one-week training workshop given personally by Michael Rohd in Helsinki (Finland). I consider this material valuable and anyone who works with young people or youth workers should get it. I have used this book when giving training to youth and community workers. Needless to say, I had to adapt some of the exercises according to the local context. I would recommend this book to all those who want to be part of a revolution.



4. Michael Rohd is currently doing exciting work across the country, using improvisational theater techniques to connect with young people and communities in ways that echo Paul Sills' original intention when he founded The Compass Players and Second City: to connect viscerally with the community to create a dialogue for social change. As Jeffrey Sweet documented in his book "Something Wonderful Right Away," the original members of Compass and Second City (Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Severn Darden, Shelley Berman, Barbara Harris, Alan Arkin, etc.) were quick to pick up on the disparity between Sills' goal and the reality of their set-up. Their audience tended to be the insulated academic populace connected to the University of Chicago, whereas Sills was hoping to connect with the community at large. They simply weren't playing to the people Sills wanted to reach, and the people Sills wanted to reach were not coming to this coffeehouse. In Michael Rohd's hands, Paul Sills' work is being perpetuated. He has been taking the practices of improvisational theatre on the road, working with students, adults and teachers to create an open forum for dealing with and discussing today's complex issues. His book is a clear, tightly written manual describing a catalogue of theater games that are fun, creative, joyful, instantly accessible, that take workshop members on a clear arc from learning to trust each other to sharing to creating improvised scenes, all in an amazingly brief time span. For those in the Theatre Industry, Rohd's book is the best description of what goes into the making of an ensemble company and the creation of the Group Mind since Del Close's book, "Truth in Comedy."

5 comments about Effective Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques, Second Edition.

1. "Effective Interviewing & Interrogation Techniques" provides an informative overview of detecting and understanding deception. The chapter on the psycho-physiological basis of forensic assessment outlines freeze/hide and fight/flight responses, as well as, basic respondant and operant conditioning. Additionally, question formulation and verbal/non-verbal communication are addressed in an easily understood method.
   
   Forensic clinicans and psychologists would all tremendously benefit from obtaining the knowledge provided. Although, we do not interrogate patients, the use of these techniques will provide emotionally-charged information not yet disclosed by the patient, which can then be effectively integrated into conceptualization and treatment. This book provides skills essential to those treating patients with antisocial personality disorder and/or comorbid psychopathy. The proposed interviewing and interrogation techniques provide methods of assessment much less invasive and time consuming than typical projective (e.g. Rorschach) and personality (e.g. MMPI) measures.



2. This book is the benchmark by which all other books on the art and science of interviewing and interrogation should be measured. It is truly a grand tour in every sense of the term. The text covers the greatest discoveries, techniques and practices in the field, and provides valuable insights by the authors, who are widely acknowledged experts and seasoned practitioners. The historical basis for truth-determining techniques is discussed at some length. However, the book really shines in its coverage of interviewing and interrogation theories and techniques developed over the past eighty years, paralleling the great advancements in law enforcement and psychology. The authors present a concise, insightful and balanced examination of the significant theories and theoreticians in the field, all the while drawing upon their substantial knowledge and expertise when evaluating and assessing the various theories and techniques discussed throughout the book. Their observations on interrogation ethics post 9-11 are thought-provoking.
   
   Through words and illustrations the authors bring to life verbal and non-verbal truth/falsity indicators. The two subject areas that I found particularly interesting and useful were the Forensic Assessment Interview Technique ("FAINT") and the Morgan Thematic Apperception Testing Technique ("MITT"). Although these techniques are quite sophisticated, the authors' explanations and discussions are so clear and well-presented that virtually anyone will be able to understand and appreciate them.
   
   Several reviews commented that the book is easy to read. While that is so, the simplicity and clarity of the text belie the considerable range and depth of thought and insight that went into this book. As such, I would advise readers to slowly digest the book, one paragraph at a time, if possible, and really give the text some thought. In doing so you will most likely gain a much better appreciation of the subject matter. As someone with an extensive law enforcement and legal background who thought he knew everything there was to know about interviewing, I can honestly say that this book really expanded my knowledge and appreciation of the subject.



3. I have read several books on this topic in the past. I found this book to be very interesting and easy reading. It contained excellent information applicable for anyone involved in the field of interviewing.

   The book was very well organized, and answered many questions for even a trained interviewer/interrogator.

   I would highly recommend it for anyone in the fields of intelligence, law enforcement, private investigations or polygraph.




4. I have just finished reading this book and I am thoroughly impressed with it's attention to detail, usable procedures, and overall organization. It was a very quick read, and I now feel like an expert in the art of interrogation. I am already confidently putting these new techniques into practice and seeing results. If your goal is attaining the truth in an interview situation, buy & read this book.



5. Nathan J. Gordon, et al have authored an outstanding publication which is well documented, authoritative, well organized, and an easy read as well as a page turner. This reviewer,who has authored several textbooks on polygraph testing, highly recommends this book to anyone involved in the art and science of interviewing and interrogation.

2 comments about Historic Photos of Broadway: New York Theater: 1850-1970 (Historic Photos.) (Historic Photos.) (Historic Photos.).

1. This book is fascinating, representing a comprehensive visual account of some of the most important people, shows, and theaters in Broadway history. One of the book's many charms lies in affording us the chance to stare in wistful wonder at the exteriors and interiors of some wonderful old theaters that no longer exist, such as the gorgeous Casino Theater (torn down to accommodate a growing garment district) and the lovely Morosco (razed to make room for the hideous Marriott Marquis and the characterless Marquis Theater).
   
   What makes the book compelling is that, rather than focusing on the well known stars and shows of recent memory, Jacobs skews his coverage toward older and lesser known people, places, and productions. I was especially pleased to see photos from obscure but significant shows that I cover in my Boston Conservatory course, including:
   
   The Black Crook: (1866) What many historians consider to be the first American musical, actually just the first long-running, home-grown hit. A loosely plotted spectacle peppered with irrelevant songs as well as dances from a homeless troupe of French ballet dancers. The theater that the dancers were supposed to have performed in burned down, and the producer of The Black Crook simply added them to the mix, with no connection whatsoever to the show's Faustian plot.
   
   Babes in Toyland: (1903) The first significant show with a score by one person, rather than a collection of previously existing popular songs. Composer Victor Herbert also made the first significant use of underscoring and connecting music.
   
   Very Good Eddie: (1915) The first of the influential, but now largely forgotten, "Princess" musicals, so named because most of the shows played the Princess Theater (demolished in 1955). The production team of Jerome Kern (music), Guy Bolton (book) and P.G. Wodehouse (lyrics) came together to create a new type a musical, one that would attempt to integrate all the elements into a cohesive whole. The "Princess" shows (which also include Oh, Lady! Lady!, Oh, Boy!, and Sitting Pretty) were fluffy, fun, and economical, and greatly influenced such future greats as Richard Rodgers and George Gershwin.
   
   Shuffle Along: (1921) The first successful Broadway musical produced, written, and performed by African Americans. The show broke color barriers on both sides of the footlights: it was also the first time blacks were allowed to sit in the orchestra. It was a separate section of the orchestra, but it represented the beginning of the end of segregation in the theater. The show itself was offensive by modern standards: the actors performed in blackface, and the song titles included "If You Haven't Been Vamped by a Brownskin, You Haven't Been Vamped at All" and "Uncle Tom and Old Black Joe."
   
   Of course, the Jacobs book also features photos of such iconic musical performers as Mary Martin and Ethel Merman, and of such seminal musical works as Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, and Fiddler on the Roof. Plus, it's a great book for people like me: adults with ADD who don't always like to read things cover to cover, but rather just skim and skip around to our hearts' content. As the title suggests, the book comprises photos with captions, albeit in chronological order, but that doesn't mean you have to read the book that way.



2. What another book of theater pictures? Another shot of Carol Channing coming down the stairs at the Harmonia Gardens?
   
   What a treat to find a book about the NY Theater that is NOT the same old tired pictures and dramaturgy.
   
   The exceptional pictures - rarely if ever used before are a true theater lover's delight.
   
   If you love the theater and or love New York this book is for you.
   
   The author lovingly gives details for each of these pictures and it is clearly obvious that Mr. Jacob's knowledge and love of all things theatrical is far reaching.
   
   Don't miss this, it belongs in your collection

2 comments about One on One: The Best Women's Monologues for the 21st Century (The Applause Acting Series).

1. As a director of a professional theater, I can tell you that the right monologue is vital for a great audition. Finding the perfect monologue is a hard task for any actor and it's even harder for female actors. This wonderful resource provides a wealth of women's monologues for both the professional and educational theater. After providing solid advice for choosing the right monologue, Henry, Jaroff, and Shuman offer a robust choice of monologues from a wide range of playwrights and styles. Thoughtful, complex, and beautifully theatrical, these monologues provide plenty of choices for the perfect monologue. A must have for any actor's library!



2. Really funny monologues (Holly Hughes's, Christopher Durang's, Peter Petralia's, and Laurel Haines's); serious (William Gibson's, Neil LaBute's, and August Wilson's); and some just plain dangerous (Anna Deavere Smith's and Lydia Lunch's). The work is from 2000 and after--the playwrights are diverse, including Theresa Rebeck, Murray Schisgal, and Nilo Cruz. About seventy good parts to choose from--nice pieces by Maria Irene Fornes, Crystal Field, Young Jean Lee, David Simpatico, and Anne Elliott--way too many to count. Meryl Streep, eat your heart out!

5 comments about Mastering Piano Technique: A Guide for Students, Teachers and Performers.

1. I was so excited to receive this book and the best part is, I wasn't to be disappointed!!! It is a book that deserves a lot of undivided attention, as it is written with complex ideas that need to be savoured and re-read to grasp their full weight. The first part of the book is dedicated to exercises that you can do away from the piano. I am a piano teacher myself and have actually been devising a book purely on that so I was delighted to find my ideas are actually quite accurate. I will admit I have not had this book long enough to devour the whole thing just yet, but it is proving to be a gem and a must for any serious pianist!



2. This book has a separately available video which GREATLY adds to the overall value. This book is the product of 30 years of teaching and study of the subject. The teaching is super-concentrated. I somehow passed on this book in the bookstore a few years ago, maybe thinking it was too detailed or too complicated. But now that I see it (and the video), I see Professor Fink demonstrating and explaining EVERY type of piano movement I have ever seen, by every pianist! This teacher has studied and codified ALL piano playing movements, has invented a vocabulary to describe them, and he teaches you exercises to learn them. Wow. (Well, possibly there are a FEW Keith Jarrett movements he does not cover! And possibly some Thelonius Monk moves are not in here! But every other piano playing movement, he does demonstrate and explain!) Great, unique resource for students, teachers, and performers.



3. This book describes mainly the kinds of movement we need at the piano. Indeed we (or most of us) will be benefited from a proper understanding and training of the physical part of piano playing, so I admire the attempt of the auther. The problem with this book is, however, that it is far from complete and actually it misses some of the most important ingredients of piano techniques.
   
   It is sometimes helpful to isolate the movements and be conscious of the movements. However, this book tells you (mainly) only the external movements, and not much about the much more important "internal activity" which is invisible from whatever companion video or pictures. It is easy to teach external movements-- you don't actually have to buy this book, just find a DVD played by any good pianist. But everyone knows the (seemingly) paradox: different external movements can be used to play the same difficult passage. And many people learn the same external movements intentionally,and they succeed in making their movements very much the same as those of the masters, but still they fail to produce a comparable effects of these masters. Why?? This is so puzzling for the teachers. That's why some people came up with a conclusion: There is no "superior" way of playing a passage. Everyone have a different needs. While this is to some extent correct, it should not prevent us from seeking a good technique intentionally.
   
   The paradox is due to a mixing up of objective and subjective experience, as well as an ignorance about the inner activities of our bodies. While you can learn the movements for sure, the difficult and important part is the invisible inner activity; the integrity of hand structure. You need these internal organization to enpower your movements. That's the crucial difference between you in first few piano lessons(with possibly already "correct" movements as enforced by your teacher) and you at the present moment. We got better in our organization of motions in the first few years, but most of us stop somewhere. All these inner things cannot be learnt from pictures, videos, normal piano teachers. The author does know the crucial point. However, he was not able to explain how you can get there. He can only show you the eternal movement and sometimes describe vaguely the correct feeling.
   
   I can find a number of books which describe the inner activity involved. But up to now the most practical book on this is "the craft of Piano Playing" by Alan Fraser. This book is full of practical advices and innovative exercises to help the readers, rather than providing only general theory. It aims more at improving your hand functions than hand shape, movements, etc..
   
   This "mastering piano technique" can be useful if you learn the more important points first. Also, occasionally, it does provide some helpful advices on eradicating certain bad habits. But still the movements can only give you some suggestions. Improving your hand functions is the first and foremost, and the movements serve this purpose. Aim at functions, not movements.



4. I studied with Mr. Fink throughout my high-school/college preparatory years and so experienced his technical work first-hand. After studying piano at the university level, I finally got around to picking up a copy of his book. Reading through reminded me of the many exercises we went through. I think that Mr. Fink's suggestions on technique are of good resource for all serious pianists. As others have pointed out here, a literal interpretation of the illustrations is not the intended point. It is most useful to use the techniques illustrated as a guide and then adapt them to your own particular usage.



5. This work of Mr. Fink is absolutely magnificant. For the aspiring concert pianist, for the serious student, or for piano lovers who would simply like to improve their fluidity and definition at the keyboard. Having owned the volume for about a week now, I'm at the point where I think Seymour FInk's book should be in every School of Music, USA as a textbook. THe ten physical exercises done away from the piano are so complimentary and helpful. Mr. FInk seems to be a physiologist and anatomist of the human body, as well as a piano master, and this combination makes his perspective superior. Mr. Fink takes the mystery out of fine piano technique and brings exact motoral and muscular distribution matters to light in plain view, solving scores of execution difficulties pianists incur. Highly detailed! Buy this and begin using it, but the reader will not exhaust this volume in a few weeks. It is a referance volume for a lifetime. God bless Seymour Fink! In reply to the negative reviews, I would say there could be some difficulty of appreciation to the novice pianist who is at early stages of familiarity with the piano keyboard. This volume is extremely helpful to those of us who take the piano seriously and are intent on mastery.

2 comments about Teaching Shakespeare: A Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge School Shakespeare).

1. This book had some good background information about the teaching and criticism of Shakespeare set out in a simple manner. This is especially useful to teachers who may not have had any specific training in teaching Shakespeare and focuses on active teaching methods including classroom performance. There are a lot of innovative ideas to substitute the usual chalk and talk or reading lessons. While not all the ideas are practical or in my opinion worthwhile, there are a lot to choose from.



2. This is a comprehensive look at the many components of the Bard's work. Lots of detail and very little is left out. It could prove to be a valuable source for English and Theatre Arts teachers. It is so all-inclusive that teachers can choose to focus on certain sections or keep it as a worthy resource (which it is).

   It's for the serious teacher of Shakespeare. Gibson is the man. He knows his stuff and he wants your students to know it too. But could you teach it all? Hardly. But you could teach some of it.

   The book is user-friendly and it's a good companion to the Cambridge School Shakespeare series.

5 comments about Stage Lighting Handbook.

1. If all you want to know is about design, this is the book for you. Other then that it is useless. No information on practical set up of lighting plots. The Shelly book is much better.



2. This is a fabulous stage lighting book - not TOO basic for experienced lighting people, not too hard for beginners. I particularly like that there are chapters such as "Lighting the Musical" and "Lighting the Play", etc, as different shows have different lighting needs - but it is not always addressed in lighting books. I highly recommend this book for lighting students or people who just need to know more about lighting to have better communicate with their lighting designers.



3. This book does a wonderful job of presenting the reader with a whole bunch of basic concepts and then rpidly builds on them. For any new light designer, or even experienced ones that want to try something new and different, this is the book for you. It really gets the wheels turning and the creative juices flowing.



4. This book is a good overview of lighting design and lighting tech. The writing is frank and honest, the information is well-organized. I use it frequesntly as a designer to remind myself of things I might otherwise forget from time to time, or to get new ideas for how to light for this style. It is just an overview, and while it is highly practical, I would hardly call it comprehensive. Chapter titles include: Aims in Lighting, Lighting Instruments, First Steps in Lgihting Design, Color, The Lighting Design Process, Lighting Opera, lighting Thrust Stages, Agenda for a Post-Mortem, Projection and Effects, and Light Education. This book is sort of like a letter from one experienced lighting designer to a fresh-faced lighting designer, unlike many stagecraft books. It does have the UK slant, as another reviewer mentioned, but that shouldn't be a great hindrance. If you have 10 books about lighting design, this should be one of them.



5. I read this book to help learn basic lighting design. This book teaches you all you need to know and more. Even though the book has a U.K. slant(only U.K. rigging is disscued) It is very informative