3 comments about The Archive and the Repertoire: Performing Cultural Memory in the Americas (A John Hope Franklin Center Book).

1. This is an excellent book. Diana Taylor is a wonderful writer and anyone interested in performance studies and/or theatre of conversion will benefit from reading it.



2. Taylor's "The Archive and the Repertoire" is an absolute must-read for all scholars and students in performance studies, cultural studies, Latin American studies, and the social sciences in general.
   
   Drawing on a diverse range of case studies from a Peruvian community theatre troupe to Univision astrologist Walter Mercado to her own firsthand account of witnessing 9/11, Taylor creates a new vocabulary for describing how cultures remember and re-enact with the body.
   
   Although her insights are crucial for the future of performance studies and useful to senior scholars in the field, she writes with a clarity and personality that will engage undergraduate students as well.
   
   VERY highly recommended.



3. In her wonderful new book, Diana Taylor, a distinguished professor of both Spanish and performance studies, brings her areas of expertise into "conversation." Performances, she argues, are vital "acts of transfer" that transmit social knowledge, memory and a sense of identity in Latin/o American (and by extension other) cultures.
   She writes, "I am not suggesting that we merely extend our analytic practice to other `Non-Western' areas. Rather, what I propose here is a real engagement between two fields that helps us rethink both." By working from the points of disconnection between area and performance studies Taylor creates a new framework for approaching performance as embodied social practice.
   
   Shifting focus to "the live" requires new methodologies and Taylor creates exciting new theoretical tools to further this discussion. Since, in her view, much performance writing betrays the "embodiedness" it seeks to describe; Taylor coins terms that do not derive from literary sources. The repertoire of her title is her term for a "non-archival system of transfer" that can capture the ephemeral trace of performance. By providing her reader with a kind of archive of affect, Taylor makes the body central. She argues that the repertoire "allows for an alternative perspective on historical processes...by following traditions of embodied practice" instead of literary rhetoric. As an alternative to "narrative" she offers scenario, a term with a theatrical genealogy, meaning an open-ended " sketch or outline" as a way to connote colonial encounters. For example, Taylor wittily names the scenario in which we are encouraged to "overlook the displacement and disappearance of native peoples" at the root of the popular show Survivor, "Fantasy Island." Taylor expands on this theme in her second chapter, Scenarios of Discovery: Reflections on Performance and Ethnography. She writes, "Using scenario as a paradigm for understanding social structures and behaviors might allow us to draw from the repertoire as well as the archive."

   Using these terms as "portable frameworks" and moving in and out of first person experience, Taylor explores a range of hemispheric performances. Chapters on the Mexican mestizaje, campy Latino American psychic Walter Mercado, and the ways that minority populations mourned Princess Diana, explore the hybrid spaces between perception and embodied culture. Taylor revisits the Argentinean "Dirty War"
   (the topic of her book Disappearing Acts) in her chapter on H.I.J.O.S. -the children of the disappeared- and the "DNA of performance" that links them with their absent parents. Chapters on Brazilian performance artist Denise Stoklos, witnessing 9/11 and a 1998 Central Park performance of Rumba musicians interrupted by the NYPD, investigate the complex relations between hegemonic power and the anarchic spirit of live performance against a background of historic violence.

   This book is a path-making piece of scholarship that recognizes performance as a valid focus of analysis. It creates a dialogue between area and performance studies that values the unique features of both. The questions Diana Taylor asks in Archive and the Repertoire extend beyond this work and will shape a terrain of inquiry in performance studies for years to come.

5 comments about The Secret Garden.

1. We were very pleased with this collection of songs. The level was appropriate for my 9 year old daughter who saw the play and loved the music. She loves to sing the songs and play along with the piano. I just wish there were more songs from the musical in this affordable book.



2. "The Secret Garden", the bestselling children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, came to Broadway as a musical in 1991 and ran until 1993. Along the way, the musical won three Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical, written by Marsha Norman.
   
   If you loved the novel as a kid, you might consider this book of the Tony-winning musical!



3. Fantastic complete score. Looked for it all over the internet and low and behold I found it at Amazon at a fraction of the online and instore price.



4. The Secret Garden had a slow start and gave too much detail, but
   it got better when Mary starts to be nicer to everyone. Then it got slow again. I would not recomend this book because it is too long, gives too much detail, and the author uses too many unfamiliar words for younger readers. This is why I gave this book 2 stars out of five.



5. I bought the script and the vocals after listening to the wonderful C.D. This is great for any young struggling actor or actress or anyone who has an interest in the theater.
   I only wish that Broadway produced more touching musicals like this.
   The script is heartfelt and touching it shows trimuph over loss and the importance of family no wonder it won a Tony for best book!
   The script is easy to read for youngsters and the music is perfect for auditions (although you have to buy the sheet music seperately). Little actresses will love reading Mary at auditions. I love this script and find myself reading it and re-reading especially the parts with Lily and Mary.
   If you loved the musical or the C.D. than you must buy the script and this is a must for any young actress!

No comments about The Playbill Broadway Yearbook: June 2007 to May 2008: Fourth Annual Edition (Playbill Broadway Yearbook).

1 comments about Invitation to the Party: Building Bridges to the Arts, Culture and Community.

1. An excellent starting point for theatre artists interested in developing a more diverse audience for their productions. Walker-Kuhne, who was head of audience development for the Public Theatre and the Dance Theatre of Harlem, clearly outlines a general approach to diversifying your audience that is based on an ongoing relationship based on trust and dialogue. She outlines "ten tools for building audiences" and provides several chapters that are case studies of audience development campaigns that she personally was involved in: the Public Theatre in general (especially George C. Wolfe's commitment to make the Public audience "look like a subway stop in New York City"), and s[ecifically Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk; Harlem Song, the Dance Theatre of Harlem. These case studies describe specific programs, but to my mind what this book more importantly does is describe clearly and passionately the importance and value of the goal and the level of commitment necessary to achieve it.
   
   I recommend this book as a starting place for anyone wanting to expand their audiences. While the advice is specifically about diversifying your audience, in many respects the advice is applicable to audience development in general.

5 comments about Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner.

1. Being a big fan of the film I found this book easy to read and full of extremely interesting detail. This book gave me a greater understanding of what Ridley was trying to acheive. I will never be able to look at the film the same way again. If your a fan. Buy it.



2. If you just appreciate Blade Runner like every other movie, this book is not for you. But if you are indeed hooked on it and want to confirm that what you've seen in the movie is for real, get this book!
   
   I had the priviledge to watch Blade Runner in the movie theater when it first came out. I've bought the VHS and watched it over and over with increasing attention to detail, memorized lines, researched Philip K Dick and the whole nine yards. I've once thought of writing it all down so I would not forget.
   
   More than a decade later, I saw this book at Amazon and gave it a shot! Everything that I've deemed interesting is in it: from the "mistakes" (we actually will never know if they were on purpose or not!) of a relatively inexpensive production (you can see wires that were not supposed to be seen, lips moving that do not match the lines, cheap wigs falling from stunts heads etc.
   
   By the way, the Voigt-Kampff test is here!



3. At best, this book should be looked at if you're interested in the facts behind the production of the film and you're able to look past Sammon's masturbative narrative.
   
   While the book is informative on what happened and the difficulties behind the making of the film, the author's writing ability is about the same as someone standing next to you with a bullhorn. Self-aware and bordering on narcistsic, Sammon's dirt-basic writing ability has a constant feel of "Hey! I was here to see all this!" attitude that really undermines his attempt at objective writing.
   
   Frustrating and amatuerish, "Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner" is an unworthy footnote and a worthwhile coffee coaster.



4. The book provides a fascinating look into the trials and tribulations that was the making of Blade Runner. The movie is easily Scott's best, and his relentless pushing of the cast and crew is a testament to his determination and vision. Future Noir gives an in depth view of all the turmoil; the "various cuts debacle", the studio interference, the collaboration, and the omnipresent friction.
   It is worth the read but the writer's prejudices are just that. This is not the most influential scifi made. It was a quiet, intellectual scifi and I'm not sure it's influence can ever be quantified. But I enjoyed it-actually it is my favorite scifi behind The Phantom Menace(that's a joke people)-and I enjoyed this book.



5. This is a fantastic book and reference tool, and a must-have for any hard-core Blade Runner (BR) fanatic. It's packed with names, places, dates, fascinating factoids throughout, a trivia cornucopia. But, you've gotta be a serious BR fan to stick with author Paul Sammon all the way through this densely detailed, thorough, and clearly personally meaningful work. The book does have one major flaw: Sammon's failure to prove his subtitle promise that Blade Runner is the most influential sci-fi film of all time.

   The book reads easily and well, Sammon's style informal. He writes as one BR fan to another, a great approach. The production details are thorough, insightful, and wonderful to read, 441 pages in 18 chapters, with nine appendices containing interviews, production details, the cast list, etc. Sammon is a total BR devotee, I compliment and commend him on his achievement and the recognition of those who worked so hard to make BR.

   There is vast information throughout from all members of the cast and crew, all of them supportive of Sammon's effort to tell their story. There is surprisingly liberal information from the movie's principals, Ridley Scott, Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Michael Deeley, Syd Mead, Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. One disappointment is the absence of direct input and comment from the soundtrack maestro, Vangelis. Sammon nevertheless gives him thorough justice.

   Wonderful esoteric tidbits abound through the book, such as the revelation that the original lead was not Harrison Ford, but Dustin Hoffman. Edward James Olmos provides great background on his preparation for his role as Gaff and his detailed construction of his Cityspeak dialog (most of it sadly unused). We learn of fantastic special effects scenes never realized, and that in the background in one of the aerial city shots is a painted Millennium Falcon model. We learn that the process of creating this movie was a years-long, highly personal effort, first by Hampton Fancher to secure rights and create a screenplay, then later by Ridley Scott and other members of the team who continued to craft the film even after they were fired by the production company. It is a story of dedication to craft and art from a group of artists looking to raise diverse artistic, social, moral, and ethical issues with this genre-transcending film. I often was reminded of the documentary Hearts of Darkness, the story of Francis Ford Coppola's unending dedication to and struggles with the making of Apocalypse Now.

   Highlighted superbly in the book is the true key to BR's success, Ridley Scott's intense attention to detail, his relentless questioning of the larger context and physical placement of the story. For example, Scott insisted on instructions painted on the futuristic parking meters in the street scenes. Absolutely illegible in the finished film, this sort of detail nonetheless set a compelling, even subconscious tone for the set and those who worked within it.

   Particularly entertaining is Chapter 8, the scene by scene account of the shoot, with comment from the actors, producers, specialists, crew, and Scott. Also very useful for the true BR fanatic are the appendices listing all of the various BR versions, their formats, availability, and catalog information. Sammon does the same for the various soundtracks and musical compositions heard throughout the film, even the music and lyrics from the advertisements sported on the ad-blimps. Especially enjoyable is Appendix C's detailed list of "blunders," a compendium of the film's both obvious and subtle continuity errors, dubbing flaws, and inserted footage.

   There are dozens of illustrations throughout the book, and Sammon gives due credit to BR's still photographer for the hundreds of stills that BR fans know and collect. The main problem is that the ONLY color photos in the entire book are on the front and back covers. The B/W photos in the book are small, grainy, poorly reproduced, and do not reflect Sammon's praise. These sorry photos do not allow the reader, who hasn't seen many of these never-before-published stills and production drawings, to revel in the details.

   Sammon is overly obsessed with cataloging ALL of the different versions of the film, and detailing the most minute differences. We have chapter after repetitive chapter discussing the differences between the Workprint, the pre-release revisions, the theatrical release, the various video, broadcast, and satellite releases, as well as the competing director's cuts. The fascinating core tale of the political, economic, and artistic fights over all of these versions of the film is lost as Sammon loses track and focuses too closely on the details of the different versions, obsessing to the point of irrelevance on miniscule details. For the BR fanatic this is invaluable, but for most readers this makes the narrative tedious and repetitive, given this technical information is available also in Appendix B.

   Sammon's promised discussion of BR's influence on sci-fi film is absent. His subtitle, "The Fascinating Story Behind the . . . Most Influential SF Film Ever Made" promises a discussion of BR's influence on filmdom. His discussion is poorly introduced, disorganized, and sorrowfully weak on supporting facts and testimonials, leading ultimately to the conclusion that BR simply is NOT the most influential sci-fi film of all time. In fact, the paltry six-page discussion of BR's influence is one of the shallowest, most poorly researched and organized parts of the entire book. Sammon's strength and enthusiasm clearly lie in the film's production details. Nowhere in the book does he cite any filmmaker, actor, editor, producer, or special effects artist describing BR as an influence.

   This book is an invaluable acquisition for any die-hard BR fan, and a great memoir for any student of filmmaking. It's not for the casual BR or film fan; it's a cult book, just as Blade Runner is a cult film. Disappointingly, Sammon fails to deliver a crucial element of his work, a thorough and convincing discussion of BR's influence on cinema and its place in greater filmdom.

4 comments about Scott Sedita's Guide to Making It in Hollywood: 3 Steps to Success, 3 Steps to Failure.

1. Scott wrote a book that I wish I had written!! Down to some of the exact sentences I use with my own clients!! As a Talent Agent I can tell you without reservation this is the only book you need to get started on a career in Hollywood! And if you make it to LA, go check out one of his classes. I recommend them to my clients as well!



2. Scott Sedita's wonderful book should be read by anyone who is interested in succeeding in life. He offers practical advice to "strivers", and makes it clear that in ways that you can control, success or failure is up to you. Talent, perseverance, confidence; fear, distractions, addictions - these traits are not limited to those in the acting profession. Sedita writes in a straightforward way about the triumphs and the traps which we all experience. His book is an invaluable guide for living a successful life.



3. This inspiring, motivational book tells you a lot of insightful things about what it takes to make it in Hollywood. What's GREAT about this book is, it also tells you what you don't need. The part about failure will make anyone, actor or not, look at themselves a little more closely, and force them to deal with what holds them back. Something anyone who wants to fulfill their dream should be aware of.



4. Sure there are a lot of "guides" to starting an acting career in Hollywood, but there are none that dig into the physical, psychological and emotional steps an actor needs to take as well as this book. Scott is an absolute master as a teacher (Backstage West just named him 2008 Teacher of the Year in L.A.) and he's more than willing to share everything he's learned from his years of experience as an actor, writer, agent, casting director and coach. This book is full of practical and personal advice to help actors at all levels boost their career as well as warnings about the many obstacles that can stand in an actor's way. Scott breaks all of this down in an inviting, humorous, easy to read book that also includes several success stories from the many famous actors he's worked with. It's a quick, entertaining read with tons of information that will help any actor succeed.

5 comments about Stage Makeup Step-By-Step: The Complete Guide to Basic Makeup, Planning and Designing Makeup, Adding and Reducing Age, Ethnic Makeup, Special Effects, Makeup for Film and.

1. This is a very useful tool for stage makeup. It has made my life much easier. I'm more than happy that this book is available.



2. Although I'm only somewhat enthusiastic about this title, my high school theatre students are VERY enthusiastic about it -- and so I'll amend my previous review by saying that the book has excellent photos that provide good, basic guidelines. My students enjoy opening the book to the instructions of their choice and following them (as the title states) step by step. As I happen to be the school librarian as well as the theatre director, I've added this title to our library's collection in order to make it readily available for reference. Yes, this title belongs in every high school library, and colleges and universities would do well to consider it.



3. This book's usefulness is diminished by the often heavy-handed techniques it demonstrates. The old age makeup, for instance, is poorly applied and would not register well with an audience. Swinfield is at her best with fantasy makeups such as Titania--but watch out for those techniques that can be done far better, such as the "troll's" latex nose. Beginners looking for a basic text at a reasonable price would do well to investigate Laura Thudium's "Stage Makeup"; those willing to bite the bullet and shell out the big bucks should purchase Richard Corson's "Stage Makeup," the bible of the field.



4. For the person who wants to get an excellent grounding in stage makeup, this is the place to start. It very well may be the place to end, also,unless you need to delve more deeply into special effects makeup. Rather than giving you hard and fast rules, the author explains the principles behind good makeup design and application. There are tons of pictures, and it covers most basic makeup situations for stage, with a cursory treatment of other applications such as film and television.



5. Good basic tips and ideas with clear pictures. I really wanted more detail and fantasy makeup ideas. It did give shading etc. tips but for a beginner. I would like a book that gave good clear pictures and instructions on makeup for photography, ball and wedding makeup. This book did not cover these subjects. Still I will use this book again.

1 comments about Little Women: Vocal Selections.

1. I love this book. It has every song in the show except for "Weekly Volcano Press" and Jo's reprise at the end "Sometimes When You Dream." The arrangements are on the hard side, and are in pretty odd key signatures, but it gives the feel of the show. I absolutely adore it--lots of songs for a great price. If you know how to play the piano well, (so that you can tackle the arrangements) this book will give hours of enjoyment!

1 comments about Picnic: A Summer Romance.

1. this play is just amazing. its a beautifully written simple love story. But the characters are extremely captivating. I reccomend reading this or seeing it if you can. Its great. Dont be fooled by how simple it is though. its deceptively so

No comments about The Fosse Style.