Music of film and stage Books

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Book Synopsis(Piano Solo Songbook). The scariest and creepiest movies and TV shows often have one thing in common: music that''s just as haunting and unforgettable as the stories themselves! This unique songbook celebrates 34 memorable macabre classics with piano solo arrangements. Titles include: American Horror Story Main Title Theme * Ave Satani (from The Omen ) * Dexter Main Title * Dies Irae (from The Shining ) * Halloween Theme * Theme from "Jaws" * Nightmare Theme (from Nightmare on Elm Street ) * Penny Dreadful Main Title * Psycho (Prelude) * Silence of the Lambs * Stranger Things Main Title Theme * Twilight Zone Main Title * The Walking Dead - Main Title * Theme from the X-Files * and more. Sweet dreams!

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Book Synopsis(Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook). The sequel 30 years in the making, Top Gun: Maverick was worth the wait as audiences flocked back to theaters to see Tom Cruise return to action. Like the original Top Gun , the soundtrack is pivotal to its success and features some of today''s top hitmakers as well as the iconic original hit "Danger Zone." Our folio features seven songs from the soundtrack arranged for piano and voice with guitar chord frames: Danger Zone (Kenny Loggins) * Great Balls of Fire (Miles Teller) * Hold My Hand (Lady Gaga) * I Ain''t Worried (OneRepublic) * The Man, the Legend/Touchdown * Top Gun Anthem * Top Gun: Maverick (Main Theme).

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Book SynopsisWhen Tommy Shelby, Steve Knight's principal character in The Peaky Blinders, first rode onto our television screen, viewers were presented with a battle-scarred, but still relatively young veteran, from the Great War. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring, real-life streets of Balsall Heath and Sparkhill, the Wareing family of eight children (and a musicallygifted mother, Lilian) struggled to cope with their invalid father's return to 65 Brunswick Road, fresh from the hell-hole of Gallipoli. Harry Senior, the author's grandfather, having contracted meningitis, returned home as a self centred, ruthless stranger. With a Good Old Days MC introduction, by Comedian, Entertainer and Papal Knight, Don Maclean, it features 12 of the author's newly composed songs. A Power Point display runs throughout, linked by five Edward Elgar compositions – the composer and Shirley's maternal Great Grandfather, Eustace Baylis, having been schoolboy friends. Introductory pages are followed by the main script, interspersed with song scores. All scenes are slide-illustrated, to correspond with the Power Point Disc (included). Music for the show's five 'a cappella' songs is in the Appendices. Add a diverse range of characters, plus shades of Oliver Twist, and we have an exciting new musical – just ripe for performance!

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Book SynopsisEvelyn Dove embraced the worlds of jazz, musical theatre and, most importantly, cabaret, in a career spanning five decades from the 1920s through to the 1960s. A black British diva with movie star looks, she captivated audiences and admirers around the world, enjoying the same appeal as the 'Forces Sweetheart' Vera Lynn throughout the Second World War.Refusing to be constrained by her race or middle-class West African and English backgrounds, she would perform for infamous Russian leader, Joseph Stalin; become a regular vocalist for the BBC and a celebrated performer across continental Europe, India and the US.At the height of her fame in the 1930s, she worked with the pioneers of black British theatre, replacing Josephine Baker as the star attraction in a revue at the Casino de Paris and scandalizing her family by appearing on stage semi-nude.This is a celebration of an extraordinary career punctuated with vertiginous highs and profound lows, and places Dove in historical context with artists of her time, such as Adelaide Hall, Dame Cleo Laine and Dame Shirley Bassey.

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Book SynopsisRound In Circles: The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel is intended not only for those who share the author’s love of the ‘Golden Age’ Broadway musicals, but also for students of the genre who want to learn about the trials and tribulations encountered in producing a musical at that time when Rodgers and Hammerstein were transforming such shows into the unique American art form we continue to enjoy today. The book covers the history of the classic musical from its beginning as Liliom, a 1909 play by Hungarian author Ferenc Molnár, to its latest 2021 London revival. At first, Rodgers and Hammerstein dismissed the idea of turning Liliom into a musical. How they were persuaded to change their minds, and the struggles the duo experienced in adapting the dark, fantastical play is a key part of the story told by author, Barry Kester. But the book also shines the spotlight onto Rodgers and Hammerstein themselves, looking at their lives, their working methods, and their relationship, which was not always as harmonious as one might have thought. Although Carousel was created by Rodgers and Hammerstein, it would not have happened without the help of some extraordinary people, both backstage and onstage and the book pays due tribute to them all. Many of Carousel’s songs have become well-loved standards, none more so than You’ll Never Walk Alone and not just because of its association with football. A chapter is devoted to this remarkable anthem. Carousel’s story did not end with its 1945 Broadway opening. After an initial London run and a nationwide tour of the United States, there was a film version. The author relates the many problems that were encountered on that production. The book examines what many would agree to be the finest production of Carousel to date, staged at the National Theatre in 1992 directed by Nicholas Hytner and concludes with a look at some of the more recent revivals and the show’s place in the musical theatre canon today. Barry Kester lives in London and has loved musical theatre all his life. After retirement in 2010, he set out to write a detailed history of his favourite musical. Round in Circles: The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel is his first book.

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Book Synopsis(Piano Solo Songbook). 11 original music selections for piano solo from this long-running hit HBO series, including the main title theme composed by Ramin Djawadi, plus: The Bear and the Maiden Fair * The Children * Finale * Goodbye Brother * A Lannister Always Pays His Debts * Light of the Seven * Mhysa * The Rains of Castamere * Throne for the Game * The Winds of Winter.

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Book Synopsis(Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook). A musical drama biopic chronicling P.T. Barnum (played by Hugh Jackman) and his founding of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, this December 2017 film features a stunning soundtrack by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul of La La Land and Dear Evan Hansen fame. Our songbook features piano/vocal/guitar arrangements of 9 songs including the Golden Globe-winning "This Is Me" and: Come Alive * From Now On * The Greatest Show * A Million Dreams * Never Enough * The Other Side * Rewrite the Stars * Tightrope. Also includes full-color scenes from the movie.

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Book Synopsis(Piano Solo Songbook). Even Lady Whistledown would put down the pen to hit the keys with this songbook featuring piano solo arrangements of music featured in both seasons of the blockbuster Netflix series. It includes seven themes from the score by Kris Bowers and Michael Dean Parsons plus eleven classical pop covers of songs by Shawn Mendes, Rihanna, Alanis Morissette, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and more! Songs include: Bridgerton Main Title * Diamonds * How Deep Is Your Love * In My Blood * Love Is a Choice * Material Girl * Thank U, Next * Wildest Dreams * Wrecking Ball * You Oughta Know * and more.

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Book SynopsisEsther, the Beautiful Queen, was William Bradbury's choral setting of a text based on the biblical Book of Esther. Written for amateur singers, the uncomplicated score became enormously popular. In this volume Juanita Karpf traces the work's rich performance and reception history.Trade ReviewFrom Biblical Book to Musical Megahit is a gratifying exploration of a surprisingly important and durable work in nineteenth-century American musical life." - R. Allen Lott, professor of music history at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary"Clear and imminently readable, From Biblical Book to Musical Megahit is a veritable trove of information, photographs, and music." - Jake Johnson, author of Mormons, Musical Theater, and Belonging in America

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Book SynopsisBroadway musicals are one of America’s most beloved art forms and play to millions of people each year. But what do these shows, which are often thought to be just frothy entertainment, really have to say about our country and who we are as a nation? Now in a new second edition, The Great White Way is the first book to reveal the racial politics, content, and subtexts that have haunted musicals for almost one hundred years from Show Boat (1927) to Hamilton (2015). This revised edition includes a new introduction and conclusion, updated chapters, as well as a brand-new chapter that looks at the blockbuster musicals The Book of Mormon and Hamilton. Musicals mirror their time periods and reflect the political and social issues of their day. Warren Hoffman investigates the thematic content of the Broadway musical and considers how musicals work on a structural level, allowing them to simultaneously present and hide their racial agendas in plain view of their audiences. While the musical is informed by the cultural contributions of African Americans and Jewish immigrants, Hoffman argues that ultimately the history of the American musical is the history of white identity in the United States. Presented chronologically, The Great White Way shows how perceptions of race altered over time and how musicals dealt with those changes. Hoffman focuses first on shows leading up to and comprising the Golden Age of Broadway (1927–1960s), then turns his attention to the revivals and nostalgic vehicles that defined the final quarter of the twentieth century. He offers entirely new and surprising takes on shows from the American musical canon—Show Boat (1927), Oklahoma! (1943), Annie Get Your Gun (1946), The Music Man (1957), West Side Story (1957), A Chorus Line (1975), and 42nd Street (1980), among others. In addition to a new chapter on Hamilton and The Book of Mormon, this revised edition brings The Great White Way fully into the twenty-first century with an examination of jukebox musicals and the role of off-Broadway and regional theaters in the development of the American musical. New archival research on the creators who produced and wrote these shows, including Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, Stephen Sondheim, and Edward Kleban, will have theater fans and scholars rethinking forever how they view this popular American entertainment. Trade Review“From Show Boat to Hamilton, from Oklahoma! to The Book of Mormon, Warren Hoffman provides an engaging and insightful analysis of how race has shaped 20th and 21st-century musical theatre. His perceptive and persuasive readings foreground normative whiteness and underline how every musical is “about” race. Required reading for the musical theatre student and aficionado alike.” -- Stacy Wolf * author of Changed for Good: A Feminist History of the Broadway Musical *“Warren Hoffman’s new edition of The Great White Way remains as provocative, smart, challenging and entertaining as the original publication. Hoffman’s book is, in some sense, like a Broadway musical itself — surprising in its many and varied elements, opinions, defenses and prosecutions. The role of race in the history of Broadway has, I’m sure, never been more thoroughly or more judiciously explored. And it’s a terrific read.” -- Jack Viertel * author of The Secret Life of the American Musical *"Warren Hoffman delivers a comprehensive and robust examination of the American musical as a purveyor of white identity and privilege. Easy to read and adept at elucidating the complexities of race in performance, The Great White Way is straightforward and unapologetic. Within it, Hoffman contextualizes the racial disparities embedded in the art form and acknowledges the musical’s powerful and irresistible place in the public imagination. This book belongs on the shelf of any theater maker or scholar who seeks to decolonize sites of theater production and pedagogy." -- Rena M. Heinrich * University of Southern California *"This revised edition brings The Great White Way fully into the twenty-first century with an examination of jukebox musicals and the role of off-Broadway and regional theaters in the development of the American musical." * Broadway World *"There have been musicals produced on Broadway that have had subject matter that reflect diversity but it is Hoffman’s analysis that Broadway has yet to fully embrace diversity or taking risks. It seems that the non-profit theatre companies are more likely to take such risks. Hoffman’s analysis is worth pondering." * Mark Kappel Dance *"As ‘West Side Story’ returns to Broadway, it has a lot to say about race in America," by Warren Hoffman https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/20/west-side-story-returns-broadway-it-has-lot-say-about-race-america/ * Washington Post *"MAXAMOO BOOK CLUB: THE GREAT WHITE WAY – RACE AND THE BROADWAY MUSICAL" podcast interview with Warren Hoffman http://www.maxamoo.com/podcast/maxamoo-book-club-the-great-white-way-race-and-the-broadway-musical/ * Maxamoo Book Club podcast *Broadway Radio interview with Warren Hoffman * Broadway Radio *"The Lost Origins of Broadway's West Side Story," an excerpt from The Great White Way https://therevealer.org/the-lost-origins-of-broadways-west-side-story/ * The Revealer *"White Supremacy and the Broadway Musical" by Warren Hoffman https://medium.com/@whoffman18/white-supremacy-and-the-broadway-musical-a44ebd1b0f08 * Medium *"You've Got To Be Carefully Taught" BBC 2 interview with Warren Hoffman * BBC 2 - "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught" *Table of ContentsContents Preface to the Second Edition Overture: All Singin’! All Dancin’! All White People? Act One: 1927–1957 1 Only Make Believe: Performing Race in Show Boat 2 Playing Cowboys and Indians: Forging Whiteness in Oklahoma! and Annie Get Your Gun 3 Trouble in New York City: The Racial Politics of West Side Story and The Music Man Act Two: 1967–2019 4 Carbon Copies: Black and Interracial Productions of White Musicals 5 A Chorus Line: The Benetton of Broadway Musicals 6 Everything Old Is New Again: Nostalgia and the Broadway Musical at the End of the Twentieth Century 7 Blockbuster Musicals in the Age of Obama: The Book of Mormon and Hamilton Exit Music Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Permissions Index

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Book Synopsis‘Stand. Breathe. Look. Try to empty my mind. Somehow, for some reason, I have been brought to this place to tell this story, now. So tell it. That’s all.’ When Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical Hamilton opened in London’s West End in December 2017, it was as huge a hit as it had been in its original production off- and on Broadway. Lauded by critics and audiences alike, the show would go on to win a record-equalling seven Olivier Awards – including Best Actor in a Musical for Giles Terera, for his portrayal of Aaron Burr. For Terera, though, his journey as Burr had begun more than a year earlier, with his first audition in New York, and continuing through extensive research and preparation, intense rehearsals, previews and finally opening night itself. Throughout this time he kept a journal, recording his experiences of the production and his process of creating his award-winning performance. This book, Hamilton and Me, is that journal. It offers an honest, intimate and thrilling look at everything involved in opening a once-in-a-generation production – the triumphs, breakthroughs and doubts, the camaraderie of the rehearsal room and the moments of quiet backstage contemplation – as well as a fascinating, in-depth exploration of now-iconic songs and moments from the musical, as seen from the inside. It is also deeply personal, as Terera reflects on experiences from his own life that he drew on to help shape his acclaimed portrayal. Illustrated with dozens of colour photographs, many of which are shared here for the first time, and featuring an exclusive Foreword by Lin-Manuel Miranda, this book is an essential read for all fans of Hamilton – offering fresh, first-hand insights into the music and characters they love and know so well – as well as for aspiring and current performers, students, and anyone who wants to discover what it really felt like to be in the room where it happened. Hamilton and Me was featured as Book of Week on BBC Radio 4 in August 2021.Trade Review'Masterful and excellently written... offers audiences and readers the chance to not only be in the 'room where it happens' but also to smell the sweat, feel the pulsing hearts and hear the resonance... deserves a permanent place on aspiring musical theatre performers' bookshelves' * Reviews Hub *'The author's credentials as a Hamilton expert are second to none... the real strength of this book lies not only in its affection for the show and the company but also a great deal of detail about the topsy-turvy adventure of bringing it to the stage... a highly articulate, very thoughtful and hugely enjoyable read' * British Theatre Guide *'A rare insight behind the scenes... fascinating, well-written, relatable and engaging... if you're a fan of Hamilton, an aspiring actor, or just a lover of history, this book will inspire you to take a look at those characters and performers you admire and see them in a different way' * The Play's The Thing UK *'Insightful, honest, and reflective... a fantastic insight into a process few outside the production bubble will ever get to witness... grab a copy today' * Everything Theatre *'An inspirational and insightful read... the level of detail that the book affords into the rehearsal process is particularly fascinating, taking us so far behind the scenes you can smell the greasepaint... jam-packed full of hard-won insights and all kinds of practical advice' * There Ought To Be Clowns *'Remarkable... a fascinating insight into the process of getting Hamilton staged... a must-read for all Hamilton fans, but even if Hamilton doesn't set your world alight it is a book I would recommend for any theatre fan or performer anyway due to the insight it gives in preparing for a role and the process of getting a West End show on stage' * Musical Theatre Musings *'A smart blend of memoir and vital insight into what performers go through to get a show on the road... an absolute delight. Illuminating about both the craft of acting and the glorious show that is Hamilton, it takes you on a whirlwind journey through what was clearly an incredibly important period in Giles Terera's life. Thoroughly recommended for anyone with an interest in acting, Hamilton, or just theatre in general' * Mind The Blog *'A great read, with beautiful photographs and steeped with history and experiences from Terera's view. If you love Hamilton you will love this book!' * Confessions of a Bookworm *'Well-written from the heart and very interesting, this book provides an insight into the life of an actor and how Giles approached the development of his character. A super resource for students and teachers alike' * Word Matters (Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama) *

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Book SynopsisA fascinating look at the gay and lesbian influence on the American stage by an internationally-recognized authority on the topicFrom the genteel female impersonators of the 1910s to the raucous drag queens of La Cage Aux Folles, from the men of The Normal Heart to the women of Fun Home, and from Eva Le Gallienne and Tallulah Bankhead to Tennessee Williams and Nathan Lane, Gays On Broadway deftly chronicles the plays and people that brought gay culture to Broadway.Writing with his customary verve and wit, author Ethan Mordden follows the steady liberation of gay themes on the American stage. The story begins in the early twentieth century, when gay characters were virtually banned from productions. The 1920s saw a flurry of plays closed on moral grounds as well as the Wales Padlock Act, which forbade representation of sex degeneracy. While authorities made consistent attempts to shutter the movement, the public remained curious, and after a few decades of war making, a truce broke out when The Boys In the Band became a national smash hit. From this point on, gay theatre proved simply too popular to abolish. With this change, theatre was graced with a host of unforgettable characters - from thrill killers to historical figures to drag performers, as well as professional gays (such as the defiantly effeminate window dresser in Kiss of the Spider Woman), closeted gays, and those run-of-the-mill citizens who don''t reside entirely within the colorful nonconformist identity (such as the two male lovers in the dinner-theatre comedy Norman, Is That You?).Spoken plays and musicals, playwrights, directors, and actors all played their part in popularizing the gay movement through art. Gays on Broadway is an essential chronological review of the long journey to bring the culture of gay men and women onto the American stage.Trade ReviewA gossipy, insightful survey of the (often closeted) gay contribution to American theatre. * David Benedict, The Guardian *I can't think of a writer better equipped than Ethan Mordden to take on this important subject. Erudite, free-wheeling, and dishy, Gays on Broadway brings over a century of gay theater to vivid life-the plays and personalities, as well as the politics and peril of true representation, both on and off the stage. This is a bracing, provocative, and wildly entertaining read. * Jonathan Tolins, playwright, Buyer & Cellar *Filled with passion for his subject, fascinating if sometimes eccentric insights, and delicious backstage gossip. * M. Clum, New York Journal of Books *Several of this collection's essays demonstrate just how high toward heaven the musical has allowed gays to kick. * Raymond-Jean Frontain, The G&LR *Table of Contents1. The 1910s and 1920s: You Mussst Come Over! 2. The 1930s: The Gays Who Came to Dinner 3. The 1940s: The Poet of Big Characters 4. The 1950s: The Body Beautiful 5. The 1960s: You Shouldn't Wear Heels When You Do Chin-Ups 6. The 1970s: Did You Go To Oberlin? 7. The 1980s: Well, Yes, Actually, Yes, I Have 8. The 1990s and 2000s: They're Taking Over 9. The Present: Mr. Albee Never Changes His Mind Bibliography Index

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Acting in Musical Theatre remains the only complete course in approaching a role in a musical. It covers fundamental skills for novice actors, practical insights for professionals, and even tips to help veteran musical performers refine their craft. Educators will find the clear structure ideal for use with multiple courses and programs. Updates in this expanded and revised third edition include: A comprehensive revision of the book's companion website into a fully online Resource Guide that includes abundant teaching materials and syllabi for a range of short- and long-form courses, PowerPoint slide decks and printable handouts for every chapter. Updated examples, illustrations, and exercises from more recent musical styles and productions such as Hamilton, Waitress, and Dear Evan Hansen. Revision of rehearsal and performance guidelines to help students and teachers at all levels thrive

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Book SynopsisOpera in Performance elucidates the performative dimension of contemporary opera productions. What are the most striking and decisive moments in a performance? Why do we respond so strongly to stagings that transform familiar scenes, to performers' bodily presence, and to virtuosic voices as well as ill-disposed ones? Drawing on phenomenology and performance theory, Clemens Risi explains how these moments arise out of a dialogue between performers and the audience, representation and presence, the familiar and the new. He then applies these insights in critical descriptions of his own experiences of various singers, stagings, and performances at opera houses and festivals from across the German-speaking world over the last twenty years. As the first book to focus on what happens in performance as such, this study shifts our attention to moments that have eluded articulation and provides tools for describing our own experiences when we go to the opera.Trade Review''I find the book not only important and revealing but also downright exciting in how it points out connections and perspectives. An impressive work that I felt to be both brilliantly written and pioneering.'' Hans Neuenfels''With the present volume, Clemens Risi fills a serious desideratum. The discussion in theater studies has so far engaged too little with the repertory system of opera—viewed statistically, still the most common—from the perspective of performance analysis. […] The book will certainly soon develop into a standard reference and hopefully also contribute to conferring more visibility to opera in discussions in theater studies.'' Forum Modernes Theater"As the book’s subtitle suggests, Risi puts the performative dimension at the centre of his study. […] For Risi, the task at hand when analysing a performance from the realm of Regietheater is not rigorously to relate the event to the score in order to evaluate the production as well or badly done. Rather, ‘the focus is on the question of why and how a certain performance was able to affect the audience in a certain way’ (11). […] After a concise first part on the theoretical framework, situated against the backdrop of the performative turn, Risi goes on to approach opera in performance in its ephemerality and uniqueness as a bodily experience that is as subjective as it is intimate. Methodologically, he approaches the performative dimension through a phenomenological framework, arguing that phenomenology does not ‘describe any event independently from one’s own corporeal experience’ (114). Central to this study is the ‘phenomenal body in its materiality’ (95). Not only are the sound and voice produced by the performer’s body of importance, but also each body that belongs to the audience. Consequently, performances experienced by Risi himself take up most of the analysis. The author describes what he observed and felt, how other members in the audience reacted and what the overall atmosphere in the theatre was like. By doing so, he sheds light on experiences that regular opera-goers all have at some point. The quality of his approach lies in their promotion as objects of research and the establishment of an analytical toolbox to tackle them. […] It is a joy to listen with Risi to the many performances he describes so vividly. The longer one engages with his arguments, the more the author becomes the reader’s very own opera buddy. Risi’s descriptions of stage settings, singers’ bodily exertions and their vocal effects, his own impressions and physical tensions, and the atmosphere in the audience, are engaging and comprehensive. By almost ‘resurrecting’ the performance, the author creates the conditions for the performer–audience relation to incorporate the circle of readers too. All in all, Risi’s text proposes an important shift of perspective towards the performative dimension of opera, as well as a methodological approach that has already proved its urgency and applicability in opera studies.“ Elisabeth van Treeck, (Cambridge Opera Journal 34/2022) ''With the present volume, Clemens Risi fills a serious desideratum. The discussion in theater studies has so far engaged too little with the repertory system of opera—viewed statistically, still the most common—from the perspective of performance analysis. […] The book will certainly soon develop into a standard reference and hopefully also contribute to conferring more visibility to opera in discussions in theater studies.’’ T. Sofie Taubert, Forum Modernes TheaterTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction Opera and the PerformativePart 1 Theoretical FoundationsChapter 1 Beyond InterpretationChapter 2 Beyond Semiotics: The Interplay of Representation and PresenceChapter 3 Theories of Performance and the PerformativeChapter 4 The Entanglement of the Senses: Premises from Perception TheoryPart 2 Analytical Approaches Chapter 5 Symbioses and Contestations: The Interaction of Auditory and Visual ElementsChapter 6 The Interplay of Representation and Presence in PerformanceChapter 7 The Voice and the Body in Opera PerformancesChapter 8 Rhythm and Experiences of Time in OperaChapter 9 The Future of Opera? On the Mediated Experience and Distribution of Opera PerformancesConclusionList of Performances DiscussedBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis Element focuses on opera as a product that both challenged and was challenged in the Andes by other forms of performing arts, behaviours, technologies, material realities, and business models.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Music and theatre in the Andes around 1840; 2. The framework for Italian opera; 3. A distruptive form of business; 4. Repertories of Italian opera; 5. The limits of Italian opera; 6. A very personal journey; Epilogue; References.

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Book SynopsisHow to Swing in Musical Theatre shines a light on the most universal techniques used by cast members who, in response to absence, can perform multiple roles across an ensemble.This entertaining guide can be used not only to build a step-by-step understanding of what swinging is and how it can be approached, but also as a constant point of reference throughout a career in musical theatre. Providing a suite of practical, technical advice on everything from quick and easy notation to compiling oneâs own personal swing âbibleâ, everything that an aspiring or experienced musical theatre performer will need is clearly arranged and thoughtfully explained. This book also teaches the SAFE Strategy, which is recognised as the most functional swing method and introduces the SAFE Principles of Swinging: Safety, Awareness, Function and Evolution. The principles are an original construct, devised to ward off stress and invite positive experience through reasoned behaviours.Table of Contents1. What is a swing? 2. How to think like a swing 3. Strategies for every swing 4. Success before you begin 5. How to learn the ingredients 6. How to record the variables 7. Basics of notation 8. Speed of notation 9. Information overload 10. Ready. Set. Swing bible. 11. Speed of extraction 12. In the performance space 13. Swing maps vs. cheat sheets 14. Specialist Swing Skills (S.S.S.) 15. How to look after a swing brain 16. Outro

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Book SynopsisThis concise book critically examines the intersection of power, privilege, and classical music in higher education through an extensive study of the experiences, training, and background of teachers of musical theatre singing.Mapping the divides within the voice pedagogy field, it shows how despite the growth of non-classical programmes, the teaching of vocal music in the United States continues to be structurally dominated by Western classical music. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and observations of practicing instructors, the author argues that current voice pedagogy training's classical-centred approach fails to prepare instructors to teach the range of vocal styles needed in the contemporary musical theatre profession. Combining a critical review of existing practices with proposals for change, this book sheds light on a key problem in voice pedagogy today.Based on field research and drawing on both Shulman's signature pedagogies theory and Bourdieu's concepts ofTable of ContentsChapter 1 Marble BuildingsChapter 2 Behind Closed DoorsChapter 3 What Was Going On In Musical Theatre One-To-One Singing Pedagogy In Universities?Chapter 4 Where Did You Learn To Teach?Chapter 5 Deep Structures Of Voice Pedagogy In Universities In The United StatesChapter 6 Habitus And Capitals Of Musical Theatre Singing TeachersChapter 7 The Field of Voice PedagogyChapter 8 Turning The Corner?

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Book SynopsisLessons in Creativity from Musical Theatre Characters marries art and science with a new and exciting collaboration between one of the world's leading creativity scholars and an internationally renowned musical theatre composer. This book will help readers tap into their creativity and unleash their own creative potential as they start their careers.Blending cutting-edge research, juicy anecdotes, lived experience, hands-on activities, and gentle advice, authors James C. Kaufman and Dana P. Rowe take readers on a journey to explore and enhance their own creativity. Each chapter addresses a key aspect of creativity, from how to overcome blocks to understanding one's personal strengths all through the lens of Musical Theatre characters along with insights from those within the industry. Kaufman and Rowe shatter creativity myths (such as the tormented artist or having one big break) that may be harming the reader's potential growth. Probing questions, fun quizzesTable of ContentsOverture: Waiting in the Wings PART I Your Creative Spark 1. Making Your Entrance: Finding Your Original Voice 2. Hitting Your Mark: The Importance of Appropriateness 3. Thinking On Your Feet: The Creative Process 4. Finding Your Light: Your Creative Aspirations PART II Your Creative Tools 5. Keeping It Fresh: Staying Open to New Things 6. What’s Your Motivation?: Passion and Balance 7. Showing Them What You’ve Got: The Creative Self 8. Crying on Cue: Monitoring Your Mood PART III Your Creative Life 9. Leaving the Drama on the Stage: The Myth of the Mad Genius 10. Taking Your Show on the Road: Know When to Make a Change 11. Dreaming Your Dream: Your Journey of Success Exit Music: The Show Must Go On

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Book SynopsisCrossover Stardom: Popular Male Stars in American Cinema focuses on male music stars who have attempted to achieve film stardom. Crossover stardom can describe stars who cross from one medium to another. Although crossover' has become a popular term to describe many modern stars who appear in various mediums, crossover stardom has a long history, going back to the beginning of the cinema. Lobalzo Wright begins with Bing Crosby, a significant Hollywood star in the studio era; moving to Elvis Presley in the 1950s and 1960s, as the studio system collapsed; to Kris Kristofferson in the New Hollywood period of the 1970s; and ending with Will Smith and Justin Timberlake, in the contemporary era, when corporate conglomerates dominate Hollywood. Thus, the study not only explores music stardom (and music genres) in various eras, and masculinity within these periods, it also surveys the history of American cinema from industrial and cultural perspectives, from the 1930s to today.Trade ReviewCrossover Stardom represents a welcome intervention in star studies, providing a long overdue framework to explore multi-media stardom as a key concept within the field. Lobalzo Wright's wide-ranging study of stars from Crosby to Kristofferson is entertaining and enlightening, serving as both a rich resource and an invitation to further research on this essential topic. * Karen McNally, Senior Lecturer in Film and Television Studies, London Metropolitan University, UK *Julie Lobalzo Wright explores a relatively neglected but important field of star studies. Her clear, scholarly and lively discussion of male stars with contrasting levels of meaning and popularity in different media expertly ranges over questions of genre, spectatorship and masculinity. Drawing especially on gender and cultural theory, her fine analysis of persona and performance brilliantly highlights afresh the impact and significance of crossover stars like Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley. * Peter William Evans, Emeritus Professor of Film Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, UK *Crossover Stardom presents five case studies of US American male stars who moved from music to film. Although each case study is insightful in itself, the strength of Crossover Stardom is the bringing together of five quite different male stars over a period of almost a century. Lobalzo Wright effectively uses the concept of the star image to examine both the historical continuities as well as the changes in the way gender and genre function within the entertainment industry. Rather than merely questioning whether or not these crossovers into film were successful, the book shows how the onscreen performances are informed by the off-screen music star image. The focus on the star image enables to explore how these performers embody an ideal masculinity of their times and its connection to music genres, ranging from the American songbook, rock ’n’ roll and country to contemporary hip-hop and pop. Crossover Stardom not only successfully applies the star image to popular music studies, but also highlights the relevance of the—often-neglected—male music star in the study of film. * Jaap Kooijman, Associate Professor in Media Studies and American Studies, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction 1: The Crooner Film Star: Bing Crosby 2: The Rock ‘N’ Roll Film Star: Elvis Presley 3: The Country Film Star: Kris Kristofferson 4: The Rap Film Star: Will Smith 5: The Pop Film Star: Justin Timberlake Conclusion Bibliography Filmography

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Book SynopsisThe first study to explore the crucial influence of Kurt Weill on operas and musicals by Marc Blitzstein and Leonard Bernstein. Theodor Adorno famously proclaimed that the model of Kurt Weill could not be repeated. Yet Weill's stage works set an inescapable precedent for composers on both sides of the Atlantic. Rebecca Schmid explores how Weill's formal innovations in particular laid the groundwork for operas and musicals by Marc Blitzstein and Leonard Bernstein, although both composers resisted or downplayed his aesthetic contribution to American tradition. Comparative analysis based on Harold Bloom's Anxiety of Influence and other modes of intertextuality reveals that the principles of Weill's opera reform would catalyze an indigenous movement in sophisticated, socially engaged music theatre. Weill, Blitzstein, and Bernstein: A Study of Influence focuses on works that represent different phases of Weill's mission to renew the genre of opera, evolving from Die Dreigroschenoper to the musical play Lady in the Dark and the Broadway Opera Street Scene. Blitzstein and Bernstein in turn defied formal boundaries with The Cradle Will Rock, Regina, Trouble in Tahiti, Candide, and West Side Story - part of a short-lived movement in mid-twentieth century America that coincided with a renaissance for Weill's German-period works following the premiere of Blitzstein's translation, The Threepenny Opera, under Bernstein's baton. The unpublished A Pray by Blecht, for which Bernstein rejoined Stephen Sondheim and Jerome Robbins, his collaborators on West Side Story, deepens the connection of Bernstein's aesthetic to Weill.Trade ReviewSchmid traces the tutelage of Blitzstein to Bernstein and back to Weill through performance anecdotes, personal letters, and documentation by previous researchers. Schmid's research is sound [and] the book is full of diverting production history and insights into the lives and minds of the three composers and their close circles. * The New England Theatre Geek *Deserves a warm welcome from anybody with an interest in the emergence of 'serious' Broadway shows after the Second World War. Weill's fundamental role in this is explored thoroughly, and the significance of his influence is brought into the light for the first time. This really is a fine read. A fascinating and original study. * Gramophone *Sheds considerable light on a fascinating subject and is well worth reading [since] Schmid writes so well. * SOUNDWORDSIGHT: AN ARTS MAGAZINE *Schmid's comprehensive archival research and revealing musical analysis offer new perspectives to support the many ways in which the "spectre of Weill" hovers gently over American opera. * KURT WEILL NEWSLETTER *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Why Influence? 2 "Have You Seen My New Opera?" 3 "Something Like Opera" 4 "Make Our Garden Grow 5 "This Isn't Worth drei Groschen" 6 A Pray by Blecht 7 "The Saga of Lenny" Epilogue Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe unlikely true story of why we know the name William Shakespeare today, and the four-hundred-year-old book that made it possible.Four hundred years ago, no one bothered to write down the exact words of stage plays. Characters? lines were scribbled on small rolls of paper (as in, an actor?s role) and passed around, but no master script was saved for the future. The main reason we?ve heard of Romeo, Juliet, Hamlet, and Shakespeare himself is that a group of people made the excellent choice to preserve the plays after the Bard died. If they hadn?t created the book known as the First Folio, Shakespeare and his works would surely have been lost to history. Part literary scavenger hunt (the search for every existing First Folio continues today), part book trivia treasure trove, and part love letter to Shakespeare, this behind-the-scenes, sharply funny true story is an ideal introduction to the Bard and his famous plays.

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Book SynopsisThe 2008 Broadway musical In the Heights explores three days in the New York City Latino neighbourhood of Washington Heights. Its infectious score featuring hip-hop, salsa, merengue and soul music was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The recent movie adaptation brought the musical to a whole new generation of fans. This easy piano selections songbook features 10 tunes from the stage production which won the Tony for Best Musical and Best Original Score.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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