Other performing arts Books

Book SynopsisSynopsis coming soon.......

Read more less

Book SynopsisReaders will be delighted by the broad array of comic talent spotlighted in this book, and for those interested in comedy with substance, it will offer an alternative punchline.Trade ReviewThis is an incredibly valuable and worthwhile read, because it explores not only the remarkable influence comedy has, but it confronts the biases that can undermined great comics while allowing certain hacks to succeed... The value of charged humor cannot be overstated, especially these days, and neither can insightful tomes like this one. -- Glenn Dallas San Francisco Book Review Krefting (American Studies, Skidmore College) draws on experience working at stand-up, improv, and directing- plus, the jokes she includes are funny... This fresh, thoughtful investigation of the political dimensions in current American stand-up comedy is a must read for those interested in the comic. ChoiceTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction. The Laughscape of American Humor1. Making Connections: Building Cultural Citizenship through Charged Humor2. Twentieth-Century Stand-Up: A History of Charged Humor3. Laughing into the New Millennium4. When Women Perform Charged Humor: The (Gendered) Politics of Consumption5. Robin Tyler: Still "Working the Crowd"6. Micia Mosely: Humor out of the Mouths of Babes7. Hari Kondabolu: Performing in the Age of Modern-Day MinstrelsyConclusion. How to Avoid the Last LaughNotesCharged Comic CompendiumIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisDan O'Shannon is currently co-executive producer for the ABC show Modern Family, previously working on other Emmy nominated shows such as Frasier and Cheers. O'Shannon has also lectured in classes at UCLA, USC, and taught a course on writing at Cleveland State University, where he holds an honorary doctorate.Trade ReviewComedy is an art, but there is comedy to be gained in treating it as a science. What Are You Laughing At? Is a discussion of the genre of many mediums in comedy, trying to define a broad topic which an vary person to person. Attempting to gain a better understanding of the concept of comedy, writer for many hit comedy sitcoms in the past few decades Dan O’Shannon presents an intriguing delve into psychology and sociology behind it all. What Are You Laughing At? Is a fine take on the meaning and purpose of comedy, highly recommended. -- James A. Cox, Editor-In-Chief * The Midwest Book Review - Wisconson Book Watch *As hard as it would be to define "'the meaning of life', defining 'comedy' is harder. And somehow Dan O'Shannon does it in his insightful, comprehensive, and funny new book, What Are You Laughing At?: A Comprehensive Guide to the Comedic Event. I’ve been writing humor for 35 years and I learned stuff! If you’re planning on a career in comedy all you will need is this book and a rubber chicken. -- Ken Levine, Writer/producer MASH and The SimpsonsCreative individuals usually have difficulty explaining how they get their ideas. But O’Shannon’s presentation of how comedy works in excellent and detailed. O’Shannon is certainly an expert at creating comedy, having written and produced television successes like Cheers, Frasier, and Modern Family. He confesses here, however, that in his job he does not use the model he describes here and that he did have scholarly help, which he praises and is thankful for. The result is a sophisticated model of humor that stands up quite well against more scholarly works like Matthew Hurley, Daniel Dennett, and Reginald Adams Jr.’s Inside Jokes (CH, Jan’12, 49-2983) and John Morreall’s Comic Relief (CH, Sep’10, 48-0062). …This is a book for anyone curious about the nature of humor. Summing up: Highly recommended. All readers. -- P. L. Derks, emeritus, College of William and Mary * Choice *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION OVERVIEWCommon Comedy TheoriesThe Comedic EventDocumenting the Comedic EventPART I: ELEMENTS OF CONTEXT: THE RECEPTION FACTORSCHAPTER 1: THE RECEIVER AND HIS WORLD1-1. A Comedy Frame of Mind1-2. Early Reception Factors1-3. Levels of Social InteractionCHAPTER 2: ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION2-1. Modes of Communication2-2. Device and Specific DeviceCHAPTER 3: VEHICLES3-1. Vehicles3-2. Vehicle-based Reception FactorsCHAPTER 4: LEVEL OF CONTROL AND IDENTIFYING THE SOURCE4-1. Level of Control4-2. Identifying The SourcePART II: THE INCONGRUOUS PICTURECHAPTER 5: FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENTS5-1. The Receiver's Brain: Hard-wired for Comedy?5-2. The Triangle5-3. The Core VariablesCHAPTER 6: INCONGRUITY6-1. Incongruity6-2. Estimating Levels of Incongruity6-3. Types of IncongruityCHAPTER 7: COGNITIVE PROCESS7-1. Cognitive Process: Overview7-2. Level One: Straightforward Information7-3. Level Two: Gap-filling7-4: Level Three: RecontextualizationCHAPTER 8: VARIATIONS8-1. Exploring the Four Corners of the Triangle8-2. What are Practical Jokes?CHAPTER 9: COMEDY AND ENTROPY9-1. Sustaining the Laugh9-2. EntropyPART III: ENHANCERS AND INHIBITORSCHAPTER 10: HOW COMEDIC INFORMATION TRIGGERS ENHANCERS AND INHIBITORS10-1. Overview10-2. On-going Social Needs: Superiority, Identification, and Inclusion10-3. Aspects of AwarenessCHAPTER 11: ELEMENTS OF THE JOKE'S COMMUNICATION, STRUCTURE, AND CONTENT11-1. Resuming the Chart: The Joke as a Whole11-2. Elements of Communication and Structure11-3. Elements of ContentSUMMING IT ALL UPThe Completed ChartFinal Thoughts and Acknowledgments

Read more less