Theatre studies Books

Book Synopsis''Coveney is the only writer who could get under Smith''s skin, capturing her steeliness and vulnerability'' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAYFrom her days as a star of West End comedy and revue, Dame Maggie''s path has led to international renown and numerous accolades including two Academy Awards. Recently she has been as prominent on our screens as ever, with high-profile roles as the formidable Dowager Countess of Grantham in DOWNTON ABBEY, as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the HARRY POTTER movie franchise and as the eccentric Miss Shepherd in the film version of THE LADY IN THE VAN by Alan Bennett. Paradoxically she remains an enigmatic figure, rarely appearing in public and carefully guarding her considerable talent. Drawing on personal archives, interviews and encounters with the actress, as well as conversations with immediate family and dear friends, Michael Coveney''s biography is a captivating portrait of the real Maggie Smith.Trade ReviewFrom early days in the theatre to Miss Jean Brodie and Downton's formidable Dowager, Maggie Smith has endeared herself to millions. This engaging and fascinating biography reveals the life and career of one of our finest actresses * WOMAN & HOME *Dame Maggie Smith - now 81 - is a national treasure, her unforgettable asperity a delight in every role ... [Coveney's] knowledgeable, elegant biography examines the qualities of the woman in the spotlight ... But he also gently probes Smith's closely guarded privacy, with revealing anecdotes from friends, fellow thespians and Smith's sons, the actors Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens -- Jane Shilling * DAILY MAIL *A satisfying read ... [P]leasantly gossipy and a very valuable addition to the history of British theatre -- Mary McEvoy * IRISH INDEPENDENT *[A] solid and admiring portrait of a beloved actor's craft and career -- Patricia Nicol * INDEPENDENT *Michael Coveney's affectionate [biography] provides the best account we are likely to get of this reserved grand dame, who surely stands alone in having her 'witty' elbows and wrists so often singled out for praise * EVENING STANDARD, Books of the Year *The conundrum of what Smith does haunts Coveney's Maggie Smith: A Biography, on a brilliant journey from Shakespeare's Viola to J.K. Rowling's Professor McGonagall. Coveney's admiration is never in doubt, being of a rare critical type that cares for the actor's craft with infectious enthusiasm -- Michael Joseph Chance * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Coveney has written a magnificent book that beautifully illuminates the talent and the irreducible personality of a great artist -- Peter Craven * THE AUSTRALIAN *Inspiring stuff - BOOK OF THE WEEK * NEW magazine *BOOK OF THE WEEK * DAILY MAIL *[A] revealing biography of the sublime life and loves of Maggie Smith -- Gerald Isaaman * CAMDEN NEW JOURNAL *Wonderful insight into the life of a wonderful actress - READERS' CHOICE FOR BEST MEMOIR OF THE YEAR * WOMAN & HOME *Michael Coveney isn't afraid to elucidate on her reputation for being difficult, but there's much more here, from a revelatory Hedda Gabler to The Lady In The Van. Coveney is the only writer who could get under Smith's skin, capturing her steeliness and vulnerability. -- Christopher Fowler * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY, Cinema Books of the Year *Steeped in theatre history, and with full cooperation from Smith; her husband, actor Beverley Cross; family and colleagues, including her close friend Judi Dench, Coveney seamlessly melds Smith's personal and professional lives into an engrossing narrative ... An authoritative and perceptive portrait. * KIRKUS REVIEWS *Coveney enticingly lists and quotes from her most remarkable roles, and forbears to intrude on Smith's determinedly private life. Hers is a fascinating story, a true swan hatched from the unlikely nest of a dour Methodist accountant mother and a lab technician father who moved to Oxford during the war. -- Christina Hardyment * THE TIMES *

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Book SynopsisMerging the theoretical framework with the practical elements of staging an ancient Greek play, this indispensable guide offers directors and actors an excellent starting point for mounting their production. Considering the conditions of ancient Greek performance and the conventions of the Greek theatre, the book examines large questions, including those related to ancient Greek values, myth and the individual (characterization'), and the gods and fate all of which must be taken into consideration when approaching a contemporary production. This practical guide also explores with analysed examples, the issues that today's theatre-makers should consider in order to successfully stage ancient Greek drama. These topics include: - choice of translation - setting - costumes - masks - mode of delivery - acting style for both tragedy and comedy - handling of the chorus - solutions to staging Greek dramaTrade ReviewAn excellent handbook for whoever is looking to delve deeper into the culture and the theatre tradition that created some of the most iconic characters and plays ever written. Ewans’ insightful introduction prepares and empowers aspiring practitioners for their exploration of ancient Greek drama. * Emily Louizou, Theatre Director & Artistic Director of Collide Theatre Ltd *Table of ContentsPreface Notation Dates Spelling Introduction: Adaptation and Interpretation Chapter One: The Original Conditions of Performance 1.1 The Festivals of Dionysos 1.2 Performance Practice 1.3 The Playing Space 1.3.1 Theatron and Orchestra 1.3.2 The Skene 1.4 Staging Conventions 1.5 Costumes and Masks 1.6 Actors 1.7 The Choros 1.8 ‘Realistic’ or ‘Stylized’? Chapter Two: Values, Myth and the Individual, the Gods and Moira 2.1 Greek and Modern Values 2.2 Myth and the Individual 2.3 The Gods and Daimones 2.4 Moira 2.5 Comedy 2.6 Modern Performance Chapter Three: Performing Greek Drama on the Modern Stage 3.1 Translation 3.1.1 Introduction 3.1.2 Desiderata 3.1.3 Comedy 3.2 Setting, Costumes and Masks 3.2.1 ‘Ancient’ or Modern? 3.2.2 Desiderata 3.3 Speech and Song 3.4 Acting 3.4.1 Tragedy 3.4.1.2 Solo Speech 3.4.1.3 Dialogue and Three-actor Scenes 3.4.1.4 Props 3.4.1.5 Conclusion 3.4.2 Comedy 3.4.2.1 The In-Law in The Women’s Festival 3.4.2.2 A lazzo in Frogs 3.4.2.3 Props 3.4.2.4 Conclusion 3.5 The Choros 3.5.1 Introduction 3.5.2 Tragedy 3.5.2.1 A Choral Ode 3.5.2.2 A Lyric Scene 3.5.2.3 A Lyric/dialogue Scene 3.5.2.4 Conclusion 3.5.3 Comedy 3.5.3.1 A Choros Divided 3.5.3.2 The Parabasis 2.5.3.3 Conclusion 3.6 Performing Greek Drama on an End-on Stage 3.6.1 Comedy: Peace (2009) 3.6.2 Tragedy: Medea (2021) 3.6.3 Conclusion 3.7 Adieu Glossary of Greek words Recommended reading Works cited Appendix 1: Synopses of the Extant Tragedies and Comedies Appendix 2: Some Audio-Visual Resources Index

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Book SynopsisWhat is the relationship between theatre and therapy? How has this relationship developed over time, with a new contemporary focus on mental wellbeing? How is therapy put on the couch by theatrical performance?Theatre and Therapy explores the evolution of links between theatre and therapy by considering actor training, theatre in therapeutic contexts, and contemporary theatre and performance practice. The book illuminates some of the connections and frictions between theatre and therapy, drawing on a range of examples that includes theatre performance, documentary theatre, solo performance, comedy, method acting and dramatherapy. This concise study traverses some of the changing interactions between theatre and therapy, and in this revised edition, takes into account shifting attitudes and approaches to theatre as a therapeutically inspired practice and tool.

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Book SynopsisThe most controversial and newsworthy plays of British theatre are a rash of rude, vicious and provocative pieces by a brat pack of twentysomethings whose debuts startled critics and audiences with their heady mix of sex, violence and street-poetry.In-Yer-Face Theatre is the first book to study this exciting outburst of creative self-expression by what in other contexts has been called Generation X, or Thatcher''s Children, the ''yoof'' who grew up during the last Conservative Government. The book argues that, for example, Trainspotting, Blasted, Mojo and Shopping and F**king are much more than a collection of shock tactics - taken together, they represent a consistent critique of modern life, one which focuses on the problem of violence, the crisis of masculinity and the futility of consumerism. The book contains extensive interviews with playwrights, including Sarah Kane (Blasted), Mark Ravenhill (Shopping and F**king), Philip Ridley (

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Book SynopsisAnthony Neilson''s 2004 play is half a lark, half deadly serious' TIME OUTA profane, madcap, Alice-in-Wonderland trip morphs into something much more profound in Anthony Neilson's weirdly compelling 2004 study of mental instability' EVENING STANDARD Lisa Jones is on a journey. It''s a colourful and exciting off-kilter trip in search of one lost hour that has tipped the balance of her life. The inhabitants of the wonderful world she finds herself in Dissocia are a curious blend of the funny, the friendly and the brutal. This Student Edition of Anthony Neilson's 2004 play, which premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival, features a commentary and notes by anna six. It introduces students to debates surrounding mental health and situates Neilson within a British theatrical tradition, including through an interview with him.Table of ContentsChronology History Form Politics Genre Production History PLAYTEXT Interview with Anthony Neilson Notes Further Reading

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Book Synopsis''Inspiring. Emotionally charged. Ground-breaking'' BERNARDINE EVARISTO''A revelation. I am so thankful to Ntozake Shange for seeing us, reflecting us and showing us how beautiful we can be'' JESMYN WARD''Encompassing, it seems, every feeling and experience a woman has ever had'' NEW YORKERThe Lady in Red has adored her lover for 8 months, 2 wks, & a day, but now she is leaving. The Lady in Blue has an abortion, all alone. The Lady in Brown can read fifteen books in three weeks.The Lady in Purple has met a man, and is finally being real. The Lady in Yellow was a virgin, until she spent her graduation night driving around in a black Buick with boys. And the Lady in Orange has to dance to keep from crying and dying.Written in 1975 and immediately hailed as a masterwork, this ''choro-poem'' is made up of monologues detailing loss, betrayal, love and community. A passionate and fearless portrait of black womanhood in th

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Book SynopsisBy night, Vivian Parry performs the role of Manhattan’s sharpest theatre critic, immersing herself fully in every show she sees. By day, she uses work, sex, and psychotropic drugs to keep her comfortably numb. Desperate for a promotion and at the urging of her editor, she agrees to an interview with David Adler, an enigmatic graduate student. When he later disappears, Vivian soon learns from his devastated fiancée that she was the last person to have seen him alive. The police refuse to investigate his disappearance and Vivian finds herself obsessed with what happened, assuming the role of amateur investigator. But as she gets closer to the truth about David Adler, she finds that the boundaries between theatre and reality are more tenuous than even she could have believed. 'An impressive debut' Financial Times 'A sharp, funny, and pacy slice of Manhattan noir' Guardian Trade ReviewAlexis Soloski portrays Manhattan's thespian scene and high-end social life in vivid detail with snappy dialogue. This is an impressive debut * Financial Times *A sharp, funny and pacy slice of Manhattan noir that manages to be over-the-top and weirdly plausible, with a terrific payoff * Guardian *Alexis Soloski's debut novel is an elegant, chilling read that examines the lives of critics, actors, and addicts. It poses the question: can you know or even have your own identity, when your entire life is spent acting? Recommended for lovers of New York and the theatre, this is a taut, beautifully written psychological thriller that dares to delve into the darkness behind the curtains -- Laura SheppersonA moody, taut dose of noir, Here in the Dark is a poised, daring debut - the kind of novel I relish and can't get out of my head, evoking the work of icons like Megan Abbott and Margaret Millar in its hypnotic prose and mesmerizing characters. Readers will not forget Vivian Parry - and they won't want to -- Alex Segura, bestselling author of Secret IdentitySoloski does not disappoint in either her sharp-eyed and unflinching portrait of an unravelling critic, or in her delicious upending of genre. Hitchcock meets a slippery metatheatrics of power, performance, desire, and escape. This is a novel and a protagonist who moves with a precarious velocity, constantly choosing the most dangerous move and bringing us careening after -- Jen Silverman, author of We Play OurselvesHere in the Dark lives up to its title and is indeed a dark tale; it’s also hilarious, addictive, elegantly constructed, and composed. It’s ultimately a book about art and the love of art, but it's cleverly disguised as a thrill ride, a jolt of pulp and a shot of noir. It became a New York classic to me the minute I read the last sentence -- Michael Imperioli, actor, writer, and musicianFrom its very first page to its final revelation, Here in the Dark will possess you with a mix of acerbic wit and Highsmithian invention. I blazed through this book, delighting equally in the cleverness of its plot and the delicious wickedness of Vivian Parry - a woman you can’t look away from even for a second. And why would you, when there’s a life-or-death mystery, dialogue that feels beamed in from a classic noir, and a ballet about rabies on offer? Even if you’ve never seen a play, you’ll be thrilled by the ways author Alexis Soloski takes the novel of suspense and turns it into a meditation on seeing and being seen, knowing and being known, judging and being judged -- Isaac Butler, author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to ACT

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Book Synopsis'With spot-on injections of humour and a frequently raised sardonic eyebrow, joy and warmth shine from this fascinating and funny book' Jo BrandA joyful celebration of amateur theatreFrom the Mystery Plays of the Middle Ages, via the Georgian aristocrats who built opulent private theatres in their own homes, to the radical lefties taking political theatre to the streets, this is the story of amateur dramatics in Britain. We meet a cast of characters who tell us about the joy amateur theatre brings them and we follow the full arc of a production, from first auditions to last night party, with all the mishaps and forgotten lines that come in between. In a triumphant mix of memoir, social history and manifesto, Jenny Landreth opens our eyes to am-dram and shows us a vibrant world that is a crucial part of our culture.Trade ReviewAn unputdownable, utterly delightful stroll through British amateur theatre and why it has a vital place for us all -- Shappi KhorsandiLandreth's charming book is both a cultural history of amateur theatre and a loving look at am-dram and its role in British life -- Sarah Hughes * i *This funny and interesting book makes you yearn for a long-lost sense of community, and then realise it’s been there all along. Jenny Landreth, take an Am Dram style bow -- John O’FarrellAmateur is not a dirty word, but implies disinterested love, dedication and a clubbable, community feeling . . . Landreth reminds us, importantly, that the word amateur includes student and community theatre, vital seed corn and support to the professional world -- Libby Purvis * The Times *With spot-on injections of humour and a frequently raised sardonic eyebrow, joy and warmth shine from this fascinating and funny book -- Jo Brand

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Book SynopsisJerzy Grotowski created the Theatre Laboratory in 1959 in Opole in south-west Poland. His work since then, with a small permanent company, has become a source of interest to many modern directors. This is a record of the ideas that have motivated the work of the Theatre Laboratory.

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Book SynopsisWole Soyinka - playwright, novelist, poet and polemical essayist - was born in Nigeria in 1934. Educated there and at Leeds University, UK, he worked in the British theatre before returning to West Africa in 1960. In 1986 he became the first African writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.Trade ReviewThis play, by the winner of a Nobel Prize for Literature, asks: 'On the authority of what gods' the white aliens rupture the world. It puts exciting political theatre back on the agenda... a masterpiece of 20th century drama Guardian A transfixing work of modern world drama Independent clearly a masterpiece... he achieves the full impact of Greek tragedy Irving Wardle, Independent on Sunday the action of the play is as inevitable and eloquent as in Antigone: a clash of values and cultures so fundamental that tragedy issues: a tragedy for each individual, each tribe Michael Schmidt, Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisLorca's tragic tale of the destruction of Bernarda Alba's family following the death of her husband. This Student Edition includes a commentary, chronology, notes and bibliography.Trade Review'Best of all is Ann Mitchell's superb Bernarda Alba, who presides over her daughters like a malevolent mother superior. As polished and shiney as her own furniture, a husk of a woman who puts pride and honour before love and generosity, and who is so out of touch with her own heart that she ignores all the signs of the coming disaster, content to rule her house with her eyes wide shut.' Lyn Gardner, Gaurdian, 30 April 2009 It is a play about what happens to hearts when they are walled up and denied the opportunity to sweel with love and happiness' Lyn Gardener, Gaurdian, 30 April 2009

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Book SynopsisWhat is performance drawing'? When does a drawing turn into a performance? Is the act of drawing in itself a performative process, whether a viewer is present or not? Through conversation, interviews and essays, the authors illuminate these questions, and what it might mean to perform, and what it might mean to draw, in a diverse and expressive contemporary practice since 1945. The term performance drawing' first appeared in the subtitle of Catherine de Zegher's Drawing Papers 20: Performance Drawings, in particular with reference to Alison Knowles and Elena del Rivero. In this book, it is used as a trope, and a thread of thinking, to describe a process dedicated to broadening the field of drawing through resourceful practices and cross-disciplinary influence. Featuring a wide range of international artists, this book presents pioneering practitioners, alongside current and emerging artists. The combination of experiences and disciplines in the expanded field Trade ReviewA valuable historical primer that examines key examples of performance drawing from the last half-century and challenges established definitions and categorisations. The authors draw a picture of the changing boundaries between art forms, showing how the blurred lines between artistic disciplines are the product of an active performative process. In addition to practitioners, this should be read by anyone interested in emerging art practices. * Malcolm Cook, Associate Professor in Film, University of Southampton, UK *Performance Drawing represents a highly developed record of practice-based research, tracing the developments in contemporary drawing, building on precedents that have led to emerging trends. It analyzes the radical departure from the acceptance of drawing as a canonical medium based on mark-making on two-dimensional surfaces, into real space towards performance, light projections, film and the use of new technologies. The texts brilliantly place all these developments into a clearly articulated context. * Therese Bolliger, artist, Canada *While narrative forms of drawing have found favor through numerous exhibitions and publications world-wide, drawing as an inherently process-driven performative event is still lacking accessible comprehensive theoretical research. Bridging two centuries of contemporary practice, Performance Drawing will fill a huge gap for artists, teachers, scholars and art publics. * François Morelli, Concordia University, Canada *Table of ContentsForeword Preface 1. Marking: Line and Body in Time and Space 2. Physicality: Running as Drawing 3. Communicating: Directives and/or Instructions that Promote the Activity of Drawing 4. Conjuring: the Gift of a Surprise 5. Illuminating: Live Mark Making Through Projected Light Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis anthology of six selected plays, written between 2000 and 2020 by Bratya Basu, winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award 2021, is the first collection of Bengali plays that blends avant-garde, pop and traditional cultures with contemporary dramatic themes. The six plays, freshly translated into English, each bring a uniquely Bengali and Indian perspective to the intermingling of past and present, global and local, and magical and real in a postmodern pastiche about India today. The collection is divided into three thematic sections: 1) Poignant Challenges, Soulful Remorse' examines power in Indian politics, religion, and family. 2) (In)visible Boundaries, (Un)democratic Choices' explores the relationship among democracy, nation building, and the role of women in intergenerational political struggle. 3) Intimately Political, Politically Intimate' navigates queer identity, mental health and the fabulation of modern Bengali life in a 21st-century India straddling the progressive poliTable of ContentsPreface INTRODUCTION Section 1: Poignant Challenges, Soulful Remorse -Love in the Times of Corona imagines a Kolkata overtaken by pandemic and wild animals as families, governments, and media fall apart. Penitence takes the audience back to Gautam Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana to examine the relationship between religion, violence, and ethics in its historical contexts with contemporary relevance. 1. Love in Times of Corona 2. The Penitence Section 2: (In)visible Boundaries, (Un)democratic Choices - The Final Night re-imagines the Indian nationalist Muhammed Ali Jinnah’s final night in British India set within the tumultuous events of partition. The play revolves around emotional wounds between him and his daughter in the larger ethico-political imagination of leaving the injured nation to the newly created Pakistan. Creusa-The Queen is a Bengali play based on Greek mythology and follows Queen Creusa through a murderous plot and an unrelenting challenge to the gods and patriarchy within democracy in her pursuit of social justice. 3. The Final Night 4. Creusa, the Queen Section 3: Intimately Political, Politically Intimate - Blackhole follows Angshuman Banerjee’s crisis of sexual identity down a blackhole of absurdism, digital information overload, and knowledge-power knots that make up the struggle of self-fashioning in the digital age. Who? is a psychocomic thriller that puts contemporary Bengali life under a microscope and deftly moves through topics of misogyny, mental health, and cricket in an absurdist whodunit that spotlights the hypocrisy of the middle-class Indian family. 5. Blackhole 6. Who? AFTERWORD

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Book SynopsisThis volume foregrounds Pina Bausch, Romeo Castellucci and Jan Fabre as three leading directors who have each left an indelible mark on post-war European theatre. Combining in-depth discussions of the artists' poetics with detailed case studies of several famous and lesser-known key works, the authors featured in this volume trace a range of foundational aesthetic strategies that are central to the directors' work: the dynamics of repetition vis-à-vis fragmentation, the continued significance of language in experimental theatre and dance, the tension between theatricality and the performative reality of the stage, and the equal importance attached to text, image and body. This volume develops a vivid picture of how European stage directors have continued to redefine their own position and role throughout the latter half of the 20th century.

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Book SynopsisA reappraisal of Lope's literary career, bringing out the complexities of his dramatic texts. This book offers a radical re-evaluation of Lope's theatre, which will affect the way in which the comedia in general is read. It spans Lope's literary career, discussing (pseudo-)historical, tragic and peasant plays in order to show Lope's texts as complex negotiations between author and public, between conservatism and subversion, between representations of the ideal of kingship and its political reality, in a period of social and political change. Drawing on contemporary Spanish political philosophy, McKendrick shows that far from glorifying monarchy and advocating absolutism (the orthodox view in the Hispanic world), Lope's political plays constitute an informed critiqueof kingship; she also challenges the received wisdom that the comedia was an instrument of stage and that its playwrights were the conscious propagandists of an aristocratic elite. With the help of insights and models provided by the speech act theory, the stratagems and techniques utilised by Lope to follow the path of prudence between the acceptable and the unacceptable in political commentary in the commercial theatre are scrutinised, illustrating how richly nuanced texts produce not an ideologically monolithic and complacent drama but one which is at once politically anxious and probing. MELVEENA MCKENDRICK is Professor of Spanish Literature, Culture and Societyat the University of Cambridge.Trade ReviewA milestone in Lope studies. * MLR *A very important, indeed a necessary book. * BULLETIN OF SPANISH STUDIES *Will be an indispensable guide. * CALIOPE *Providing detail that is finely woven and rich in texture, McKendrick shows how Lope's court and popular theatre reveal his ambivalence toward the contemporary conduct of royal life... intelligently written, nuanced discussion...should be in every library supporting study of Spanish literature at the upper-division undergraduate level and above. * CHOICE *Excellent... sophisticated and convincing study: Lope de Vega's intricate and sometimes ambiguous dialogue with Spanish history provides one of the most eloquent commentaries on the moral and political complexity of his age. * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT [B W Ife] *A study of major importance, not simply for all who work on the comedia, but also for those concerned with the broader question of the relation between literature and society in Golden Age Spain.... As a study of Lope this book succeeds magnificently...[and] will become a standard work in discussions of the complex relationship between societyand literature in early modern Spain. * BULLETIN OF HISPANIC STUDIES *Table of ContentsReconsiderations; monarchy and the theatre; historical transformations - fractured icons I; historical transformations -fractured icons II; " decir sin decir" - patterns of communications; the politics of tragedy - absolutism and reason of state; political antinomies - rebels within the system; conclusions. List of works consulted.

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Book SynopsisA dip-in, flick-through, quick-fire resource book, part of the bestselling Drama Games series, offering 80 games and exercises to explore the fundamental concepts of clowning and physical comedy, encourage playfulness, curiosity and collaboration, and help develop performance material.

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Book SynopsisMusical Theatre: A History is a new revised edition of a proven core text for college and secondary school students and an insightful and accessible celebration of twenty-five centuries of great theatrical entertainment. As an educator with extensive experience in professional theatre production, author John Kenrick approaches the subject with a unique appreciation of musicals as both an art form and a business. Using anecdotes, biographical profiles, clear definitions, sample scenes and select illustrations, Kenrick focuses on landmark musicals, and on the extraordinary talents and business innovators who have helped musical theatre evolve from its roots in the dramas of ancient Athens all the way to the latest hits on Broadway and London's West End. Key improvements to the second edition: A new foreword by Oscar Hammerstein III, a critically acclaimed historian and member of a family with deep ties to the musical theatre, is included The 28 chapterTrade ReviewKenrick demonstrates his considerable knowledge in this enjoyable, well-written volume . . . Specific examples about particular performers (e.g., Al Jolson) and shows (e.g., Franz Lehar's Merry Widow) enliven the text . . . A section of photos, most not the usual views, is a modest addition. In place of references, the author lists titles cited in a useful annotated bibliography. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. * Choice *A comprehensive history of stage musicals . . . As informative as it is entertaining, Musical Theatre is richly illustrated with anecdotes of shows * The Pass *This eminently readable account delivers from curtain up … The text is supplemented by some wonderful archive photos which bring the productions discussed to life. The extensive bibliography is very useful and includes reference to online resources … An informed and entertaining survey of Musical Theatre which will appeal to both the novice and the knowledgeable. * Drama Magazine *Table of ContentsForeword by Oscar Hammerstein III (Author of The Hammersteins) Introduction: “Let’s Start at the Very Beginning” Chapter 1: Ancient Times to 1800 – “Playgoers, I Bid You Welcome!” Chapter Two: Continental Operetta (1840 – 1900) – “Typical of France” Chapter 3: Music Halls and Minstrel Shows: When Ribaldry and Racism Sang and Danced Chapter 3: “The Music of Something Beginning” – American Explorations (1624-1890) Chapter 5: Object All Sublime - Gilbert & Sullivan (1880-1900) Chapter 6: Vaudeville and Burlesque - From Small Time to Big Time Chapter 7: The Merry Widow - Refusing to Say “I Love You” Chapter 10 – A New Century: Herbert, Cohan & Berlin (1900-1913) Chapter 9: Florenz Ziegfeld – The Follies and Beyond Chapter 12: Jerome Kern and American Ascendance (1914-1919) 0> Chapter 11: Career in Profile – Al Jolson Chapter 12: The 1920s - Part I Chapter 12: The 1920s Part II Chapter 14: Depression Era Miracles (1930-1939) Chapter 10: Rodgers & Hammerstein – A New Beginning (1940-1960) Chapter 17 – After Oklahoma (post-1943) 1 Chapter 17: Anatomy of a Hit – My Fair Lady (1956) Chapter 18: Career in Profile – Ethel Merman Chapter 19: Abbott, Robbins & Fosse (1950-1963) Chapter 20: More Golden Age Musicals - (1950s-1960s) Chapter 21: The 1960s – “The Parade Passes By” Chapter 22: 1970s Part I - Sondheim & Prince Chapter 12: The 1970s – “You Gotta Hang on till Tomorrow” (1970-1979) Chapter 24: The 1980s – “And the Wind Begins to Moan” Chapter 25: The 1990s - “The American Dream” Chapter 26: The 2000s – “Where Did We Go Right?” Chapter 27: The 2010s - Tourists Reign Supreme Chapter 28: The Future Glossary Annotated Bibliography

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Book SynopsisMusical theatre is often perceived as either a Broadway based art form, or as having separate histories in London and New York. Musical Theatre Histories: Expanding the Narrative, however, depicts the musical as neither American nor British, but both and more, having grown out of frequent and substantial interactions between both centres (and beyond). Through multiple thematic histories', Millie Taylor and Adam Rush take readers on a series of journeys that include the art form's European and American origins, African American influences, negotiations arounddiversity, national identity, and the globalisation of the form, as well as revival culture, censorship and the place of social media inthe 21st century.Each chapter includes case studies and key concept boxes to identify, explain and contextualise important discussions, offering an accessible study of a dynamic and ever evolving medium.Written and developed for undergraduate students, this introductory textbook providTrade ReviewThe history of musical theatre has been told countless times, and often in the same way; so it is refreshing to read a study of the musical that offers a myriad tellings of the tale. Like holding a diamond up to Broadway and West End shows, each chapter in Taylor and Rush's fascinating book offers a different perspective. For students and scholars of the musical, the book provides a rich seam of thought-provoking discussions written in an accessible and engaging way. Bouncing between Britain and America in its central focus, it explores the musical as a ‘transnational’ form – one that has developed on either side of the Atlantic, yet one that has always been caught in a tussle between two different worlds. In the expert hands of Millie Taylor and Adam Rush, readers will experience an exciting set of transatlantic adventures in musical theatre. * Dominic Symonds (Professor of Musical Theatre, University of Lincoln, UK) *Table of Contents‘Why We Tell the Story’: Introduction Historiography and Context(s) Deciphering Multiple Histories How to Read this Book Chapter 1 - ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’: From Operetta to Poperetta European Origins Musical Comedy and Broadway Operetta (1900-1940) American Origins Into the Twentieth Century The Musical Play and Beyond (1940-1960) Fragmentation and the Concept Musical The Megamusical, or Poperetta Conclusion Chapter 2 - ‘New Music’: From Ragtime to Rap Ragtime and Early African American Music Early African American Musical Theatre Shuffle Along, And All That Jazz The Rise of Minstrelsy and ‘Coon Songs’ Dreamgirls and Motown Rap, Hip-Hop and Hamilton Conclusion Chapter 3 - ‘Waving Through A Window’: From Intertext to Instagram Literary Adaptations Stage and Screen Interactions The Wonderful World of Oz Singin’ in the Rain and the Hollywood Film Musical Disney and the Animated Musical Cast Recordings You Already Know You’re Gonna Love It… Television Musicals Social Media and the Worldwide Web (of Showtunes) Conclusion Chapter 4 - ‘Easy to be Hard’: From Censorship to Sex Legal Censorship in Britain, 1485-1843 A Changing Landscape, 1843-1968 Censorship in America, 1620-1967 Politics meets Finance Hair (and all that followed) Self-Censorship and Political Correctness Conclusion Chapter 5 - ‘Stand Up’: From Gender Duality to Diversity Late Victorian Britain Music Hall and Variety Early Twentieth Century Transatlantic Transfers The ‘Golden Age’ – Post-World War II Diversity and Difference – After the 1960s Into the Twenty First Century Conclusion Chapter 6 - ‘Another National Anthem’: From Ourselves to the Other Before the Great War World War II and Post-War Reconstruction 1990s British Resurgence (as Mythologised in American Musicals) Challenging American Mythology Hybrid Influences in Musical Theatre Conclusion Chapter 7 - ‘A Whole New World’: From The Mikado to the Megamusical Colonialism Culture within Colonialism The Cultural Dimension of Globalisation Global Producers and International Productions Conclusion Chapter 8 - ‘Journey to the Past’: From Revival to Revisal Reviving Gypsy 1970s American Revivals New Models and Styles (Concert and Small-Scale Productions, Actor-Musicianship, Opera House Productions) Revision and Reinvention Conclusion Abstracts + Keywords Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis gorgeously designed retelling of The Nutcracker will make the perfect Christmas present for ballet fans everywhere! In snow white covered St. Petersburg, young dancer Stana’s dreams have finally come true – she has been chosen to play the lead role in Tchaikovsky’s new ballet, The Nutcracker. But with all eyes looking at her, can Stana overcome her nerves and dance like she’s never danced before?   From the author of the bestselling The Sinclair Mysteries, Katherine Woodfine, and Waterstone’s Book Prize winner, Lizzy Stewart, this sumptuous and magical retelling of The Nutcracker will transport you on a journey fay beyond the page. Praise for Katherine Woodfine's The Sinclair's Mysteries series: ‘A wonderful book, with a glorious heroine and a true spirit of adventure&rsq

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Book Synopsis''Some of the most exhilarating writing about theatre ever committed to paper, a beady and original analysis of Britain (and incidentally British theatre) in the 50s and 60s, a profound account of the evolution of modern Australia, and a darkly frank one of the inner life of its author. His arguments with England are in the end arguments with himself, but they are utterly engrossing.'' SIMON CALLOW, Guardian''This beautifully written book by the director Michael Blakemore puts most such volumes to shame. It is full of both sharp insights and sudden shafts of wisdom. Often wonderfully funny, it is also touching and painfully honest. By the time you have finished Arguments with England, the author feels like an unusually wise and sympathetic friend.'' Sunday TelegraphTrade Review"'This beautifully written book by the director Michael Blakemore puts most such volumes to shame. It is full of both sharp insights and sudden shafts of wisdom. Often wonderfully funny, it is also touching and painfully honest. By the time you have finished Arguments with England, the author feels like an unusually wise and sympathetic friend: Sunday Telegraph 'Some of the most exhilarating writing about theatre ever committed to paper, a beady and original analysis of Britain (and incidentally British theatre) in the '50s and '60s, a profound account of the evolution of modern Australia, and a darkly frank one of the inner life of its author. His arguments with England are in the end arguments with himself, but they are utterly engrossing.' Simon Callow, Guardian"

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Book SynopsisWinner of the STR Theatre Book Prize 2024Featuring contributions from over eighty original cast members, creatives, crew and audience members, Out For Blood pieces together the surprising, hilarious and often-moving inside story of Carrie The Musical to discover how this horror of a Broadway musical' lived, died and was subsequently resurrected as a mainstream success story.In 1988, following the success of its production of Les Misérables and in the wake of the commercial success of mega-musicals such as Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Chess, the Royal Shakespeare Company agreed to co-produce a musical based on Stephen King's Carrie, written by the team behind Fame. The result was one of Broadway''s most infamous disasters. Plagued by technical problems, on-stage chaos and a critical savaging, Carrie would soon become the by-word for musical theatre flops. But thanks to the efforts of a vocal army of fans and the impact of Trade ReviewIf a book could catapult you into a rehearsal room from your own home, then Out for Blood would have you watching in the front row … A real page-turner, just like the King original … Adams’s comprehensive text is both approachable and teeming with information. * Musicals Magazine *The Broadway production of CARRIE has long been the poster child of notorious flop Broadway musicals. In this fascinating tome author Chris Adams handily reveals the whole grizzly story of how a show that had the promise and pedigree to so much right went so terribly wrong. * Stephen Purdy, author of 'Flop Musicals of the Twenty-First Century' *A fascinating book about an extraordinary show I’m proud to have been part of. So many memories both good and bad…the story of Carrie lives on * Linzi Hateley, original Carrie on Stratford and Broadway *As someone who is in his third decade of Carrie obsession, I can say, without any hyperbole, that this is the book I’ve been waiting for my entire life. Chris’s writing is honest, surprising, insightful, heartbreaking, and heartfelt and Out For Blood provides us (finally!) with the definitive account of the creation and legacy of this infamously misunderstood musical. The book is a love-letter to misfit theater, the fearless artists who create it, and the passionate weirdos who care about it. There’s never been a theatre book like her. * Joe Iconis, composer, lyricist, and playwright *My bucket overfloweth - Chris Adams has created an un-put-downable deep dive into the creation, reception and subsequent re-evaluation of one of the most infamous Broadway legends of all time. * Christopher Oram, two-time Tony Award-winning designer *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements Images Cast of Characters Introduction: The Sound of Distant Thunder I: THE CREATION Chapter 1: Page to Stage Chapter 2: The Road to Rehearsals Chapter 3: Stratford: Doesn’t Anybody Ever Get It Right? Chapter 4: Broadway: They Will Laugh At You, They Will Break Your Heart II: THE SHOW Chapter 5: Act One: Bras, Cars and Unitards Chapter 6: Act Two: Shit! Look at all these Pigs! III: THE LEGACY Chapter 7: Are You a Friend of Carrie? Chapter 8: Cancelling the Curse: Reviving Carrie Chapter 9: Back from the Dead: Carrie’s Big Comeback Chapter 10: Epilogue: When Did Everyone Decide I’m the One Who’s the Flop? Bibliography and Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThe final volume in Methuen Drama''s acclaimed series of work by Arthur Miller who, during his lifetime, was acknowledged as the greatest American dramatist of our age (Evening Standard). Featuring two plays from the 1990s and his final two plays (2002 and 2004), it offers the first ever publication of Miller''s final play, Finishing the Picture. Inspired by his experience during the filming of The Misfits with his then wife Marilyn Monroe, the play was completed and produced at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago, just months before the playwright''s death in February 2005.Broken Glass (1994) is set in Brooklyn in 1938 and intertwines a woman''s obsession with the news from Germany that government thugs are smashing Jewish stores, with her strange relationship with her husband. It balances private lives with public morality. . . it is also an amazingly full-blooded piece, bursting with pain and passion. (Daily Telegraph). Mr Peters'' Connections (199

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Book SynopsisBetween 1935 and 1938, Stanislavski did his final work in Moscow with a group of 11 young actors and directors trained in his special system. This volume contains a full translation of verbatim transcriptions of Stanislavski's notes and practical exercises from these sessions.

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Book SynopsisThis book engages studentsâparticularly those who may not be very familiar with many playsâin the theatre experience by focusing on just four plays: the tragedy Macbeth, the landmark African American drama A Raisin in the Sun, the American comedy classic You Can't Take It with You, and the contemporary hip-hop musical Hamilton.

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Book SynopsisHaving surveyed post-war British drama in State of the Nation, Michael Billington now looks at the global picture. In this provocative and challenging new book, he offers his highly personal selection of the 101 greatest plays ranging from the Greeks to the present-day. But his book is no mere list. Billington justifies his choices in extended essays- and even occasional dialogues- that put the plays in context, explain their significance and trace their performance history. In the end, it's a book that poses an infinite number of questions. What makes a great play? Does the definition change with time and circumstance? Or are certain common factors visible down the ages? It's safe to say that it's a book that, in revising the accepted canon, is bound to stimulate passionate argument and debate. Everyone will have strong views on Billington's chosen hundred and one and will be inspired to make their own selections. But, coming from Britain's longest-serving theatre critic, these essays are the product of a lifetime spent watching and reading plays and record the adventures of a soul amongst masterpieces.

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Book SynopsisMuch more than an archive, these are the vivid, still pertinent voices and messages of the pioneers worldwide. The nineteen articles chosen by the editors of Applied Theatre Research represent key themes and elements from the early days of applied theatre that are still – and indeed now more than ever – relevant. They are all high-quality articles, some of which were highly influential in their own time. All of them still have plenty to say to today’s applied theatre, both in their own terms and sometimes in terms of how their publication influenced the development at the time of this still-expanding field, or refracted it in ways that give us new insights with hindsight. They have been arranged in sections according to some of the key themes – and problematic issues – that were discovered, thought out and sometimes stumbled across by the pioneer writers in the collection. Each section is preceded by a critical editorial commentary on those themes, besides thorough introductions to all the articles and in some cases re-evaluations. The editors have added substantial additional new material to the collection and in doing so, bring their own applied theatre experience to bear on these themes, as they raise general questions that are wide-ranging, contemporary and urgent: from the vital and contested issues of power, partnerships and the giving of voice through theatre to applied theatre’s proactive response to COVID-19, to the need to identify, take account of and address the needs of all stakeholders in any applied theatre project. The articles are grouped in six sections, covering areas such as diversity of geography, community contexts, forms of applied theatre and organizational factors that characterize applied theatre; the definition and nature of applied theatre; how the best intentioned projects could be compromised by any of the many opportunities for applied theatre to go wrong; opportunities for change it can offer and the incorporation of new media technologies, and ethnographic performance, two factors that have now become major preoccupations for our field, particularly in the years since the articles were written. The final section recognizes that applied theatre has been around not for 30 years, but for thousands, and in countless cultures. The editorial chapters have strong connections with the rest of the book, but are written with the editors’ deep insights into the field, and are sharp in their focus and context. The book offers useful insights into the start of applied theatre and its development as an area of practice and research. The chapter collection is relevant and includes influential names in the field who have contributed significantly to the development of applied theatre over time. The primary market will be academics and advanced practitioners in applied theatre, drama education and theatre studies – including the expanding fields of drama therapy, theatre and health etc. It will also be useful for educators exploring creative pedagogy and drama in education strategies across the curriculum. It will be valuable introductory background reading for advanced undergraduate and post-graduate students in drama, theatre studies and theatre arts, performance studies and community theatre. Table of ContentsIntroduction: Then and now John O’Toole PART 1: INSPIRING STORIES 1. Life drama Papua New Guinea: Contextualising practice Andrea Baldwin 2. Audience participation, aesthetic distance and change: Reflections on Fifty Square Feet, a theatre in education programme on urban poverty Chan Yuk-Lan (Phoebe) 3. Converging worlds: Fostering co-facilitation and relationships for health promotion through drama at the grassroots Christine Sinclair and Andrea Grindrod 4. Shakespeare in Nicaragua Els van Poppel PART 2: WHAT IS APPLIED THEATRE? 5. Applied theatre: Problems and possibilities Judith Ackroyd 6. Applied theatre and the power play: An international viewpoint Bjørn Rasmussen 7. Conversations with the devil Tim Prentki 8. Applied theatre: An exclusionary discourse? Judith Ackroyd PART 3: RISKY BUSINESS: GOOD INTENTIONS AND THE ROAD TO HELL 9. Ethical tensions in drama teachers’ behaviour Shifra Schonmann 10. Community theatre in a South Samic community: The challenges of working with theatre in small communities Tordis Landvik 11. Spectacular violence and the Kachahari theatre of Sindhuli, Nepal Alberto Guevara PART 4: THE DESIRE FOR CHANGE: VOICE, POWER AND PARTNERSHIP 12. Tabula rasa: Starting afresh with classroom drama Kathleen Gallagher 13. Making a break for it: Discourse and theatre in prisons James Thompson 14. Evaluating the efficacy of community theatre intervention in/as performance: A South African case study Kennedy Chinyowa 15. ‘We like good disco!’: The ‘public sphere of children’ and its implications for practice Nora Roozemond and Karola Wenzel PART 5: THEATRE OF INNOVATIONS 16. Theatrical reflections of health: Physically impacting health-based research Julia Gray 17. Playing the game, role distance and digital performance John Carroll and David Cameron PART 6: A NOD TO THE ANCESTORS 18. Educational and critical dimensions in Turkish shadow theatre: The Karagöz Theatre of Anatolia Mehmet Takkaç and A. Kerin Dinç 19. Christmas traditions and performance rituals: A look at Christmas celebrations in a Nordic context Stig A. Eriksson

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Book SynopsisGypsy Rose Lee?s memoir became a New York Times bestseller in 1957, inspiring the 1959 hit musical, two movies, and three revivals. Now a fourth, directed by Arthur Laurents and starring Patti LuPone, is lighting up New York, winning top Broadway theatre awards, including three 2008 Tony Awards, as well as raves from critics and audiences:?No matter how long you live, you?ll never see a more exciting production.? ?Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal ?Watch out, New York! This GYPSY is a wallop-packing show of raw power.? ?Ben Brantley, The New York Times ?Not your ordinary theater experience. This is the best production of the best damn musical ever.? ?Liz Smith, Syndicated ColumnistThe memoir, which Gypsy began as a series of pieces for The New Yorker, contains photographs and newspaper clippings from her personal scrapbooks and an afterword by her son, Erik Lee Preminger. At turns touching and hilarious, Gypsy describes her childhood trouping across 1920s America through her rise to stardom as The Queen of Burlesque in 1930s New York?where gin came in bathtubs, gangsters were celebrities, and Walter Winchell was king.Gypsy?s story features outrageous characters?among them Broadway?s funny girl, Fanny Brice, who schooled Gypsy in how to be a star; gangster Waxy Gordon, who fixed her teeth; and her indomitable mother, Rose, who lived by her own version of the Golden Rule: ?Do unto others … before they do you.?

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Book SynopsisA must-read for anyone interested in the history of drag performance.?Publishers WeeklyA rich and provocative history of drag's importance in modern British culture. Drag: A British History is a groundbreaking study of the sustained popularity and changing forms of male drag performance in modern Britain. With this book, Jacob Bloomfield provides fresh perspectives on drag and recovers previously neglected episodes in the history of the art form. Despite its transgressive associations, drag has persisted as an intrinsic, and common, part of British popular culturedrag artists have consistently asserted themselves as some of the most renowned and significant entertainers of their day. As Bloomfield demonstrates, drag was also at the center of public discussions around gender and sexuality in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, from Victorian sex scandals to the permissive society of the 1960s. This compelling new history demythologizes drag, stressing its ordinariness while affirming its important place in British cultural heritage.Trade Review"A must-read for anyone interested in the history of drag performance." * Publishers Weekly *"An excellent examination of the complexities of various forms of stage drag and its mainstay role in British popular culture." * Library Journal *"A new look at the history of drag. . . . Bloomfield illustrates how drag has long been a complex yet ‘ordinary’ artform, historically straddling queer radicalism and mass entertainment along the way." * ArtReview *"A thoughtful and fascinating read." * Everything Theater *"A fascinating overview of the story of British drag artists." * Alex Sierz *Table of ContentsContents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Old Mother Riley and the Modern Dame 2 Splinters: Cross-Dressing Ex-Servicemen on the Interwar Stage 3 Danny La Rue: Conservative Drag in the “Permissive Society” 4 Skirting the Censor: Drag and the Censorship of the British Theater, 1939–1968 Epilogue: How Queer Is Drag? Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisRobert W. Schneider (he/him/his) has been called a renaissance man of the theatre by his previous bio.which he wrote himself. He is an award-winning Director, Producer, Author, Educator, and Podcast Host residing in New York City, where he is the Artistic Director of The J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company. Despite finding every excuse imaginable not to go to classes in undergrad, including saying he had Elm Disease which apparently only trees get, it's ironic that Robert is now one of the most notable figures in theatrical education and holds academic appointments at Pennsylvania State University, New York Film Academy, and Mount Union University. He received his MFA in Direction for the Musical Theatre Stage from Pennsylvania State University and his BA in Political Science from California Lutheran University. Robert is a proud member of SDC, AEA, AGVA, ATHE and has a box at UPS.

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Book SynopsisRichard Burton: star. The roaring boy from the Welsh coal valleys who came to sport on the banks of the old Nile, playing great Antony to Elizabeth Taylor''s Cleopatra. From the West End to Hollywood, from Camelot to Shakespeare, he drank, dazzled and despaired, playing out his life on the public stage. But there was another, quieter, off-stage Richard Burton, a face hidden from the multitude.Melvyn Bragg, allowed free access to the never-before-revealed Burton private notebooks, and with the cooperation of friends who have never spoken about him before, has brought together the private and public sides for the first time. Rich is the complete Richard Burton: a revelation.

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Book SynopsisHilary Mantel and Ben Miles' exhilarating stage adaptation of The Mirror and the Light, one of 2021's must-see theatrical events, and the long awaited conclusion to the Oliver Award-winning Wolf Hall Trilogy. England, May 1536. Anne Boleyn's fate has been sealed by a hired French executioner. it now befalls Jane Seymour to deliver King Henry VIII the healthy heir he craves. Thomas Cromwell, the blacksmith's son from the gutters of Putney, has knocked down everyone in his path: established at the right hand of the king, he is now the second most powerful man in England. But what will you do, an astute witness asks, when the king turns on you, as sooner or later he turns on everyone close to him?Hilary Mantel's twice Booker Prize-winning trilogy is the outstanding literary achievement of recent times. Following Oliver and Tony Award-winning productions of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, hailed as a landmark and must-see theatrical event on both sides of the Atlantic, Mantel and Ben MiTrade Review Praise for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies on stage: ‘A gripping piece of narrative theatre … history made manifest’ Guardian ‘Enthralling … splendidly entertaining and at times deeply touching’ Daily Telegraph ‘Gripping yet darkly funny … a bold, unforgettable lesson in history and politics’ The Times ‘An impressive feat, a compelling drama played out across the canvas of a nation soaked in rain and mud and blood … accessible and consistently engrossing’ Hollywood Reporter ‘A fast-paced political thriller … fiendishly engaging’ Time Out New York

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Book SynopsisFor two hundred years after William Shakespeare''s death, no one thought to argue that somebody else had written his plays. Since then dozens of rival candidates - including The Earl of Oxford, Sir Francis Bacon and Christopher Marlowe - have been proposed as their true author. Contested Will unravels the mystery of when and why so many people began to question whether Shakespeare wrote the plays (among them such leading writers and artists as Sigmund Freud, Henry James, Mark Twain, Helen Keller, Orson Welles, and Sir Derek Jacobi)Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro''s fascinating search for the source of this controversy retraces a path strewn with fabricated documents, calls for trials, false claimants, concealed identity, bald-faced deception and a failure to grasp what could not be imagined. If Contested Will does not end the authorship question once and for all, it will nonetheless irrevocably change the nature of the debate by confronting what''s re

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewSeated next to Stephen Sondheim in the front row of the American musical theater pantheon is the prolific and prodigiously talented composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz (b. 1948). Throughout a career spanning four decades that includes such hits as Godspell, Pippin, and Wicked, Schwartz has been honored with multiple Tony nominations, three Grammys, and three Academy Awards. Musical theater scholar Laird has written an in-depth study focusing on Schwartz’s projects and music. Acknowledging Carol de Giere’s biographical contributions in her 2008 book, Defying Gravity, the author concentrates on the music and musical styles of Schwartz’s theater and film work. Arranged chronologically, the title begins with an introduction to Schwartz with individual chapters on Godspell; his collaboration with Leonard Bernstein on Bernstein’s Mass; Broadway and off-Broadway shows Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker’s Wife, Working, Rags, and Children of Eden; Schwartz’s work on animated features for Disney and DreamWorks; then the success of the musical Wicked; his opera, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, and works outside Broadway and Hollywood. VERDICT Laird offers a definitive musical analysis of Schwartz’s incredible career to date. A trenchant investigation that is both erudite and accessible, this book is an essential acquisition for all academic, professional, and large public library collections. * Library Journal, Starred Review *Laird has crafted a scholarly yet accessible review of composer/lyricist Schwartz’s work. While sentences like 'The choral writing is in four parts with a few passing tones' will only resonate with readers who have studied music, there is still lots here for fans of musical theatre—and even a few tidbits for Disney and Dreamworks fans who are fond of the musical scores of Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt. Laird’s most insightful coverage is of Schwartz’s work on Godspell and Pippin, composer’s earliest successes. Interviews with Schwartz reveal both insider secrets and fun trivia, including that Godspell’s most famous song, 'Day by Day,' is modeled on Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s 'What the World Needs Now.' * Publishers Weekly *Laird has a fine list of publications, e.g., Leonard Bernstein: A Guide to Research. Here he presents a comprehensive biography of Schwartz and a guide to all his works—for the musical stage, film, concert stage, and opera. Schwartz is multitalented, and the author chronicles his achievements ‘as a composer, lyricist, director, and theatrical creator.’ Productions included range from Godspell (1971) to the opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon (2009). Particularly strong are Laird's descriptions of the changing versions of each production as it progressed toward the stage, with close attention to the many musical styles Schwartz employs. Throughout the volume Laird notes that this new work supplements but does not replace two earlier books: his own Wicked: A Musical Biography (2011) and Carol de Giere's Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked (2008). Those volumes should be consulted, especially for more details on Wicked. Excellent notes and bibliography. Summing Up: Recommended. Large performing arts collections. * CHOICE *Several years ago, the author, a music professor and writer on Broadway musicals, interrupted his writing of a book on all of Stephen Schwartz’ musicals to concentrate on this composer/lyricist’s latest Broadway success, Wicked. The result was Wicked: A Musical Biography. . . .He later returned to and completed the original project, which became this detailed analysis of the complete works of Schwartz with individual chapter devoted to each of his shows beginning with Godspell (1971) and continuing through such works as Bernstein’s Mass (1971) (for which he wrote the lyrics), Pippin (1972), The Magic Show (1974), The Baker’s Wife (1976), and his only opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon (2009). The longest chapter (almost 60 pages) is devoted to a work not yet seen on Broadway but performed widely in schools and churches, the Biblical epic, Children of God (1991). Each of these chapters supplies detailed material on the individual show: its genesis, development, personnel involved, tryouts, rewrites, casts and cast changes, the contents of individual acts and scenes, a thorough analysis of each song used, revivals, foreign productions, and its critical receptions (with quotes from reviews). . . .The book also contains an introductory chapter on Schwartz’s life, a chapter on his film work (mainly lyrics for several Disney features), and a concluding chapter on his work outside of Broadway and Hollywood. The work is up to date. . . .It is also extremely readable and thoroughly researched; for example, the book concludes with a separate 65-page section of footnotes, sources, Websites, and interviews used. There is also a detailed index and a few black-and-white photographs scattered throughout the text. This is an excellent and enjoyable book on this important contemporary Broadway figure. . . .This work is highly recommended for theater collections. * American Reference Books Annual *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: An Introduction to Stephen Schwartz Chapter 2: Godspell Chapter 3: Leonard Bernstein’s Mass Chapter 4: Pippin Chapter 5: The Magic Show Chapter 6: The Baker’s Wife Chapter 7: Working Chapter 8: Rags Chapter 9: Children of Eden Chapter 10: Animated Features for Disney and Dreamworks Chapter 11: Geppetto Becomes My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto’s Musical Tale Chapter 12: Wicked Chapter 13: Séance on a Wet Afternoon Chapter 14: Stephen Schwartz’s Works Outside of Broadway and Hollywood Epilogue Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis book offers an inside view of ballet as the art form we see on stages today, detailing how expressive movement is initiated and controlled, and discussing the importance of embedding creativity and expressivity within ballet technique from the dancer's first lesson to their final performance.Janet Karin O.A.M. promotes ballet as a holistic art form resulting from the integration of mind, brain and body, and describes the motor control factors that can enhance or interfere with achievement. Throughout, professional dancers' personal experiences illuminate the text, from the euphoria of flow' to the search for creativity and harmony, from the debilitating effects of anxiety, trauma and pain to the reward of artistic autonomy. Teaching is presented from a philosophical viewpoint, enriching and extending the child's innate movement skills and expressive power.Practical yet reflective, this is an essential guide for dancers as well as dance educators and students.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part 1: Unveiling dancers’ artistry 1. Performing: a transcendent experience 2. Breath, movement, emotion and music 3. Expressivity, harmony, creativity and artistry 4. Technique, training and changes in dancers’ brains 5. Dealing with challenges Part 2: The magical motor system 6. The science behind the scenes 7. Pathways to new skills Part 3: The art of training dancers 8. Our role as ballet teachers 9. Skills in cueing and feedback 10. Discovering technique 11. The speaking body 12. Discovering the dancer inside

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Book SynopsisMikhl Yashinsky is an actor, playwright, stage director, lyricist, and Yiddishist.

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Book SynopsisHow is the individual and the nation' constructed and promoted in American theatre? How does theatre enable a nation to invent and reinvent itself? Who are the people' in We the People'?This brief study examines the intersection of the USA's sense of self with its theatre, revealing how the two have an entangled history and a shared identity.Through case studies of six canonical plays and musicals, such as Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), Oklahoma! (1943), Angels in America (1991), and Hamilton (2015), Theatre and the USA demonstrates how all six of these plays sparked controversy, spoke to their moment, and became canonical texts, arguing that that the histories of these plays are the history of the USA's theatrical infrastructure.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements 1. We the People 2. The People Transformed: Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) 3. The People Producer Their Stories: “Sunday Morning in the South” (1925) and “Soldadera” (1936) 4. The People’s Memories: Oklahoma! (1943) 5. An Epic People: Angels in America (1991) 6. Who Tells the People’s Story?: Hamilton (2015) Further Reading

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Book SynopsisWhat is the relationship between theatre and class? How has this relationship developed over time, from the age of empire to the advent of social democracy and on to contemporary times? What impact has late capitalism had on the theatre industry? What effect has the reduction of government funding for the arts had on career prospects for actors from working-class backgrounds?Theatre and Class is a stark look at the evolution of the political economy in Western society. Exploring the historical development of the notions of ''class'', as well as the contemporary debates that still surround this issue, this book reveals how the ascending middle class took centre stage in both the theatre and the public sphere. This concise study traverses the challenging history of ''class'' in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and, through a number of case studies, examines ''class'' as a performance both in the theatre and in wider society.

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