Break A Leg!


Book Description

A comprehensive manual for acting and theater, discussing improvisation, voice projection, breathing exercises, script analysis, and technical aspects of theater production.




Break a Leg


Book Description

'With spot-on injections of humour and a frequently raised sardonic eyebrow, joy and warmth shine from this fascinating and funny book' Jo Brand A joyful celebration of amateur theatre From 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.




Break a Leg


Book Description




Break a Leg!: A Treasury of Theatre Traditions and Superstitions


Book Description

Forword -- Break a leg! -- Whistling -- Don't wear green onstage -- More colorful traditions -- Cats -- Candles & curtains -- Peacock-a-mamie -- Mirror begone! -- Flowers, jewelry, thread -- Bas dress, good show -- Opening night! -- Make up -- How many actors does it take -- 10 things that bring good luck -- 18 things that bring not-so-good-luck -- Actors on acting (1) -- Why is it called "the green room"? -- The ghost light -- The gypsy robe -- How many stage managers does it take -- Don't quote the Scottish play! -- St. Genesius and other saintly aids to actors -- "You ... you thespian!"--Those happy-sad theatre masks -- On Broadway -- Who the heck is Walter Plinge? -- The number 13 -- Some unusual theatre terms -- How many playwrights does it take -- Famous actors and their superstitions -- Stage turkeys and their notorious Broadway moose -- Edmund Kean's most peculiar charm -- Theatre ghosts -- Actors on Acting (2) -- Clackers -- Odds and funds -- Acknowledgments -- The authors




Red Herrings And White Elephants


Book Description

Have you ever wondered what phrases such as 'square meal', 'load of old codswallop', 'egg on your face' or 'in the limelight' mean? Where do they come from? Have you ever taken a moment to wonder what we say actually means? The origins of hundreds of common phrases are explained in this irreverent journey through the most fascinating and richest regions of the English language. In a book that takes you all over the world, from nautical origins to food and drink terms, once you have learnt one phrase, you will be eager to learn them all! From the drop of a hat to the bitter end - you'll be surprised and intrigued and you'll never speak English in the same way again.




The Young Actor's Handbook


Book Description

The way some introductory acting books are written, it seems that a literal leg break is your best option. In The Young Actor's Handbook, Jeremy Kruse, an actor, writer, producer, and director who teaches method acting, acting for camera, improvisation, and sketch comedy at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, mends this mangled genre, distilling invaluable lessons and years of experience down to a lean, mean, intuitive hundred page primer. Rather than bludgeoning the uninitiated with dense paragraphs, vague concepts, and opaque examples, The Young Actor's Handbook ignites the beginning actor's creative soul with inspirational acting exercises, acting theory, writing exercises, and insight into what it means to be an actor. This concise and pragmatic manual will guide and inform the young actor, beginning actor, novice acting teacher, or anyone who wants to understand acting through a broad and diverse survey of essential knowledge. The teachings of Richard Boleslavsky, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Uta Hagen, Michael Shurtleff, Lee Strasberg, and Constantin Stanislavsky are eloquently and accessible rendered, as are basics of script analysis, camera technique, the audition mindset, agent acquisition, and the actor's life. Whether you're a curious novice, veteran acting teacher, or even an interested observer, The Young Actor's Handbook will enhance your understanding of this vast and rewarding craft.




Break a Leg


Book Description

Ricky Delmont is determined to put his painful past behind him. The Versailles Theatre still holds a special place in his heart, but he hasn't been back to see it in years. Instead, Ricky has spent his time building his own business and turning himself into an upstanding citizen. But then, when he comes home one night, he finds something is amiss. Before he knows it, he is ensnared in a web of deception that pulls him back to the old theater. Suddenly Ricky finds himself haunted by his past in ways he never imagined....




The Importance of Being Trivial


Book Description

If you're intrigued by the fact that Jack the Ripper was left-handed, or that Heinz ketchup flows at 0.7 miles per day - and, more importantly, intrigued by why you're intrigued - then this book is required reading. Convinced that our love of trivia must reveal something truly important about us, Mark Mason sets out to discover what that something is. And, in the process, he asks the fundamental questions that keep all trivialists awake at night: Why is it so difficult to forget that Keith Richards was a choirboy at the Queen's coronation when it's so hard to remember what we did last Thursday? Are men more obsessed with trivia than women? Can it be proved that house flies hum in the key of F? Can anything ever really be proved? And the biggest question of them all: is there a perfect fact, and if so what is it?




Breaking the Vicious Circle


Book Description

Breaking the Vicious Circle is a tour de force that should be read by everyone who is interested in improving our regulatory processes. Written by a highly respected federal judge, who obviously recognizes the necessity of regulation but perceives its failures and weaknesses as well, it pinpoints the most serious problems and offers a creative solution that would for the first time bring rationality to bear on the vital issue of priorities in our era of limited resources.




Becoming a Ballerina


Book Description

The perfect holiday gift for every young ballet lover. Go backstage at the ballet with real-life thirteen-year-old dancer Fiona. Dozens of gorgeous, full-color photographs welcome readers into Fiona's world, as she goes from auditions, to rehearsals, to opening night playing Clara, the lead child's role in Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker. Experience the nerves, the hard work, and ultimately the thrill of performing on the big stage with a professional company. This is a beautiful holiday gift that young dancers will cherish all year round.