Performing Arts Books

Love it! Someone asks "What was Casablanca's rating?" and the answer is at your fingertips! Looking at woofs is so funny, I reread them hundreds of times. Best book to read when you have finished the latest New York Times Bestseller and are waiting for your next book to be mailed. Fabulous!

I love this book! I find myself agreeing with almost everything they have to say about a movie. (Unlike my experience with Maltin's guide-- can you believe he didn't like "Dead Again"?)

My only wish is that they'd put it out on CD-ROM!

This guide covers movies, video and high quality DVD. Titles are set forth alphabetically with meaningful descriptions of each
movie/presentation. Samples of rated movies are as follows:

o Castle of the Living and Dead
o Diamonds Are Forever

This volume is updated each year to reflect new acquisitions.
It is a good value for the price charged.

Since I am a movie buff, I LOVE this book, and read it in bed! It's a good read for anyone wanting to know what kind of movies they would like to see. It's a lot better than anything Leonard Maltin has ever done, and it's also better than Roger Ebert's I hated, I hated, I HATED this movie, which is good, but it contains mostly B-movies.

Anything you want to know about movies, awards and stars can be found in this book.

All too often, pairing a CD with a book comes across as gimmicy. Not so here, for HERE it is ESSENTIAL.

The HG Wells novel is a fine piece of fantastic literature, but to combine it with a recording of the Orson Welles radio broadcast that panicked a nation, & to add a very well written scholarly text on that panic, is brilliant!

Well-illustrated with ample photographs, maps & drawings, the reader/listener gains a full understanding of the novel, the broadcast, & the cultural significance of both.

One can gain insight into the effect that news of terrorist strikes has on the public by careful, thoughtful reading of this text.

Highly recommended.

After finding this book in a local library and checking it out, I soon realized that I had to have my very own copy. So, I jumped onto Amazon and thankfully found one! For those who love classic War of the Worlds, this book is a huge slice of wonderful. I was thrilled with the CD that came with the book, too. This is a great resource and it would make a fine product for a Sci-Fi literature and / or media class.

Martians everywhere! The Invasion comes to you in the book and in the sounds. Worth the price!

i bought this book as a gift for a war of the worlds fan and he liked it a lot. The CD was good and the book contained both the script and original HG Wels novel. So all in all the book was a good purchase that contained everything that you have ever wanted to know about the beginning of War of the Worlds saga.

I ordered this book after hearing the 1940 radio interview where both H.G. Wells and Orson Welles appeared together. That was an amazing program as both men discussed the war that was looming in Europe--and that they felt would soon envelope the United States. Orson even mentioned that he was working on a movie called Citizen Kane.

Unfortunately, only about two minutes of that hour-long interview is contained on the CD. The same is true for Orson Welles' press conference where he answered some of the controversy about his broadcast--the CD only has a couple of minutes of it. This was a major disappointment, because both recordings are fascinating and I was left wondering why we only get to hear short soundbites from them rather than the entire thing. Seriously, why bother at all?

The book is much more comprehensive and worthwhile.

With Spielberg's new film adaptation of WAR OF THE WORLDS in theatres, more attention is being paid to both the original Wells novel, and the infamous 1938 Welles radio broadcast. If you're interested in both, why not treat yourself to the best presentation of either version available today?

THE COMPLETE WAR OF THE WORLDS is an excellent book. It reprint the complete, unedited novel; prints the entire script to the radio play; and comes with a CD containing the entire radio play broadcast, plus archival materials such as the only interview Wells and Welles did together on the topic. [The recording sound quality is the best I've ever discovered for this play, BTW.] In addition, the book has lots of great historical and biographical material, including articles looking at the lives of both Wells and Welles; the story of the radio broadcast and the panic it caused; and a survey of the many incarnations of WotW in literature, film, and television.

If you have any curiosity about the book or the radio play, do yourself a favor and buy this book. It's worth it!

Great condition but didn't realise the book contained several stories. Just wanted the one story "Why the chimes rang."It was bought as a gift and the reciever was totally thrilled

I remember this book from long ago. It has a wonderful message. Not only can love make the bells ring, love can change the world! The illustration are just perfect for the story. This would make the perfect holday gift for young people, or even not so young people who want to regain the Christmas spirit of giving and service.

Destined to be a Christmas classic:Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices--echoes the message of Why the Chimes Rang.

Growing up in a small town in Indiana, I got to listen to my paternal grandfather read this story to the assembled family every Christmas Eve. My father has continued the tradition within our family, reading from an original 1906 edition of the book. Every year like clockwork, my mother cries as she looks around the room at her sons, their families and the dogs. My partner and I are adopting a boy and a girl from Guatemala this year, and I can't wait to begin this tradition in our home. This is a truly glorious story about Christmas. Read it and share it with your own family. And make sure it's read aloud by the family member with the most sonorous voice.

lovely pictures and great story
nice to find a childrens christmas book that isnt a popular character of the month
adults will enjoy also, so makes reading together the experience it should be

What a delight to find this classic from my childhood. Our parents read to us at bedtime. This story of love and sharing relates universal values. Thank you for making it available.

Here is someone who took something ugly and painful and created some of the most beautiful and funny moments in entertainment history. He's made us all feel better about our imperfect childhoods and our questionable families but he's also got a lot of supportive people rallying around him and hoping the rest of his life is never ugly or painful again.

This is one of the most realistic autobiographies I have ever read. George Lopez is human, funny, nostalgic, sad, and creative. The more I learn about his life and his success, the more I believe in the power of the human spirit. Spellbinding from the first to the last page, I learned to appreciate the long and winding road to success. More George Lopez, please!

I have to comment in regards to the reader who said that George Lopez is not Mexican...he is Mexican in the sense that I am Italian...it's in my blood. Is there anything wrong with his being a proud American? Why shouldn't he embrace that part of himself? As he said himself, it is Americans who buy his tickets and watch his program and 90% of them happen to be white. George Lopez is obviously very proud of his accomplishments, his Mexican heritage and his American citizenship that was his birthright. We love you George Lopez.....never change....never become leary of your loyal audience the way that so many comedians end up becoming...and always know that when we are not laughing WITH you, that we are crying WITH you! I know, huh!

I was moved by his difficult upbrings and how he fought back. I couldn't stop laughing when he talked about the mexican culture and their strange habits & sayings, because I could definitely relate being mexican myself.

I love this book. Not only did the book help me understand his comedy even more but I was was able to relate to him more now than before I read his book.

On top of him giving us a look into what his life was truly like he still made me laugh with his excerps.

Great Book if you are wanting to get into the acting biz and have no clue where to start...read once then read 5 more times very useful info!

Wow, this is probably the most informative book about acting that I have ever read. Yes, I know commenting on a book before I finish reading it probably isn't the wisest thing.
I am at the acting tests, which I still have to do. But I did make dates with courage and determination! I am excited to ask my neighbor for a pair of socks.
I didn't think I would have what it takes to be an actor, but this book offers encouragement and ways to get you ready to be an actor.

READ IT!!!

Well, I guess you're not really supposed to write a review on a book until you've finished it, but this book is great. I got it two days ago and I'm almost finished reading it. I almost can't put it down, and i'm not a huge reading fan. I've read other books and none of them seemed to catch my attention or explain a process as well as pete does in this book. I would recommend it to anyone considering the acting career, not only does it help you decide wether you have the courage to act or not, it also gives you a step by step process to help keep you on track. I believe that this can help any actor, and is essential to the beginner.

I read some of the other reviews and wondered what these guys were thinking if they're skeptical at all. Even though this is the only acting book I've read, I can't imagine that there could be anything more helpful. Talk about to the point. It seems pretty clear after reading this, that I can do this if I just follow these steps. I like that the writer doesn't use any false promises. At the same time though, he really nails it witht the whole step by steep thing. He made me think of things I never realized before like exactly how you get that first role that leads to other roles. This book is gold in my opinion. I'm just starting out and trying to get my feet wet. If you're that way, I think you'll enjoy this too. I read through the my highlights every day.

I have dreamed of becoming an actor all my life, but i wasn't sure how to go about starting a career other than school plays. When I got this book I began reading it right away...and I did not put it down until the last page. This book is a goldmine for anyone who wants to get into the acting industry. Peter's advice and his steps are realistic and after reading it I was inspired to really go for it. now I ask myself everyday..."What have you done today to advance your acting career?"

When a few friends and I decided to explore commercial acting, we needed a roadmap. This book is it! There are a lot of acting books out there, but Stuart's stands out by explaining the process of breaking into commercials from the ground up without talking down to his reader. Concise, highly readable, and, most importantly, backed by Stuart's knowledge as both a working actor and casting director, this book teaches you how to be a professional and hit the ground running in a very competitive business.

This book is short and to the point. Sometimes when people write these kind of books, they elabroate forever. Not this one. There's not a lot of wordy explanations. I appreciate that. Info very precise with good advice and techniques pertaining specifically to commercials. Stone not only deals with the audition process, he helps you avoid making mistakes and falling for scams as well as showing how to market yourself.
I have not seen a more detailed or informative book on the subject.

This book is very short and the information is very general. Only a few things pertained specifically to commercials at all. There are much more detailed and informative books out there.

I read Stuart's book and became so motivated to get out and start making things happen for myself with reagards to my acting career. He give excellant advice on what to do and how to do it. Anyone reading this book, will not want to put it down. It truly is the best book ever!

Industry Insight - "Acting Out"
By Holdon Log, LLC

If you are looking to work as a successful actor in commercials, or perhaps you already are and are in need of a brush up, we'd like to point you in the direction of Acting Out written by Stuart Stone, CCDA (Commercial Casting Directors Association) and Clio Award winner and Dennis Bailey.

If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Stuart at an audition or in a class, reading the book he co-authored, Acting Out, will offer you guidance and give you insight on what is expected before, during and after a successful audition. More importantly, as mentioned on Stuart's Web site (www.CommercialActing.Info) is how to "turn callbacks into bookings."

Several of us at Holdon Log (from all different backgrounds and at various stages in our commercial acting pursuits) recently read Acting Out and we agree that more Industry mysteries had been revealed, explained better and reinforced while turning the pages of this easy-to-read guide book complete with cleverly depicted moments that happen in real commercial casting sessions.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

Before Meeting A Prospective Commercial Agent:

"When you get an appointment with an agent you should call and confirm the night before, for a morning appointment, and the morning of, for an afternoon appointment. This effort will show them you are responsible. Many actors forget the business part of the equation; your professionalism will set you apart from the actor wannabees. Dress like you would on a general commercial call-with a leaning towards upscale casual. Avoid perfumes or colognes. Bring an up-to-date picture and resume with you. If you have a demo reel of your commercials, bring that as well. Arrive twenty minutes early to secure a parking space and find the office. Do not be late. And call if you have any problem keeping your appointment. The agent is taking time from his or her busy schedule to meet with you. DO NOT keep them waiting."




While Preparing For Your Photo Shoot & What To Look For While Selecting Your Headshots:

"The most important thing to remember is this: You want your picture to look like you do when you walk into any given audition. We can't stress that enough, so we're going to repeat it. You want your picture to look like you do when you walk into any given audition at any time. Not how you'd like to look after a visit to the plastic surgeon, not how your mother tells you how you look when she pinches your cheek, but how you really look."


During The Commercial Audition:

"It is imperative that you establish a beginning, middle and an end to your actions. This is a hard and fast rule in approaching any type of audition. You are, in a sense, performing a complete, short scene for the camera."



"While working, whether alone or with a partner, do not memorize the lines. Fully familiarize yourself, stick an operative phrase or two in your head, but do not commit the pages to memory. Unlike a theatrical audition where you have leeway to rehearse and memorize, the time you have with commercial copy is minimal. Most actors try to impress the casting director by having the dialogue memorized but they end up trying to remember the copy and are not able to act at all. They end up leaving the acting out, which is 50% of the work. Once in the audition room there will be a cue card with the copy clearly printed in bold magic marker situated on and easel next to the camera. Use it. If you memorize the copy, it's almost impossible to use the cue cards to help you out if you forget memorized lines. Instead, develop the skill of cue card reading."


During The Callback:

"No matter how many people are crowded into the room, focus your attention on the director. He or she is in charge this time around."

"It is generally important to wear the same clothes and hairstyle you did on the original call. (Click Here To View An ActorTrack Software Tip) "



When You've Worked The Job You've Booked...Before You Go:

"Then before you climb into your car, circle the set and thank everyone. Everyone. Not only is it just good manners-personal and professional-it is good business. Human nature being what it is, people like to work with actors they know are talented and personable...Kindness and integrity-as well as talent-are remembered."

[...]

Great book, easy to read. CD is a little over the top and bizarre though.

In Amy Gorman's Aging Artfully, Dr. Gene Cohen, who has conducted long-term research on creativity and the elderly, is quoted as stating "that seniors who participate in arts activities enjoy better health, visit doctors less frequently and use less medicine, to name a few of the benefits." If Gorman's interviews of twelve visual and performing women artists aged 85-105 is any indication, we certainly have to concur with Dr. Cohen's findings.

Gorman was very intrigued with the connection between longevity and the impact of creative activities on the over-85 age population. As a result of her curiosity, she interviewed twelve women in the San Francisco Bay area who were between the ages of 85 and 105. Moreover, together with the collaboration of her friend and colleague, Frances Kandl, Gorman transcribed these interviews and published them in Aging Artfully, while Kandl wrote seven songs about some of the interviewees. The songs were recorded and appear on a CD that accompanies the book.

The 12 women, who candidly share their life their experiences with Gorman, are all connected in one way or another to the world of art and all were quite capable of recounting poignant and careful examinations of their lives.

This does make for some very fascinating reading as we are introduced to Lily Hearst, a 107- year old pianist, Frances Dunham Catlett, a 97-year old painter, Ann Davlin, a 95 year dancer, Mary Beth Washington, an 85-year old storyteller, Dorothy Takahashi Toy, an 88-year old dancer, Faith Craig Petric, a 90-year old folk singer,Rosa Maria Morales Escobar, an 82-year old singer and folklorico dancer, Grace Gildersleeve, a 94-year old rug braider, Elsie Ogata, a 90-year old Ikebana artist, Stella Toogood Cope, a 90-year old storyteller, Madeline Mason, a 104-year old doll marker and sculptor, and Isabel Ferguson, an 89-year old actor, illustrator, painter and assemblage artist. You probably won't find most of these women listed in the various Internet search engines, however, what they have to share is quite an eye-opener.

Although, all of these feisty women are unique, exhibiting strong characters, there are some surprising standouts such as Dorothy Takahashi Toy, who had a lifetime of dancing, choreographing and producing shows, and had barely slowed down at the age of 88 when interviewed by Gorman. Imagine a 107-year old, Lily Hearst, who died in 2005, and who was still practising daily on her cherished Schiedmayer grand piano. When Gorman met African American Madeline Mason, who at the time was over a hundred, she greeted her with a cheerful smile and laughingly told her she would be 102 on April 20th, the same birthday as Hitler, and he didn't like or Jews."

Gorman's interview technique is clever and masterful, turning what might easily have wound up as tedious and monotonous conversations into an informative look at the benefits of art that has kept these individuals alive and kicking in their ninth decade and beyond. Her transcriptions of the interviews are plainspoken and direct with a minimum of flourish, an approach that permits her readers to understand why art was so much part of them or as Gorman states: "Their art is now so deeply ingrained in their beings that they cannot separate it from themselves. The art and the person have merged."

In addition, the interviewees do not shy away from discussing the difficult realities that they may have endured during their lifetime. In fact, they even confront their past sufferings without resorting to complaining or dwelling on unpleasant experiences. In the end the interviews together with the several black and white photos that are thrown in felt like I was having a pleasant rendezvous with elderly neighbours while enjoying a good laugh or maybe shedding a tear or two. And after putting the book to rest, I shook my head in amazement with a new perspective on growing old.

Norm Goldman, Editor Bookpleasures

It's so nice to find inspirational women role models for creative aging. As a former actress and singer, I have promised myself that I would some day go back to my earlier career in the theater. If I had any doubts that it was too late to do that, this book has put those doubts to rest! Pamela D. Blair, Author The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Mid-Life And Beyond

"Aging Artfully" is Amy Gorman's inspiring and touching rejoinder to the pervasive idea that age is some sort of wasteland. Gorman--who "woke up one morning, age was on my mind," interviews 12 women who by any measure are very old--85-105--and yet are deeply engaged in the visual and performing arts. She finds that the arts have become so much a part of these old women that "the art and the person have merged," that in the face of declining strength, it is their art, in fact, that keeps them going. In an unusual touch, Gorman's heartfelt profiles are complemented with music, songs composed by her colleague Frances Kandl, whose CD is included with the book. Kandl composed these special songs in response to the spirit of seven of the 12 women; they are performed by--the Crones' Kwartet! Some of the women have always been involved in the arts, others discovered them late in life, and as each tells us her story, we see how the lives of all of them are enriched thereby. These women have a lot to tell us -- it's up to us to hear them.

"Slow down," one of my children may tell me; sometimes, I even say it to myself.

Forget it!

The great message of this book is "Keep going--full tilt."

Consider Dorothy Toy, 88, with a dance class full of high school girls, or Lily Hearst at the piano practicing her scales before she tackled Chopin, all this before her students arrive. Lily didn't like teaching youngsters--she insisted that they be at least 70. It makes sense, since when Lily taught her students, she was 105 herself. Dorothy and Lily are but two of the inspiring women whose stories enliven the pages of this fascinating book.

Author Amy Gorman, along with her colleague, Frances Kandl, became intrigued with women artists who continued to pursue their art into their later years. Amy was so intrigued, that in 2006 she interviewed twelve of them, all but one 85 or older, who lived in or near Berkeley, California. The interviews and these women became this book, which is itself an inspiration.

The women followed many muses: Lily, music; Dorothy, dance; the well-named Stella Toogood Cope told stories, as did Orunamanu (Mary Beth Washington). There are painters, singers, a doll maker, a rug braider and an Ikebana artist as well. Despite the differences in craft and life story among the women, the author noted many similarities: they accepted the limitations of age without complaint and they "continued to do their art no matter what."

As my own clock ticks along (whose does not?), I find inspiration in each story. These women can serve as models for all of us. It would be a fine book to share with older women's groups, not only to encourage the participants but also to serve as a catalyst for the sharing of their own stories. This book also deserves a place in the larger field of women's history, for while each woman was living her later years in California, their stories spanned three centuries and several continents. Lily began her life in Austria, where with her sister, she pioneered skiing for women--and wore pants to do it! Stella began her storytelling career on the radio in England, while Madeline, the doll maker, was a pioneering African-American nurse in New York. Dancer Rosa Maria traces her family back to the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, and dancer Dorothy, American born with Japanese heritage, spent the Second World War in her parents' homeland. Such diversity, such a wealth of personal creativity. If these women are all in Berkeley, I wonder about the women around me!

A bonus comes with this book. Frances Kandl composed seven songs about the women interviewed here. She performed them as a salute to the women; a compact disc is included with the book.

This is a book to appreciate and share.

by Patricia Nordyke Pando
for Story Circle Book Reviews
www.storycirclebookreviews

This book really is great for anyone just starting out in the playwriting field and if you've got experience writing plays behind you. I was in the midst of writing a new musical when I picked this book up for graduate school. Reading this book while writing helped to immediately put into practice what Hatcher was saying. It also helped me to answer a few questions I had about my own piece as well as keep me on course with my project.

This is the only book on the market that makes the process clear and exciting without long, dry chapters of lecturing. Hatcher gives you inspiring exercises along with a dose of terminology that balances perfectly. Buy this if you are teaching playwriting at the college level, or if you want to give it a try on your own.

Wonderful book. It's like taking a college course on playwriting, with a great teacher. It's very helpful.

I checked this book out from the library, but now I must buy my own copy to keep. I've been having problems developing second act story complications without completely deconstructing my original set up and concept. The suggested techniques in this book of asking questions --somewhat like a reporter or investigator would in uncovering a life mystery-- to find the story are unique. I actually found myself with pen and paper WANTING to participate in the questions and exercises. No other manual has inspired me this way.

Keep re-reading it over and over again. Don't ever let it leave your bedside table. Written with razor sharp simplicity, organised ingeniously and written with a scholarly expertise.

Excellent addition to Harryhausen's "An Animated Life".
Drawings,sketches,pictures...Recommended!!

I grew up with Harryhausen movies. This book captures my imagination like his animation did when I was a kid. I love it. It is almost as much fun to read as it is to look at the awesome pictures of Harryhausen's drawings and sculptures! If I had to reduce my animation library down to 5 books, this would be one of them.

If you're a fan of Ray and his films, or even just a fan of great movies in general, this is a must-have book. There are plenty of other reviewers here who give details about the book, so I'll skip that and just say that it really does live up to the hype you're seeing here. Ray is a master (and a really nice guy too), and he speaks candidly and in detail about his life and films so it's an enjoyable and informative read. Plus the pictures are phenomenal. I don't know that I'd say this is better than the first book, because they're really both great.

I don't feel qualified reviewing my purchase as it was a gift for a dear friend who has been a Harryhausen fan since he was twelve. By his reaction upon receiving the book I felt I must have given him the greatist gift in the world. It was before I wrapped the book that I had a chance to skim through it and I found it to be very impressive in its wealth of photos, illustrations and information. I was very glad to see it was printed on quality paper and the illustrations were large and clear. I have seen other books of this type and get very annoyed when they print a picture of a film no larger then 2"x 2 1/2". I would say this book is a great tribute to Mr. Harryhausen's career.

Much better than the first book. The first while good was to technical. We all love Ray Harryhausen for his visual work and this book shows it off beautifully. I highly reccommend it.
Phil

mr kooper has been at the correct musical intersections many times in his life. this yarn of the early years of the rock era morphing into the new reality is one of the best "art meets music biz" autobiographies around.

Kooper's back room view of the music industry is hilarious. One flaw that is understandable is that he errs on the side of being far too polite. Almost Canadian......After getting screwed over to that degree, anyone would have trouble keeping their yapper shut shut. He shows great restraint, given the circumstances. I wanted more dirt, but a great read, nonetheless. Very funny.

What a remarkable story of a near miss star. Al Kooper was some of the glue that held early rock together. While never a star in his own right he added so much to what he did play on, that is, more ground breaking hits than anyone I know of. Just being the first organ in Rock is enough plus the horn band idea with BS&T, wow! His work with Leonard Skinered was a career in itself. Too bad he let his ego take him away from the limelight he deserves. He seems bitter in the end. Truly a story of Rock and Roll itself with Al as a matrix. He doesn't seem to know just how lucky he was. Can't say he let any moss grow on him though.

Great book - I couldn't put it down. Here's some insight into some of the greatest acts in rock - Dylan, Mike Bloomfield, Hendrix - it's all there. Al Kooper is a funny guy and I enjoyed the book tremendously!

I recommend this book for everybody interested in the rock scene
of the 60`s and up !
Al Kooper has a lot to tell of the early days in rock music and is
a great writer .
A lot of good reading and dont forget:
Mr Kooper is still making really good music, listen to the newest
album Black Coffee and see what I mean...