Play Groups Books

While I haven't read this edition, I highly recommend the works of Paula Vogel! She combines the best of humor and drama while exploring complex themes in theatrically interesting ways.

'the baltimore waltz' has been one of my favourite plays from the first time i read it. this compilation has a wonderful variety and shows what range vogel has as a writer. 'and baby makes seven' and 'the oldest profession' are both a riot o laughs. 'hot'n'throbbing' is a disturbing yet much needed look at domestic violence. (i bet the NEA folks loved it. ha!) by reading any of her plays, you quickly see that vogel is a well read and intelligent writer (a playread as well as a playwright!) that expresses her opinions in a way that is clear aand inspiring. skip the introduction: the shmuck writing it has no idea what he is talking about and the plays are a better read.

This was the third play I read by Paula Vogel (How I learned to Drive/Mineola Twins). This play was amazing. Mixing humor and drama, I wanted to cry but couldn't stop laughing. This is a truly amazing play and I would recomened it to anyone who loved plays and loves theatre.

The depth and breadth of these plays go beyond the gender politics and current issues that lie at the heart of these plays--to say that "Waltz" is a play about AIDS is like saying that Moby Dick is about fishing! The plays combine a deft wit with a warmth uncharacteristic for plays with such style. These early plays suggest the talent that will make Vogel a major American playwright for years to come.

A compelling and very well-written account of Jim Crow and minor league baseball in the American South. The book is a fascinating cultural and historical study. The author clearly devoted a great deal of time in researching this book. His presentation of the oral histories is fantastic.

This is a wonderful book, recounting a largely unknown story of American and baseball history - how the southern minors' integration was part of the larger civil rights movement. 20th century baseball integration began but did not end with Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby. Unitl now, no one had taken their legacy to the next step. Bruce Adelson now has in a powerful account of what it was like being on the front lines of baseball and civil rights in the Dixie of the 1950s and early 1960s.

The author does a great job of capturing both sides of the integration battlefields (ballparks) of the South. He effectively uses narratives of former players, both the famous (Felipe Alou, Billy Williams, etc.)and the not so famous (Joe Durham, Percy Miller Jr., etc.) to detail exactly what those pioneers had to endure. Those narratives are interwoven with clippings from various newspapers of the day to tie the intergration of minor league baseball in the South with the overall racial climate of those cities. This book, I believe, would prove to be an interesting and informative read, even for those who are not baseball fans. Adelson obviously did a lot of research and successfully shows how baseball "broke down the walls" for total integration in the South. Spend the money and the time on this book - it's worth it!

The author has done an excellent job documenting the experiences of Hank Aaron, Billy Williams, Felipe Alou and others who broke minor league baseball color lines down south in the years after Jackie Robinson opened up the major leagues. His book includes poignant and compelling interviews with these and other ballplayers who relate their painful experiences of enduring Jim Crow racial restrictions while playing baseball. The author also places their achievements within the historical context of the times, the 1950s and 1960s. These players were truly civil rights pioneers, helping to integrate a closed society. This is a must read!

The score features three staves, piano and vocal with an added bonus of crucial instrument parts which are even labelled in separate font to help instrument recognition for the complete music of company down to the scene change and underscore music!
The musical notation and lyrics are clear to read in PC print format, none of that hand printed stuff. The only down side is the score does not have TAB or chord labels above the staves, just pure notation which in some cases not ideal for the modern musician. With the Music being Sondheim orientated most songs could be classed as grade 6 or 7. Very tricky rythms but the best complete Company score book on the market. If you have trouble reading though an easy play version would be advisable.

I own a copy of both the vocal score and the complete libretto and I should say it is worth owning both. The vocal score when played on piano gives lively music to make anyone dance to the beat. It never loses its Broadway touch. The notes when played by a skilled pianist would make it sound more like the orchestra accompaniment. I would highly recommend those of you who love Sondhei'm style to own one of these. This would definitely be a smash hit for your school or community theater.

I love Sondheim, and this show is the best of his works in my opinion. Full of challenging songs, and complex arrangements, it will surely please the pianist or singer who is looking for something a little outside the realm of Roger's and Hammerstein to sing. Go into your nest audition with "another Hundred People", or "Getting Married Today" and blow your director away! This book contains a lot of material that is not readily available in other volumes and it is definately worth the investment. songs of note "Being Alive" "Company", "Barcelona", "the little things you do togrther" and the immortal "Ladies Who Lunch"

When Mr. Sondheim and and Mr. Furth wrote the show they wanted to have something that would make the audience laugh all night and then stay awake the rest of the night thinking about it. And that is EXACTLY what they did! Mr. Furth developes his characters so well as does Sondheim. To fully get the show one might consider getting the cd (original cast album is the best and can be found here on Amazon.com as well) This is seriously the best libretto I own.. and I own MANY.

thankyou for this opportunity.
I first read this play in 1968, preceding my role as "Fellowship" for my school's production of 'The Reading of Everyman", played out within our School Chapel. In later years I can now better understand about my role not knowing then, the impact that this play would have in my adult life. I am now 57 and a retired Army Chaplain(not that you really retire). Over the years I had lost the books that I had, and now through the ability of [...] I can relive those years and can more fully understand the content. thankyou.

Everyman may have been writen in the 1400s but its values are very true to the new century. 'Everyman' is a story about Humanity's battle for salvation, and that beauty may lose its luster, your intelligence may fade, and your Five Wits may up and leave you, all you have is your Good Deeds to take with you as a compainion to the grave. If you enjoy English Literature, read this book.

Mike Fulton, Freshman Advanced English.

Everyman transcends all times, every time. Written six hundred years ago, the tale remains as relevant now as it was then. I recommend this for anyone who has ever pondered the human condition and wonders about its future. It's all here at "Everyman."

Everyman could be my next door neighbor. Seriously. He could be virtually anyone. This character appears on every television show, every comic strip, and in almost every movie. Why? Because the character "Everyman" IS every man. The trials and tribulations of Everyman are the trials and tribulations of every man. It's that simple. Read this small tome and learn about the human condition. See how man hasn't changed one iota in half a millenium. Scary, huh? --- C.B.

Danny literally loses his mind in one of his monologues and then comes back and brings ther performer back to the reality of the performance all for the audience sake. He will take you past the little pretensions of PC communication and blow all the "decent" rules of language and discourse out the door. He will inspire you with madman honesty AND with great craft.

There is a thin line between madman and genius...this is truly the case with Danny Hock. The show is brilliant, the book is just as inspiring and awesome. The intensity and passion provided in the monologues will elevate you to another level, another plane and another world. Danny will be the tour guide and lead you through the multifaceted lands of his. This is a must have collection for all of us...readers, poets, actors, teachers and art-lovers.

Danny Hoch has a way with words - if you've never seen his show, this is the closest thing to it. It is funny, touching, mind boggling and inspirational all at the same time. He brings to life, the people that you've always wondered about or grew up around and never pictured on stage. He is a voice of our time and is someone to watch. For something that will blow your mind - BUY THIS BOOK.

This is it! No sell out, no superstar. Just pure talent that speaks to hearts of all colors. Buy this book and feel alive again.

Though Rivera's three plays included in this piece could very easily be described as extremely strange, they are most definitely worth reading, both for entertainment value and the thoughts behind the plays. Three plays included were; Marisol, Each Day Dies With Sleep, and Cloud Tectonics. I would encourage anyone interested in this genre of theatre or even anyone who just enjoys reading something that will really make you think to read these plays. Personally I found Each Day Dies With Sleep slightly disturbing but I believe that's part of the idea and I could definitely see where people would find Marisol to be quite disturbing as well, but if you keep an open mind and try to figure out what Rivera was getting at these plays are fun to read. I can't even imagine how amazing they must be live.

There's a quiet moment in "Cloud Tectonics" when Celestina, the lost pregnant innocent recites a love poem to the more worldly, slightly jaded male lead. She pours her love out to him in Spanish which, in true tragic fashion, he cannot understand. Each of these plays are about love, but not cliched. Its about sex, but not graphic. Its about art, but not pretension. He cries out to let us know New York, L.A., love, hope, and miracles exists outside of the facade of Hollywood and places dominated by collective commercial thought. Rivera seems angry with how race relations, interpersonal love, and culture in general is malformed by the intrusiveness of corporate agents. His anger never rants though and is carefully interwoven into the structure of the play. Having never seen one of his productions, I can only imagine his alternate worlds.

Viva la imaginación, Jose.

Jose is one of the most brilliant playwrights of the 20th century. His ability for "magic realism" or whatever you would like to call it allows for some of the most honest, inspiring and beautiful writing I have ever experienced. I am so glad he writes for the stage....his plays are exactly what the theatre needs!

marisol tackles a lot of issues regarding the human spirit and its vulnerablity. it also touches on issues of religion and its place in our lives. i've never been a person to see or even read plays but i was absolutely and am still absolutely impressed with this play. it is beautifully written. and if you live near or in a big city its theme touches home.

I had Pray & Play Bible (the first one) for two years... and I've used it so many times that it's starting to fall apart. I run toddler-preschool programs at various church retreats and events, and the stories and ideas from this book are always HUGE hit!!! the kids love it, and the parents see how their children are learning and applying the Bible stories at such young age!!! in fact, i've given this book to few of my friends that work at christian preschools, and they all rave about it!

i love how the graphics for each story is different, and while some of the stories are repeated from the first edition, the illustration and words are different... besides these are stories that never get old!!! i love this resource... and it's a definite MUST HAVE if you work with little ones!!!

I bought this one after being impressed with the first one.
My only complaint would be it repeats a couple of the stories from the first one. For example; Creation, Jesus' Birth, The Easter Story. This is less of a problem as they are not identical...different pictures and presentation.
While I would have loved to have completely different stories, I am still happy with the book.

I love this children's resource. It is a great book to have at home for family devotions or even a pre-school/home school situation. However, I used it in children's ministry at our church when the Sunday School teacher would cancel at the last minute or when there was an impromptu meeting for the adults and we needed a children's activity. The stories are beautifully illustrated and the songs and prayers and snacks and activities are usually easy to prepare and most can be done "on the fly." I have both books in this series and love them!

I purchased this book to get quick and easy ideas for our junior church program which takes place during our regular church services. The stories are colorful and short which is good for a preschool attention span. The activities can be used at home or at church. If you're considering this book for a lot of craft ideas you might want to purchase a another book. I also purchase the Pray and Play Bible 1. They will get a lot of use.

Excellent recording quality, an interesting listen.

The Road to Mecca is a crucible for Miss Helen, the seemingly strange, eccentric widower holed up on her bizarre property in rural New Bethesda, South Africa. She is clearly different, as evidenced by her many sculptures and odd creations surrounding her house, which unto itself holds a myriad of eccentric charms.
She comes to odds when Elsa, a young woman committed to Helen surprisingly appears at her door and discovers Helen on the verge of giving up on life. Elsa's staunch commitment to Helen's unique beauty conflicts with Dominee Marius', a local preacher who stands on the side of the patronizing, yet caring Christian community.
The play is dynamic in it's a)exposure of isolated aging, b)Elsa's youthful/urban attitude vs. Helen's elderly/rural one, c)soul crushing Christian convalescence vs. a spirited iconoclastic artistic home, d)characteristics of artistic inspiration, e)creativity's essential place in daily life, f) the long journey of self discovery, among others.
A powerful conclusion as well demonstrates Fugard's unbound compassion and empathy for spirited life under South Africa's skies.

Home sweet home: a place of love, refuge, and memories. For Helen Martin's it was also her life, her work and her Mecca. In the play "The Road to Mecca" Athol Fugard explores the question: Should we leave our Mecca, our spiritual fountainhead, when we can no longer take care of ourselves? The conflict between the three strong willed characters Helen, Elsa and Pastor Marius explores the question in the light of different religions, cultures, genders, ages and environments. Fugard said the play was suggested by the life and work of Helen Martins of New Bathesda, South Africa. The real Helen from age 50 to 75 transformed her house into a personal universe that enters the realm of archetype, symbol and metaphor. The house, furniture, windows and walls became a kaleidoscope of colored glass. In her garden she constructed over 200 figures: owls, Biblical figures, Buddhas, and ancient gods and goddesses. One South African scholar described her work as one of the most stirring experiences of his life and another called her one of South Africa's artistic geniuses. Fugard in his play shows Helen's creations as a glorious, makeshift oasis of creativity and life force and Elsa, his character, sees Helen as an example of freedom and transcendence. One powerful scene is when Helen, seated in her Mecca with dozens of candles playing off glittered walls and mirrors, tells Pastor Marius "I can't reduce my world to a few ornaments in a small room in an old-age home." The effect is stunning. The play is thought provoking and gives few answers. Helen is alive when it ends. Sadly, in 1975, the real Helen committed suicide. She drank caustic soda and died after three days I solitary agony. Her will included complex instructions listing in detail the ritual disposal of each of her sculptures. But today her home, known as "The Owl House" has been proclaimed a national monument and is a mecca for artists and tourists.

A reclusive elderly widow (based on the late Helen Martins, whose South African home is now a museum) has created her own "Mecca" by decorating the inside of her home with candles and mirrors and by surrounding the house with an assortment of personally-sculpted mermaids, wisemen, peacocks and pyramids. Although her neighbors view Miss Helen as a crazy old woman, she has made friends with Elsa Barlow, a young teacher who has returned for a surprise visit. On that same day, clergyman Marius Byleveld has come to help Helen apply to a nursing home. Marius is fond of Helen and fears for her safety. Elsa is in opposition to a move as it would take Helen away from her art.

I was originally concerned that a drama focusing on an old woman's artwork would not translate well to a listening experience. How could I care as deeply about Miss Helen if I was not able to see the oddball sculptures she had created? Surely the vision of "a city of light and color more splendid than anything I had ever imagined" could not be adequately transmitted through the speakers of my tape player. I need not have worried. One of my favorite parts of the entirely wonderful listen remains the moment when Helen lights her room with candles -- music comes up and there is absolutely no problem seeing a room aglow in a growing light of imagination and art. Adding to the experience is a superb cast performing a well-written examination of what it means to be an artist, what it means to be older, and what it means to be shunned. Fabulous!

Eric Bogosian has a knack for creating great little monologues that completely suck you in. As unpleasant, or even repelling, as so many of his characters are, their tales are nonetheless engrossing, sharp, raw and extremely funny. You'll plow through this in no time, anxious to read each next monologue. And you'll be quick to pick it back up for a re-read too.

Bogosian has a knack for creating compelling characters. A common aspect to all of his characters is desperation. Whether it the paranoid desperation of the "Artist" who stopped making art because "they" would know what he was thinking to the quiet despertion of the homeless "Bottleman" who finds comfort in collecting bottles or cans ("Bottles or cans, it makes no difference") so that he can enjoy an egg salad sandwich to the despertion of the man who calls "Candy" for a good time.

Right from the beginning, Bogosian (both in writing and as the lone actor in a one man show) pushes the envelope in establishing characters who live on the edges of society and who feel the pressure of desperation in their lives. For those of you who are interested, the movie "Talk Radio" has Bogosian exploring themes similar to those explored in "Sex, Drugs, ROck & Roll."

This work amazed me. Acting is generally seen as a cooperative effort, but this collection of monologues proves that wrong. Usually funny and almost always far more insightful than anything in the movies, this work takes an often ignored route to exploring contemporary American culture. Some people may be offended by the vulgar nature of some of the monologues (such as Dirt, in which the only word in the first sentence that is not an obscenity is 'ya'), this very vulgarity is a reality of life that is necessary to accept in order to understand what Bogosian has to say.

Eric Bogosian is one of those writers, like J.D. Salinger or Raymond Carver, who makes me feel like I am not alone. I'm not the only detached observer wondering why the current state of humanity is so absurd. Bogosian always writes about junkies, losers, and heartless bastards. But they always have something that is perceptive and interesting to say. As the last charcter in the book, a nameless "Artist" says, "If they know what I was thinking, man...I'd be dead." I feel the same way with the wealth of "irrational" thoughts that float around in my head. Bogosian is also an expert satirist. Are you tired of self promoting, so called "charitable" rock stars? Read "Benefit," in which a Keith Richards-type figure encourages television viewers to support his "Amazonian Indian" fundraiser. Why? Because they don't even have Pepsi. After reading this book, I find like at least there was some one else who shares some of my views on life. And that revelation felt like it might have saved my life.

This book provided a guide for Becca Kirsch and I to work with a group of high school students. The activities described in the book build on each other and it was inspiring to watch the students' enthusiasm and discovery through the process. Michael Rohd is correct when he says that the activities help people to get to know each other in new ways. I think that the interaction that comes from participating in these theater games is crucial to help build new ways of communicating and problem solving.

Michael Rohd is currently doing exciting work across the country, using improvisational theater techniques to connect with young people and communities in ways that echo Paul Sills' original intention when he founded The Compass Players and Second City: to connect viscerally with the community to create a dialogue for social change. As Jeffrey Sweet documented in his book "Something Wonderful Right Away," the original members of Compass and Second City (Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Severn Darden, Shelley Berman, Barbara Harris, Alan Arkin, etc.) were quick to pick up on the disparity between Sills' goal and the reality of their set-up. Their audience tended to be the insulated academic populace connected to the University of Chicago, whereas Sills was hoping to connect with the community at large. They simply weren't playing to the people Sills wanted to reach, and the people Sills wanted to reach were not coming to this coffeehouse. In Michael Rohd's hands, Paul Sills' work is being perpetuated. He has been taking the practices of improvisational theatre on the road, working with students, adults and teachers to create an open forum for dealing with and discussing today's complex issues. His book is a clear, tightly written manual describing a catalogue of theater games that are fun, creative, joyful, instantly accessible, that take workshop members on a clear arc from learning to trust each other to sharing to creating improvised scenes, all in an amazingly brief time span. For those in the Theatre Industry, Rohd's book is the best description of what goes into the making of an ensemble company and the creation of the Group Mind since Del Close's book, "Truth in Comedy."

I work as a Art Focus Drama teacher for K-7 students who come from various socio-economic backgrounds and home lives. I found this book a very valuable resource, especially for students who have a difficult time with issues of trust, language, and ensemble work. It is great to have a resource that contains detailed exercises within a logical framework, that not only works, but explains itself in a manner that even classroom teachers, with no drama experience whatsoever, can accomplish.

A highly suggest this for teachers who want to use drama as a way to improve communication and explore problem solving in a new, creative, and very effective way.

I came across this book in February 1998 during a one-week training workshop given personally by Michael Rohd in Helsinki (Finland). I consider this material valuable and anyone who works with young people or youth workers should get it. I have used this book when giving training to youth and community workers. Needless to say, I had to adapt some of the exercises according to the local context. I would recommend this book to all those who want to be part of a revolution.