Dance Books

This book is brilliant - the layout, execution and even the sentence crafting make it easy for anyone to believe "I can do this!" I'll have to acknowledge the author when I'm accepting the Oscar - LOL.

This was both informative and useful. Cynthia's use of examples are few, but powerful and relevant. I have read both this book and Michael Chase Walker's Power Screenwriting: The 12 Stages of Story Development, and if you have to choose one, buy this one.

I'd like to say more, but I'd be repeating myself. Highly recommended.

This book is practical, easy, and very encouraging. Cynthia knows you can do it, and she wants you to try. She gives really solid advice, along with some insightful anecdotes. I've read a lot of screenwriting books and I highly recommend this one. It'll get you going!

I'm writing my first screenplay and found this book to be invaluable. Worth its weight in gold.

Top of the line. Easy to read and pleasant-toned in layman's terms. Organized and simple. Demonstrates the usefulness of 3x5 index cards for story-plotting. Tells you how to make good characters, scenes, dialogue, plot, etc. by demonstrating good and bad examples in movies that we are very familiar with. Simplifies the Three Act Movie formula by telling you how many minutes in the movie you should be starting your act and the significance of each act.

Additionally, the book demonstrates correct formatting for a screenplay, explains screenwriting terminology, explains the "& vs and" in writing credits. Explains certain dos and dont's with your script when presenting to a agent/producer. Whitcomb also tells how she started off as a preacher's daughter who was not allowed to watch TV and ended up becoming a successful screenwriter. She's a prime example of starting from square zero and proves you don't need to know someone in hollywood in order to make it big.

For all beginners--read this book first!

Mr. Yagoda presents the results of his exhaustive research with clarity and style. It's a compelling story and makes a great companion to the Kunkel books on Ross. I particularly enjoyed learning more about Shawn and the Shawn years at the NYer, since many of my favorite writers were nurtured under his watch. The best one-book history of the NYer I know of.

Disclaimer: I love The New Yorker. I have been a dedicated subscriber for ten years (and I am only twenty-six), and I read the magazine for years before subscribing under my own name.

Given my disclaimer, perhaps my five-star rating is self-evident. But not necessarily: As a lover of the magazine, I approached this text skeptically. I was interested in an unbiased review, yes, but likely I would have been wounded by a wholeheartedly negative portrayal.

Yagoda loves TNY even more than I do, if that's possible, yet he truthfully approaches his biography of the magazine. The ugliest facts are laid bare, but in a sympathetic whole.

TNY writers, editors, and staff members are lovingly recreated; Yagoda writes so well that I felt I knew these people, I understood these people, and I physically missed them after turning the last page. Like others who have reviewed this book, I wanted more--more, more, more. I felt astonished and sad to have finished the book. Were it a novel, I'd beg for a sequel, even knowing that sequels rarely live up to the original. Even a second-best second-tome would be better than missing the people and the institution that this book brings to life.

Admittedly, TNY readers will love this book vastly more than those unacquainted with its pages. However, if you are even beginning to approach the magazine, you must read this book. You will understand the weekly journal better than you do now, and you will appreciate it far more. I certainly do.

Bravo, Yagoda!

There are at least two ways to view Ben Yagoda's book ABOUT TOWN: 1) as the history of The New Yorker Magazine, how it was conceived and developed and changed over time, and 2) as a social document reflecting its times. The subtitle of the book "and the World it Made" does not seem quite as accurate unless one considers that "world" to be the corporate culture created by the staff led by Ross and Shawn, the two longtime editors who built the magazine. The New Yorker certainly has influenced the world within which it existed along with many other magazines.

Harold Ross, the founder and first editor of the magazine, with the help of Katherine and E.B.White, Thurber, Dorothy Parker, and many other fine editors and writers launched the magazine in the 1920s. The sophisticated and literary focus of the magazine soon captured the fancy of New Yorkers. During the hard days of the depression the magazine actually gained subscribers as readers enjoyed the humorous repartee and cartoons that helped them laugh at their troubles. Many new readers learned of the magazine during WWII as it was handed around the barracks. The GI bill produced many educated readers who remembering their wartime contact with the magazine now subscibed to it. Following WWII, the magazine included more and more "social conscience" articles, for example, John Hershey's essay on "Hiroshima."

Ross died in the early 1950s, and during the fifties under the editorship of William Shawn, the magazine became relatively banal according to Yagoda who says it appealed to stay-at-home wives who enjoyed articles that reminded them of their college days (among other pieces, Mary McCarthy's tales of her Italian travels were featured). In the 1960s, the magazine once again became more vocal about social issues and the environment.

Yagoda says the best years of the magazine came in the 1970s when writers like Woody Allen wrote wonderful wacky pieces and investigative journalists covered the scandals in
Washington. Following a downturn in subscriptions in 1980s, the magazine was purchased by a media mogul and William Shawn departed. With Tina Brown's arrival, the magazine metamorphed into a Conde Nast publication. Garrison Keillor's comments about Brown's arrival (as he left) are amusing.

Over the years, I have read John Updike, Alice Munro, Jamaica Kincaid, Katherine White, and many of the writers who once wrote for the New Yorker. When I was a child, my mother used to quote Dorothy Parker regularly ("Rivers are damp..."), but I had no idea Parker wrote for The New Yorker until years later (we lived in a rural area and subscribed to the Progressive Farmer!!). When I read Rachel Carson's SILENT SPRING, it changed my life, but I read it in book form when it was first published as a Book of the Month Club selection. I only became aware of The New Yorker magazine when I was in my thirties and a college writing instructor suggested it. Yagoda says many people discovered the magazine when they were students.

As a social document, The New Yorker articles very much reflect the times, and to some extent, at least under Ross, the magazine seemed to be ahead of the times. In reading this book, I was reminded of National Public Radio, which seems to be the main innovator in broadcast journalism these days--though I am told there are all sorts of happenings on the Internet. The in-depth news stories, the essays by various knowledgeable citizens, the political commentaries and Garrison Keilor are all comparable to The New Yorker magazine.

If you are interested in a snapshot of the 20th Century from an educated New Yorker magazine perspective, or in writing and magazine development in general, you will find much of interest in this book. The tales concerning the origins of many innovative features of the magazine are quite good.

Yagoda suggests the magazine pretty much ended with Shawn's departure in the late 1980s. He devotes eight pages at the end of the book to the three editors who followed Shawn. He says the median age of the readership grows older every year (not replacing subscribers) and most of current readership as such is owing to the retention of loyal readers. He quotes some of these readers who no longer actually read the magazine but have not given up their subscriptions. His book goes a long way toward explaining to me why I dropped my subscription a few years ago.

"About Town", by Ben Yagoda chronicles the majority of the 80+ years, "The New Yorker", has been contributing its unique journalistic culture to everyone, including, "The old lady in Debuque". Mr. Yagoda's book stands out from many books that have been offered to readers about the magazine for while he certainly is aware of the contributions the magazine has made for over 8 decades; he does not seem to be in awe of it or the people to the point it affects his writing. He clearly admires the magazine, but this does not stop his including a wealth of information that documents the eccentric personalities that shaped the magazine. Some may not find the notes flattering, but he objectively shows some of the magazines famous quirks without committing the blasphemy of a young Thomas Wolfe.

The list of writers who either became major or occasional contributors, reads like an amalgam of winners of the highest literary awards that have been offered. The list of those names repeatedly rejected expands the list even further. The book contains dozens of examples of the famous rejection letters that often are almost apologetic about turning down a piece of work while always writing in the first person plural. Having a piece selected by, "The New Yorker", was often considered the ultimate indicator that a new writer had arrived, that he or she had entered the pantheon of the magazine's literary legends. This was true even if the work accepted for publication may not have appeared for months, or even several years. The reception of the envelope stating a writer's work had been admitted was all many authors needed to have their work given unique value and cachet, publication was a bonus.

Mr. Yagoda also spends a good amount of his book on the cartoons, their artists, and the painful process that started with an idea only to have to run a gauntlet to be published. As hard as this path may have been, the scrutinizing that a written piece received is almost beyond imagining. It is understandable that first time contributors would have their worked scoured and polished, but when some of the 20th Century's finest writers nearly drew blood over commas the action within the building must have been spectacular. There is a story of one writer who sat outside the editor's office for almost 5 hours over the issue of a single comma. This World War I trench warfare standoff continued until the early hours of the next morning. The editor capitulated, but noted to the writer, "you are still wrong".

The story of this fascinating magazine could fill many volumes. If your starting place for gathering an overview of this institution, its editors, staff and writers, is this book, you will have chosen very well. Mr. Yagoda has written a great tribute to those he has chronicled.

There are two types of writers: those who aspire, no, dream of being published in the "New Yorker", and those who, after several rejections, bitterly deride the very institution they hoped to conquer. I am solidly of the first camp, though give it a few years and I might be a latter-day grouch.

The work of Ben Yagoda brings the magazine alive, from the heyday of such luminaries as Thurber and White to the tough war years, right up through the Shawn era and even right up to (for 1999) the present. Through it all, Yagoda examines the many lives who devoted themselves to this literary exercise in humor and good faith. The most compelling character studies, however, are the two main editors throughout the magazine's history, Harold Ross and William Shawn.

Ross, who founded the magazine in 1925 and managed it through its first twenty-six years, comes across as a gruff, thoroughly Western man who nonetheless saw the need for a magazine like "The New Yorker", and brought it to being through sheer will and fortitude. He also happened to publish significant works by James Thurber, E.B. White, and J.D. Salinger among others. Shawn, taking the reins after Ross's death in 1951, saw the magazine through 30+ years of challange and triumph, only to be forced out in 1987. Throughout the book, Yagoda makes these men the central focus of his tale, but he includes brief looks at literary and other lights of the twentieth century, some who did get published (like Donald Barthleme, Veronica Geng, and John Updike) and some who didn't (Tom Wolfe, whose scandelous expose on the magazine shook it out of its fuddiness).

Overall, the book looks fondly back at the magazine's past, with a hint that it might never reach the same heights of importance it once had. That may very well be, but there's still something to be said for a magazine that is such an institution no one could imagine starting a writing career without considering the possibility of submitting to it.

"The New Yorker" is still the premier magazine in America, and this book explains why, after almost a century, it still carries the weight it does.

I'm an anesthesiologist who goes to NYC every year for the US Open Tennis. While in NYC we try to suck up a little Kulture and always attend a few theatre offerings. I found the book not only informative but entertaining and it also gave me some new insights into theatre-going and watching films.

Reading "Architecture of Drama" will definately enhance your cultural experience in both the theatre and film.

Whether the information of THE ARCHITECTURE OF DRAMA is new to you as an emerging theatre artist or whether you have spent a lifetime in the theatre forgetting the essentials, this book is invaluable in stating the universals of drama, and stating them in a way that all can comprehend and use in both theoretical and practical ways.

It is impressive in its economy, stylish in its presentation, and entertaining in its prose. The sidebars on artists and productions are fascinating.

An extraordinary amount of information in a very brief and easy read.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF DRAMA is an exceptional resource.

Tom Moore
Director
Broadway: 'night Mother, the original GREASE, MOON OVER BUFFALO, etc., Extensive Regional Theatre.

"The Architecture of Drama" is a terrific book. If you're a student, it will be one of the few books you take with you after graduation and reread. If a teacher, you'll know you have the real deal, something no class will be able to dismiss as just another textbook. The three authors speak with one voice in straightforward language about the dramatic experience -- be it "Jaws" or "Macbeth" or "The Wizard of Oz". The result is an exhilarating celebration of theatrical biodiversity. The book is born from a passion for theatre, not tenure; it talks to you, never lectures. In a discussion of mixing genres, it cites Kazan's feeling that his film "A Face in the Crowd" was unsuccessful due to his mixing satire and drama. But it goes on to cite The Moscow Art's "misinterpretation" of Chekov's "The Cherry Orchard" as tragedy when the author saw it as comedy -- but which became the theatre's greatest success. The book's comment on the contradiction? "Go Figure!" When has a textbook dared imply even great theatre is part crap shoot? The authors use specific productions as points of reference. In the Broadway staging of John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt", they question whether Sister Aloysius' final line "I have doubts! I have such doubts!" has been set up properly to make it believable. The timing of Father Flynn's following entrance is offered as a possible explanation of why the line caused confusion for some. Through discussions such as these the reader comes to appreciate theatre as something more than text, to realize a production is indeed an interpretation, and that what "works" can be as fragile as an entrance half a beat too soon. If I had come across a book like this when I was studying theatre in college, it would still be on my bookshelf, underlined and much the worse for wear.
Peter Simon is an actor who worked mainly in daytime serials: Dr. Ed Bauer on "Guiding Light" for many years. Nominated for Daytime Emmy, Best Leading Actor. Worked Off Broadway, Regional, and for The New York Shakespeare Festival

This very approachable book offers a fresh alternative to most of our familiar textbooks on drama, dramatic structure, and the essence of theater experience. With an emphasis on down-to-earth discussion, the book starts with a conversation suited to a more introductory look at the "architecture" of dramatic literature. This develops into discussion of drama as brought to life via acting, directing, design, and audience response which will also have appeal and power for readers with more advanced familiarity with drama and theater production. The three-source authorship and insight is intriguing and, in particular, this chance to capture Joe Stockdale's views and teachings in a text is not to be missed. Over at least the past fifty years, I know of no more brilliant, essential, and passionate voice about the heart and soul of playwriting and the art of the theater than Joe's.

After an MFA in stage design from Yale School of Drama and 50 years of designing for the Stage and Television--starting with ten years for the Ed Sullivan Show--it was interesting to look at the whole theatrical experience as architectural. I've been dealing with the visual architecture of theater my whole life, but there is no question that all the elements fit into an architectural framework. This book is a refreshing study of that total framework. It was fun for me to see it from another perspective. I would recommend "The Architecture of Drama" highly for any one involved, in any capacity, in the production of theater or film.

Bill Bohnert

I've been acting for ten years and got my first directing assignment. I know a lot about directing from having been directed, but this book was a great guide for script analysis with the big picture in mind, not just one character. The show was a success and the actors still like me.

It seems like reading would require no specific techniques, that they would come naturally to one and go without saying, even when the task is more specified, as in the reading of plays. But Ball breaks down this seemingly natural sense into its component elements and explains them in easily digestible, well-paced segments, and to examine these elements does much in the way of re-learning and thus refining and fine-tuning one's seemingly natural reading skill. This skill can be taken and applied in various ways (as Ball describes in the introduction), some of which are immeasurably improved by the complex understanding that posessing these refined elements provides; the reading a play to produce it, for example, or the writing of one yourself can be tremendously improved if one is constantly aware of what they are doing, why they're doing it, and what about their actions are correct, lacking, unnecessary or obtrusive. Without having a defined sense of the tools contained within this book, these tasks would be much more difficult, complicated, vague and roundabout, thus slowing, weakening or perhaps ruining the final product. Pair this skill set with application to texts such as plays, which are made all the more difficult by the fact that the playwright thinks in terms more of making their production work when produced for an audience and less of making their script read and be easily graspable completely on the page, and this manual becomes immeasurably more useful on a basic and elemental level.

This book would serve a Script Analysis class very well. I plan to use it for mine in the fall. It also is reader friendly enough to serve an actor/director/designer wanting a different perspective, perhaps, on a script; or could be a different way of explaining what we were generally taught as undergrads.

I have read a lot of books on the subjects of writing and acting. This book contains almost every important point in the tens of thousands of pages I have read when it comes to structure. If you are a writer you have to own this book! There is no wasted space in it. No actor or director on the planet should live without it either. You can read it in a day, but you'll read it again and again.

This book may have been primarily written for directors and writers, but it is a great tool for actors to get to real active meanings in a script.

This book is incredible. Anything you need to know is in this book. If it doesn't go into detail on a specific subject, it gives you resources to look up to further your search. Funny, interesting, and helpful, this book is completely highlighted-up and is my ultimate resource guide!

...just because "it's for dummies." I'm not trying to insult anyone's intelligence.

Anyway, this book is a good resource for someone who is considering a career in acting, or a move to Hollywood, and has no clue. The character in my book, Trott Felipe, could have used a book like this before he made the trek from Iowa to Hollywood in his Astro Van. Unfortunately, he's a fictional character, and this book didn't exist in the version of Hollywood I wrote about.

Very informative, well written book. Extremely helpful for the Novice actor, for someone just starting out (Acting classes, extras etc.). Covers everything you need to know to start looking into developing this exciting career. Many topics, easily & clearly set-out. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in the Industry, including well established actors, as it could still help with pin-point information and ideas, that may be not known or forgotten over time. Don't give it a second thought about purchasing this book!

I picked this book up at the library and read it in less than a day. It is entertaining and informative, making sure to write effectively yet simply, so that anyone could pick up the book and understand it fully.

If you are an aspiring actor, this book will give you vital information, and will inspire you and encourage you to reach for your goals.

A must read!

THIS IS A GOOD STARTED FOR THE INEXPERIECED. BUT AN EXPERIENCED ACTOR LIKE MYSELF WILL ALREADY BE MUCH BEYOND THIS, WHICH IS WHY I AM WRITING MY OWN BOOK ON MARKETING FOR ACTORS.
JAY MADHAV

I have been a shell collector for more than 25 years and along this years, this is the first time that I get such an interesting, well-documented, beautyfully illustrated and skillfully designed book on this subject. I am very happy with this purchase. The book has 411 pages with information and has about 12 photographs in each page giving a perfect appreciation of thousands of shells from everywhere. Each photo includes the common name (obviously valid in English speaking countries only), the scientific name, average length of adults (in centimeters and inches), brief information of geographical distribution and synonym names. Oh!, I almost forget to say that the authors,R. Tucker Abbott and S. Peter Dance are two famous conchologists leading this field of science for many, many years. So, this book informs, teaches and makes it very funny to learn and investigate in the universe of shells. "Bon apetit", collectors!!!

I had an earlier printing of this book (1983) and was disappointed to find that the 2000 edition I just purchased was virtually identical apart from a page of corrections at the end which would be much more useful if incorporated into the text. I feel that this excellent book needs updating to keep it as the No 1 general book on seashell identification.

This book is very informative and descriptive if you're looking to collect exotic shells from different parts of the world.

I have been a shell collector for a very long time now. This is now my second copy of this book, as I have worn the first copy out. It is the most comprehensive identifier book around. The color photos are excellent, and the amount of species depicted is impressive! This book, along with Jerome M. Eisenberg's A Collectors Guide to the Sea Shells of the World, are probably the only two books on Sea Shells, a novice collector will ever need. The serious collector will also benefit from these books as well.

This is a great book which hv given me alot of info, but still can upgrate by increase more pictures & decription for seashells of the world.

This book is very enjoyable and fun to play. The selections are very interesting and I feel like I'm actually improvising. I love the arrangements and look forward to practicing!

Dan Coates writes in a style much like my own, so I really enjoy the selection of songs and his arrangements of them. I've searched for years for a book like this! So pleased with it. There are 77 songs, most of them will always be timeless favorites. Some of the pieces are a little challenging, but I like that. I've been asked to play for a wedding and reception. Most all of these songs will be appropriate for the occasion, and they are professional-sounding, too. I'll be proud of this book for years to come, unlike many I wish I had never wasted my money on and are now collecting dust.

This is one of my favorite piano solo books. Some of the music takes work as it is mostly level 4-5, but the arrangements are wonderful. I take this book with me wherever I know there will be a piano. I'm a senior citizen who has played for years and Dan Coates improvisations fit my abilities very well. I hope there will be another book from him one of these days.

I play for numerous weddings where the bride chooses piano for the service music. These arrangements are a wonderful resource for these events. They are absolutely gorgeous, and they are a great source with a mix of classical, sacred, and modern songs. The arrangement of "Prayer" is worth the price for the whole volume. It is one of the best values I've encountered in many years.

I bought this for my wife who studied the piano up to a pretty advanced level, but stopped playing regularly about 6 years ago. Other reviews made me think that it would be a challenging book for her...in fact, she is enjoying the variety and smoothness of it. I guess that is both an advantage and disadvantage...depends on your expectations. One thing is for sure...she is loving it.

As an MFA student and beginning screenwriter, I've found Hot Property invaluable for so many reasons. First, Keane's accessible explanations of structure are key in terms of establishing instant confict and moving the story along. In addition, Keane's breakdown of genre has been very helpful in terms of conceptualizing marketing, the pitch, and how to sell a screenplay. Of all the screenwriting books I've read, Hot Property is the most straightforward and has the greatest clarity--and in a business where you only get five minutes to pitch your idea, I think that's crucial. Get this BEFORE you start your screenplay--it'll save you a lot of time and ultimately, your story will be stronger as a result.

As an Emerson College student I found this book to be the most comprehensive text on the subject of screenwriting that I have ever encountered. Keane describes the form and function of screenwriting in a way that is easily accessible to any reader and improves the writing process of a new writer or seasoned professional. I would also recommend his book, How to Write a Selling Screenplay.

I just began the book, but I already feel angered by how poorly written, and uninformative it is so far. I have read the first few chapters, and a good chuck of Keane's included original screenplay. This screenplay is utterly awful on so many levels. The formmating it outdated. Action descriptions are often written in ways you cannot show. A total no-no. The characters are shallow. The dialogue is banal, and does not flow. Most of the time, I do not even get the sense the characters are talking to each other. As for the first few chapters, lines like "Celluloid snakes through you body." Um. What? That doesn't make sense, and mixes metaphors. Cellulod and snakes? Whoah. Followed by "Your blood runs at frames per second." Silly, just silly. Finally, "Your eyeballs are projectors." Even as a metaphor, it doesn't work. Eyeballs take in information, not project out. You get the point. Don't waste your time on this drivel. Read some other books like Blake Snyder's Save the Cat!, or How NOT to Write a Screenplay.

I've found both of Chris Keane's screenwriting books (Hot Property and How to Write a Selling Screenplay) to be invaluably helpful to me. They take the reader through the entire process of starting, completing, and selling a script. It's a very encouraging and optimistic source and does a lot to motivate and educate the reader. Of the dozens of screenwriting books that I've read, these have been the most helpful for me and the most inclusive.

Being a working screenwriter, I can tell you that Chris's insights into the workings of today's movie Biz are 150% on the money! Readable, clear, and very helpful! A definite Keeper for anyone who wants to write for the movies, and for those who already do so.

This book is fantastic if you want to persue Impro. The first one - "Impro" everyone in the world should read whereas this one is far more of a handbook for those of us who want to persue it onsatge. But still brilliant, just a different beast. If you ever get a chance to hear this man talk - go!

I've used Keith's Impro for several years, and this book is just what I've been looking for! It gives the kind of details I've been for to use in my classes and performances.

I thought that Keith Johnstone's first book "Impro" was the best book on Improv -- until I read this. Impro For Storytellers is chock full of imaginative games that will make any improv workshop (or communications training) sparkle with creative fun and learning by taking the pressure off of being creative.

If you want the best collection of improv games since Spolins "Improvisation for the Theatre", this is it. Johnstone paces the book with wonderful stories of how the games have been used under all sorts of circumstances, with a brilliant and dry sense of wit. If you are interested in improv, please read this book!

If you're going to read only one book about improvisation, read this. If you read two books, wait a month or two and read this again. I've been part of a professional improv performance group for the last five years and every time I read this book it fills me with new levels of information and wisdom.

Many people never discover this book because they read Johnstone's first book, Impro, and find it difficult to apply as well as not very relevant once it delves into the eccentric world of mask work. Impro for Storytellers is highly relevant, contains many games, exercises, and suggestions to try, and is a highly entertaining read. I recommend reading this first and reading Impro later if you enjoy it. I certainly enjoyed it over and over again.

This is quite a large book, pretty much entirely made up of a wide variety of games for actors with vivid examples of what students come up with under pressure, and thorough explanations of the goal of each excercise. It's extremely well written and just as good as something to sit down and read, as something to get up and play with.

The games range from easy to very hard; many would make excellent fun warm-ups to introduce non-actors to basic acting theory and to interacting with an audience. What makes this book unusual for an acting text is the emphasis on story, and the highly audience-centric approach to performance.

I would seriously recommend this book to writers, screenwriters, and story artists. The ultimate goal for Johnstone is to teach his improvisers to hook the audience and keep them hooked by altering tactics, reversing, raising the stakes, setting up expectations. Throughout, his unexpected cry of "Be obvious! Don't be creative!" keeps the story being invented on an engaging emotional level.

I bought this because I'm teaching a class involving some acting, but found so many exciting ideas for plotting I want to send a copy to everyone I know in story. First rate.

I have seen the stage production of the Lion King twice--in Toronto and East Lansing, MI. Vendors offered a souvenir photo brochure for $20. For only a few dollars more, I purchased Julie Taymor's book from Amazon describing one of the most amazing creative achievements I have ever seen. Get the book! See the show!

I came home from a production of The Lion King staged in Appleton, Wisconsin, and was so enthralled I immediately set out to find out "How did they do that?" This book met and exceeded by expectations. I am an amateur costumer and puppeteer and this just the stuff to bring a smile to my face. Before this book I was not aware of Julie Taymor by name (Sorry, from a small town, don't get out much) but I will be looking for her work from now on.

...is seeing the show live. From intellectual concept, to extensive and authentic research, to development with constant referral to the physical, metaphysical, intrinsic, to the workshop...to the stage. One will see that Julie Taymor was THE RIGHT visionary to not only help in the translating an animated film to live theater, but to also retain the human moral behavior and lessons that are paramount for the existence of all people.

This book shows the "creation story" of the Lion King musical. Photos of the workshopping teams in their studio/s, sketches of early ideas, through to finished costuming displayed on the artists themselves.

A pity this book was not available in Australia, but thanks to Amazon I received it in about 3 weeks total.

The Lion King on broadway is by far the best most amzing show ever created. Whats so amazing is that the book is as good as the musical. Without Julie Taymor the lion king would not be such a huge success as it is and you find all about this in the book. Some of the pictures of the show itself and the costumes are just wonderful which makes the presentation of the book even more wonderful. I dont even read books but am findin it very hard to put this down and read it over and over again. If you require any info, or are just curious email me simba262626@yahoo.com to discuss this amazing book.