Book picks similar to
The Improv Book: Improvisation for Theatre, Comedy, Education and Life by Alison Goldie
acting
creative-endeavors
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theatre
How to Enjoy Poetry (Little Ways to Live a Big Life)
Frank Skinner - 2020
I referred them to Doctor Who's Tardis.'Frank Skinner wants you to read more poetry. Wait, wait - don't stop reading. Whether you're a frequent poetry reader or haven't read any since sixth form, Frank's infectious passion for language, rhythm and metre will win you over and provide you with the basic tools you need to tackle any poem.In this short, easy-to-digest and delightful book, Frank guides us through the twists and turns of 'Pad, pad' by Stevie Smith, a short, seemingly simple poem that contains multitudes of meaning and a deceptive depth of emotion. Revel in the mastery of Stevie Smith's choice of words, consider the eternal mystery of the speaker of the poem and be moved by rhyming couplets like you never have before.Give it a go. You never know, you might even enjoy it.
Shocking Wrestling Plans You Won't Believe Almost Happened
James Dixon - 2016
What if The Undertaker had hatched out of a giant egg? What if Daniel Bryan hadn't got his WrestleMania XXX push? What if 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin had been named Chilly McFreeze? All of this nearly happened. Over the course of wrestling history there have been many bad gimmicks, baffling angles, and confusing storylines that have left fans scratching their heads, wondering how they made it through the company's quality filter. We know all about those, we have been unfortunate enough to suffer through them. But what about those plans that never got off the drawing board? What of those ideas that remained unpopped kernels in the minds of the creative team? How different could the landscape of modern professional wrestling be had some of these shocking plans actually made it onto our screens? WhatCulture.com takes a journey behind the scenes to explore a whole host of what ifs, what might have beens, and what almost was. We look at proposed matches that never were, characters that could have been very different to what they became, booking plans that were changed at the last minute, promotional jumps that nearly happened, and backstage shenanigans that would have changed the business. The book also has a feature delving deep into the psyche of Vince McMahon penned by Attitude Era writer Vince Russo, and insight from former WWE Creative Team members George J. Rutherford and Dan Madigan. Join us as we take you on a journey into a world of Shocking Wrestling Plans You Won't Believe Almost Happened!
Inside Inside
James Lipton - 2007
Now, with Inside Inside, James Lipton, the 2007 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Emmy, is handing every one of us a backstage pass. You will witness in unprecedented close-up the wit, wisdom and candor of a galaxy of stars, from Paul Newman to Barbra Streisand, Al Pacino, Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Clint Eastwood, Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Ellen Burstyn, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Martin Scorsese, Sharon Stone and many, many more, and marvel at the comic inventions of Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Mike Myers, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle – and Will Ferrell as James Lipton on the Inside stage. With the same candor he demands of his guests, James Lipton reveals a life that began under the tutelage of a poet, his father, and a teacher, his mother; continued in the orbit of three theatrical giants, Stella Adler, Harold Clurman and Robert Lewis; and, as writer and producer, took him to the White House with two presidents, the Great Wall of China with Bob Hope, and a wild flight at the controls of an Alaskan bush plane, on his journey to Inside the Actors Studio.
The Collected Plays, Vol. 2
Neil Simon - 1986
They and the critics agree that a trip to see any one of this master of comedy's stage triumphs ranks among the most wonderful experiences that the American theater offers. The eight plays in this, the second volume of The Collected PLays of Neil Simon, bear eloquent witness to the unique genius of this master playwright who so magnificently blends the joy of laughter and the love of life.
Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning
Leslie Odom Jr. - 2018
Jr, burst on the scene in 2015, originating the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical phenomenon Hamilton. Since then, he has performed for sold-out audiences, sung for the Obamas at the White House, and won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. But before he landed the role of a lifetime in one of the biggest musicals of all time, Odom put in years of hard work as a singer and an actor.With personal stories from his life, Odom asks the questions that will help you unlock your true potential and achieve your goals even when they seem impossible. What work did you put in today that will help you improve tomorrow? How do you surround yourself with people who will care about your dreams as much as you do? How do you know when to play it safe and when to risk it all for something bigger and better?These stories will inspire you, motivate you, and empower you for the greatness that lies ahead, whether you're graduating from college, starting a new job, or just looking to live each day to the fullest.
Brutus and Other Heroines: Playing Shakespeare's Roles for Women
Harriet Walter - 2016
Some of these characters remain friends, others are like ex–lovers with whom we no longer have anything in common. All of them bring something out in us that will never go back in the box.’ In a varied and distinguished career, Harriet Walter has played almost all of Shakespeare’s heroines, notably Ophelia, Helena, Portia, Viola, Imogen, Lady Macbeth, Beatrice and Cleopatra, mostly for the Royal Shakespeare Company. But where, she asks, does an actress go after playing Cleopatra’s magnificent death? Why didn’t Shakespeare write more – and more powerful – roles for mature women? For Walter, the solution was to ignore the dictates of centuries of tradition, and to begin playing the mature male characters. Her Brutus in an all–female Julius Caesar at the Donmar Warehouse was widely acclaimed, and was soon followed by Henry IV. What, she asks, can an actress bring to these roles – and is there any fundamental difference in the way they must be played? In Brutus and Other Heroines, Walter discusses each of these roles – both male and female – from the inside, explaining the particular choices she made in preparing and performing each character. Her extraordinarily perceptive and intimate accounts illuminate each play as a whole, offering a treasure trove of valuable insights for theatregoers, scholars and anyone interested in how the plays work on stage. Aspiring actors, too, will discover the many possibilities open to them in playing these magnificent roles. The book is an exploration of the Shakespearean canon through the eyes of a self-identified ‘feminist actor’ – but, above all, a remarkable account of an acting career unconstrained by tradition or expectations. It concludes with an affectionate rebuke to her beloved Will: ‘I cannot imagine a world without you. I just wish you had put more women at the centre of your world/stage… I would love you to come back and do some rewrites.’
The Art of Voice Acting: The Craft and Business of Performing for Voice-Over
James R. Alburger - 1998
The Art of Voice Acting is an excellent introduction to the business and art of voice acting. This new edition also features coverage of specialist areas of voice over: animation/video gaming and film/ movie trailer. Updated to reflect the latest changes in performance techniques and products in the industry, it is essential reading for all voice over actors. Packed with expert advice on job opportunities and career management tips, it is the ideal resource for anyone involved in the industry. The voice over demos and exercises on the expanded CD ROM complete this perfect modern manual to getting established in the voice acting industry. *Learn insider tips on finding work, making audition tapes and establishing yourself as a professional voice over actor*Gain expert advice on how to keep your voice in top condition*Perfect your performing skills using easy-to-follow voice exercises and demos on CD Rom
Funny on Purpose: The Definitive Guide to an Unpredictable Career in Comedy: Standup + Improv + Sketch + TV + Writing + Directing + YouTube
Joe Randazzo - 2015
In this insider's guide, former Onion editor Joe Randazzo delivers a funny and insightful blueprint for those looking to turn their sense of humor into a vocation. Explaining how it works and how to break in, Joe provides tips and guidance, outlines successful career paths, and solicits advice and stories from the likes of Judd Apatow, Jack Handey, Joan Rivers, Tim & Eric, and more. From writing for TV to doing standup or developing a successful YouTube channel, Funny on Purpose gives readers the knowledge and inspiration to launch a career in comedy with confidence.
Agatha Christie's "A Murder is Announced"
Leslie Darbon - 1978
When an evening of fun and games turns to murder, Miss Marple plays by her own rules to solve the whodunit.
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress
Alan Ball - 1993
They are Frances, a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist; Mindy, the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom; Georgeanne, whose heartbreak over her own failed marriage triggers outrageous behavior; Meredith, the bride's younger sister whose precocious rebelliousness masks a dark secret; and Trisha, a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye. As the afternoon wears on, these five very different women joyously discover a common bond in this wickedly funny, irreverent and touching celebration of the women's spirit.
Tactical Barbell - xld: Definitive Strength Training for the Operational Athlete
K. Black - 2014
Save yourself years of wasted time and effort and learn correctly.Tactical athletes are a unique breed. You need to physically operate at an extraordinarily high level in stressful situations. Often in dangerous environments.Face it. As a SWAT operator, front line soldier, or other operational athlete, you have to be a Jack of All Trades. Let’s take that a step further. You have to achieve some degree of mastery. You have to be strong, have incredible levels of endurance, and be capable of sustained anaerobic bursts of activity. All while tired, hungry, cold, or worse. You can’t train like a bodybuilder. You can’t be sore for a week after ‘leg day’. You may not have the time to spend five days a week in the gym solely on weight lifting. You can’t afford to specialise like a powerlifter. After all, you have other attributes you need to spend an equal amount of time on, such as conditioning, or martial arts. Anyone in the operational field knows it’s a constant juggling act trying to become (and stay) superhuman.So how do you achieve extreme levels of functional strength, while still maintaining time and energy to train your other attributes equally?This book will provide you with that answer. You will receive strength programming designed to fit in with your training and lifestyle. Periodization based, with a simple progression model that allows for a great degree of customization. You won’t find cables, balance boards or medicine balls in this program. What you will get is a reliable, repeatable cutting edge system to increase your strength dramatically. In a manner that leaves you time and energy to train all those other things you need to be good at. No fluff. No frills.If you’re in the tactical arena, you know talk is cheap. There is a built in strength testing component in this program. You will know whether or not your strength has increased, and by how much. Simple.Written by a twenty year veteran of the military and federal law enforcement. The author has spent a significant amount of his career in extremely physically demanding units, as an infantryman, paratrooper, operator and Subject Matter Expert on a federal Hostage Rescue Team.
100 Essays I Don't Have Time to Write: On Umbrellas and Sword Fights, Parades and Dogs, Fire Alarms, Children, and Theater
Sarah Ruhl - 2012
She has written a stunningly original book of essays whose concerns range from the most minimal and personal subjects to the most encompassing matters of art and culture. The titles themselves speak to the volume's uniqueness: "On lice," "On sleeping in the theater," "On motherhood and stools (the furniture kind)," "Greek masks and Bell's palsy."100 Essays I Don't Have Time to Write is a book in which chimpanzees, Chekhov, and child care are equally at home. A vibrant, provocative examination of the possibilities of the theater, it is also a map to a very particular artistic sensibility, and an unexpected guide for anyone who has chosen an artist's life.
I Hate Hamlet
Paul Rudnick - 1991
The Story: Andrew Rally seems to have it all: celebrity and acclaim from his starring role in a hit television series; a rich, beautiful girlfriend; a glamorous, devoted agent; the perfect New York apartment; and the chance to play Hamlet in Central Park. There are, however, a couple of glitches in paradise. Andrew's series has been canceled; his girlfriend is clinging to her virginity with unyielding conviction; and he has no desire to play Hamlet. When Andrew's agent visits him, she reminisces about her brief romance with John Barrymore many years ago, in Andrew's apartment. This prompts a seance to summon his ghost. From the moment Barrymore returns, dressed in high Shakespearean garb, Andrew's life is no longer his own. Barrymore, fortified by champagne and ego, presses Andrew to accept the part and fulfill his actor's destiny. The action becomes more hilarious with the entrance of Andrew's deal-making friend from LA, spouting the laid-back hype of the Coast and offering Andrew a fabulous new TV deal worth millions of dollars. The laughs are nonstop as Andrew wrestles with his conscience, Barrymore, his sword, and the fact that he fails as Hamlet in Central Park.
Sam Shepard: A Life
John J. Winters - 2017
Despite these accomplishments and more—five collections of prose, songwriting with Bob Dylan, filmmaking with Robert Frank and Michelangelo Antonioni, as well as romantic relationships with rocker Patti Smith and actress Jessica Lange—Shepard seems anything but satisfied. Sam Shepard: A Life details his lifelong bouts of insecurity and anxiety, and delves deeply into his relationship with his alcoholic father and his own battle with the bottle. Also examined for the first time in-depth are Shepard’s tumultuous relationship with Lange, and his decades-long adherence to the teachings of Russian spiritualist G. I. Gurdjieff.Throughout this new biography, Winters gets to the heart of the enigma that is Sam Shepard, presenting a direct and comprehensive account of his life and work.