1 comments about Theatre: A Way of Seeing (with InfoTrac®).

1. Barranger gives a nice overview of contemporary theatre, with a natural emphasis on the American scene. Classical theatre is well described. But also recent, avant-garde troupes like the Las Vegas Blue Man Group get passing mention. You can cultivate an appreciation of the diversity in the theatrical world.
   
   The book is heavily integrated with InfoTrac and Wadworth's website. The latter gives the interested student many worthwhile resources that complement the text's narrative. These include academic journals and other publications. Well suited for graduate work or simply a deeper look at the subject.

5 comments about The Prop Builders Molding & Casting Handbook.

1. This is the best book for learning about prop making. I learned so much and found that prop making is relatively easy, but time consuming. Yet it is the joy of making something with your own two hands that makes prop making so much fun. This book is a must have for every prop maker and those who want to learn prop making.



2. I have no experience in casting, and don't want to make any more costly mistakes than necessary. This was a very informative book that has given me much more confidence and knowledge to start.
   It is the best book I have found so far for my needs, which is actually for casting miniature (1:20.3 scale) details for an outdoor train layout. However, the methods explained are very widespread, and would suit most needs, I would think.



3. This book gives great detail about most aspects of molding with good illustrations and step by step instruction that can be followed be a novice, covers various material used in the processes and describes the pro and cons of each.
   I think it would be usable in many projects beside prop building.



4. The most detailed, informative, and educational book for any prop builders in the industry. A "gotta have" book in your library...just EXCELLENT.



5. This book seems to have it all. There seems to be an endless supply of information and how to apply it (Which it strongly implies in the first few pages). There is even a section at the end that shows you how to make a vacuum-forming machine in good detail and for the least amount of cost and bulk. If you are even remotely interested in making props or want to duplicate items in your own pad, buy this book.

1 comments about Script Analysis for Actors, Directors, and Designers, Third Edition.

1. This book is very informative, insightful & wise. Just what I needed to further my knowledge and skill!

5 comments about Aristotle's Poetics (Dramabook,).

1. I read these works for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.
   Poetry appeals to human passions and emotions. Powerful beautiful language and metaphor really appeal to emotion. This idea really disturbed Plato, who takes on Homer in the Republic. Plato thought that early Greek poetry portrays a dark world; humans are checked by negative limits like death. Tragedy has in it a character of high status brought down through no fault of his own. Plato says this is unjust. Republic is about ethical life and justice. It starts with the premises that might makes right and then moves onto the idea much like modern religions that justice comes in the afterlife. Plato hates the idea that in tragedy bad things can happen to good people. He wanted to ban tragedy because he found it demoralizing.
   
   Aristotle's Poetics is a defense against Plato's appeal to ban tragedy. Tragedy was very popular in Greek world so Aristotle asks can it be wrong to ban it? Yes, it is wrong thus he decides to study it. Plato says Poetry is not a technç because the poets are divinely inspired. Aristotle disagrees Poetics is a handbook for playwrights. Mimçsis= "representation or imitation." Plato uses it in speaking of painting, thus art is imitation. Another meaning is to mimic, like actors mimicking another person. Plato and Aristotle use it to mean psychological identification like how we get absorbed in a movie as if the action were real, eliciting emotions from us. We suspend reality for a while. Aristotle says this is natural in humans; we do this as children, we mimic. If imitation is important for humans then tragic poetry is worthwhile for Aristotle to study.
   
   Definition of tragedy- "Through pity and fear it achieves purification from such feelings. This is a famous controversial line. Katharsis= "pity and fear" thus the purpose of tragedy is to purge katharsis. Katharsis can also mean purification or clean. There is a debate if it means clarification, through which we can come to understand katharsis. Aristotle thinks tragedy teaches us something about life. Tragedy is an elaboration on Aristotle's idea that good or virtuous people sometimes get unlucky and in the end, they get screwed. Tragedy shows this so we can learn to get by when life screws us. The whole point of tragedy is action over character. Action is the full story of the poem like the Iliad. Character is only part of the action.
   Aristotle distinguishes between poetry and history. Poetry is concerned with universals, history is concerned with particulars.
   
   I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy. Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.



2. I teach this edition of the Poetics. The introduction is excellent. It makes the rest of the text understandable and useful to a writer.



3. Just a layman here. I want so bad to absorb the important ideas of Aristotle, but this book is complex and my attention wonders after a while.



4. Basically Aristotle's poetics is his outline for how literature should look and what purpose each section, metaphor, sentence, word, and even letter should have. He sums up his ideas about this rather quickly unlike his modern day counterparts. The book is very easy to read, but some sections may need a little bit or re-reading. I read the entire book in about two hours; probably even less and that also accounts for highlighting and annotating it for my own uses and also rereading some parts that I did not understand the first time around.
   This book is an invaluable source for anyone who studies literature of any kind. I would suggest this book to any English Literature students, just so that they would know all about the roots. This book is also a great source for writing term papers and whatever else like that.
   However, its one failing is that the book cost nine dollars. If you can pick up a copy from the school library or from a teacher that would be recommended, but you probably should not buy it in its new form. (There are cheaper used books, you might want to pick up one of those)



5. The ancient observer's insights have stood the test of time. Some elements of human nature remain consistent regardless of the century or technology. Aristotle thought classification was important. In this work he sets forth a taxonomy for poetics. One of the more controversial statements he makes in this book is "poetry is both more philosophical and more serious than history." He doesn't leave it at that, being the philosopher he is he goes on to explain himsself. He adds, "poetry speaks more of what is universally the case, whereas history speaks of particular events." This book will give you a comparison that spans cultures and centuries.

5 comments about Stella Adler - The Art of Acting: preface by Marlon Brando compiled and edited by Howard Kissel (Applause Acting Series).

1. i got this book to help me in my acting classes. I started reading it and i had a highlighter whith which i was planning to underline all the important stuff. Well i ccould not stop highlighting; every single paragraph in this book is pure genius. I already started developing as an actress more efficiently and faster than i used to, i wish i met her before she died...
   
   the only criticism...she is too abrupt. She is harsh with you. even if she does not kknow you personally, she stil attacks the young actor. this can be rude, but her directions are always right. If u are an actor, you NEED this book. Acting teachers should read it too. I had some horrible teachers in my life



2. This is one of the best books I read in 2006. It was recommended to me by a professional speaker who promised that the insights in the book were useful to not just professional actors, but rang true for any profession. He was right, this is a must read for business professionals, as well as the actors.
   
   I read it with vigor and was thrilled to see the wisdom in each paragraph. I have recommended this book to friends who have thanked me for linking them up with this amazing publication.
   
   If you are considering reading this book, just do it.



3. This is going to the top of the "books my kids must read" when they are going off to college or leaving home. This book is a supposedly a series of Stella Adler's lectures about acting, but it is also very inspirational as a series of lectures about how to live.
   
   Addler says that "The whole thing about acting is to give. The actor must above everything be generous. He doesn't hoard his riches...But before you can be giving and magnanimous, you must have something to give. Ideas don't come from your legs. They don't come from your voice. They come from your mind. The theatre is built on developing your mind. It's an education for your mind."
   
   She works on critical seeing, self-awareness, discipline, self-control - skills that are important to everyone, not just actors. She discusses the importance of developing your imagination, "Eventually your imaginative reach will extend to other things, until you can say, I know how it feels to be in mourning, how it feels to be isolated, what it means to be abandoned, what it's like to be engaged or to be married." She means this in the context of acting on stage, but for the non-actor, it translates into becoming truly empathetic, to being able to truly understand and communicate with others.
   
   Every page is full of memorable comments:
   
   "You must be aware that even a subject of profound importance can be trivialized and degraded if you haven't the energy and interest to match it."
   
   "Sometimes, when a husband and a wife go on a trip together, he might say, "My God! Do you know what that is? Why that's Notre Dame!" and she replies, "Yes I know. I can see it." They are seeing in Notre Dame something entirely different. As actors you must make everything you see come alive."
   
   "You will fail. That's great. Here's a secret for you - that's the only way you can learn. Learning has to cost you something."
   
   And on and on and on! She must have been such a strong, amazing woman, so completely different from anyone in my own solidly suburban middle class life. It is profoundly uplifting to hear her voice through the pages of this book. I highly, highly recommend this book.



4. This book was recommended to me by my mentor and coach Bob Proctor (watch DVD "The Secret"!!!) as an inspiring read for living the life I want.
   Receiving the book and spending an hour disappearing in it, leaning with my partner (it was her birthday gift) over the kitchen counter forgetting time while being totally absorbed by the Truth these pages contain.
   A must have in every serious library!
   Acting? Yeah, learn to ACT! Right action is what propels us forward in life. Why not learn from a pro?!!



5. Stella Adler was considered one of the best (perhaps the best) acting teachers of all time. This books give concrete ways to become a better actor and, I believe, at the same time become a more fully developed human being. It is an inspiring book full of wisdom and thought provoking ideas. Definitely worthwhile.

1 comments about The Circus: 1870-1950.

1. THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE WELL WORTH THE PRICE FOR THIS BOOK NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE THEM....THE ONLY DRAWBACK A GREAT AMOUNT OF THE TEXT IS FRENCH And GERMAN AND THERE ARE SOME PHOTOS THAT GO BEYOND 1950 WHICH IS GREAT....ANY CIRCUS FAN WOULD ENJOY....A VERY LARGE BOOK BRIEFCASE SIZE AND WEIGHS ABOUT 20 LBS.

4 comments about Theatre of the Oppressed.

1. Buy this. I know that isn't a sentence but wow. This is a life changing work. If you care the minutest bit about theatre, mankind, and the future of both (together and seperate) then feast here. Also, a side benifit is listening to Boal argue AGAINST The Poetics. Good stuff. The begining is a little slow because he begins by very carefully setting up examples and definitions before he begins to explain his actual work and theory. This is nessisary and impressive (citing some ancient Greek philosophers to whom I had never been introduced). I think this book handed me some special x-ray glasses to look through the clothing of our contemporary American theatre. Get yourself a pare.



2. This should be required reading in our theatre schools, but is generally relegated to the extra credit section of additional reading. Boal expounds some brilliant concepts that should be considered by all contempoary theatre practitioners. Serious theatre goers should read this text as well.



3. Boal is insane, but not nearly as much as Brecht or Artaud. Boal is essentially a communist that approaches all art from the social-conflict paradigm of sociology (Marxism). He tends to argue that most theatre is made to coerce, and that much of it is made with the power/elite in mind (that is the mildest description I can give you without starting a debate). Whether you agree with Boal or not, his chapters dealing with the Coercive Aristotelian Tragedies are highly educational just in the factual sense of what he presents. If you have any interest in classical or Greek theatre this is definitely a must read. He explains the dynamics of Greek theatre so well that it can almost be used as a text book.



4. Perhaps the pursuit of art in this world of massive economic, social and legal inequality is simply privileged playing and bemusement? Perhaps art has no valued, but as marketable, profitable entertainment? Or, perhaps art (and specifically theatre) can actually change the world? Boal is not the first to speak of theater's revolutionary quality, but unlike his predecessors he takes to the street with his theory. Tracing the relationship between the producers of theatre and its audience, Boal exposes the historical oppression imposed by the dramatic machine/conventions of the past. In its place he offers theoretical and practical examples of his "People's theatre" (i.e., paratheatre or interactive theatre). For all seriously minded artist this is a must read. Especially if you wish to understand your role in artistic production and also wish to make a difference with you work.

5 comments about Theater Games for the Classroom: A Teacher's Handbook.

1. This was on a list of suggested reading from a class I attended with Second City. I bought it hoping to use some of the ideas for my middle schoolers. There are many ideas in the book for younger kids, like songs. There are some good ideas that can be adapted into a middle school room.



2. I teach sixth grade math, and have a group of students for an exploratory class. We talk about current events, esteem building, community building, fun non-academic skills with an emphasis on social awareness. I have been using this book for most of the year so far, and my students look forward to it,a nd ask for it. I don't have a background in theater, but this book has several premade units that have a focus on different skills. The one I am just completing focuses on community building for the group and concentration and focus for the individual. I find it easy to use, and I like the skills that it is building and reinforcing in my students. If you don't want to do a whole unit, the individual exercises and warm-ups can be set up and completed in 5-10 minutes. Great,and quick!
   I strongly recommend this for any classroom!



3. I teach drama/theater in a low income public school. I bought the book because my school has very few resources and I thought this might be useful. As it turned out the book was hardly used during my first year teaching. My biggest problem with this book is that it is not very user friendly for a teacher who just wants to add some fun to a class but not a complex game. In other words the book needs to make the games simpler so the kids can pick them up faster and have more fun. This might not be problem for teachers in high school as your students might be more mature and able to handle more complex games. But for middle school teachers tread lightly. Also if you have a bunch of behavior problems in your class then forgot about it. In my experience I found the worse the behavior the better they were at spoiling fun classroom games. Be warned.



4. EXCELLENT!! Inspiring. Well Organized. So many great ideas for the new or seasoned acting teacher.



5. As a teacher of drama to many low-income, urban, and "difficult" adolescents, this is the book that I find most useful, alive, and inspiring! Simply wonderful for anyone trying to bring the best out of young actors!

5 comments about 100 Lessons in Classical Ballet: The Eight-Year Program of Leningrad's Vaganova Choreographic School.

1. If you are a ballet teacher, and aren't able to take master classes very often, this is a good book for you. The lessons sparked new choreography for me, and provided a different perspective to age/skill set; however, the lessons were also developed by a man whose job was to train ballet students to be professionals (age/skill set obviously varies when kids are studying ballet recreationally or for the joy of learning ballet). This book provides an opportunity to expand an adagio, petite allegro, or barre work.



2. I studied the Vaganova Method at ABT as a child and young adult. Now that I am teaching I like to use the book as a guideline, review and brush up on things I may be overlooking. When you are away from the classroom as an adult (or an older adult) it is necessary to keep trying to learn from others or resources. I highly recommend this book.



3. I love this book. As a new teacher, it has been invaluable in helping me to create the classes for my beginning students.



4. I'm a former dancer and a classical ballet teacher now. This book is a Ballet bible among my colleagues who teach classical ballet.



5. I cannot say enough good things about this book. I studied ballet for about twelve years when I was young and was asked to offer a ballet club in my school in the fall. This book lays out, class by class, how to train young dancers effectively. Included are photographs of correct positions and technique so even though my own is a little rusty I am able to show my students illustrations of what they will hope to achieve especially since my turn out has never been that great. I am happy to say that the class attracted boys as well as girls in my inner-city school and that a few of the children have convinced their parents to enroll them in a dance school due to their diligence and the interest they demonstrated in the ballet club.

5 comments about Actions: The Actors' Thesaurus.

1. "Actions" is the perfect size to carry around, and I've found it invaluable in preparing for auditions as well as fleshing out a role. The juice in this book is in the concept of characterizing a theatrical beat in one action word. Since theater is visual, it is critical for an actor to physically demonstrate the inner workings of the character, and this book is a great jumping off point. I did purchase a pocket size thesaurus to use with it, since on several occasions this book did not contain the exact word I was looking for. I've played four widely different roles since acquiring this book, and consider the hours I've spent looking for that perfect "aha!" word well worthwhile. I'm making much more confident acting choices, and I think my characters are more assured, clearly defined and authentic. Highly recommended!



2. I'm an acting teacher in the theatre department at a university. I've found one of the biggest problems for actors was naming their goal/objective/victory...whatever you want to call it...and coming up with tactics that were compelling and ACTABLE. This book offers a goldmine of ideas for actors. Now, hopefully, they can move on from "convince" and "avoid"!!!
   
   
   
   [ASIN:0896762521 Actions: The Actors' Thesaurus]]



3. This book is wonderful as a reference when trying to find the perfect action to express your intentions and achieve your objective in the scene. It won't be too helpful if you're not sure what action to start with at all, but if you have a sense of the action you are looking for, this thesaurus will help you find the strongest choice. I will carry this with me at all times.



4. Decent first section discussing the use of actions, but the actual thesaurus included many words that don't work practically as actions. Maybe 20% of the list is useful in practice



5. This book makes it so much easier to clarify your actions and your goals when acting. It was introduced to me by a director and our whole cast bought copies and use them all the time. I highly recomend it!