Download or read book Theater Geek written by Mickey Rapkin and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-06-01 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What do Natalie Portman, Robert Downey, Jr., Zach Braff, and Mandy Moore have in common? Before they were stars, they were campers at Stagedoor Manor, the premier summer theater camp for children and teenagers. Founded in 1975, Stagedoor continues to attract scores of young performers eager to find kindred spirits, to sing out loud, to become working actors—or maybe even stars. Every summer for the past thirty-five years, a new crop of campers has come to the Catskills for an intense, often wrenching introduction to professional theater. (The camp produces thirteen full-scale productions during each of its three sessions.) These kids come from varying backgrounds—the offspring of Hollywood players from Nora Ephron to Bruce Willis work alongside kids on scholarship. Some campers have agents, others are seeking representation. When Mickey Rapkin, a senior editor at GQ and self-proclaimed theater fanatic, learned about this place, he fled Manhattan for an escape to upstate New York. At Stagedoor, he tracked a trio of especially talented and determined teen actors through their final session at camp. Enter Rachael Singer, Brian Muller, and Harry Katzman, three high school seniors closing out their sometimes sheltered Stagedoor experiences and graduating into the real world of industry competition and rejection. These veteran campers—still battling childhood insecurities, but simultaneously searching for that professional gig that will catapult them to fame—pour their souls into what might be their last amateur shows. Their riveting stories are told in Theater Geek, an eye-opening, laugh-out-loud chronicle full of drama and heart, but also about the business of training kids to be professional thespians and, in some cases, child stars. (The camp has long acted as a farm system for Broadway and Hollywood, attracting visits from studio executives and casting directors.) Via original interviews with former and current campers and staff—including Mandy Moore, Zach Braff, and Jon Cryer—Rapkin also recounts Stagedoor Manor’s colorful, star-studded history: What was Natalie Portman’s breakout role as a camper? What big-time Hollywood director, then barely a teenager, dated a much older Stagedoor staff member? Why did Courtney Love (at Stagedoor visiting her daughter) get into an argument with a hot dog vendor who had set up shop at the camp? Theater Geek leads readers through the triumphs and tragedies of the three senior campers’ final summer in an absorbing, thought-provoking narrative that reveals the dynamic and inspiring human beings who populate this world. It also explores what the proliferation of theater camps says about our celebrity-obsessed youth and our most basic but vital need to fit in. Through the rivalry, heartbreak, and joy of one summer at Stagedoor Manor, Rapkin offers theater geeks of all ages a dishy, illuminating romp through the lives of serious child actors. Rich, insightful, and thoroughly entertaining, Theater Geek pulls back the curtain on an elite and intriguing world to reveal what’s really at its core: children who simply love to perform.

Download or read book Theatre Geek Weekly Planner written by Theatre Publishing and published by . This book was released on 2019-07-14 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Get ready with this planner Perfect weekly planner to organize your days with space for your notes and to-do's

Download or read book A Theatre Geek s Guide to Disney Google the NFL written by Brett N. Axler and published by Morgan James Publishing. This book was released on 2021-07-06 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ever wonder what it takes to land a job with the world’s most sought after companies? In A Theatre Geek’s Guide to Disney, Google, and the NFL, Brett Axler pulls back the curtain to reveal the steps from his journey and the lessons he learned along the way. From his early years in community and regional theater to landing his first job with an NFL-team, Axler shares the simple and normally overlooked steps applicants can take to land their dream job. He busts the classic experience and education requirement myths and outlines the powerful alternatives that make applicants stand out from the crowd. Using his own personal victories and defeats along with stories from the dozens of students and young professionals that he’s mentored, Axler shares the step-by-step do’s and don’ts of navigating a young career. Through his years at Comcast and Disney to his recent adventures that led him to Google, Axler shares his insights about education, professional networking, job searching, applying for the job, getting a resume to the top of the pile, and nailing an interview. With A Theatre Geek’s Guide to Disney, Google, and the NFL, buckle up for a wild story full of priceless know-how from a theatre geek that accidentally found himself in professional sports and corporate America.

Download or read book The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek written by Seth Rudetsky and published by Random House Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2015-06-23 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Broadway, New York. The shows, the neon lights . . . the cute chorus boys! It's where Justin has always wanted to be--and now, with a winter internship for a famous actor, he finally has his chance to shine. If only he could ditch his kind, virtuous, upright, and--dare he say it?—uptight boyfriend, Spencer. But once the internship begins, Justin has more to worry about than a cramped single-guy-in-the-city style. Instead of having his moment in the spotlight, he's a not-so-glorified errand boy. Plus, Spencer is hanging out with a celebra-hottie, Justin's best friend Becky isn't speaking to him, and his famous actor boss seems headed for flopdom. Justin's tap-dancing as fast as he can, but all his wit and sass might not be enough to switch his time in New York from nightmare-terrible to dream-come-true terrific. Seth Rudetsky's second YA novel is endearingly human, laugh-out-loud funny, and for any kid who's ever aspired to Broadway but can only sneak in through the stage door.

Download or read book Captain Theatre Nerd and The Magnificent Techies written by Jon Jory and published by Stage Partners. This book was released on 2017-01-01 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Let Captain Theatre Nerd take you on a whirlwind tour of the history of theater from ridiculous melodramas to sweeping musicals. Everything on stage happens just as it's supposed to, except when it goes horribly and hilariously wrong. Actors on strike, indecisive directors, wrong cues and costumes... But the show must go on! Right? Leave it to the techies to save the day. Comedy One-act. 30-35 minutes 15-40 actors

Download or read book Writing for Theatre written by Kim Wiltshire and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-12-01 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Writing for theatre is a unique art form, different even from other kinds of scriptwriting. Making theatre is a truly collaborative process which can be a tricky aspect to grasp when starting out. This book will take you on a journey from the origins of theatre to what it means to write for the stage today. It includes a series of interviews with writers, directors and dramaturgs, all of whom are making theatre now, providing an unrivalled glimpse into the world of contemporary theatre making. Kim Wiltshire explores the foundations, traits and skills necessary for playwriting alongside the creative possibilities of writing theatre in the digital age. Each part of the book ends with a series of exercises which students of the craft can use to practise their art and stretch their creativity.

Download or read book Young Audiences Theatre and the Cultural Conversation written by John O'Toole and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-12-17 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers rare insights into the connection between young audiences and the performing arts. Based on studies of adolescent and post-adolescent audiences, ages 14 to 25, the book examines to what extent they are part of our society’s cultural conversation. It studies how these young people read and understand theatrical performance. It looks at what the educational components in their theatre literacy are, and what they make of the whole social event of theatre. It studies their views on the relationship between what they themselves decide and what others decide for them. The book uses qualitative and quantitative data collected in a six-year study carried out in the three largest Australian States, thirteen major performing arts companies, including the Sydney Opera House, three state theatre companies and three funding organisations. The book’s perspectives are derived from world-wide literature and company practices and its significance and ramifications are international. The book is written to be engaging and accessible to theatre professionals and lay readers interested in theatre, as well as scholars and researchers. “This extraordinary book thoroughly explains why young people (ages 14-25+) do and do not attend theatre into adulthood by delineating how three inter-linked factors (literacy, confidence, and etiquette) influence their decisions. Given that theatre happens inside spectators’ minds, the authors balance the theatre equation by focusing upon young spectators and thereby dispel numerous beliefs held by theatre artists and educators. Each clearly written chapter engages readers with astute insights and compelling examples of pertinent responses from young people, teachers, and theatre professionals. To stem the tide of decreasing theatre attendance, this highly useful book offers pragmatic strategies for artistic, educational, and marketing directors, as well as national theatre organizations and arts councils around the world. I have no doubt that its brilliantly conceived research, conducted across multiple contexts in Australia, will make a significant and original contribution to the profession of theatre on an international scale.” Jeanne Klein, University of Kansas, USA “Young Audiences, Theatre and the Cultural Conversation is a compelling and comprehensive study on attitudes and habits of youth theatre audiences by leading international scholars in the field. This benchmark study offers unique insights by and for theatre makers and administrators, theatre educators and researchers, schools, parents, teachers, students, audience members of all ages. A key strength within the book centers on the emphasis of the participant voices, particularly the voices of the youth. Youth voices, along with those of teachers and theatre artists, position the extensive field research front and center.” George Belliveau, The University of British Columbia, Canada

Download or read book Musical Theatre For Dummies written by Seth Rudetsky and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2023-03-08 with total page 423 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover what goes on behind the curtains of your favorite musical Do you want to know more about the fascinating history of Broadway musicals, the stars of yesterday and today, and what goes on behind the curtain of a musical production? In Musical Theater For Dummies, Broadway insider and host of Sirus/XM Radio’s ON BROADWAY channel Seth Rudetsky takes you backstage and reveals everything you want to know (and what you didn't know you wanted to know) about life in the theatre. How did musical theatre begin? How did Broadway stars become stars? How can you launch your own musical theatre path, whether in a school musical, community theatre, or on a path toward Broadway? Get answers to all these questions along with tons more insight from the unofficial "mayor of Broadway." Learn the history of musical theater and discover the stories of shows that have run for years ... or closed before opening night! Trace the development of productions, from the initial idea all the way through opening night and beyond Discover what it takes to make a musical come together, from pit musicans, stage managers, and swings to designers, casting directors, and more. Get insider advice on the skills you need to perform in professional or amateur musical theater productions Whether you're completely new to musical theatre or have a few Tony awards displayed over your fireplace, this is the book for you. Enjoy real-life anecdotes shared with the author by Broadway's biggest stars as you become a musical theater know-it-all.

Download or read book Widows on the Wine Path written by Julia Jarman and published by Boldwood Books Ltd. This book was released on 2024-04-03 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘Julia’s writing is a sparkling delight.’ Sophie Hannah Viv, Janet and Zelda know all about facing the wobbly first year of becoming a widow as their friendship was forged when they ran away from the same dreary support group. Forming instead the much more lively widows' wine club – The Muscateers – they welcome new member Libby with open arms. Libby feels lost without Jim, her husband of more than thirty years, but the warmth, friendship and fun the women wrap her up in inspires her to begin to look to the future. When a solo trip to the theatre brings a blast from the past back into her life, things are looking up. But as cravat-wearing, smooth-talking Monty Charles sweeps Libby off her feet, the women of the Muscateers smell a rat. They know only too well that the first year of widowhood is prime for making mistakes, and they’re determined to protect their friend. And as Monty soon finds out to his cost, never underestimate a Widow on the Wine Path... Julia Jarman is back with her latest big-hearted tale of love and laughter, friendship and finding your feet. Perfect for all fans of Judy Leigh, Maddie Please and Cathy Kelly. Praise for Julia Jarman: ‘Three women meet as they’re choosing coffins for their husbands and their stories grow from that day. The result is a book full of humanity, heartache and humour. I loved it!’ Adèle Geras ‘Julia Jarman has an original entertaining style that makes you want to read on.’ Katie Fforde ‘What a brilliant premise for a novel! Julia’s writing is a sparkling delight.’ Sophie Hannah Readers love Julia Jarman: ‘Julia Jarman has a captivating writing style. Her words are funny and wise and kept me turning the pages. This is a book that made me laugh, it put a lump in my throat and most of all gave me hope that I’ll still be drinking wine and laughing with my friends for many years to come. A joyous romp of a read.’ ‘Jarman's writing combines humor, heartache, and humanity, resulting in an uplifting narrative. The characters' camaraderie and resilience are infectious, reminding us that age is no barrier to pursuing dreams.’ ‘I'm not known for being a big reader and have been known to read a book til the last chapter and then not finish as I'm not interested how it ends. This book however was different. Really enjoyed the topic, characters and story lines. Kept me reading til the very end and I'm looking forward to the next one to see what happens to everyone. I thoroughly recommend this book.’ ‘Twists and turns on every page. Belly laughs and sadness. A brilliant book. An easy read feel good book that I found hard to put down.’

Download or read book Geek Love written by Katherine Dunn and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2011-05-25 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: National Book Award Finalist • Here is the unforgettable story of the Binewskis, a circus-geek family whose matriarch and patriarch have bred their own exhibit of human oddities—with the help of amphetamines, arsenic, and radioisotopes. One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years Their offspring include Arturo the Aquaboy, who has flippers for limbs and a megalomaniac ambition worthy of Genghis Khan . . . Iphy and Elly, the lissome Siamese twins . . . albino hunchback Oly, and the outwardly normal Chick, whose mysterious gifts make him the family’s most precious—and dangerous—asset. As the Binewskis take their act across the backwaters of the U.S., inspiring fanatical devotion and murderous revulsion; as its members conduct their own Machiavellian version of sibling rivalry, Geek Love throws its sulfurous light on our notions of the freakish and the normal, the beautiful and the ugly, the holy and the obscene. Family values will never be the same.

Download or read book The First Geeks written by Orty Ortwein and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2024-06-05 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The writer Ray Bradbury, science fiction expert Forry Ackerman, and special effects genius Ray Harryhausen are world-famous for their careers involving tales of the imagination. Before anyone had heard of them, they were friends as teens and college-aged boys enjoying all that 1930s L.A. had to offer: getting celebrity autographs, watching blockbuster movies, and haunting dozens of bookstores. As members of the Los Angeles chapter of the Science Fiction League, the three belonged to a tight-knit group that was involved in the earliest science fiction conventions and the birth of cosplay. This book follows the lives and careers of these three literary and film legends and tracks the origins of science fiction fandom. Each chapter builds a chronology of how their paths intertwined, and ultimately connected to, the beginnings of renowned fan conventions like Comic-Con. Devoted science fiction fans and new readers alike will learn how a young friendship launched three illustrious careers and changed the face of science fiction forever.

Download or read book The Actor s Business Plan written by Jane Drake Brody and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-10-22 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Actor's Business Plan is a self-directed practical guide for actors graduating from formal training programs, as well as for those already in the business whose careers need to move ahead more successfully. Using the familiar language of acting training, the book offers a method for the achievement of dreams through a five-year life and career plan giving positive steps to develop a happy life as an actor and as a person. It assists performers to flourish using the same kind of business/career planning that is a necessary part of life for entrepreneurs and business people. This introduction to the acting industry provides essential knowledge not only for how the business actually works, but also describes what casting directors, agents, and managers do, demystifies the role of unions, discusses how much things cost, and offers advice on branding and marketing strategies. It differs from other such handbooks in that it addresses the everyday issues of life, money, and jobs that so frequently destroy an actor's career before it is even begun. While addressing NYC and LA, the guide also gives a regional breakdown for those actors who may wish to begin careers or to settle in other cities. It is loaded with personal stories, and interviews with actors, casting directors, and agents from throughout the US. The Actor's Business Plan is the answer to the common complaint by students that they were not taught how to negotiate the show business world while at school. It is the perfect antidote for this problem and can easily fit into a ten or a thirteen-week class syllabus. Offering support as a personal career coach, empowering the actor to take concrete steps towards their life and career dreams, The Actor's Business Plan: A Career Guide for the Acting Life is a must-have book for actors who are determined to be a part of the professional world .

Download or read book The Wonder eOmni Collection Wonder Auggie Me 365 Days of Wonder written by R. J. Palacio and published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2017-11-14 with total page 926 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over 6 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder—the book that inspired the Choose Kind movement and a major motion picture—and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. The internationally beloved novel Wonder, the treasured collection of companion stories Auggie & Me, and the inspirational 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts are now available in an ebook omnibus edition. This is the perfect package for the millions of readers who have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, his friends, and their teacher Mr. Browne, and also for readers who have yet to be introduced to the wonder of Wonder. Praise for Wonder: "A beautiful, funny and sometimes sob-making story of quiet transformation." --The Wall Street Journal "A crackling page-turner filled with characters you can't help but root for." --Entertainment Weekly "Rich and memorable." --The New York Times Book Review Praise for 365 Days of Wonder: "A big collection of inspiring words that will appeal to the legions of fans awaiting more wonder in their lives." --Kirkus Reviews "Palacio has an uncanny grasp of the minds and hearts of 8- to 12-year-olds, and the people who used to be them." --The New York Times Praise for Auggie & Me: "Not only a companion to Wonder, but a wonder in itself." --Kirkus, starred review

Download or read book The Architecture of Ancient Rome written by William James Anderson and published by . This book was released on 1927 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre written by Robin Talley and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2020-12-01 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Nina LaCour, this romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley has something for everyone: backstage rendezvous, deadly props, and a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to True Love. Melody McIntyre, stage manager extraordinaire, has a plan for everything. What she doesn’t have? Success with love. Every time she falls for someone during a school performance, both the romance and the show end in catastrophe. So, Mel swears off any entanglements until their upcoming production of Les Mis is over. Of course, Mel didn’t count on Odile Rose, rising star in the acting world, auditioning for the spring performance. And she definitely didn’t expect Odile to be sweet and funny, and care as much about the play’s success as Mel. Which means that Melody McIntyre’s only plan now is trying desperately not to fall in love.

Download or read book Geek written by Crystal Skillman and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Prom Wrecked written by T.H. Hernandez and published by Entangled: Teen. This book was released on 2019-05-06 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Their prom night ended in a jail cell with forty of their closest friends. But that’s hardly the worst thing that happened to them... When the principal announces prom is canceled this year, senior Riley Hart is determined to save it. Armed with little more than her own enthusiasm, she ends up working closely with Owen Locklear, who is more than completely off-limits. Because he’s the boyfriend of her ex-BFF, Catherine Reed. Still, Owen knows Riley better than almost anyone, and his charming ideas for turning the prom upside-down and backward win Riley over. Catherine is willing to join Owen and Riley on the prom committee, but only because her legacy as prom queen is at stake. She’s already suffocating under the weight of her parents’ expectations for after senior year, and compared to that, ensuring prom happens should be easy. At least until everything starts to go wrong. First they lose their deposit. Then they book a band full of octogenarians. And lose their venue... Twice. Riley will have an unforgettable teenage experience, damn it, if it’s the last thing she does...