Author: David Garfield Publisher: New York : Macmillan ISBN: Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 352
Book Description
Discusses the founding and development of The Actors Studio, the personalities associated with it, and its contribution to the world of American acting on stage and screen.
Author: Jenna Fischer Publisher: BenBella Books ISBN: 1944648232 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 223
Book Description
Jenna Fischer's Hollywood journey began at the age of 22 when she moved to Los Angeles from her hometown of St. Louis. With a theater degree in hand, she was determined, she was confident, she was ready to work hard. So, what could go wrong? Uh, basically everything. The path to being a professional actor was so much more vast and competitive than she'd imagined. It would be eight long years before she landed her iconic role on The Office, nearly a decade of frustration, struggle, rejection and doubt. If only she'd had a handbook for the aspiring actor. Or, better yet, someone to show her the way—an established actor who could educate her about the business, manage her expectations, and reassure her in those moments of despair. Jenna wants to be that person for you. With amusing candor and wit, Fischer spells out the nuts and bolts of getting established in the profession, based on her own memorable and hilarious experiences. She tells you how to get the right headshot, what to look for in representation, and the importance of joining forces with other like-minded artists and creating your own work—invaluable advice personally acquired from her many years of struggle. She provides helpful hints on how to be gutsy and take risks, the tricks to good auditioning and callbacks, and how not to fall for certain scams (auditions in a guy's apartment are probably not legit—or at least not for the kind of part you're looking for!). Her inspiring, helpful guidance feels like a trusted friend who's made the journey, and has now returned to walk beside you, pointing out the pitfalls as you blaze your own path towards the life of a professional actor.
Author: John Lithgow Publisher: Harper Collins ISBN: 0061734977 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 340
Book Description
In this riveting and surprising personal history, John Lithgow shares a backstage view of his own struggle, crisis, and discovery, revealing the early life and career that took place out of the public eye and before he became a nationally known star. Above all, Lithgow’s memoir is a tribute to his most important influence: his father, Arthur Lithgow, who, as an actor, director, producer, and great lover of Shakespeare, brought theater to John’s boyhood. From bedtime stories to Arthur’s illustrious productions, performance and storytelling were constant and cherished parts of family life. Drama tells of the Lithgows’ countless moves between Arthur’s gigs—John attended eight secondary schools before flourishing onstage at Harvard—and details with poignancy and sharp recollection the moments that introduced a budding young actor to the undeniable power of theater. Before Lithgow gained fame with the film The World According to Garp and the television show 3rd Rock from the Sun, his early years were full of scenes both hilarious and bittersweet. A shrewd acting performance saved him from duty in Vietnam. His involvement with a Broadway costar brought an end to his early first marriage. The theater worlds of New York and London come alive as Lithgow relives his collaborations with renowned performers and directors, including Mike Nichols, Bob Fosse, Liv Ullmann, and Meryl Streep. His ruminations on the nature of theater, film acting, and storytelling cut to the heart of why actors are driven to perform, and why people are driven to watch them do it. Lithgow’s memory is clear and his wit sharp, and much of the humor that runs throughout Drama comes at his own expense. But he also chronicles the harrowing moments of his past, reflecting with moving candor on friends made and lost, mistakes large and small, and the powerful love of a father who set him on the road to a life onstage. Illuminating, funny, affecting, and thoroughly engrossing, Drama raises the curtain on the making of one of our most beloved actors.
Author: Julie Falatko Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 0698154940 Category : Juvenile Fiction Languages : en Pages : 44
Book Description
Snappsy the alligator is having a normal day when a pesky narrator steps in to spice up the story. Is Snappsy reading a book ... or is he making CRAFTY plans? Is Snappsy on his way to the grocery store ... or is he PROWLING the forest for defenseless birds and fuzzy bunnies? Is Snappsy innocently shopping for a party ... or is he OBSESSED with snack foods that start with the letter P? What's the truth? Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) is an irreverent look at storytelling, friendship, and creative differences, perfect for fans of Mo Willems.
Author: Thomas Bogar Publisher: Regnery Publishing ISBN: 1621570835 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 402
Book Description
April 14, 1865. A famous actor pulls a trigger in the presidential balcony, leaps to the stage and escapes, as the president lies fatally wounded. In the panic that follows, forty-six terrified people scatter in and around Ford’s Theater as soldiers take up stations by the doors and the audience surges into the streets chanting, “Burn the place down!” This is the untold story of Lincoln’s assassination: the forty-six stage hands, actors, and theater workers on hand for the bewildering events in the theater that night, and what each of them witnessed in the chaos-streaked hours before John Wilkes Booth was discovered to be the culprit. In Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination, historian Thomas A. Bogar delves into previously unpublished sources to tell the story of Lincoln’s assassination from behind the curtain, and the tale is shocking. Police rounded up and arrested dozens of innocent people, wasting time that allowed the real culprit to get further away. Some closely connected to John Wilkes Booth were not even questioned, while innocent witnesses were relentlessly pursued. Booth was more connected with the production than you might have known—learn how he knew each member of the cast and crew, which was a hotbed of secessionist resentment. Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination also tells the story of what happened to each of these witnesses to history, after the investigation was over—how each one lived their lives after seeing one of America’s greatest presidents shot dead without warning. Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination is an exquisitely detailed look at this famous event from an entirely new angle. It is must reading for anyone fascinated with the saga of Lincoln’s life and the Civil War era.
Author: Sean Astin Publisher: St. Martin's Press ISBN: 1466856351 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 384
Book Description
The fascinating memoir of a Hollywood life and an inside look at a life-changing role and the groundbreaking Lord of the Rings films that captured the imagination of movie fans everywhere. The Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful film franchises in cinematic history. Winner of a record eleven Academy Awards--a clean sweep--and breaking box office records worldwide, the trilogy is a breathtaking cinematic achievement and beloved by fans everywhere. For Sean Astin, a Hollywood child (his mother is Patty Duke and stepfather is John Astin) who made his feature film debut at 13 in the 1980s classic The Goonies and played the title role in Rudy, the call from his agent about the role of Samwise Gamgee couldn't have come at a better time. His career was at a low point and choice roles were hard to come by. But his 18-month experience in New Zealand with director Peter Jackson and the cast and crew od The Lord of the Rings films would be more than simply a dream-come-true--it would prove to be the challenge of a lifetime. There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale is the complete memoir of Sean Astin, from his early days in Hollywood to the role that changed his life. Though much has been written about the making of the films, including the techniques and artistry employed to bring Tolkien's vision of life and the various relationships between castmembers, the real story of what took place on the set, the harrowing ordeals of the actors and the unspoken controversy and backstage dealings have never been told. Sean's experience and candid account of his time filming in New Zealand is unparalleled. More than a companion guide to the Ring films, There and Back Again filled with stories from the set and of the actors involved that have never been revealed before and is an eye-opening look from a Hollywood veteran at the blood, sweat and tears that went into the making of one of the most ambitious films of all time.
Author: Jeff Alan-Lee Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield ISBN: 1493061046 Category : Performing Arts Languages : en Pages : 267
Book Description
In A Young Actor Prepares, Jeff Alan-Lee masterfully delivers kids' and teens' acting classes presented as plays in script form. The classes are based on actual semesters at the Young Actor's Studio in Los Angeles and provide step-by-step approaches to help children and teenagers portray complex characters and tackle emotionally challenging roles. For over thirty years, Alan-Lee has worked with thousands of young people, teaching the work presented in this book. His work has been the springboard for award-winning artists in acting, directing, playwriting, screenwriting, and music. Inspired by Stanislavski's An Actor Prepares, Alan-Lee has developed engaging and exciting ways to create great acting, using a unique version of the Stanislavski system that he reworked for the young actor. It's a fun and easy method to help children and teens learn to apply Stanislavski-based exercises and use their own their own life experiences, imagination, and emotions to create authentic acting and performances. The book is for kids and teens, as well as teachers and parents. Kids and teens can find relatable characters and gain a deeper ability to make their acting shine. Teachers will get a unique look at how to handle a multitude of personalities while teaching the real work to children as young as eight. Parents will discover an actor's process that can lead their kids to greater self-esteem and creativity in all the arts.
Author: Bill Howey Publisher: Compass Publishing ISBN: 0975310224 Category : Juvenile Nonfiction Languages : en Pages : 206
Book Description
Whether new to the business or a seasoned professional, this handbook provides actors with a personal, active approach to discovering and developing their talent. Beginning with appetizers and ending with desserts, actors learn how to prepare a character in the same way that a master chef chooses the most complementary dishes for a feast. From typecasting to reinventing a character's story, actors discover the key ingredients that will enable them to use their own unique qualities and emotions to develop strong, believable characters that people are interested in watching. How to identify and resolve problems such as hidden agendas that can disable an actor's work; distinguish between perception, feeling, and emotions; and find lasting sources of inspiration are among the issues explored. The importance of imagination, words, and story as well as the difference between intellectual and visceral choices (and the impact of each) are also discussed.
Author: Bonnie J. Wallace Publisher: Hometown to Hollywood Inte ISBN: 9780986351129 Category : Performing Arts Languages : en Pages : 290
Book Description
How did your favorite young actors get started? What kind of training did they get, and how did they find their agent or manger? How did they manage challenges, and what advice do they have on auditions, haters, school, and more? What was it like to work on the Disney Channel, and what is really important for success? Young Hollywood Actors reveals all this and more in intimate, honest words from 12 of your favorite young stars: Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Thomas Doherty, Sarah Jeffery, Jessica Marie Garcia, Booboo Stewart, Brenna D'Amico, Garrett Clayton, Joey Bragg, Victoria Moroles, Dylan Playfair, and Luke Benward. Interviewed by Bonnie Wallace, author of the acclaimed Hollywood Parents Guide, producer of the Hometown to Hollywood podcast, and mother of Dove Cameron, this book is perfect for aspiring actors as well as fans.Based on interviews from the popular Hometown to Hollywood podcast, the authentic and raw stories shared in this book will both shed light on what it really takes to become a successful young actor, and inspire readers to follow their own dreams, whatever they may be.
Author: David Garfield
Author: Jenna Fischer
Author: James Franco
Author: John Lithgow
Author: Julie Falatko
Author: Thomas Bogar
Author: Sean Astin
Author: Jeff Alan-Lee
Author: Bill Howey
Author: Bonnie J. Wallace