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Text and Performance in Contemporary British Theatre
by Catherine LoveText and Performance in Contemporary British Theatre interrogates the paradoxical nature of theatre texts, which have been understood both as separate literary objects in their own right and as material for performance. Drawing on analysis of contemporary practitioners who are working creatively with text, the book re-examines the relationship between text and performance within the specific context of British theatre. The chapters discuss a wide range of theatre-makers creating work in the UK from the 1990s onwards, from playwrights like Tim Crouch and Jasmine Lee-Jones to companies including Action Hero and RashDash. In doing so, the book addresses issues such as theatrical authorship, artistic intention, and the apparent incompleteness of plays as both written and performed phenomena. Text and Performance in Contemporary British Theatre also explores the implications of changing technologies of page and stage, analysing the impact of recent developments in theatre-making, editing, and publishing on the status of the theatre text. Written for scholars, students, and practitioners alike, Text and Performance in Contemporary British Theatre provides an original perspective on one of the most enduring problems to occupy theatre practice and scholarship.
Theater auf der Suche nach dem Anderen und dem Unbekannten: Metaphern und (Be-)Deutungen theatraler Forschung
by Maria MilbertForschendes Theater, theatrale Feldforschung, performative Forschung – solche Begriffe prägen inzwischen das Theater einschließlich der Theaterpädagogik. Sie stehen dafür, im Rahmen von Gruppenprozessen mit den Mitteln des Theaters zu forschen. Was aber bedeutet hier ‚Forschung‘? In Praxis und Analysen finden sich unterschiedliche, meist in Metaphern ausgedrückte Verständnisse. Die Studie analysiert daher sprachliche Bilder theatralen Forschens mit systematischer Metaphernanalyse, und zwar anhand von Interviews mit Forschenden aus der Theaterkunst, -pädagogik und dem Darstellenden Spiel sowie anhand künstlerischer Theorien. Dabei wird deutlich, dass theatrale Forschung stets eine Auseinandersetzung mit dem Verhältnis von Wissenschaft und Kunst impliziert. Zudem steht sie in einem Spannungsfeld zwischen dem Anderen und dem Unbekannten: Forschende suchen nach neuen Strategien und Erkenntnissen, gehen aber gleichzeitig davon aus, dass ihre Forschung nie abgeschlossen werden kann. Sie zielt auch auf das Nichtwissen, auf individuelle Erfahrung und unrealisierbare Wünsche – auf das Andere.
The Theater of Electricity: Technology and Spectacle in the Late 19th Century
by Ulf OttoSince the 1880s, electrical energies started circulating in European theaters, generated from fossil fuels in urban power plants. A mysterious force, which was still traded as romantic life force by some and for others had already come to stand in for progress, entered performance venues. Engineering knowledge, control techniques and supply chains changed fundamentally how theater was made and thought of. The mechanical image machine from Renaissance and Baroque times was transformed into a thermodynamic engine. Modern theater turned out to be electrified theater. – Retracing what happened backstage before the Avantgarde took to the front stage, this book proposes to write the genealogy of theaters modernity as a cultural history of theater technology.
Thicker than Water
by Kerry WashingtonAward-winning actor, director, producer, and activist Kerry Washington shares the deeply moving journey of her life so far, and the bravely intimate story of discovering her truth. While on a drive in Los Angeles, on a seemingly average afternoon, Kerry Washington received a text message that would send her on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. In an instant, her very identity was torn apart, with everything she thought she knew about herself thrown into question.In Thicker than Water, Washington gives readers an intimate view into both her public and private worlds - as a mother, daughter, wife, artist, advocate, and trailblazer. Chronicling her upbringing and life's journey thus far, she reveals how she faced a series of challenges and setbacks, effectively hid childhood traumas, met extraordinary mentors, managed to grow her career and crossed the threshold into stardom and political advocacy, ultimately discovering her truest self and, with it a deeper sense of belonging. Throughout this profoundly moving and beautifully written memoir, Washington attempts to answer the questions so many have struggled with: Who am I? What is my truest and most authentic self? How do I find a deeper sense of connection and belonging? With grace and honesty, she inspires readers to search for - and find - themselves.
Thicker than Water
by Kerry WashingtonAward-winning actor, director, producer, and activist Kerry Washington shares the deeply moving journey of her life so far, and the bravely intimate story of discovering her truth. While on a drive in Los Angeles, on a seemingly average afternoon, Kerry Washington received a text message that would send her on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. In an instant, her very identity was torn apart, with everything she thought she knew about herself thrown into question.In Thicker than Water, Washington gives readers an intimate view into both her public and private worlds - as a mother, daughter, wife, artist, advocate, and trailblazer. Chronicling her upbringing and life's journey thus far, she reveals how she faced a series of challenges and setbacks, effectively hid childhood traumas, met extraordinary mentors, managed to grow her career and crossed the threshold into stardom and political advocacy, ultimately discovering her truest self and, with it a deeper sense of belonging. Throughout this profoundly moving and beautifully written memoir, Washington attempts to answer the questions so many have struggled with: Who am I? What is my truest and most authentic self? How do I find a deeper sense of connection and belonging? With grace and honesty, she inspires readers to search for - and find - themselves.
Thicker than Water: A Memoir
by Kerry WashingtonAward-winning actor, director, producer, and activist Kerry Washington shares the deeply moving journey of her life so far, and the "beautiful" story of discovering her truth in this instant New York Times bestseller (Oprah Winfrey). While on a drive in Los Angeles, on a seemingly average afternoon, Kerry Washington received a text message that would send her on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. In an instant, her very identity was torn apart, with everything she thought she knew about herself thrown into question. In Thicker than Water, Washington gives readers an intimate view into both her public and private worlds—as a mother, daughter, wife, artist, advocate, and trailblazer. Chronicling her upbringing and life&’s journey thus far, she reveals how she faced a series of challenges and setbacks, effectively hid childhood traumas, met extraordinary mentors, managed to grow her career, and crossed the threshold into stardom and political advocacy, ultimately discovering her truest self and, with it, a deeper sense of belonging. Throughout this profoundly moving and beautifully written memoir, Washington attempts to answer the questions so many have struggled with: Who am I? What is my truest and most authentic self? How do I find a deeper sense of connection and belonging? With grace and honesty, she inspires readers to search for—and find—themselves.
Thinking in Pictures: Dramatic Structure in D. W. Griffith's Biograph Films
by Joyce E. JesionowskiThis title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1987.
Third Girl from the Left
by Christine Barker&“A beautifully written memoir of life on the Broadway stage at the onset of the 1980s AIDS epidemic . . . Compelling, and remarkably hopeful.&” —Mara Liasson, National Political Correspondent, NPR A moving, real-life account of making it as a dancer in New York City, embracing the changing faces of love and family, and being at ground-zero for one of the most fatal epidemics of modern times . . . Wanting to be a dancer while growing up in a large military family made Christine Barker somewhat of a black sheep, but she followed her dreams to New York City, where—in a moment of almost unbelievable good fortune—she was chosen for the London cast of A Chorus Line. London, and then New York, in the seventies and eighties opened up Christine&’s world. The creativity, culture, and nightlife were intoxicating, enough so to compel her older brother Laughlin to join her. Once there, the divorced father, veteran, and corporate lawyer met rising fashion star Perry Ellis. Romance and success soon followed—as well as rumors of a devastating new disease . . . Broadway&’s theater community is ravaged by loss as the AIDS epidemic takes hold, and Christine is shocked by the toll it&’s taken on her inner circle. Holding on tight to friends and loved ones left behind, the crisis becomes a crucible moment for her family and for all of society. And Christine is once again forced to go her own way to make sense of the tragedy.
This Is Your Bravery Test: 55 Challenges for Art and Life Inspired by Bob Ross
by Michelle WitteThis inspirational gift book filled with Bob Ross-themed challenges for art and life will bring the painter's philosophy to your world in a whole new way. When the iconic artist calls us to take out our two-inch brush, we know it means one thing: This is your bravery test. This book is a collection of 55 ideas inspired by Bob Ross's philosophy of stretching just past your limits and it will motivate you just as he does when painting. Creative and thought-provoking challenges range from ideas for making new friends to breaking routines to trying new art techniques. Just remember that, in both life and art, there are no mistakes, just happy accidents. © Bob Ross Inc.
This Isn't Going to End Well: The True Story of a Man I Thought I Knew
by Daniel WallaceIn this powerful memoir, the bestselling author of Big Fish tries to come to terms with the life and death of his multi-talented longtime friend and brother-in-law, who had been his biggest hero and inspiration, in a poignant, lyrical, and moving memoir. If we&’re lucky, we all encounter at least one person whose life elevates and inspires our own. For acclaimed novelist Daniel Wallace, he had one hero and inspiration for so much of what followed: his longtime friend and brother-in-law William Nealy. Seemingly perfect, impossibly cool, William was James Dean, Clint Eastwood, and MacGyver all rolled into one, an acclaimed outdoorsman, a famous cartoonist, an accomplished author, a master of all he undertook, William was the ideal that Daniel sought to emulate. But when William took his own life at age 48, Daniel was left first grieving, and then furious with the man who broke his and his sister&’s hearts. That anger led him to commit a grievous act of his own, a betrayal that took him down a dark path into the tortured recesses of William&’s past. Eventually, a new picture of William emerged, of a man with too many secrets and too much shame to bear. This Isn&’t Going to End Well is Daniel Wallace&’s first foray into nonfiction. Part love story, part true crime, part a desperate search for the self and how little we really can know another, This Isn&’t Going to End Well tells an intimate and moving story of what happens when we realize our heroes are human.
This One's for You
by Kate SweeneyA gorgeous contemporary romance about two ex-best friends, Cass and Syd, on a life-altering road trip following the reunion tour of the Darlas—the band Cass&’s mom was in when she died. Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour, Mary H.K. Choi, and Jandy Nelson.After their high school graduation, former best friends Cass and Syd are gearing up for their futures. Cass has planned to go to college to become an engineer, while Syd—despite the fact that her family thinks she&’s messed up her whole life—has lined up a sound internship at a historic music venue. But Cass is keeping secrets. Though his dad has forbidden it, Cass has been playing music, taking trips to San Francisco BART stations to play and make money. Somehow, it&’s become a way for Cass to connect with his mother—who was also a musician—who died in a drunk driving accident on the way back from a gig when he was one. But after Syd catches Cass playing at the BART station, and Cass finds out his mom&’s old band the Darlas is going on a reunion tour, everything changes. On impulse, Cass invites Syd to the first Darlas show, and without telling anyone, they make a break for it. Turning one show into a cross-country journey, the two former friends throw away all their plans for the future and embark on a life-altering road trip following the tour, keeping it a secret from their friends and family. Along the way, they&’ll untangle the messy threads of how they became &“ex&”-best friends, experience the power of nature and music, and decide what they really want their lives to be. Maybe, through it all, Cass and Syd can find a way back to each other, too.
Thomas Holcroft’s Revolutionary Drama: Reception and Afterlives (Transits: Literature, Thought & Culture, 1650-1850)
by Amy GarnaiA key figure in British literary circles following the French Revolution, novelist and playwright Thomas Holcroft promoted ideas of reform and equality informed by the philosophy of his close friend William Godwin. Arrested for treason in 1794 and released without trial, Holcroft was notorious in his own time, but today appears mainly as a supporting character in studies of 1790s literary activism. Thomas Holcroft’s Revolutionary Drama authoritatively reintroduces and reestablishes this central figure of the revolutionary decade by examining his life, plays, memoirs, and personal correspondence. In engaging with theatrical censorship, apostacy, and the response of audiences and critics to radical drama, this thoughtful study also demonstrates how theater functions in times of political repression. Despite his struggles, Holcroft also had major successes: this book examines his surprisingly robust afterlife, as his plays, especially The Road to Ruin, were repeatedly revived worldwide in the nineteenth century.
Tiere auf Bühnen des Wissens: Theatralisieren, Experimentalisieren, Bestiarisieren von der Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts bis in die Gegenwart (Cultural Animal Studies #19)
by Esther KöhringVon Becketts Bühnenmensch über Beuys’ Kojoten und Rosenthals Others bis zu Baehrs Bestiarium und vielen weiteren Bühnen- und Theatertieren: Welche Fragen werden an und mit Tieren auf den Bühnen gestellt? Das Buch untersucht die Kreuzungspunkte zwischen den Wissensorten Theaterbühne, Tierexperiment, Tiertheorie und Theatertheorie in systematischer wie historischer Hinsicht sowie mit epistemologischen, ästhetischen und ethischen Perspektivierungen. Es zeigt, wie das Konzept Theatralität und die Figuration Tier einander konstituieren und unternimmt eine Archäologie des animal turn, der Konjunkturen von Tieren auf Bühnen und ihrer Wahrnehmung in der Kulturwissenschaft.
'Tis the Season Family Advent Activity Book: Devotions, Recipes, and Memories of the Christmas Season
by Ink & WillowFramed around four central devotions, this Advent activity book invites parents and kids to come together year after year in celebrating the deeper meaning of the season as they count down the days until Christmas.Designed to follow the four weeks of Advent—Hope, Faith, Joy, and Peace—'Tis the Season Family Advent Activity Book features an Advent calendar with lift-the-flap windows that can be used year after year. Each of the four week-long sections includes a short devotion on each theme followed by reflection questions and simple action prompts for every age level. The book also contains game ideas, recipes, holiday tips, fun facts, and encouragement on how to live out the themes of Advent as an individual, with your family, and in your community.Because this unique activity book is designed to be used year after year, you can make this book part of your annual tradition. Special features include the keepsake section at the back of the book for recording holiday memories and the special built-in, undated Advent calendar for creating and sharing Christmas cheer, with an original activity each day:Try a new cookie recipeDeliver treats to a neighborStart a family traditionVisit someone who needs cheerCreate a new ornamentLearn &“Merry Christmas&” in a different languageAs you return to this book year after year, may it bring smiles and create memories that you will cherish for many Christmases to come.
Tissues, Cultures, Art (Palgrave BioArt)
by Ionat Zurr Oron CattsTissues, Cultures, Art narrates the twenty-five years of collaborative and sometimes provocative artistic practice and scholarly thought of Catts & Zurr, who pioneered the use of regenerative biology techniques to create Semi-Living art using living cells, tissues, and technological surrogate bodies. Through hands-on work in biological laboratories, the authors researched concepts such as partial-life and DNA-Chauvinism and explored the fantasies of living in a technologically mediated victimless utopia. The authors delve into life’s resistance to reductionism, systemisation and control, asking whether there is something unique to life without the need to resort to metaphysics. Their practices reach beyond the confines of art and are often cited as precursors to the cellular agriculture and biofabrication industries. Through a hybrid of personal reflections, poetics, and anecdotes with a more rigorous, scholarly approach – all illustrated with artworks - the authors present a critical view on the use of life as a raw material for human manipulation.
To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse
by Howard FishmanA biography of the mythic singer songwriter Connie Converse, who mysteriously disappeared after recording her debut album and was never seen again.When musician and New Yorker contributor Howard Fishman first heard Connie Converse's voice, he was convinced she could not be real. Her recordings were too out of place for the 1950s to make sense - a singer who bridged the gap between traditional Americana and the singer-songwriter movement that exploded a decade later with Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell.Howard was determined to know more about this artist and how she slipped through the cracks of music history but there was one problem: in 1974, at the age of fifty, Connie simply drove off one day and was never heard from again.After a dozen years of research, Fishman expertly weaves a narrative of her life and music, and of how it has come to speak to him as both an artist and a person. He discovers fans who Connie's music touched deeply and still remember the lyrics to songs they'd heard only once or twice over 50 years ago.It is by turns a hopeful, inspiring, melancholy, and chilling story of dark family secrets, taciturn New England traditions, a portrait of 1950s Greenwich Village, and of a woman who fiercely strove for independence when the odds were against her. Ultimately, Fishman shows that Connie was a significant outsider artist, a missing link pre-empting the reflective, complex, arresting music that transformed the 1960s and music forever.(P) 2023 Penguin Audio
To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse
by Howard FishmanThe mysterious true story of Connie Converse - a mid-century New York singer and songwriter whose haunting music never gained widespread recognition - and one writer's quest to understand her life.When musician and New Yorker contributor Howard Fishman first heard a Connie Converse recording, he was convinced she could not be real. Her music was too out of place for the 1950s to make sense - a singer who bridged the gap between traditional Americana, pop standards, and the singer-songwriter movement that exploded a decade later with Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell.Fishman was determined to know more about this artist and how she slipped through the cracks of music history but there was one problem: in 1974, at the age of fifty, Converse simply drove off one day and was never heard from again.After a dozen years of research, Fishman expertly weaves a narrative of her life and music, and of how it has come to speak to him as both an artist and a person.It is by turns a hopeful, inspiring, melancholy, and chilling story of dark family secrets, taciturn New England traditions, a portrait of 1950s Greenwich Village, of a visionary intellect and talent, and a woman who fiercely strove for independence when the odds were against her. Ultimately, Fishman places Converse in the canon as a vital, overlooked trailblazer, a missing link pre-empting the reflective, complex, arresting music that transformed the 1960s and music forever.
To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse
by Howard FishmanThe mysterious true story of Connie Converse—a mid-century New York City songwriter, singer, and composer whose haunting music never found broad recognition—and one writer&’s quest to understand her lifeThis is the mesmerizing story of an enigmatic life. When musician and New Yorker contributor Howard Fishman first heard Connie Converse&’s voice on a recording, he was convinced she could not be real. Her recordings were too good not to know, and too out of place for the 1950s to make sense—a singer who seemed to bridge the gap between traditional Americana (country, blues, folk, jazz, and gospel), the Great American Songbook, and the singer-songwriter movement that exploded a decade later with Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. And then there was the bizarre legend about Connie Converse that had become the prevailing narrative of her life: that in 1974, at the age of fifty, she simply drove off one day and was never heard from again. Could this have been true? Who was Connie Converse, really? Supported by a dozen years of research, travel to everywhere she lived, and hundreds of extensive interviews, Fishman approaches Converse&’s story as both a fan and a journalist, and expertly weaves a narrative of her life and music, and of how it has come to speak to him as both an artist and a person. Ultimately, he places her in the canon as a significant outsider artist, a missing link between a now old-fashioned kind of American music and the reflective, complex, arresting music that transformed the 1960s and music forever. But this is also a story of deeply secretive New England traditions, of a woman who fiercely strove for independence and success when the odds were against her; a story that includes suicide, mental illness, statistics, siblings, oil paintings, acoustic guitars, cross-country road trips, 1950s Greenwich Village, an America marching into the Cold War, questions about sexuality, and visionary, forward thinking about race, class, and conflict. It&’s a story and subject that is by turn hopeful, inspiring, melancholy, and chilling.
To Dance, to Live: A Biography of Thalia Mara (Willie Morris Books in Memoir and Biography)
by Carolyn J. BrownThalia Mara’s story spans the history of dance in the twentieth century and the rise of the arts in her adopted city of Jackson, Mississippi. As an adolescent Mara (1911–2003) studied with renowned Russian teacher Adolph Bolm, who recommended she go at age sixteen to Paris for further study. During a tour in Europe and South America, she met her partner in dance and life, Arthur Mahoney, and they dazzled the world with their breathtaking performances during the 1930s and '40s. The two were named codirectors of Jacob’s Pillow in 1947, gracing the cover of Life magazine that year. Later they started two schools of dance in New York City, but despite much success, they closed due to lack of funding. That misfortune, however, was Jackson’s boon as it led Mara to the second phase of her career: reviving the Jackson Ballet Company and bringing the USA International Ballet Competition (IBC) to the state.Thalia Mara was recognized at the end of her life not only for the USA IBC’s decision to locate in Jackson, but also for her efforts as a patron of the arts. Her extraordinary fundraising and planning attracted international performers to the city in the 1980s and '90s. To Dance, to Live: A Biography of Thalia Mara gives the first full account of a life devoted to the arts.
To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery
by Neil DeGrasse Tyson Lindsey Nyx WalkerThis enlightening illustrated narrative by the world's most celebrated astrophysicist explains the universe from the solar system to the farthest reaches of space with authority and humor. No one can make the mysteries of the universe more comprehensible and fun than Neil deGrasse Tyson. Drawing on mythology, history, and literature alongside his trademark wit and charm-Tyson and StarTalk senior producer Lindsey Nyx Walker bring planetary science down to Earth and principles of astrophysics within reach. In this entertaining book, illustrated with vivid photographs and art, readers travel through space and time, starting with the Big Bang and voyaging to the far reaches of the universe and beyond. Along the way, science greets pop culture as Tyson explains the triumphs-and bloopers-in Hollywood's blockbusters- all part of an entertaining ride through the cosmos. The book begins as we leave Earth, encountering new truths about our planet's atmosphere, the nature of sunlight, and the many missions that have demystified our galactic neighbors. But the farther out we travel, the weirder things get. What's a void and what's a vacuum? How can light be a wave and a particle at the same time? When we finally arrive in the blackness of outer space, Tyson takes on the spookiest phenomena of the cosmos- parallel worlds, black holes, time travel, and more. For science junkies and fans of the conundrums that astrophysicists often ponder, To Infinity and Beyond is an enlightening adventure into the farthest reaches of the cosmos.
To the Temple of Tranquility...And Step On It!: A Memoir
by Ed Begley Jr.Beloved actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. shares hilarious and poignant stories of his improbable life, focusing on his relationship with his legendary father, adventures with Hollywood icons, the origins of his environmental activism, addiction and recovery, and his lifelong search for wisdom and common ground. Ed Begley Jr. is truly one of a kind, a performer who is known equally for his prolific film and television career and his environmental activism. From an appearance on My Three Sons to a notable role in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman to starring in St. Elsewhere—as well as films with Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, and mockumentarian Christopher Guest—Begley has worked with just about everyone in Hollywood. His "green" bona fides date back to 1970, and have been the topic of two books, a reality show, countless media appearances, and even repeated spoofs on The Simpsons (in one episode, Begley's solar‑powered car stalls out on train tracks, but is saved when the train is revealed to be an "Ed Begley Solar‑Powered Train&”). In To the Temple of Tranquility...And Step On It!, Begley shares a fountain of hilarious and poignant stories throughout his life. The memoir is candid and endearing; in one chapter, he is summoned to Marlon Brando's house to discuss the practical uses of electric eels. In another, he tells the story of taking Annette Bening to the Oscars in &“an oddball kit-car that had gull wing doors, and was nearly impossible to get in or out of, unless you were a yoga master, which fortunately she was.&” Not to mention insightful and surprising tales about The Beatles, Monty Python, Richard Pryor, Cesar Chavez, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Waits, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carrie Fisher, and so many more luminaries. Begley&’s unmistakable voice is honest and revealing in a way that only a comic of his caliber can accomplish. Behind all the stories, Begley has wisdom to impart. This is a book about family, friends, addiction, failure, and redemption.
A to Zendaya: A Celebration of a Pop Culture Icon
by Satu Hameenaho-FoxChannel your inner Zendaya and learn more about her journey to superstardom with this inspiring guide packed with empowering wisdom, facts, and quotes from the global style icon.Don&’t be afraid to speak out—be unapologetically yourself and shine in everything that you do, inspired by one of the biggest pop culture icons of our time. Who else but Zendaya can move seamlessly from a glam red carpet look to chatting bare faced on an Instagram story? From singing her heart out to speaking passionately about diversity on our screens. This pocketbook gathers an A to Z of Zendaya&’s best moments, packed with wisdom, quotes, and facts from one of the most iconic artists of our time.
Top Billin': Stories of Laughter, Lessons, and Triumph
by Bill BellamyFrom the MTV trailblazer, stand-up comedian, and actor, a hilariously candid memoir that is an intimate, entertaining, and heartfelt tour through the exclusive, elusive, and eternally iconic world of ’90s pop culture.Imagine 50 Cent’s Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter written by a nerdy Black kid from Newark, New Jersey, who made it big despite the skepticism of his family. That’s Top Billin'.Bill Bellamy is Carlton Banks’s slightly cooler and comedically inclined alter-ego—a guy who went against the grain and left a promising corporate career path to pursue comedy (much to the dismay of his family). Making the leap paid off—in ways Bill never expected. In Top Billin', he looks back at his time at MTV during the ’90s, when the cable music channel was at the epicenter of pop culture. He recounts his legendary interviews with the biggest pop stars—Tupac, Biggie, and Kurt Cobain—making friends with Janet Jackson, and even coining the infamous term “booty call” on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. During his time at MTV, Bill broke color and class barriers, appearing four times a week on the network’s various programs, including MTV Jamz and MTV Beach House.Top Billin' is an exclusive, all-access backstage pass to Bill’s career and life. It’s all in here—memories, music, and unforgettable moments, including conversations with some of the decade’s legendary artists, the best of the ’90s celebri-tea, nostalgia, and insights on what it meant to be a tastemaker during one of the most exciting and innovative periods in music and American pop culture history.
Torturous Etiquettes: Film Performance and Social Form (SUNY series, Horizons of Cinema)
by Daniel Varndell"Etiquette," as noted toastmaster Herbert V. Prochnow once pointed out, "is knowing how to yawn with your mouth closed"—that is, to spare the feelings of the other person, one must stifle one's own. To be polite, therefore, is to perform. Onscreen, closeups often reveal the effort that goes into maintaining that performance: with a fleeting frown or a slight scowl, an actor reveals the "torture" of mannered behavior. In Torturous Etiquettes, Daniel Varndell examines such gestures to reveal the difficulties of the social encounter. Drawing on the history of etiquette, the book deconstructs an array of examples from classical and contemporary Hollywood and European cinema, taking a close look at onscreen representations of rudeness, ridiculing, racist and sexist etiquettes, hospitality, table manners, and more. In doing so, it reveals etiquette to be a persistent theme in cinema and questions the role it plays in either upholding or denying the basic humanity of others.
A Touch of the Madness: How to Be More Innovative in Work and Life . . . by Being a Little Crazy
by Lawrence KasanoffLegendary movie producer Larry Kasanoff knows firsthand that massive success requires taking big risks—it paid off for him with blockbusters Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Dirty Dancing, and other feature films. Now, he&’s sharing behind-the-scenes stories and hard-won wisdom to help creatives thrive in any industry.Larry will be the first to tell you that excelling in any creative field requires taking big risks. It means embracing your crazy side: the most unique, boldest, and bravest part of you, and your greatest asset when it comes to creating something truly original. In A Touch of the Madness, Larry uses firsthand memories from working on some of Hollywood&’s biggest blockbusters, including Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Platoon, True Lies, Dirty Dancing, and the Mortal Kombat film series, to show you the three principles that form the foundation of a thriving career in any industry: Create a great idea that will excite your audienceAsk as many times (and as many people) as it takes to get a &“yes&”Play while you work—don&’t forget to have funCompanies and organizations tend to be comfortable with the tried and true. But customers are attracted to what&’s new, different, and better. To be innovative, you have to be a little crazy. A Touch of the Madness will help you embrace your wildest creative impulses and live your dreams—without anyone holding you back.