- Table View
- List View
The Shipment and Lear
by Young Jean Lee"A subversive, seriously funny new theater piece by the adventurous playwright Young Jean Lee. . . . Ms. Lee does not shy away from prodding the audience's racial sensitivities--or insensitivities--in a style that is sometimes sly and subtle, sometimes as blunt as a poke in the eye."--Charles Isherwood, The New York Times"Lee is a facetious provocateur; she does whatever she can to get under our skins--with laughs and with raw, brutal talk . . . [and with] so ingenious a twist, such a radical bit of theatrical smoke and mirrors, that we are forced to confront our own preconceived notions of race."--Hilton Als, The New YorkerWith The Shipment, her latest work taking on identity politics, Young Jean Lee "confirms herself as one of the best experimental playwrights in America" (Time Out New York). The Korean American theater artist has taken on cultural images of black America, in a play that begins with sketches of African American clichés--an angry, foul-mouthed comedian; an aspiring young rapper who ends up in prison--and ends with a seemingly naturalistic parlor comedy, which slyly reveals the larger game Lee is playing, leaving us to consider the many ways that we see the world through a racial lens.Young Jean Lee is a playwright, director, and artistic director of her own OBIE Award-winning theater company, which as been producing her plays since 2003. Her other works include Songs of Dragons Flying to Heaven, Church, The Appeal, and Pullman, WA, and they have been produced across the country and internationally.
The Shoplifters
by Morris PanychIn this riotously funny new comedy from Morris Panych, we meet Alma, a seasoned career shoplifter who prefers the five-finger discount over some lousy seniors' day deal. But it's not just an empty wallet that leads Alma to a life of petty crime - it's also her strong convictions about social justice and economic inequality.Along for the ride is Phyllis, Alma's frazzled accomplice who lacks her mentor's cool demeanour and snappy comebacks. It's Alma who does the talking when the pair is apprehended at the grocery store by Dom, an overzealous rookie security guard. Guided by the strictness of his born-again Christian belief, Dom is ready to handcuff the culprits and call the police, but his affable senior partner, Otto, intervenes with a more sympathetic view of the crime: "It's just a couple a steaks." As Alma, Phyllis, Dom, and Otto share their wildly different takes on the situation, complex views on morality and ethics begin to emerge.With its cast of oddball characters, Panych's comedy offers biting observations about society's haves and have-nots and how much they might actually have in common.Cast of 2 women and 2 men.
The Show Makers: Great Directors of the American Musical Theatre
by Lawrence ThelenFirst published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window
by Lorraine HansberryBy the time of her death thirty years ago, at the tragically young age of thirty-four, Lorraine Hansberry had created two electrifying masterpieces of the American theater. With A Raisin in the Sun, Hansberry gave this country its most movingly authentic portrayal of black family life in the inner city. Barely five years later, with The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window, Hansberry gave us an unforgettable portrait of a man struggling with his individual fate in an age of racial and social injustice. These two plays remain milestones in the American theater, remarkable not only for their historical value but for their continued ability to engage the imagination and the heart. With an Introduction by Robert Nemiroff
The Silenced Theatre: Czech Playwrights without a Stage
by Marketa Goetz-StankiewiczSince the Soviet occupation of 1968 censorship has closed the curtain on free expression in Czechoslovakia. But plays continue to be circulated in typescript within the country, are regularly smuggled out for publication abroad, and continue to be produced without restriction in the West. This book is the first full-length study of Czechoslovak drama of the sixties and seventies. The author discusses the works of major playwrights, including Václav Havel, Pavel Kohout, and Josef Topol; and the influence of the great Czech writers Kafka and Hašek as well as Western writers such as Beckett, Sartre, and Albee. Czech and Slovak playwrights have responded in a distinctive, courageous, and often very funny manner to a political situation perhaps best labelled 'absurd.' The author depicts movingly their portrait of the horror–and the unintended humour–of life in a rigidly bureaucratic society, a theme of universal interest. The Silenced Theatre is the only detailed study of this dynamic and modern national theatre. This book will help to preserve Czech drama and create an awareness of its important role in Western literaturea role it continues to play even in exile from its homeland.
The Silk Shirt
by Tim KellyDrama / 1m, 3f / Interior / An unemployed young actor and his wife live with his semi invalid mother and shy older sister until something turns up. Their life style conflicts with the mother's. The climax occurs when the wife returns with an expensive silk shirt for a good friend, now blind. The mother's outraged at the wife's extravagance and conflict's renewed until the sister -- understanding human motives -- asserts herself.
The Silver Apples of the Moon
by Jean Lenox ToddieDrama / 3m, 4f / The story of a college student from a rose-scented home hi the east who is sitting in a ten-foot circle in the searing sun of a high western desert. Why is the Indian elder sitting with her through hot days and cold nights? For what are they waiting? And who is the Indian woman warning her to return to the college town where her mother is spraying roses and her father, a professor, is writing poetry in the silver light of the moon. And what of her brother, restless in a home where you don't get desert unless you have a doctorate? And her grown sister still sticking chewing gum behind her headboard? Why do their letters call her home? This play, haunting and humorous, celebrates life, family love and the wisdom myths of native Americans. The prize-winning playwright's work has been performed on four continents.
The Silver Link
by Claire LorrimerUntil her father died, Adela Carstairs had lived in a secure and loving home. Then happiness was shattered when her mother remarries a cruel, hard-drinking man. With her younger brother and sister, Adela is forced to flee his drunken rages and they escape to London where they seek refuge in the squalor of the back streets. Addie's desperate hope is that her childhood companions, the Mallory twins, will find and rescue them. When all three find themselves caught up in the danger and terror of revolutionary France, the twins prove invaluable. It was to be an experience which would test their friendship, and love, to the limit.
The Sin of Youth
by Matheus Mundim Bruna PickerThe Sin of Youth by Matheus Mundim The Sin of Youth is about getting old and the desire to go back in time to change things, relive moments, and flames. The Sin of Youth is a contemporary novel with philosophical existentialist characteristics. The book portrays a moment in the life of young Jamie in which he wakes up in a room in another world. As he leaves the room, he sees a group of people and notes that they are all the folks he once knew and loved in his life, all together and gathered, drinking and partying. Impressed and extremely happy he approaches, confronting Thomas and Luke. They explain that the party was to honor the farewell of his youth. It was the last moment to hang out with everybody and say goodbye. Sad and frustrated, he asks what he can do. They then tell him about the Elder Wizard, who would own the time, and could help him maintain his youth. However, they warn: the way to reach the old man is difficult and tortuous, few have succeeded, and, mainly, time is short. Still, Jamie insists, following a path that makes him come across old memories, old loves, old "I's", wondering what his past "selves" would do if they knew the unfolding of such pure and delicate scenes. If they only knew how some words would mean after a few years. It is a mix of pain, sensitivity, frustration, and happiness to review some moments.
The Singing Turk: Ottoman Power and Operatic Emotions on the European Stage from the Siege of Vienna to the Age of Napoleon
by Larry WolffWhile European powers were at war with the Ottoman Empire for much of the eighteenth century, European opera houses were staging operas featuring singing sultans and pashas surrounded by their musical courts and harems. Mozart wrote The Abduction from the Seraglio. Rossini created a series of works, including The Italian Girl in Algiers. And these are only the best known of a vast repertory. This book explores how these representations of the Muslim Ottoman Empire, the great nemesis of Christian Europe, became so popular in the opera house and what they illustrate about European-Ottoman international relations. After Christian armies defeated the Ottomans at Vienna in 1683, the Turks no longer seemed as threatening. Europeans increasingly understood that Turkish issues were also European issues, and the political absolutism of the sultan in Istanbul was relevant for thinking about politics in Europe, from the reign of Louis XIV to the age of Napoleon. While Christian European composers and publics recognized that Muslim Turks were, to some degree, different from themselves, this difference was sometimes seen as a matter of exotic costume and setting. The singing Turks of the stage expressed strong political perspectives and human emotions that European audiences could recognize as their own.
The Singing and Acting Handbook: Games and Exercises for the Performer
by Thomas De Burgess Nicholas SkilbeckThis book is an unique resource which directly addresses all performers who sing and act, whether in opera, musical theatre or music-theatre. By looking beyond the separate acts of singing and acting the performer builds up a greater awareness of how the two interrelate to form a single powerful expression. Using games, exercises and discussion, The Singing and Acting Handbook takes a stimulating approach to the demands made upon today's performers, and will equip both the experienced professional and the student to take full advantage of rehearsal and performance. With advice on approaches to learning music, interpreting scores, and building characters, it provides a long-awaited innovative resource for performers, directors, workshop leaders and teachers.
The Sinister Silence
by Moitrayee BhaduriWhen ace software engineer Saahil is found battling for his life on a rainy morning, it looks like a case of attempted suicide. However, Saahil's family strongly denies that possibility and calls in ex-super cop-turned-detective Mili Ray to investigate. While doctors are uncertain about Saahil's survival, the police discover the blood-soaked body of Saahil's colleague Farzad. Why are IT engineers being targeted? Is there a link between these ghastly attacks and Saahil's cutting-edge invention – the PA software? Ray and her team – Advocate Gatha and ex-army officer Anubhav – dive into this case, which is turning murkier by the hour. Unaware that a conniving assassin is stalking her, Ray races towards a dangerous trap while murderous attacks continue to haunt the IT world. Who is behind these assaults – a jealous co-worker, an IT kingpin, an estranged friend, or someone else? With the killer on the loose, Ray's credibility is at stake... Set in Mumbai, The Sinister Silence is an edge-of-the-seat thriller that traces detective Mili Ray's journey through a mysterious case that poses new threats every time she inches closer to her goal.
The Sirens of the Hotel Louvre: An Actress, a Writer, and the Creative Life in the Silver Age of Chekhov (NIU Series in Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies)
by Serge GregoryCombining history and biography, The Sirens of the Hotel Louvre focuses on the intimate relationship and professional collaboration between two creative women in Russia's Silver Age (1880s–1920). The actress Lidia Yavorskaya and the writer Tatiana Shchepkina-Kupernik overcame moral and social boundaries to assert themselves as successful artists. Their lives intersected with practically all the major theatrical entrepreneurs and artists of the period in Moscow and St. Petersburg, most notably Anton Chekhov.The opening in the 1880s of private theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg resulted in an extraordinary flourishing of the dramatic arts, exposing theatergoers to the latest works by both Russian and Western European playwrights. In The Sirens of the Hotel Louvre, Yavorskaya and Shchepkina-Kupernik serve as guides to this remarkable artistic and literary world. Serge Gregory shows how their success in fashioning independent careers reflects the emergence of the theater as one of the few professional paths available for educated women in nineteenth-century Russia who wished to escape the constraints of traditional family life.
The Sixties, Center Stage: Mainstream and Popular Performances in a Turbulent Decade
by James M. Harding Cindy RosenthalThe Sixties, Center Stage offers rich insights into the innovative and provocative political underpinnings of mainstream and popular performances in the 1960s. While much critical attention has been focused on experimental and radical theater of the period, the essays confirm that mainstream performances not only merit more scholarly attention than they have received, but through serious examination provide an important key to understanding the 1960s as a period. The introduction provides a broad overview of the social, political, and cultural contexts of artistic practices in mainstream theater from the mid-fifties to mid-seventies. Readers will find detailed examinations of the mainstream’s surprising attention to craft and innovation; to the rich exchange between European and American theatres; to the rise of regional theaters; and finally, to popular cultural performances that pushed the conceptual boundaries of mainstream institutions. The book looks afresh at productions of Hair, Cabaret, Raisin in the Sun, and Fiddler on the Roof, as well as German theater, and performances outside the Democratic National Convention of 1968.
The Skin of Our Teeth: A Play (Perennial Classics Ser.)
by Thornton WilderA timeless statement about human foibles . . . and human endurance, this beautiful new edition features Wilder's unpublished production notes, diary entries, and other illuminating documentary material, all of which is included in a new Afterword by Tappan Wilder.Time magazine called The Skin of Our Teeth "a sort of Hellzapoppin' with brains," as it broke from established theatrical conventions and walked off with the 1943 Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama. Combining farce, burlesque, and satire (among other styles), Thornton Wilder departs from his studied use of nostalgia and sentiment in Our Town to have an Eternal Family narrowly escape one disaster after another, from ancient times to the present. Meet George and Maggie Antrobus (married only 5,000 years); their two children, Gladys and Henry (perfect in every way!); and their maid, Sabina (the ageless vamp) as they overcome ice, flood, and war -- by the skin of their teeth.
The Skin of Our Teeth: A Play (Perennial Classics)
by Thornton WilderA timeless statement about human foibles...and human endurance, The Skin of Our Teeth is Thornton Wilder’s brilliant, Pulitzer Prize-winning play, now reissued with a beautiful new cover and updated afterword by Wilder’s nephew, Tappan Wilder. <p><p> Time magazine called The Skin of Our Teeth "a sort of Hellzapoppin' with brains," as it broke from established theatrical conventions and walked off with the 1943 Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama. Combining farce, burlesque, and satire (among other styles), Thornton Wilder departs from his studied use of nostalgia and sentiment in Our Town to have an Eternal Family narrowly escape one disaster after another, from ancient times to the present. Meet George and Maggie Antrobus (married only 5,000 years); their two children, Gladys and Henry (perfect in every way!); and their maid, Sabina (the ageless vamp) as they overcome ice, flood, and war—by the skin of their teeth. <p> Witty, clever, and provocative, The Skin of Our Teeth showcases Wilder’s storytelling genius and his extraordinary talents at delving deep into the human psyche.
The Sky Ballads
by Sophie Elizabeth Murten Franklin A. Díaz LárezIn an Asian country, a chain of strange events leaves a bitter mark of desolation on hundreds of people. The unexplained disappearances reach the dozens, and reliable leads only begin to appear years later. In parallel, on the other side of the world, a young lawyer is facing a tough reality check when he begins to practice his profession independently. Affected by what he sees, he decides to take refuge in another activity linked to his academic studies, not suspecting that in doing so, he will have to face the intricacies of his fears, insecurities and ghosts of his past that never really left him. By a strange twist of fate, these two stories cross paths, finally coming to an impactful conclusion no one suspected.
The Sleeping-Car: A Farce
by William Dean HowellsWilliam Dean Howells (1837-1920) was an American realist author and literary critic. He wrote his first novel, Their Wedding Journey, in 1871, but his literary reputation really took off with the realist novel A Modern Instance, published in 1882, which describes the decay of a marriage. His 1885 novel The Rise of Silas Lapham is perhaps his best known, describing the rise and fall of an American entrepreneur in the paint business. His social views were also strongly reflected in the novels Annie Kilburn (1888) and A Hazard of New Fortunes (1890). While known primarily as a novelist, his short story "Editha" (1905) - included in the collection Between the Dark and the Daylight (1907) - appears in many anthologies of American literature. Howells also wrote plays, criticism, and essays about contemporary literary figures such as Ibsen, Zola, Verga, and, especially, Tolstoy, which helped establish their reputations in the United States. He also wrote critically in support of many American writers. It is perhaps in this role that he had his greatest influence.
The Sloth
by Cy YoungComedy \ 3 m., 3 f. to play var. roles. \ Ext. \ Nadine Schitzle of Tarzana, California, has a problem: there's a sloth in the eucalyptus tree in her back yard and she's convinced it's her husband, Herman. Her neighbor calls Eye Witness News anchor woman Sally Sweet, who shows up with her crew, and suddenly the story is hot news. The animal shelter representative informs Nadine that an animal that big can't be kept within the city limits and a psychiatrist from social services arrives to determine her competency. Called before a judge, Nadine explains with unquestionable logic why she feels Herman has turned into a sloth and the judge, who says Nadine reminds him of his mother, rules for competency. Back home, Nadine celebrates with her minister and a friend, who also believes Herman is the sloth, and berates her neighbors for trying to have her committed so they could get her property. She gives Herman and all his belongings except the Honda to the San Diego Zoo.
The Smart Words and Wicked Wit of William Shakespeare
by Max Morris“Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit,” said the world’s greatest and most preeminent English writer of all time, William Shakespeare.Have you ever wanted to quote the most quoted writer in the English language? Deliver the most inventive and debasing Shakespearean insult (“Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon!”)? Recite titillating love poetry like a modern-day Romeo to his (or her) Juliet? Or commit a learned wisdom about life’s woes to memory? The Smart Words and Wicked Wit of William Shakespeare is the perfect pocket book to carry around in your arsenal. Laugh, cry, rage, and muse along with beloved (or not so beloved) Shakespeare characters like Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, King Lear, and Cleopatra on the topics of love, art, beauty—as well as life’s most irreverently relevant insights. Full of savvy wisdoms from works such as Twelfth Night, Othello, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, and many others, this inspiring collection compiles the wisest and wittiest Shakespearean quotations that speak of the writer’s enduring legacy—even in contemporary pop culture.
The Song of Spider-Man
by Glen BergerFrom the show's cowriter who saw it all firsthand, this is the epic story of the most expensive, ambitious, dangerous, and controversial Broadway musical of all-time: Spider-Man.Never in the history of Broadway has there been anything like Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Lampooned by reviewers, loved and loathed by audiences, and boldly envisioned by its producers, Spider-Man has forever made its mark in pop culture history. Author Glen Berger was present at the creation, when visionary director Julie Taymor selected him to collaborate with her on the book of the musical. For seven years, Berger was an eyewitness to great artistic hopes and battles as Taymor sought to bring her vision to the stage, along with celebrated rock stars Bono and the Edge. But despite terrible reviews and public ridicule, Spider-Man went on to become one of the top ten grossing musicals in the history of Broadway--a feat inseparable from its creators' unassailable passion, immense efforts, and artistic ambition. With a sharp eye for detail and candid sense of humor, Berger reveals every aspect--the highs and lows--of the production and in doing so, takes us inside the theatrical process in a way few authors can. The Song of Spider-Man is the ultimate fly-on-the-wall account of how Broadway works, how big musicals are made, and how great artists continue to dream, even in the midst of a nightmare.
The Sonnets
by William Shakespeare John Hollander Stephen Orgel A. R. BraunmullerTogether with A Lover's Complaint' and little-known alternative versions of four of the sonnets. Edited with an introduction by Stanley Wells. ...the most beautifully printed text available.'
The Sopranos (TV Milestones)
by Gary EdgertonFrom its premiere in 1999, The Sopranos captivated viewers with its easily relatable protagonist who has troubles at work and home, and went on to be one of the most critically successful shows in television history. By demonstrating that TV could be at once artistic and profitable, complex and engaging, edifying and entertaining, the series also redefined the prime-time drama. In this volume, author Gary R. Edgerton delves into the entire run of The Sopranos, integrating the existing scholarly literature, while also going much further than any previous source in exploring the series' innovations and legacy. First, Edgerton describes and analyzes The Sopranos' enormous business and industrial significance within the context of HBO as a network, a diversified entertainment company, and an identity brand. In chapter 2, he examines the many autobiographical influences and work experiences of creator David Chase and the narrative antecedents that informed the series' beginnings. In chapter 3, Edgerton underscores The Sopranos' deeply evocative sense of place, honing in especially on the cultural geography of New Jersey as representative of the nation as a whole. Finally, in chapter 4, Edgerton highlights how The Sopranos marks "A Midlife Crisis for the Gangster Genre" by illustrating some of the most profound generic transformations that took place over the course of the show, while his conclusion summarizes The Sopranos' ongoing industrial, aesthetic, and cultural legacy. The Sopranos is widely recognized in both popular and scholarly literature as a turning point in the history and development of TV. Fans who want to learn more about the show and scholars of television history will enjoy this entertaining and educational volume.
The Soul of Pleasure: Sentiment and Sensation in Nineteenth-Century American Mass Entertainment
by David MonodShow business is today so essential to American culture it's hard to imagine a time when it was marginal. But as David Monod demonstrates, the appetite for amusements outside the home was not "natural": it developed slowly over the course of the nineteenth century. The Soul of Pleasure offers a new interpretation of how the taste for entertainment was cultivated. Monod focuses on the shifting connection between the people who built successful popular entertainments and the public who consumed them. Show people discovered that they had to adapt entertainment to the moral outlook of Americans, which they did by appealing to sentiment.The Soul of Pleasure explores several controversial forms of popular culture—minstrel acts, burlesques, and saloon variety shows—and places them in the context of changing values and perceptions. Far from challenging respectability, Monod argues that entertainments reflected and transformed the audience’s ideals. In the mid-nineteenth century, sentimentality not only infused performance styles and the content of shows but also altered the expectations of the theatergoing public. Sentimental entertainment depended on sensational effects that produced surprise, horror, and even gales of laughter. After the Civil War the sensational charge became more important than the sentimental bond, and new forms of entertainment gained in popularity and provided the foundations for vaudeville, America’s first mass entertainment. Ultimately, it was American entertainment’s variety that would provide the true soul of pleasure.
The Sound of Music Story: How a Beguiling Young Novice, a Handsome Austrian Captain, and Ten Singing von Trapp Children Inspired the Most Beloved Film of All Time
by Tom Santopietro&“Fans of The Sound of Music will find plenty to please them in [this] history of the sweeping musical.&” —Kirkus Reviews On March 2, 1965, The Sound of Music was released in the United States and the love affair between moviegoers and the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical began. Rarely has a film captured the love and imagination of the moviegoing public the way The Sound of Music did as it blended history, music, stunning Austrian locations, heartfelt emotion—and the yodeling of Julie Andrews—into a monster hit. Now, Tom Santopietro has written the ultimate book for fans with behind the scenes stories of the filming, new interviews with Johannes von Trapp and others, photographs, and more. He looks back at the real life story of Maria von Trapp, goes on to chronicle the sensational success of the Broadway musical, and recounts the near cancellation of the film when Cleopatra bankrupted 20th Century Fox. He reveals the actors who were also considered for the roles of Maria and Captain von Trapp, and provides a historian&’s critical analysis of the careers of director Robert Wise and screenwriter Ernest Lehman. He also takes a look at the critical controversy that greeted the movie, its relationship to the turbulent 1960s, and the superstardom that engulfed Julie Andrews. The Sound of Music Story is for everyone who cherishes this American classic.