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December 3, 2009
The Theatre (pronounced: "thee-ah-tah").
Yes, yes, we at Edgewood are blessed with an excellent Theatre Department and enjoy the many productions it puts on. And we at the Library do our best to support them and love to purchase materials to that end. Here are our latest books on the theatre which address, but not limited to, dance, puppetry, the Stanislavsky method, improv, theatre houses on New York's 42nd St, and the immortal monologist Spalding Gray.
See the entire list of Theatre books added this semester.
Puppetry: a world history by Eileen Blumenthal
Blumenthal has assembled an impressive survey of puppet theater from diverse cultures and historical periods... Both a beautiful coffee-table book and a serious study of the global artistry of puppetry, this book is both an excellent resource and an entertaining guide for anyone interested in puppetry and theater. - Choice
Choreographing the folk: the dance stagings of Zora Neale Hurston by Anthea Kraut
Kraut's exciting book uncovers a long-forgotten aspect of Hurston's artistic life, her work for the concert dance stage. The book provides evidence of the complexity of Hurston's rich artistic life and adds further depth and breadth to understanding the early days of African American concert dance. - Choice
The story of 42nd Street: the theaters, shows, characters, and scandals of the world's most notorious street by Mary C. Henderson and Alexis Greene
[This] book is well researched and provides an engaging portrait of the development of Broadway entertainment on what is arguably the most famous street in the world. Highly recommended. - Choice
The Stanislavsky system of acting: legacy and influence in modern performance by Rose Whyman
This engrossing, thorough study of Konstantein Stanislavsky's revered system of acting challenges the mythologies that have accumulated around this iconic figure... a thorough going assesment of the spiritual, psychological, and political framework of the late - 19th and early 20th century Russia. - Choice
Spalding Gray's America by William W. Demastes
This first book-length study of the life and work of celebrated monologist Spalding Gray (1941-2004) is wonderful. [It] provides theater scholars and practitioners with an invaluable introduction to Gray and his work. - Choice
The improv handbook: the ultimate guide to improvising in comedy, theater, and beyond / by Tom Salinsky and Deborah Frances-White
Salinsky and Frances-White provide a wonderful addition to the growing literature on theatrical improvisation. The book can serve as both a scholarly resource, since it covers the history of improvisation from its beginnings to the present, and a practical guide, for the beginner and advanced improviser. - Choice
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