The actor will do; in public; what is considered impossible. When the renowned Polish director Jerzy Grotowski began his 1967 American workshop with these words; his students were stunned. But within four weeks they themselves had experienced the "impossible."In An Acrobat of the Heart; teacher-director-playwright Stephen Wangh reveals how Jerzy Grotowskis physical exercises can open a pathway to the actors inner creativity. Drawing on Grotowskis insights and on the work of Stanislavski; Uta Hagen; and others; Wangh bridges the gap between rigorous physical training and practical scene and character technique. Wanghs students give candid descriptions of their struggles and breakthroughs; demonstrating how to transform these remarkable lessons into a personal journey of artistic growth. Courageous and compelling; An Acrobat of the Heart is an invaluable resource for actors; directors; and teachers alike.From the Trade Paperback edition.
#145337 in eBooks 2010-01-25 2010-04-03File Name: B0033DDIW8
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Country Bumpkin Meets Music Mafia: A Slew Of #1 Hit Records EnsueBy ladygodivingA very enjoyable look inside the NYC mob run record industry under the notorious leadership of Morris Levy. James was a young. naive. star struck kid from the Midwest who loved making music. Getting paid was (at best) an after thought. And that explains why Levy liked him. Otherwise. he would either be dead. or seriously maimed and definitely financially destitute. Many other singers and song writers who demanded payment were less fortunate. Some of the names are famous. others not so much. TJs autobiographical account is both frightening and hilarious. Music industry insiders will love this read because they know it is accurate. Everyone else will be shocked. The HBO tv series "Vinyl" captures the zeitgeist of this book. Tommy survived the corruption and madness. Glad he did.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating Look Behind The ScenesBy Richard A. RootI remember my best friend and I listening to his single of Hanky Panky in 1966. What a great first single. As an oldies DJ in the 1980s. Id love playing Mony. Mony and watching the dancers flock to the dance floor. And. I loved many of the hits on the Roulette Label. Of course. I had no idea of the mob connection with the label. This was an interesting book. and Im glad that I read it. First. it brought back many memories of the great music of the era. Second. it really opened my eyes to the story behind the scenes.12 of 12 people found the following review helpful. The Music Went Gold. but the Price was SilverBy Dawn Lee WakefieldSo. you can sing "Crystal Blue Persuasion." Youve danced to "Mony. Mony" and your version of "Hanky Panky" is surely radio-good. You still dont have the first clue about Tommy James life and career. as the man who created those feel-good sounds on the radio during the best years of your life. Toss out any preconceived notions.Tommy James and coauthor Martin Fitzpatrick spin a tale that is generally shocking and countermands the scenes of peace. love. brotherhood. and joy. so richly "typical Tommy James hit". Few know what went on behind the scenes--until now. and still. not exactly. Tommy James major career was controlled by one man. Morris Levy. owner of Roulette Records. Levy was a businessman whose skill. daring. and domination of his allies. and enemies alike. allowed him to exert exceptional power over radio DJs. station managers. and the industry. What kept the friendship/business together was a love-hate relationship between mentor and student. each determined to gain the upper hand. Levy usually won.Roulette had essentially only one rock artist: Tommy James. Tommy James had only one person to whom he had to answer: Morris Levy. James virtually owes his entire catalog of hits to Levys promotion. His reward for that was. in fact. some of the worst days of James life. The trauma being treated unfairly in sharing financial benefits. yet given full creative room and resources cost Tommy James greater wealth. over most of their business arrangement. Likely. it perpetuated Jamess abuse of stimulants and depressants to escape. The role of various crime syndicate members as Levys (sometimes) silent partners is noted. so subtly that none of them would complain. if they could. Possibly some delay in releasing this long-awaited book was for certain people to be...well. lets just say. out of the picture.The story is compelling. but sad. as readers learn that the price of James staying in an entertainment arena was at great personal cost. and he was the lucky one. Levy denied credit (and profit) repeatedly to two of the industrys most talented songwriters. Ritchie Cordell and Bo Gentry. ever much as responsible for the hits as the talent who co-created and gave them life. Levy gave them airplay. presence. and promotion because he knew how to get it done. Not until Tommy met Grammy winner Jimmy Wisner that he began to heal creatively. and enjoy making music. James nicknamed Jimmy "The Wiz". for his ability to find and create hits. Currently. James and Wisner continue producing fresh. new TJ sounds. A musician found his muse. and shows no signs of slowing down. The hits. they keep on coming.This review first appeared in the May/June. 2010 issue of "Keep Rockin" Magazine.
