(Applause Acting Series). Lawrence Harbison has selected 100 terrific monologues for men from contemporary plays; all by characters between the ages of 18 and 35 perfect for auditions or class. There are comic monologues (laughs) and dramatic monologues (no laughs). Most have a compelling present-tense action for actors to perform. A few are story monologues and theyre great stories. Actors will find pieces by star playwrights such as Don Nigro; Itamar Moses; Stephen Adly Guirgis; and Terrence McNally; by exciting up-and-comers such as Nicole Pandolfo; Peter Sinn Nachtrieb; Crystal Skillman; Greg Kalleres; Reina Hardy; Daniel Guyton; and J. Thalia Cunningham; and information on getting the complete text of each play. This is a must-have resource in the arsenal of every aspiring actor hoping to knock em dead with his contemporary piece after bowling over teachers and casting directors alike with a classical excerpt.
#3017024 in eBooks 2015-02-01 2015-02-01File Name: B00U8RJ8K8
Review
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Carpenters in Print (a varied collection of press pieces)By WedloeSo this is a collection of reviews and articles used by Mr Schmidt in researching his "Little Girl Blue" bio of Karen Carpenter. Accordingly there are many; many of these press items reprinted here. The Carpenters were heavily publicized; they toured and recorded mercilessly; and the amount of press coverage is and continues to be very large. In this book; there are some very short concert reviews pulled from newspapers; and there are longer reviews of their albums; and there are several interviews of both Karen and Richard; some together; some individual. Quite a few different music critics articles are also included. Towards the end of the book; there are some process pieces where behind-the-music information is presented; usually interviews with Richard where he talks about how their tunes were selected; arranged; produced; recorded; etc; etc. For me personally; these process pieces were by far the most interesting parts; and I flew through them; but they will not be for everyone. Honestly; it took me a while to get through the rest of this book; as I found my interest sort of coming and going. Even so; I salute Mr Schmidts efforts; as I have learned so much about the Carpenters through his research. Thanks; Randy.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. An Eclectic Collection of Essays and ArticlesBy JeannieRandy Schmidt does a fantastic job collecting and editing press releases; interviews; and other articles written about the Carpenters so that the reader will gain a broader perspective on Richard and Karen Carpenter as people; not just celebrities. This is an excellent companion to Schmidts biography; "Little Girl Blue;" which chronicles the life of Karen Carpenter from birth to death in fresh and honest disclosure. Like Karen herself; Schmidt is sincere in both of these works; but "Yesterday Once More" is a lighter and more eclectic conglomeration of anything from recipes to detailed analyses of Richards musical compositions. Some essays are a paragraph; while others are pages long. The reader will also realize quickly the varying opinions on music writers as they relay their experiences and views on all things Carpenter.This is a must-have for the die-hard Carpenters fan; especially since it contains to many never-before been published articles.34 of 36 people found the following review helpful. The Perfect Companion to Schmidts Brilliant Karen Biography; Little Girl Blue; Yet With A TwistBy Greg New York CityOkay; if you still believe you dont like the Carpenters OR have no interest whatsoever in the music industry or what stardom and its pressure means or in the creation and arrangements and production of recording itself; why are you even reading this review?Now that weve cleared a few people from the room; Schmidts Yesterday Once More (and there are some minor caveats below) is absolutely essential reading. Schmidts brilliant and honest penning of Little Girl Blue: The Life Of Karen Carpenter has already been well established - through sales; through critical claim; and the authors meticulous approach to the subject.This volume; with only the briefest of editorializing; takes a different tact altogether -- namely; its a compendium of previously published reviews; interviews; op/ed pieces - even a musicologsts analysis of the arrangement of Richards Superstar. There are many crucial pieces here -- the Rolling Stone pieces (Lester Bangs; and in particular. Tom Nolans invaluable; revelatory "Up From Downey" piece; along with writings from Robert Hilburn of the LA Times; Digby Diehl; and Ray Coleman (Coleman; writing truthfullly and analytically before the Carpenter Family Monster buried him with their control over him in the first Carpenters biography). Schmidts choices; time-line wise; run very much from the start to finish of the Carpenters career. Whats important here; and which bears out the not-pretty lives of the Carpenters (yes; Agnes; as always; does everything yet wield an ax with her quotes; is that the realities of Karen and Richards incredibly complicated relationship comes through like a beacon; much of it in subtext (i.e.; what they truly mean and yet wont say is a potent as what their actual quotes are). Even in the PR-arranged "puff pieces"; the underlying competitiveness; jealousies; and hurt is incredibly palpable (and; as mentioned; there is Agnes hovering throughout like an older Mommie Dearest -- Harold must have been mowing the lawn a lot). Many things become apparent; but not the least of which is how incredibly young Karen was; singing with that incredible voice; creating hit after hit at age 20; 21; 22; 23; and then you hit an article where shes 26 and theres already this sense of where are we going wrong; this total fatalism; this sense of perfection that was impossible to handle with a jealous (yet crucially important and talented) brother. These same themes resonate throughout; and its not one biographers take on the duo; but many different perspectives. Its the perfect companion to LITTLE GIRL BLUE and; if youre focus is on the music; perhaps even more necessary.Okay; the caveats -- there are some missing pieces to the puzzle; perhaps because of not being to get the republication rights. Robert Hilburns review of PASSAGE (and similarly; Stereo Reviews review of PASSAGE; where (I think it was) Peter Reilly actually made PASSAGE a "Recommended Album of the Month". Missing is the New York Times Magazines article about Karens Solo album upon its final release - a long; truthful piece which; with credence; demonstrated that Alperts and Richards reaction to Karens solo release was essentially ripping the IV nourishing drip from her arm. I believe Paul Grein of Billboard wrote a wonderful piece on Karen; not present here. And; because; its what interests me the most; I wanted more "the making of" x or y or z album (followed by thoughtful - pro or con - articles about the work. Perhaps thats the next installment; but then theres Richard; and so many crucial players/production team have been dying off; so thats unlikely and not the focus of this volumeThe stickler of course are those music rights -- but this is a story for the big screen and if done truthfully and well; whomever is cast as Karen could make room on her mantlepiece for the Oscar (the tv movie; well; it just doesnt even count).
