With a Foreword by the Authorldquo;Before becoming a playwright I was a novelist; and one who was often impatient with the requisite description of weather or scenery or even with the business of moving people from room to room. I was more interested in the sound of people talking to each other; reacting to each other; or leaving silences for others to fall into.rdquo; -- Carol ShieldsFrom one of Canadarsquo;s most beloved authors comes a collection of four works written for the stage; including her most popular and highly acclaimed play Thirteen Hands. The theatrical form allows Carol Shieldsrsquo; strength as a master of dialogue to shine at its brightest; as she returns to themes she explores in her prose: love; family; friendship; and the hidden meanings and larger truths found beneath the surface of the minutiae of daily life. Thirteen Hands and Other Plays is an exhilarating introduction to Shieldsrsquo; considerable achievements as a playwright.Departures and Arrivals (1990) dramatizes how lives are heightened and enlarged when taken within the frame of public spaces -- airports; train stations; public streets -- so that we all become; in a sense; actors. Thirteen Hands (1993); a musical; valorizes a consistently overlooked group in our society; ldquo;the blue-rinse setrdquo; -- also known as ldquo;the white glove brigaderdquo; or ldquo;the bridge club biddiesrdquo; -- and has had the strongest professional run of all Shieldsrsquo; plays. Fashion; Power; Guilt and the Charity of Families (1995); written with her daughter; Catherine Shields; interrogates the ambivalence felt towards families; the drive we all share to find or create some kind of family; and the equally strong desire to escape the familyrsquo;s fury. Anniversary (1998); written with Dave Williamson; is a domestic drama of discontented; middle class suburbanites. One couple in the play are married and pretending to be close to separation. Another couple; who are separated; are pretending to be married. The additional irony is that the separated couple are still emotionally together; while the married couple have already emotionally separated.From the Trade Paperback edition.
#1243729 in eBooks 2010-02-01 2010-03-15File Name: B003ODJ6FA
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Awesome information!By BrianBe prepared to roll your sleeves up and get to work. Bruce miller breaks down scene study in a way that helps the actor make clear choices based on what the script is telling them. This is not a "one time read" book but something to use as a manual to go back to often. My guess is that most people ordeing this book will have NEVER done the things in this book. I will also guess that if you use the ideas in this book to help make choices as an actor. you will be on the road to becoming the actor you know is inside you. Warning to the uninitiated. this book will have you do a lot of work to prepare a scene properly. If you want to "just wing it" when you pick up a script. this is NOT the book for you. But. if you are willing to do the work that the script demands. you will come out ahead and. I believe. a better actor. Have fun!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Practical Advice for the Serious ActorBy Cynthia Fryberger"The Scene Study Book: Roadmap to Success" by Bruce Miller is a valuable scene analysis tool for the serious actor. Although at times I found it to be somewhat condescending to the young actor. it is filled with practical advice for both the beginning and experienced actor with a clear and practical approach to breaking down a script. choosing strong choices and actions that serve the story. and techniques for the all important skill of listening. In addition. it gives a concise summary of the evolution of various schools of acting that I found illuminating. I would recommend this book to any student of acting.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy R. Millergreat book. informative. helpful to students!
