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The Stage Actor's Handbook

Traditions, Protocols, and Etiquette for the Working and Aspiring Professional

Michael Kostroff Julie Garnyé Jeff Daniels

$40.99

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English
Rowman and Littlefield
13 July 2022
An invaluable guide to theatre’s traditions and best practices, from first rehearsal to final curtain.

Professional stage actors are expected to have ready knowledge of proper theatre conduct, enabling them to build and maintain a reputation for being great to work with. Traditionally, these protocols were passed along from one generation of stage actors to the next by word of mouth, or were learned by having one’s missteps corrected—until now.

The Stage Actor’s Handbook is a definitive written mentorship, detailing the previously unwritten rules for actors that help a production operate smoothly. It covers best practices such as proper conduct during rehearsals, how to interact with various departments, how to process notes from the director, and how best to collaborate with fellow actors. It also offers traditional guidelines regarding things like effective communication, interactions with the public, and considerations specific to touring, while also sharing theatre’s beloved superstitions and insider jargon.

Written by established theatre pros Michael Kostroff and Julie Garnyé, the book also contains bits of wisdom contributed by well-known stage actors such as Chita Rivera, John Lithgow, Sir Patrick Stewart, Bebe Neuwirth, Alfred Molina, Billy Porter, Stephanie J. Block, Harvey Fierstein, Sam Waterston, Raúl Esparza, Jason Alexander, and more. With such expert guides, The Stage Actor’s Handbook promises to become a perennial resource not only for this generation, but for generations of stage actors to come.

By:   ,
Foreword by:  
Imprint:   Rowman and Littlefield
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 216mm,  Width: 140mm, 
ISBN:   9781538160435
ISBN 10:   1538160439
Pages:   160
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Foreword Acknowledgements Preface Chapter 1. Etiquette for the Professional Stage Actor Chapter 2. The Rules of Rehearsal Chapter 3. Interacting with Creatives, Management, Colleagues, and Crew Chapter 4. Technical Rehearsals and Previews Chapter 5. Backstage Protocol Chapter 6. During the Run Chapter 7. On Superstition Chapter 8. The Stage Actor in Public Chapter 9. The Stage Actor Away from Home Chapter 10. The Stage Actor as Theatre Patron Chapter 11. The Stage Actor’s Legacy Glossary Recommended Reading Index About the Authors

Michael Kostroff is an established stage and television actor-best known for his five seasons on HBO's The Wire-as well as an instructor, director, and writer. He is the author of Letters from Backstage and Audition Psych 101, and the co-author of Answers from The Working Actor. Kostroff served as an advice columnist for actors for the weekly publication Backstage and is a frequent guest speaker at theatre schools, theatre companies, and universities. As a stage actor, Kostroff has enjoyed a reputation for his work in iconic character roles, including two national tours of Les Miserables as the comic villain, Thenardier, and the first national tour of The Producers, in which he covered the role of Max Bialystock, a role he has since played in productions all over the country. Julie Garnye is a singer, actress, director, voice teacher, producer, and writer. Her first play, Boys Like Me, premiered in New York City in 2014 and was the headlining play of the 2015 Sydney Mardi Gras celebration. Garnye regularly teaches two masterclasses-The Vocal Intensive Workshop and Know the Business of Show-which she has presented at Harvard University, Relativity School, Santa Clara University, and many other theatre schools and theatre companies in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. As a performer, Ms. Garnye is internationally known as a leading actress. She was most recently seen as an original cast member of the first national tour of the Broadway hit musical Come From Away.

Reviews for The Stage Actor's Handbook: Traditions, Protocols, and Etiquette for the Working and Aspiring Professional

The Stage Actor's Handbook is essential in the toolkit of the professional theatre actor. What a gift to young artists and educators to have a source that shares the unique legacy of decades of traditions, protocols, superstitions, and etiquette within the theatre community. It is especially delicious to read about the origins of many of our rituals that have been passed down from generation to generation. I started working professionally at the age of 14 and come from a long line of theatre practitioners. Now as an educator I can't wait to share this joyful, valuable journey with my students that will take them deep into the lore and history of our culture and the magic of our sacred community. -- Kaitlin Hopkins, Head of Musical Theatre, Texas State University I think The Stage Actor's Handbook will live long past all who wrote it, participated in it, and inspired it. Full of wisdom, wit, and love, that is exactly as it should be. Bravo! -- Ken Page, Broadway legend While theatre has incredibly specific codes of conduct, this is the only book I know of dedicated to helping actors find their footing. Kostroff and Garnye have pulled together scads of useful information, shedding light on our often practical, sometimes charming, and occasionally bizarre theatrical traditions. -- Jackie Apodaca, Professor of Theatre and Head of Performance, Southern Oregon University, and Artistic Director, Ashland New Plays Festival A much-needed deep dive into an aspect of theatre education that is crucial but often glossed-over: professionalism. The Stage Actor's Handbook should be required reading for every serious theatre student. -- Larry Sousa, Director/Choreographer, theatre professor at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee


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