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 enlarge | Author: David Spencer
Publisher: Heinemann Drama
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $16.95
You Save: $3.00 (15%)
New (13) Used (2) from $16.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 295147
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 216
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 6.4 x 0.4
ISBN: 0325007861
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.1413
EAN: 9780325007861
ASIN: 0325007861
Publication Date: July 1, 2005
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
Essential for an actor in Musical-Theatre September 1, 2005
Just as Goldman's "The Season" is the actor's best book on the biz of B'way and Clurman's "On Directing" one of the greatest acting texts, Spencer's book is the essential book for an actor involved in the process of creating a new musical.
Knowing what the writers are looking for helps you shape your work to serve the piece(which will then in turn serve the actor). Smart writers will recognize your creative respect for their work and will listen when your work reveals flaws in their work. Anything that helps an actor to understand where she is in the process is information that frees and empowers them as oppossed to the usual stance of being in the dark and taking orders. In NY musical development is all about readings-and this is the actor's best quide to their place in that process. And it's true-when the writers make a scowl in your direction they're thinking not about what you did wrong but what they did wrong.
The BEST OF ITS KIND (and I can't put it down!) August 21, 2005
Unless asked, I never give advice. I am making one exception: this book. Get it. Read it. Re-read it. Study it. Memorize it, if you can.
Spencer's insights and "hands-on" experinces as a musical theatre
writer are intelligent, funny, honest and, I find, inspiring.
How can one book expertly guide you through EVERY aspect of the musical theatre writing process? I don't know how he did it, but he did. This book, in my opinion, is the best of its kind.
My only warning is -- you might not put this book down and, if you have a tendency to highlight insightful and useful passages, you might find you have highlighted the entire book.
From Learning it the Hard Way to Helping You Along August 4, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
David Spencer is, by his own definition, a 'midlist' writer. That is, he's done enough work to have his name 'out there' as a Serious Player, enough awards to say that he's good at what he does; but he's never gotten the 'brass ring' of a big time show on broadway. Still he keeps going. ==In getting to where he is, he's made mistakes. He's headed down a few blind alleys but always managed to recover, managed to make a living in a very difficult business.
In this book he passes along the lessons he's learned along the way from finding a partner (musicals are almost always two people things) all the way through the development phase to packaging it, formating it, and selling it to the 'suits' (producers).
This is a busines where any advise you can get just might provide the spark of knowledge you need to do the next 'Phantom.'
Not just for Music Theatre Writers July 26, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This guide isn't just for Musical Theatre writers, this is must reading for actors in the Musical Theatre. Spencer provides an even better understanding and answers so many questions about the process that actors aren't privy to. Knowledgeable, trust-worthy, and great fun.
Essential for Musical Theatre Writers July 26, 2005
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I rarely save books I've read, but this one is a keeper. It has the practicality of a vital, dog-eared reference book combined with abundant insights found in books like "The Artist's Way". It may not prevent every "would've/should've/could've" from happening, but any of my decisions from this point on will certainly be profusely enlightened because of it.
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