(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best theater books

Continued because it was too long lmao

11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals.
I honestly really want to get into acting. I love movies and TV shows, and I really would love to start acting. For that reason, this book would be a great addition to my library and would probably teach me a lot.
This book also looks like it would be a good learning experience. :)
I found another great read! I'll pretty much take any acting books I can get.

12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.
Pop Funkos are honestly my go-to add-on item. Like this little fella, for instance. Adorable and affordable (did I just make up a saying? I do believe I did).
What's that? Ah, yes. Pops. The source of my broke-ness. Have another..
Oh, you think I'm done. HA. I'm too far deep to dig myself out of the hole that is my ever-growing collection of Pops. Infinity War just came out (no spoilers, I really want to see it but haven't gotten the chance yet), so how about this adorable Thor Pop? Who doesn't love Thor?

13.) Something fandom related. (Sports fandoms are acceptable- bonus if someone figures out my favorite team)
My favorite band happens to be Twenty One Pilots... and this is a pretty sick shirt.
I'm sorry, I'm still thinking about Infinity War from up above. I found a Thanos shirt that is honestly super cool. Like I've never seen it before and now I want it lmao.
I recently got gifted this absolutely gorgeous and cool Hawkeye T-shirt. It has BOTH Hawkeyes from the comics on it! Super cool.

14.) Something ridiculously priced, more than $10,000. They exist, y’all.
Who the absolute heck buys a $180,000 watch?! Not me, that's for sure.
I'm honestly not even sure what this is, but it's expensive as heck and you could put that money toward an ACTUAL CAR.
Y'all need a parking lift? I gotchu.

15.) Something with sharks or unicorns.
Who doesn't love socks?. Especially socks with unicorns.
You ask for sharks, I get you sharks.
Also no joke this is the cutest thing I've ever seen oh my gosh.

16.) Something that smells wonderful.
I have a cinnamon candle (not that exact one) and I absolutely love it to death.
Who doesn't love coconut lime? I know I love it.
Have you ever thought to yourself, "damn, I really like me the smell of cilantro"? Well, look no further.

17.) A toy that you wanted or had when you were a child that was the best ever, or (if it’s not on amazon) a toy that you think is pretty cool now (Funko Pops, etc., will count.)
If you never played Clue, did you ever really have a childhood?
Another cool toy I had was something like this cool tent-like bus. The one I had had separate sections that were detachable. It was super cool.
I know it's not technically a toy, but I used to watch The Land Before Time ALL the time. I still love that show. It's so, so good.

18.) Something that would be helpful for writers.
Just getting started on writing? Writing for Dummies is always a good place to start.
If you're writing (especially on a computer), you're gonna eventually need some Advil, whether it's from writer's block or a headache from staring at the computer screen too long.
I know it might not be considered useful, but I always thought an ink pen was super cool to have, especially for writers.

19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.
I don't know why, but I suddenly really like Harley Quinn's character. I've been getting, like all the Funko Pops of her. I have a problem.
Oh gosh, you shouldn't have asked. I finally finished catching up to The Walking Dead, and now I want everything Negan related. Like, seriously, I just bought a bloody Lucille of my own. Someone stop me. Anyway, here's a cute little Lucille keychain that I've never seen before.
Another thing I really like is Kylo Ren, but I think you already know that. This BrickHeadz is adorable.

20.) Something that is just so random and weird that it makes you laugh.
This oh my gosh i am dying.
Also idk why but just the lady's posture and the huge heckin' bear is k i l l i n g me.
I don't know how I stumbled upon this weirdass thing but the more I look at it the funnier it is.

Also, this whole thing took me like an hour but it was so much fun. Thanks for the contest!

Hey friend! Before I start, let me just say I know where you're coming from. When I SM'd in High School, it was very different from what an SM would do on a Regional or Broadway caliber show. The important thing is to realize that that is ok. Community and High School theatre SMs must have a 'the show must go on' mentality, and do a lot of what you described, that is, running the deck, supervising tech. I did a lot of this in High School when I would SM, and it's very different from the real world. However, I now go to college in NYC in an incredible SM program, where I study under Broadway SMs and have shadowed Broadway shows. And you can too, but you need to know how to use your High School's theatre to your advantage.

• Question 1: Like I said, absolutely. The major difference between HS and Broadway is scale. While a large venue may have a Master Electrician, Carpenter team, Shop supervisor and a Production Manager, HS will definitely not (if they did, I want to go!). So, you will find that a lot of this work will fall on you, the SM. While in the world of Equity Stage Management, it is actually against the rules for SMs to be doing the 'dirty work' like construction and stage hand jobs, keep in mind that you aren't there yet.
  
  A huge thing to realize here is that while it seems like a good idea to try to run your SM program like a Broadway show, or like how the text books say, it isn't. High School theatre is its own type of production. Just like Regional Theatre is extremely different from Broadway, HS theatre is different as well. The appropriate way to SM Broadway isn't exactly the same on a LORT show, and furthermore, not the same as HS theatre. What this means is, you need to calmly figure out exactly what functions a Stage Manager needs to fulfill to best serve your HS productions, not if your HS was Broadway.
  
  
• Question 2: There are so, so, so many resources out there for you! First and foremost, books! I got my hands on as many SM textbooks I could find when I was in HS, and they were a TREMENDOUS help to me. I recommend this, this, and this. The Backstage Handbook is a great resource too. There's also a great website called http://smnetwork.org/forum/ which is a forum for stage managers from students to the pros. It's not as active as it used to be, but the info archived on there is invaluable. This subreddit is a great place as well!
  
  
• Question 3: Ok, first the AP thing. Take the courses. It's really going to help to have those credits in college, and I took just as many in HS. If you are dedicated, and can budget your time well (as all SMs should be able to), it will be doable. Now, as for fixing your program:
  
  Ask yourself if going against the grain and uprooting an old system is necessary. It seems that what you have going on is similar to most High Schools, and those systems are usually built out of necessity, or rather, what the HS needs out of an SM. So would you be bettering you HS by making the SM program more like what a Broadway show would be like, or would it impede the production running smoothly. Also, would you be paving the way for future SMs in your school, or just shaping what you want from your school. There isn't a right answer, and it can't and shouldn't fall completely on you to fix everything.
  
  When I was in HS, I knew that I needed to work on skills that I wasn't using in HS, but would need in college. Instead of changing the entire production, I pretended. So while I never really needed a full contact sheet, rehearsal and performance reports, or scene tracking, or properly formatted schedules, I would make this paperwork anyway, and keep it for myself. I made full show bibles, even though I didn't need to, and just kept them for my portfolio. I never called a full show in high school, and I can call a pretty tight show nowadays. Calling is an important skill, but keep in mind that it's only like, 1/10th of what we do as SMs.
  
  The skills you are acquiring while working with the crew and construction will be invaluable to you later on as you do less of that kind of work, but still need to know about it. When it comes time for college, you need to understand the difference between 'real world' stage management and what you do now, and figure out if it's still the job you want (I guarantee, it is very different from what you'll be used to). Also, keep in mind, no one expects you to be able to Stage Manage an Off-Broadway show by now. Keep in mind that you're here to learn just as much as anyone else, and you're allowed to make mistakes.
  
  I hope that covered everything. I would be happy to answer other questions you may have. Best of Luck, and Break Legs!
  
  Edit: formatting

I'm afraid that you're probably not really going to get a fully detailed response on here regarding where to start as a playwright as most writer's processes are different, especially on the format of scripts as that subject seems to be up for debate recently depending on the theatre. Also, I believe I can safely make the inference that most successful playwrights aren't redditors (or if they are, they're probably not subscribed to r/playwriting, else this subreddit would be a little more active). However, what I can do is point you toward some great resources that are utilized by most every aspiring/professional playwright that I know.

Backwords & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays by David Ball is a fantastic book for anyone interested in dramatic literature. This is a book that will guide you in analyzing plays (and any story really) with a concentration on the actions of characters, the consequences of those actions, and how they fit into the arc of the story. It does this by taking you through Shakespeare's Hamlet from the end of the play to the beginning, as opposed to Act I to Act V. This is an invaluable resource that is used by playwrights, dramaturgs, actors, directors, and most everybody working in the field of theatre. It is also a resource that is a staple in most theatre graduate schools.

Another resource that is generally agreed upon as a proper manual for the art of playwriting alone is Naked Playwriting: The Art, The Craft, And The Life Laid Bare by William Missiouri Downs. Downs takes you through the basics of crafting a play and exposes you to the various philosophies regarding processes with little personal bias. It's not a dry read at all and will guide you through the use of examples. It will teach you not only the standard formatting for dramatic writing, but also the pros and limitations of writing for the stage. This book has helped me significantly as a playwright.

A good supplementary text would be Audition by Michael Shurtleff. Michael Shurtleff was a very important Hollywood/Broadway casting director who discovered the likes of Barbara Steissand, Robert DeNiro, and Dustin Hoffman, as well as many others. This book is generally held up as the Bible for actors. Why an acting book, you ask? Most of the good playwrights that I know are also good actors, which points to the fact that the more you know about acting, the better playwright you will be. Not only will it familiarize you with the craft, but it will also allow you to provide opportunities for great acting within your work as a writer.

Unfortunately, I'm not too familiar with any good resources about writing for musical theatre, however the main principles of writing straight plays holds true for all musicals. I'm sorry that I couldn't provide you with anything more extensive or personal, but if you are serious about writing for the stage, these are the best resources I can give you. But if you want to definitely get better, there is nothing more important than reading as many plays and seeing as much live theatre that you can get your hands on.

Hope this helps! And good luck.

I learned a lot from the old 'Dress for Success' books for women. The one my mom had was published in the '80s, but the information is still good.

There was a new one published in 2014.

Information about what's class vs. trendy, how to decide how many shoes you need for a work wardrobe (if you can't afford many, buy one quality pair in a neutral color, other than black, neutral & navy in cheaper shoes), different jewelry for work & socializing, etc.

I'd start with that one.

This is the best seller in that category on Amazon right now, and looks interesting:

https://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Dressed-Costume-Designers/dp/1607747065/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474592678&sr=1-4&keywords=dress+for+success

I found 'What NOT to Wear' useless, but the books by Stacy London (with or without Clinton Kelly) are pretty good.

Knowing your colors is important too. If you have the money, I'd pay to get that done - it's called a Seasonal Color Analysis. My mom & I had it done when I was a teen. Every time I fell in love with a shirt or dress that wasn't on my color chart, I would always gets comments such as 'you look tired', 'are you feeling ok?' or even, 'what's wrong?'

If you don't have the money, try this online one:

http://www.thechicfashionista.com/seasonal-color-analysis-2.html

A third way to figure it out is look at your wardrobe. Which outfits garner you the most compliments? If you group them together, you'll find they usually are a certain range of colors/tones. Which outfits get you comments like the ones I listed above? They will have commonalities as well.

If you don't remember, just get a good mirror and some sunlight. Hold some of the fabric up just below your face. Hide the buttons, trim, sequins or anything else that distracts.

Some of them will be obvious. I remember at the class there was a demo. The teacher put a pretty yellow fabric up against her face. It drastically accentuated the bags under her eyes, and added a good 10 years to her appearance. After finding a few of those, you'll start to notice which ones do that to you.

Forget fashion shows - I used to try to learn from those, until I had a friend explain the difference. Fashion shows are about artistic concepts and showing off the designer's talents. The models are too thin and extremely tall - so nothing will look like it's on a real person anyway.

Fashion magazines have some of those same flaws. For me, the most realistic images are from clothing catalogs. If you are big (like me) or short (also, like me) look at the specialty catalogs. Even though the models are still too perfect, airbrushed, etc. they are the closest to real humans.

There are some subreddits just for fashion, and you can browse their FAQs and even submit pics of you in a certain outfit for feedback.

Good luck! And keep in mind, just because you learn the rules doesn't mean you have to follow them. Sometimes I want to look hideous/sickly - want to get a Friday off work, but not suspected of playing hooky? Wear a terribly colored outfit, no make-up and call in sick the next day. No one will question it (unless you put idiotic stuff on facebook).

Want to go out drinking with the girls and not be pestered by men? Everyone pick ugly colors. They may be defeated by beer goggles eventually, but then you can break out the fake moles from the Halloween store.

I love a sunshiney, buttery yellow. It's my favorite color. Sadly, it makes me look like I have jaundice. I just use it in my house instead - accent pillows, a brightly colored throw, even one wall in a room.

So, hope this helps you.

So personally I think all patter for magic is boring. Literally all of it. Also, procedure is inherently boring. The points that are really important, in the mind of the spectator, are the initial conditions, (How the card was chosen and how the card was lost) and the final conditions, (how the card was found). Everything else is kinda in the background. If they wanted a good story, they'd be rewatching Bojack Horseman for the 20th time. They're watching a card trick, so the important parts they're paying attention to are those 3 things. When you start with a monologue, it's boring because we're waiting for the card trick to begin. We know it's coming so we're not really paying attention to the story. Then after the card is lost, we're kinda suspended between being curious about the previous moment (was the card really lost) and watching to see the final moment (how the card is found). This tension is what magic is better than any medium at.

So you're performing at a very even pace, and evenly emotive. Think of pacing as a push and pull. You can speed up or you can slow down. Speeding up can help cover boring, but necessary things, like patter and procedure, while slowing down can stretch the important moments to make those 'wow' moments the focus of the trick.

This trick relies on the building anticipation, but each reaction is the same. Your goal of this trick is to determine from the way they say, "that's it" whether it really is. You are a lie detector, but how are you figuring out s/he's lying? A mentalist would read body language, or read their mind, or whatever, a clown would use increasingly preposterous means like staring into someone else's eyes to read their mind or genuinely try and fail despite the method being obvious (jumbo card in a normal deck) and a gambler would look for tells, which I guess is pretty much just body language.

Anyways, these moments are great character moments. The way you choose to execute the trick is totally up to you. The trick itself is just a framework. I believe all art is just communication. What are you trying to communicate the audience? This is who you are, why you are here...let it be you. The more clearly you define the character you are trying to convey the easier it'll be to create material. The secret to defining your character isn't the costume you where or the props you use. It's the small moments surrounding the card trick. No one cares about the card trick, they care about you. How do you react to the card being wrong at the finale (before the big surprise)? That's the moment everything is building up to. You're the one on stage, so how do you choose to react? That's what's important in performing, and the more you focus on making that part interesting, the more fun you'll have performing and the more successful you'll be.

Screenwriting books can be helpful in understanding tension and storytelling. My favorite was Into the Woods. Acting books are great for performing in general. I'd really recommend taking acting classes, or improv is great too. Stella Adler's The Art of Acting was my favorite so far for acting.

Well, I started playing the trumpet when I was 12, in the 6th grade, and I sat down at a piano one day and realized that playing from white note to white note was a C scale. I started piano the summer after my 6th grade year. I didn't care much for theory until the Christmas after I started taking lessons. My teacher gave me a few leadsheets from a Christmas fake book. We talked about building chords, but he didn't show me the more complicated ones. I bought a book that showed how to build all the chords in each key, but once I started realizing the patterns, I laid it down. I bought The Ultimate Fake Book and started playing songs.

Gradually over time you learn patterns and how chords sound. You can listen to these songs in the Fake Book, and though they might not be 100% completely transcribed, you can get an idea of how certain chord progressions sound. I quit taking lessons after a year and taught myself how to play Boogie-Woogie (I think I might still have a video on youtube called, "How to Play Boogie-Woogie Piano"). This helped with finger independence and learning the blues. Once I learned the blues, I started becoming interested in arranging. This was in I guess 8th grade.

I bought a book called Arranging for Large Jazz Ensemble. It was helpful in learning how to orchestrate for a 20 piece band. I made dozens of arrangements just for fun. Learning how to arrange helped me learn how to harmonize.

A lot of other knowledge comes from reading Wikipedia articles on theory, reading random other books, and analyzing scores. Lush Life Music is an arranging company out of England. They let you view three or so pages of every score. I used to print out the samples and analyze. Also, get your hands on a hymnal, any hymnal. Hmynals are choir books, so they're scored in 4 part harmony. Figure out the chords on your own and notate them. That helped a lot.

Also, listen to lots of music, especially live. The best place to hear live music is at church, honestly, every Sunday. You don't even have to be religious, just find a seat near the pianist or organist.

I'm definitely not an academic. My figured bass is weak, and I don't know many classical composing principals, but I read a lot, experience a lot, and generally always love learning. Never let that fact that something is over your head stop you from learning about it. Just listen to lectures or lessons on Youtube, and it will all slowly congeal.

This website is really interesting. as well as Hooktheory.com.

I would suggest that to start learning quickly, get a fake book of some kind, and start trying to recreate the original recordings of songs in them. For instance, you know Bat Out of Hell?. The whole album is filled with great rock piano licks, but the title track's intro is great. Now, all sheet music editions of it begin at the piano arpeggios right before the vocals, ignoring the entire introduction, so I figured out the intro and made a jazz band arrangement of it with the saxes taking the piano riff. I learned a lot doing that, but sadly the arrangement has been lost.

Also, I almost forgot, if you have some spare money, Music Notes sells sheet music for around $5 a song, regardless of the length. Leadsheets are around $1-$2. They also allow you to print off free one page samples. If you struggle with a song, it doesn't hurt to buy a pre-made arrangement or even just print off the sample to learn the introduction. You can even find free sheet music on pages, like Scribd or even just a google search for free piano sheet music.

Awesome, good for you. That is what I did in college, after two years, completely switched majors and went the theater route and am so glad I did. Don't let it overwhelm you. Get to know the people in the department, some of the best advice I got was from friends I made in the department. Also, get to know your profs. really well. Take them out for drinks or dinner or whatever and pick their brains. the best way to learn about acting is to watch as much as you can and do it. Work scenes with your friends even when you don't have a scene due for class. Study and perform monologues for your friends just for the fun of it. Just enjoy it and it won't freak you out. One of the best books I have ever read about starting out is called [ Audition] (http://www.amazon.com/Audition-Michael-Shurtleff/dp/0553272950) by Michael Shurtleff. It approaches acting in a very unique way and really teaches you how to introduce yourself to the character. Best of luck and most important thing - Have fun, don't give up and don't take it too serious.

Read. This book is not great, but it's decent if you're coming from zero and you can put it in your pocket.

Get a manuscript notebook. This one is pretty good. Copy out examples and exercises.

Go to Bach's page on IMSLP. Find some solo pieces. Copy them out in your shiny new notebook. I suggest the cello suites, the two-part inventions, and the Well-Tempered Clavier. I chose these because they have great counterpoint and rely heavily on Fortspinnung (and so should you). Maybe you'll pick up things from paying close attention while copying. Make your notation look as close to the original as possible so you pick up good notation habits too, and get a good eraser.

I know that all this notating by hand does not seem very productive on its face, but trust me that it pays off. It will make your reading better and you'll become familiar with the structure and logic of music.

I never saw “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812”, but the book about the making of the musical is gorgeous. It’s not necessarily my favorite Broadway swag overall, but it’s probably my favorite for a show I haven’t seen.

For easily available merchandise, I’m rather fond of my denim “Oklahoma!” tote and “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” mug, and I also love my Hadestown keychain. For rarer swag that required eBay, I love my “Great Comet” egg shaker and my “Hadestown” train whistle from opening night.

• Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual is usually the first one that people speak highly of. Half of it is theory, and the other half is exercises. I find it the most solid gathering of tactics, but maybe a comparison to other schools would help me understand why their “game” makes them so different.
  
• Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out by Mick Napier is probably the next best one on my list. It personally resonated with me because the idea of “take care of your partner by taking care of yourself” identified one of the less-spoken of but more critical parts of improv. I’ve been in many scenes where the who/what/where slips through the cracks because we were too polite to not make a bold choice and each of us were scared to decide what the scene should be about. If each of us collectively decides individually and “yes, and,” we’re on a really good trajectory.
  
• Improvisation at the Speed of Life: The TJ and Dave Book is my long-form inspiration. You get a lot of mindset here, not as tactical as the others.
  
  Interestingly, this one blog post “How to Be a Better Improviser” is actually a brilliant distillation of the most important concepts.
  
  It goes without saying that without practice reading alone will have limited utility.

Not bad for a first try.
There are a number of simple casting material pewter can go into but one of the cheapest is plaster. A well made plaster mold will survive several dozen pewter casting if treated properly.

You can buy a 15 or 25 lb bag at the local big box hardware store for under $20, or smaller amounts from an art supply store, though it will cost more per lb.

PLASTER MOLD NEED TO BE BONE DRY BEFORE YOU POUR HOT METAL INTO THEM THEY CAN EXPLODE OTHERWISE. Please wear the proper safety equipment, the bare minimum of a face shield and leather gloves,ideally with an leather apron and leather boots. How long it takes to dry depends upon the size and thickness of the mold and the humidity level . A 3"x 5" x 5" mold will be dry in about 5-7 days if it is not too humid. A way to speed it up is to put your oven on its lowest setting and leave them in there for 8-10 hours. They will be significantly lighter when dry, and will have feel a bit like fired clay.

You might consider making 2 part molds there are a great deal of references out there for that info, here is a video that covers the basics. (this video for clay reproductions but the basics still apply. You would additionally need to also carve or cast in a pouring cup and channel called a gate or sprue into the plaster to allow you to pour in the pewter.)

There is scattered info on mold making on the web, but plenty of solid books on the topics. I would recommend The Prop Builder's Molding & Casting Handbook
It doest talk too much about metal casting, but it covers a lot of the info for general mold making, and is a great resource. You might also look into Practical Casting: A Studio Reference by Tim McCreight is deals with metal casting on smaller jewelry scale and covers other simple molding materials.


I have also heard MDF molds work pretty well for a few trys, though I never have done it personally. Good luck!

I agree. Your hunger is an incredibly good thing. But you should always be training and stretching If you're interested in some books on technique here's what I've been reading.

A Practical Handbook for the Actor by a bunch of interesting people. It's a practical, repeatable, and analytical way of approaching acting. While it is best practiced in a classroom with a knowledgable instructor, the text is good enough to stand on it's own.

History of the Theatre by Brockett is a longggggg read. But it's detailed and a great perspective on what was happening when in relation to plays. Also you can older editions for way way less.

I'm just now reading Sanford Meisner on Acting and that's been an interesting so far, it has a lot more of a narrative which is enjoyable to read.

Hope any of that helps someone!

I've been in a similar boat for years, just now breaking free from it. Stuff that's helped me the most:

1. Memorize all the notes on the guitar. I just went fret by fret for a few weeks (maybe there's a better way to memorize) but that helped me identify notes and chords infinitely better.
   
2. I got this book and it has been a great help understanding basic music theory https://www.amazon.com/Leonard-Pocket-Music-Theory-Comprehensive/dp/063404771X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499725981&sr=8-2&keywords=hal+leonard+music+theory
   
3. mattwarnockguitar.com -- This site has a ton of great stuff and it's where i'm primarily learning from now. There's great sections on drop-2 chords, drop-3 chords, major scale, arpeggios, etc

In no particular order, here are some things that come to mind:



Modes of Rhythm

Anthony Wellington teaches slap bass and rhythm using the "Modes of Rhythm" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asYfvMzjk7M

This is an interesting approach to working with rhythm.


Arranging for Large Jazz Ensemble by Dick Lowell

https://www.amazon.com/Arranging-Large-Jazz-Ensemble-Pullig/dp/0634036564/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=dick+lowell&qid=1554352576&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Good resource for jazz arranging



The Study of Orchestration by Samuel Adler

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Orchestration-Third-Samuel-Adler/dp/039397572X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=270ZIQBMLZL3O&keywords=study+of+orchestration&qid=1554354116&s=gateway&sprefix=study+of+orc%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-2

I have the 3rd edition. Get it used rather than new. This is a popular choice when studying instrumentation and orchestration for orchestral/chamber music.


Other good orchestration online resources:

http://resources.music.indiana.edu/isfee/

https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Academy/Instrumentology/


The Secrets of Dance Music Production

https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Dance-Music-Production/dp/0956446035/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=attack+magazine&qid=1554356008&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I haven't checked this one out completely, but it's an interesting resource for electronic music with great visual analysis


And if you're looking for things to improve your composing skills, definitely study counterpoint. Start with Species counterpoint then move to other styles/eras. Learning this completely changed my perspective of theory and why we learn it.


Hope that helps.

It's wonderful to hear that you have an interest in his works! If you want a great place to start, I'd recommend going right to the source: An Actor Prepares. That is his famous work, it's the book that did it all. It's actually a surprisingly easy and very fun read, if at times somewhat confusing. You can see the basis for his ideas very clearly. I will say this though: it reads more like a work of philosophy than anything else. Notes on the translation: there are two major versions out: the one I linked you to, which is similar to how it was originally published, and a new one, more reflective of how Stanislavski wished the book published. The Benedetti translation is harder to read (as it includes sections that were taken out specifically for readability), but more academically interesting.

Other good reads are his autobiography, which is very open and contextualizes his later work beautifully, and Benedetti's work, focusing on the writing of An Actor's Work.

For a complete picture of 20th century acting theory, I would also look into Strasberg and Meisner.

The mixing part is the same. If you are solely the FOH mixer, and you don't want to be in charge of the bigger picture, you have no concerns - just make it sound good and know the consoles you are working on. The system tech is there to make sure that the rig sounds good everywhere in the room, and the PM and riggers are there to make sure it is run and hung safely and efficiently.

If you want to PM on bigger rigs like that, you need to start learning the details of all those people's jobs - not necessarily so you can tell them what to do, but so that you can spot safety issues and inefficiencies, and work hand-in-hand with them to meet your goals.

Here's a good book to start on power: https://www.amazon.com/Electricity-Entertainment-Electrician-Technician-Richard/dp/0415714834

And here is a good book on audio systems: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415731011/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I haven't read this one on networks yet, but it's probably my next read...maybe others can chime in on wether it is a good one.

https://www.amazon.com/Show-Networks-Control-Systems-Entertainment/dp/0692958738/ref=asc_df_0692958738/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312115090752&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=449842820588414772&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061129&hvtargid=pla-415287733133&psc=1

​

And of course, nothing beats experience, so weasel your way into bigger jobs and watch what everyone is doing.

​

Hi, I would recommend the same book i recommended the digital compositing handbook, I'd also look into Z-Brush, if you like monsters and dive into Artstation.com & Behance.com for motivation and see what people are making.

Unless you are talking about physical VFX, then perhaps history in sculpture and makeup, this book is great https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240818946/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought that book for learning how to retouch photos better. The theory of lighting and shapes is very good.

If you’ve been a production manager and assistant director, stage management would be a good fit for you. There are many SMs in theatre that are also PMs. Community theatre is always an excellent way to get into theatre!

I fell into stage management in college and I haven’t looked back. Starting as a production assistant for assistant stage manager for a show is an excellent way to learn the ropes. It’s all about trial and error, and the more you do it, the more you will make all the duties your own. You will learn very quickly what works for you and what doesn’t.

There is an absolutely wonderful book called “The Backstage Guide to Stage Management”. It’s very informative and the author throws in funny and realistic experiences. backstage guide to stage management

This has good reviews on Amazon! I would just look around there for books! You'll find some good things. Also knowing period makeup and what was popular for men and women in each decade is super helpful!

The Makeup Artist Handbook: Techniques for Film, Television, Photography, and Theatre https://www.amazon.com/dp/0240818946/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_YkEEwbMX719MH

Improvising Now Rob Norman’s Book, coupled with the podcast the backline is a great resource. I have taken workshops from Rob and Adam and they know their stuff. They are masters of the craft.

How to be the greatest improviser on earth by Will Hines, coupled with his blog “improv nonsense” is also great. Will Hines is one of the most clear articulate thinkers in the improv world. He has the ability to distill the most complex ideas into simple bite sized packets.

Improvise by Mick Napier is a classic. Great for an intermediate player because his ideas and concepts come up all the time.

Podcasts worth checking out: Beat by beat, the backline, improv nerd, and the ask the UCB episodes of I4H.

I’ve read a lot of improv books, but those are the ones I love. Their usefulness never ceases.

Here's a great story for you. Have you ever heard of Harpo Marx? Contrary to urban legend, he could talk perfectly fine in real life. He just chose to be quieter than most people.

Harpo eventually got famous enough to be invited to the Algonquin Round Table, known for their regular crowd of famous sharp wits always trying to verbally out-smart and out-troll each other.

As I remember from his autobiography, Harpo would just happily sit with that esteemed crowd just to listen and enjoy the scene. Eventually he wondered if he actually fit in their meetings because he rarely had much to say.

One day, Harpo expressed his concern to one of the other famed attendees at the Table.

The reply was something resembling this: since this was a crowd of talkers, having someone there who actually listened for a change made Harpo an extremely valuable and welcome member of the group. :)

(Disclaimer: I am quoting this from my memory of reading the book "Harpo Speaks!" many years ago. I know I got the general gist of the story correctly, but for exactness, you need to read the book.)

Trunk Club! I’ve been using Trunk Club for the last couple years and it has really helped me figure out my style. You get a stylist (the link will give you mine, who is amazing) and they’ll talk to you about what kind of clothes and styles you like, get your measurements and budget, and send you a box with a bunch of options that you can either keep or send back. It’s super convenient and my stylist sends me things that she knows will go with other pieces I own. I hate shopping and always end up buying something that’s just ok because I’ve already put so much effort into going to a store and trying things on. With this its easy to just keep the things that I love because I’ve put no effort into picking anything out.

Also, the book How to get Dressed has very valuable information on how clothes should fit, how to take care of them, what items are with tailoring, and so much more. I learned a LOT from that book.

Definitely read "The 5 C's of Cinematography" before anything else. http://www.amazon.com/Five-Cs-Cinematography-Picture-Techniques/dp/187950541X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884793&sr=1-1&keywords=5+c%27s+of+cinematography

I love "New Cinematographers" which has been a very inspiring book for me as it reminded me why I love working in the film industry at a time when I was contemplating quitting altogether. http://www.amazon.com/New-Cinematographers-Alex-Ballinger/dp/1856693341

The Eye is Quicker. http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Quicker-Editing-Making-Better/dp/0941188841/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884818&sr=1-1&keywords=the+eye+is+quicker

Motion Picture and Video Lighting. http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884852&sr=1-4&keywords=grip+and+lighting

The Camera Assistant's Manual by David Elkins. http://www.amazon.com/Camera-Assistants-Manual-David-Elkins/dp/0240818687/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884939&sr=1-1&keywords=camera+assistant

I'd just like to point out that I'm not a film maker in any way shape or form so it would be nice if somebody could verify what I'm about to say.

I've been watching a lot of videos by FilmmakerIQ.com on Vimeo and have learned a lot from them. Anyway, they have a list of recommended books that I haven't checked out yet but would like to. I'll just list them out here:

Painting With Light

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style (Hollywood Standard: The Complete & Authoritative Guide to)

Set Lighting Technician's Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution

Master Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie

Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors

The Camera Assistant's Manual

The Makeup Artist Handbook: Techniques for Film, Television, Photography, and Theatre

Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen: Making and Applying Prosthetics

Grammar of the Shot (Media Manuals)

Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player

Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know

The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques

This is presumably the book in question. Do keep in mind that we had to submit the article about the sound long before we actually went into production, so there are some outdated things, including an image from a piece of software that was not ultimately used in the show, but so it goes.

As you might have guessed, I was a member of team sound for this production and still hold it very close to my heart. It’s funny that you say that we were the first in aspects of sound, as even the equipment manufacturer told us their gear wouldn’t do what we wanted it to do... crazy ride.

In terms of mic placement for that production, it was definitely a conscious choice to use boom mics. Part of this was practical since the performers spend all of the show in front of some aspect of the sound system their voices are coming from and this helps increase our ability to have higher volume before feedback occurs, but part of this also came from the director. You will notice that Rachel’s current production (Hadestown... not sure people have heard of it) also has all actors in boom mics. I was told that this is because she does not want to pretend that the equipment/technology does not exist, which I totally get. This gets into the complicated question of which parts of the theater experience can we as the audience pretend don’t exist and which take us out of the action, which is a very personal thing. As a sound person, I am severely biased and don’t think we should apologize any more for the mics we need to get the show’s appropriate sound than the Lighting Designer should apologize for the lights on trusses all over the space which make the show look beautiful.

You're asking us to explain the benefits of a clear leadership structure and an unbiased third eye for feedback.

So, look, maybe not a coach, because that's one model, but someone needs to be in charge. Someone needs to be responsible for arbitrary & artistic decisions.

There are ways to do it where the group rotates through coaching/directorship duties, but I do believe there are limits to that structure. (It's fine for general practice and workshopping, but not fine for directed ensemble growth.) I recommend checking out Directing Improv to get more ideas on how to effectively run improv rehearsal sessions.

This is not specific to injection moulding, but I picked up many good tips, and most of the general knowledge (for hobby), from this book by Thurston James.
Since your shop maintains dies, the best resource you'll have in terms of knowledge will be the tool and die makers which work there. Put any ego/superiority you have aside as it will get in the way of your learning (plus, theirs is bigger anyway). Ask questions. The toolmakers are a fountain of information and will gladly take you over every part of their craft if you let them. You will learn more from them than any book.

Congrats on the job!

Comedy is the most difficult genre in TV Land. Especially multi-cam.

I do my character and organic work like I would with anything else except that I'll recognize that I'm usually dealing with very high stakes over very small matters which is what makes it funny. It's also written in a very specific rhythm and contains a lot of script devices like threes, reversals, lists, builds, antitheticals, and callbacks that it's very helpful to know how to identify and execute. Thus it's a lot like scansion in classical verse or reading a piece of music meaning that unlike with some drama, I absolutely will not change a word or ignore punctuation because that would throw the rhythm off.

If you want to read a good book on how it's typically written and executed, check out The Eight Characters of Comedy by Scott Sedita.

You can do whatever you want, and I've seen projects created both as an idea to be cast and as 'get good people and then figure out what works for them.'

I'd love to be a resource to you for this. Feel free to message me.

An excellent book:
https://www.amazon.com/Directing-Improv-Show-Way-Getting/dp/0977033902

Upvotes always for people willing to paint their faces and bodies for cosplay! Looks great.

Fun tidbit, the makeup designer for Wicked wanted Elphaba's makeup to be 'beautiful', but also green. THere was a conscious effort to not make her 'wicked' in appearance.

If you're a fan of the stage show and/or books, check out the Wicked: The Grimmerie. It's really great.

Harpo Speaks! by Harpo Marx and Rowland Barber

Best autobiography/biography I've ever read: great life story, lots of funny stories, touching stuff too. I've been planning to read it again.

(BTW, my first Reddit comment!)

Whether or not you find a replacement umbrella, get your mum a copy of Wicked: The Grimmerie. Write something wonderful and heartfelt inside the cover. She'll adore it.

Regardless, I can guarantee you that your mum will not spend these precious days with you angry over a lost umbrella, or even giving it one precious moment's thought.

If you love Sondheim I highly recommend his Finishing the Hat/Look, I made a Hat. These two books contain lyrics from all his shows, annotated with anecdotes and insightful observations written by Sondheim himself.

Other musicals also have books that trace the whole development process and provide a behind-the-scene look of the show, such as Hamilton: A Revolution, The Great Comet: The Journey of a New Musical to Broadway and Wicked: The Grimmerie

A fun one that I love and have also given as a Secret Santa gift: 'How to Stop Acting' by Harold Guskin.

It's an alternative 'non-technique,' and also a nice followup if you think they may have already read more major Meisner and Uta Hagen books.

This book is a great resource for learning how to harmonise sections in big band charts - it's what I used all throughout my undergraduate study.

Keep in mind also that Basie charts are generally simpler in terms of harmonisation than the Ellington repertoire, especially early Basie. Ellington was known to take more risks when writing harmonically for his band - Basie and his arrangers usually used a tried and true formula for harmonisation, much of which can be learned from the book linked above.

You'll make your lives a lot easier if you get a coach ASAP (even if it's just a temporary guest coach).

Player's attempting to direct each other (even for very experienced troupes) can lead to all sorts of drama down the line. I've been a part of teams where each week (or month) we rotated who was leading rehearsals. Some worked out great (the two where we all had at least a decade of performing/teaching experience and went into it with that plan) and others quickly became a dumpster fire.

My best advice while you're waiting for a coach is probably to pick up a book on improv theory or a book on on acting:

Mick Napier's - Improvise: Scene from the inside out, Bill Arnett's - The Complete Improviser, Viola Spolin's - Improvisation for the Theater, or something like Marina Caldarone's - Action: The Actor's Thesaurus are good places to start.

Then read it together outside of rehearsal and discuss the ideas in various chapters when you meet up - maybe try out a few exercises, but be wary of trying to direct each other: that's not your job, your job is to support each other on stage.

Heck, just reading a few acting books and really discussing them will put you guys leaps and bounds ahead of most improvisers.

Read these books. They won't make you a rigger but you'll have a better appreciation of what you are dealing with.

The Arena Riggers' Handbook

Rigging Math Made Simple

Stage Rigging Handbook

Entertainment Rigging for the 21st Century

The Theatre Riggers' Handbook

Structural Design for the Stage

The Physics of Theatre: Mechanics

I'm glad I could help.

I've been reading this book, and it's really helping me learn a lot. There are were one or two parts that I didn't like in the beginning, but I'm finding it to be a great resource, especially for the price.

Improv is a skill that can be studied, learned, and practiced, and I absolutely 100% promise you that whoever it is you idolize on CritRole has, in fact, studied and learned it, and practices regularly.

The best way is to take a class in it. Anywhere with a theater program should offer improv classes.

If you can't do that, books are a good fallback (and companion to classes), whether that's industry heavyweights or books targeted specifically at gamers. Of course, there's also the usual selection of websites, youtube videos and reddit that you can tap as resources too; google around a bit.

In the meantime, the thing that might help you the fastest is to stop focusing on scripting what the character can say, and instead put your attention to how the character thinks and what they feel. If you know how they're likely to react to situations, you'll find you can use that as a guide to steer your dialogue. There are innumerable methods for developing that; again, look around a bit and try a few out.

Lately I've been liking Fate Aspects as a rough guide for characters, even if I'm not playing Fate. It's a simple structure without a lot of rules to creating them, light and flexible, while still retaining enough meat to give me a general direction to guide my interactions during gameplay.

Take the following character as an example:

K.G.

• High Concept: Incisive Scamp Journalist
  
  
• K.G. is sharp-witted and analytical, good at reading people and situations to find story angles. She's also good at causing trouble for anyone who gets in her way, whether that's obstructive cops, corporate bureaucrats, or her editor. (More generally, a High Concept is a quick summary of the character. It's your one-line elevator pitch)
  
  
• Trouble: Not Proud of my Past
  
  
• K.G. was neck-deep in some shady things before she sold her first story, and she's tried to distance herself from that life as much as possible. She's deeply ashamed of some of the things she did and people she associated with, and her history rearing its ugly head is the fastest way to throw her off her game. (Generally, a Trouble is the thing that most often causes drama in the character's life)
  
  
• Anything For the Story
  
  
• The story is all that matters; no price--no matter who pays it--is too high. K.G. doesn't want to hurt people and tries not to, but, well, sometimes it happens. So long as the story gets out, it was worth it.
  
  
• I Know a Guy for That
  
  
• Just because she's not proud of her past doesn't mean K.G. isn't willing to tap it occasionally, and she's built an extensive web of contacts of a more legitimate sort while on the job. If she doesn't know or can't get it, she knows someone who does and can, guaranteed.
  
  
• If the Press Pass Doesn't Get Me In, the Lockpicks Will
  
  
• This loops back around to "anything for the story", but more specifically that she's perfectly willing and able to commit any number of misdemeanors and the occasional felony in pursuit of an angle. It's as much a statement of philosophy as of capability. It makes her dangerous and daring, and that's both good and bad.
  
  So, with just those five lines, I've got a fairly good snapshot of the character--enough to guide me in most circumstances. She's whip-smart and snappy, good at handling people, well-connected and worldly, a bit of a troublemaker, willing to chatter "aimlessly" to gather info but avoids personal topics. That's not a bad slice of character to start building from.

It's not that you shouldn't do that, but you want to replace it with an action. This doesn't necessarily mean doing something physically, but if I assume correctly that the narration in the video is your inner monologue, there needs to be some kind of response to that. You are listening to the voice, so you are engaged by it. Having your blocking be as simple as sitting and listening is fine, but there needs to be a connection between your thoughts and your blocking, which is sitting in the shower/tub.

To fix this, you need to realize that in this scene you have two characters. There is the character of your Inner Monologue and the character of Your Character (physical you). Your Inner Monologue wants one thing, and You want another (again, an assumption, but I assume this because all scenes are built on conflict - if you both wanted suicide, that would happen and there would be no scene to speak of). What do you want the voice to do? Do you want it to stop? How will you make it stop? This page has a breakdown of what objectives are and how you play them.

If you still continue to sit and listen, that's totally okay! But there shouldn't be a disconnect between the two characters in the scene. There should be a give and take, an action and a reaction, a response. Then the other character plays from this response.

I strongly suggest the acting book The Anatomy of a Choice by Maura Vaughn. This has helped me in many situations as an actor. Also, read lots of David Mamet. Read his plays, read his essays on acting. Another book I find helpful is A Practical Handbook for the Actor (written by students of Mamet) and The Art of Acting by Stella Adler. Reading is an actor's greatest tool other than just getting out there and performing.

Understanding objective is the first step toward becoming a fully invested actor. It will change the way you look at the stage and screen.

edit: added a thought

The first thing that comes to mind is "Audition" by Michael Shurtleff. A good chunk in there is how to break down a monologue in moments and beats although he's specifically talking about this in relation to the audition process.

If you've already gotten the part and are looking for another great book about the different parts of a script, or how to break down a monologue (from an Actor's view, but I think it translates to the writing process) I would read "Respect for Acting" by Uta Hagen.

Audition can be found here

and

Respect for Acting

Good article! I agree with his points, although I'm not super fond of the language he uses. I guess it's succinct and understandable.

For directors looking for help directing actors, I recommend Stella Adler's book, The Art of Acting. But there are a lot of directing books out there.

I'm biased, as I was trained under Stella Adler's methods and ideologies, but I believe in combining imagination with real-life experience. Most humans know what it is to feel pain, sadness, loneliness, anger, etc. I find that if you can recall what it is to feel something similar to the situation you're playing, and then truly immerse yourself in the world and situation of the script, you can just "be" and react truthfully.

I believe the best actors have years of training and experience to serve as the foundation for this craft, so they can then just let it go when on screen or stage. As a director, I find it infuriating how many indie films skimp on actors or cast themselves/their friends when there are so many talented actors out there eager to work. Take the time to really cast your film! Get a casting director if you can and hire real, trained actors. You'll be all the better for it, and so will your film.

I'd highly recommend getting a copy of Asaf Ronen's Directing Improv. It guides you through some of the various basic methods for how improv groups are organized and run, how to organize a rehearsal, how to plan for the development of your team and your players. It's also pretty short and easy to read.

https://www.amazon.com/Directing-Improv-Show-Way-Getting/dp/0977033902

Harpo speaks is one of the best autobiographies I've read.

The Marx brothers went from grinding poverty to worldwide fame. Harpo was a really nice guy fame or no, and he got up to some hijinks all right.

If it's protocol and how the actual signals work in the industry, I would recommend "Show Networks and Control Systems: Formerly 'Control Systems for Live Entertainment'" by John Huntington.

It'll cover how all of our main protocols work and how the might be connected. It also was just released as a new volume. So information is more up to date.

Show Networks and Control Systems: Formerly "Control Systems for Live Entertainment" https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692958738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-fUFAbZY9S31S

I realise that this may be much further in depth than you would need. However the book is structured so that you can bounce around topics as you need. (also a photographer you might learn how to sync your camera up to things you could control in the studio for some extra fun projects )

You could try looking into different techniques, perhaps something like Meisner. He was all about acting as a result of the moment. Learning the lines in rote (no emotion added, just memorizing the words) and then using the moment to bring out the expression in the phrasing. Might be worth checking out.

Edit: he's got a great book out there http://www.amazon.com/Sanford-Meisner-Acting/dp/0394750594/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426090821&sr=8-1&keywords=meisner

I read it and could feel a difference in my acting.

http://www.amazon.com/Prop-Builders-Molding-Casting-Handbook/dp/1558701281

It sounds like you may have molding and casting experience... and maybe you even have this book, but if you don't, it's not expensive and I think you'd find it helpful... materials-wise it's a bit outdated BUT I still find that when I'm about to do a new project, even with newer plastics, referencing it still tweaks my brain in ways that help solve problems before I get to them... perhaps you would also find it inspirational.

I bounced around without a lot of clear focus until I read the book “How To Stop Acting” by Harold Guskin. Now I more or less practice the technique from that book on all my projects. What made it “click” for me was that it clearly described and gave a structure to things that I already recognized in myself. With other techniques I found they would often just lock me up or make me overly heady, but this one made me feel more like myself and put me back in contact with what I like about acting. Any system that works for you should make you feel empowered in the work you’re doing!

Link here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Stop-Acting-Revolutionary-Developing/dp/0571199992

I've been eyeing this off for some time because it looks amazing, maybe this is the right occasion to say "fuck it" and reward myself :)

That said, a dance off could work too.

Get this book and read all of it

For general formatting guidelines, use this.

For other starting points/ answers to potential questions about jazz arranging in general, Tim Davies’ blog is an incredibly useful resource.

But the only real way to understand any type of jazz is to listen to a lot of it. Make sure to listen to a lot of different composers/ arrangers as well, such as Bob Brookmeyer, Thad Jones, Bob Florence, Bob Mintzer, Peter Herbolzheimer, Vince Mendoza, Sammy Nestico, Chris Walden, Mark Taylor, and many many others.

If your looking to get into cinematography, you should check out "Cinematography" and "Motion Picture and Video Lighting" by Blain Brown. Anything from Kris Malkiewicz is worth a read too. "The Grip Book" by Michael Uva, "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook" by Harry Box and "The Camera Assistant" by Doug Hart are all excellent books for more trade specific people.

Edit for links:

http://www.amazon.com/Cinematography-Practice-Edition-Cinematographers-Directors/dp/0240812093/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841096&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Lighting-Second-Edition/dp/0240807634/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841096&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_7?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kris+malkiewicz&sprefix=Kris+ma%2Caps%2C359&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Akris+malkiewicz&ajr=0

http://www.amazon.com/The-Grip-Book-Fourth-Edition/dp/0240812913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841229&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Fourth-Edition/dp/0240810759/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841229&sr=8-4

http://www.amazon.com/The-Camera-Assistant-Complete-Professional/dp/0240800427/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841294&sr=8-4

not necessarily. characters commonly get paired off for stories, see IASIP.

the basic wisdom is that there are 6 to 8 archetypes of sitcom character. (this book lays out 8: https://www.amazon.com/Eight-Characters-Comedy-Sitcom-Writing/dp/0977064123)

in multi-cams all of these characters often inhabit the same main setting (Cheers, Big Bang Theory), and sometimes in single cam too (The Office, P&R, 30 Rock).

and time allotted per story is usually a hierarchy. A story might be 13 minutes, B story 5 minutes, and C story 2 minutes (with 3 beats throughout the show).

also OP, check out Ellen Sandler's TV Writer's Workbook. She's teaches you to track # of characters/scenes. if you break down your favorite shows/eps or at least shows you think are similar to your idea, you'll get a sense of your answer.

Here is an amazing book for you. I've considered myself quite the clotheshorse for years and I still learned a whole bunch of things. Highly recommended.

I would suggest reading Sondheim's books.

Finishing the Hat, and Look, I Made a Hat

And Everything Was Possible

Both are gonna give you very indepth details in the making of a musical, though specific to Sondheim.

From what I remember, the Lyricist and the Bookwriter went over the outline together. Then the bookwriter would start writing the play and send scenes as they were done. The lyricist/Score writers would then use those scenes as inspiration for songs.

> The Eight Characters of Comedy.

That's the name of the book. It's pretty much a must-read if you ever wanted to be in sitcom/comedy ensembles of any kind.

I think you've got a lot of good points in here, but I'm going to nit-pick at one:

>You can also learn about rigging from taking a look at their nightmare rigging pictures on fb.


I don't think you can glean much useful information from a picture on the internet, especially if you don't have any background knowledge to know that what you're looking at is bad. Jay Glerum's book is a good place to start for fundamental stuff - though nothing is a substitute for real world experience. I feel like looking at pictures of bad rigging makes you a rigger like looking at kittens on the internet makes you veterinarian.

Topstick toupee tape for a quick, on the fly hem!!

My husband bought suit pants the day before a funeral off the rack, and he, obviously, didn't have time to take them to a tailor. Used the Topstick and the temp. hem was perfect.

I also found the book 'How to Get Dressed' to be helpful for me.

Sondheim, maybe the greatest living lyricist, always has a dictionary, thesaurus, and rhyming dictionary when he writes.

And he's written books on his process

> Harpo Marx was awesome

FTFY.

Read this if you haven't already.

Hal Leonards Pocket Music Theory & Pocket Music Dictionary both live in my teaching bag for when something slips my mind. Great little texts and theyre cheap as chips.

Stage rigging handbook by jay O,Glerum

It's more theatrical but it makes the math and load calculations easy to understand.

These books have helped me a lot over the years.

Keith Johnstone - Impro

Sanford Meisner - On Acting

Laurence Olivier - On Acting

David Mamet - True and False

This book was both excellent and also used in a casting and mold making materials science course I took at Uni.

If you have a junior college nearby that offers the course, you can 'audit' it which means you won't be held to the assignments, or graded.

Show Networks and Control Systems

The Automated Lighting Programmer’s Handbook

These are two of the good ones for breaking down the basics and going through the whole process. Both are available on Amazon.

My undergrad prof used The Back Stage Guide to Stage Management by Thomas A. Kelly for our SM class. I thought it was really helpful!

Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1WiCGq-PcY

And then read this book (you would likely find this book on pretty much every acting conservatory's reading list): https://www.amazon.ca/Audition-Michael-Shurtleff/dp/0553272950

http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634

This my favorite book on lighting.

Read this book.

Read this book.

Read this book too.


These will give you a good basis to build knowledge/experience from.

Show Networks and Control Systems: Formerly "Control Systems for Live Entertainment" Second Edition

Correct, I just can’t justify the $50 at this time

I got to Columbia College Chicago and this is the book the teach us lighting from in the first courses.
https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634

I would definitely say learning how to light a scene comes from practice though, definitely do some reading so you can make educated decisions, but nothing beats practice.

Read this book. Treat it as your bible. Never give up.

But in terms of getting work from a production company like mine, there's a lot of casting websites we typically search through and pull from. Your acting talent typically won't matter much so long as you meet the description of the part they're looking for and have a big personality and a lot of energy. Keep in mind though that often these jobs pay very little or nothing at all.

I'm can't remember the names of the sites off the top of my head because I'm exhausted, but I'll post them in this comment tomorrow.

That is a great book, but really doesn't teach you rigging.

This is perhaps more on topic: https://www.amazon.com/Stage-Rigging-Handbook-Third-Glerum/dp/0809327414

There's a book written about 20yrs ago called the eight characters of comedy that breaks this formula right down.

May I present our lord and savior Jay Glerum (RIP). This guy literally wrote the book on stage rigging and was also the nicest guy ever. Seriously this is the place to start

Get him the Grimmerie. I love Wicked, and when I got this for my birthday 7 years ago, i practically peed myself. It's only $27 on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Grimmerie-Behind---Scenes-Broadway/dp/1401308201/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418601378&sr=8-1&keywords=wicked+the+grimmerie&pebp=1418601381703

The only diagrams for professional work I've ever seen were in a book called Motion Picture Lighting and Video Lighting. I've scanned one of the diagrams in the book as an example, though like you said, I don't think you'd have the resources to recreate it.

Stage Rigging Handbook
That'll teach you how to do it the right way. Then you can adapt to fit your space.

http://www.amazon.ca/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs8_KD_lvBg

In this field, you have to learn by doing. Get a small lighting kit with at least three lights. Get some gels and some diffusion. Set up your camera and play around.

https://www.amazon.ca/Back-Stage-Guide-Management-3rd/dp/0823098028

You've got to take blocking/light/sound cue notes, call the show, hold talent accountable for call times, lots of paperwork... generally be in charge of the show when the director isn't there. As a disclaimer, I've never been a professional stage manager because it's way too much work, but I work in professional theater.

Here’s one book:
Show Networks and Control Systems

https://www.amazon.com/Show-Networks-Control-Systems-Entertainment/dp/0692958738/

Improvise Scene from the Inside Out by Mick Napier

Behind the Scenes: Improvising Longform by Mick Napier

A few places to start:
http://www.amazon.com/Prop-Builders-Molding-Casting-Handbook/dp/1558701281

http://www.smooth-on.com/howto.php

anything by Meisner

This book will get you started.

And this book will carry you even further.

Show Networks and Control Systems: Formerly "Control Systems for Live Entertainment"

Few books that helped me get started:
https://www.amazon.com/Stage-Managers-Toolkit-Communication-Performance/dp/1138183776/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1542608132&sr=8-7&keywords=stage+manager

​

https://www.amazon.com/Back-Stage-Guide-Management-3rd/dp/0823098028/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0823098028&pd_rd_r=8bc387b0-ebc2-11e8-ae28-63a19228e702&pd_rd_w=z03gC&pd_rd_wg=p4c6y&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=6725dbd6-9917-451d-beba-16af7874e407&pf_rd_r=BFK34PJ5BZQ4P1BDVYTQ&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=BFK34PJ5BZQ4P1BDVYTQ

​

https://www.amazon.com/Stage-Manager-Experience_Refreshed-Larry-Fazio/dp/1138195073/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1542608202&sr=1-1&keywords=The+professional+stage+manager

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Aerodynamics of Yes by Christian Capozzoli

Improvise (Scenes from the inside out) by Mick Napier

Directing Improv by Asaf Ronen

*edit*

Links:

First book: https://www.amazon.com/Improvise-Scene-Inside-Mick-Napier/dp/156608198X ISBN: 156608198X

Second book: https://www.amazon.ca/Behind-Scenes-Improvising-Long-Form/dp/1566081998 ISBN: 1566081998

Books on rigging!

One Book,

Two Books,


Three Books!

Harpo Speaks...?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0809327414/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Stage Rigging Handbook.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0316736465

First Aid Manual

Just starters.

Impossible to name one. Books only had significance for me when they addressed a particular lifecycle that the business was in.

• Zero to One, when I needed the extra push to quit my job and focus on my new business full time.
  
  
• Walt Disney’s biography, when I was in the grind, feeling sorry for myself.
  
  
• Crossing the Chasm, when we needed to operationalize the business to scale.
  
  
• The Hard Thing About Hard Things, when I needed to fire our first VP.
  
  
• Only the Paranoid Survive, when I needed to learn how to disrupt myself.
  
  EDIT: Lots of requests for more books as they relate to 'business lifecycle'. Also, linked all of these on Amazon. Here ya go:
  
  
• Blue Ocean Strategy, when we realized positioning ourselves as a competitor to others was the wrong approach
  
  
• Your Strategy Needs a Strategy, when planning things out years in advance kept us committed to the wrong plan for too long.
  
  
• Accounting for Non-Accountants, when I was just getting started and needed to learn how to read a financial statement :)
  
  
• The Art of Acting, when I needed to give a convincing presentation for the first time.
  
  
• Co-Active Coaching, when I needed to learn how to actively listen to employees (this lead to me becoming an executive coach).
  
  
• Understanding Michael Porter, a master class on business strategy.