Other Useful Reference Works:
The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales
edited by Jack Zipes
This comprehensive guide is as wonderfully thorough and
cross-referenced as we've come to expect from the Oxford
Companions, and it deserves a place on the bookshelf of any
lover of children's literature or films. Arranged
alphabetically, "The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales" covers
authors, illustrators, individual titles, and countries of
origin for the fairy tales of Europe, from medieval times
through the era of Walt Disney. Each entry is handily marked
with asterisks when there's a related section to read; "The
Little Mermaid" has asterisks highlighting both Hans
Christian Andersen and Disney, whereas the larger section of
Victorian Fairy Painting has 19 asterisks in its three pages
of text. While authors and stories generally don't get more
than a few paragraphs of detail, you'll find the quantity of
entries most impressive. Beyond standard fairy tales,
authors of classic children's literature and adult fantasy
are often included, if their works rely in any way on
earlier myths or tales - Terry Pratchett and Maurice Sendak
are two examples. Larger sections devoted to regional
differences are lengthy and fascinating, and they include
Portugal, Spain, France, North America, Britain, and Italy.
The book also has plenty of illustrations. While they're all
in black and white, the variety of artistic styles is
wonderful, and each plate is large enough to show charming
details of giants, maidens, witches, and all the classic
characters of these beloved stories. Whether your heart lies
with Edward Gorey or Kate Greenaway, you're sure to enjoy
the facts behind your favourite tale.
Encyclopaedia of Pantomime
This encyclopaedia represents the first attempt ever to provide an accessible and comprehensive reference source for the pantomime and intended for the use of students, enthusiasts and general readers alike.
The book includes a detailed chronology following the curious development of the pantomime since its earliest roots in the commedia dell'arte and other ancient traditions, an essay on the contemporary pantomime and a guide to writing pantomimes, a selection of notable quotations about the pantomime, an A-Z section, and appendix covering related children's plays, a bibliography and a comprehensive index.
Lighting and Sound
Neil Fraser
This book is an introduction to the art of theatre lighting and sound. It can be sued by the novice who aims to become an expert, or by the experienced technician to improve working methods, pick up new ideas and skills, and confirm old ones. It can be read as a whole or dipped into for specific references. The book is designed to give readers instant access to information and ideas.
Making Musicals
Tom Jones
The lyric'librettist of The Fantasicks, the longest-running show in the history of American
theatre, here takes on a new role as a guide
through the magical world of the stage musical. He
begins his tour with a brief history, tracing the
musical's origins to the variety shows and
operettas of the early 1900s, from which gradually
emerged the works of such masters as Kern, Berlin,
Gershwin and Porter, and a tradition best
exemplified by the mid-century clasics of Rodgers
and Hammerstein. A break-up of that tradition,
reflecting the immense changes in every aspect of
postwar American life, was inevitable. So gradually
new forms evolved, and today we have the "Dance
Musical", the "Concept Musical", the "Rock Musical"
and the "Sung-Through Musical", all running
alongside shows, some hugely successful , that
revive or try to reinvent the past.
How to create a musical, whatever its style, is Tom JOne's concern in the longer second part of his book. He draws generously on his own experiences, with composer Harvey Schmidt, in creating not only The Fantasticks but all their other shows. Together these musicals become a constant frame of reference as Jones explains how to get started, how to work with composers, set designers and other collaborators, how to find the spark for an effective lyric, how to create a musical rather than a play with music and how to go about getting produced.
Never preachy or pedantic, always ready with an illuminating anecdote, Tom Jones has produced just the book - warm, charming, funny, useful - that we would expecty from the man who wrote the words of The Fantasticks.
Stage Management and Theatre Administration
Pauline Menear & Terry Hawkins
Staging a play or a musical can be exciting, demanding and rewarding. It can also be exhausting, frustrating and chaotic. But a good stage management team can turn a potentially embarrassing production into a smooth-running, trouble-free success.
Stage Design and Properties
Michael Holt
The kind and amount of design work you will do on a production will depend on the script you have, the size and nature of your theatre company and its budget. However, you can get an idea of your function and responsibilities by considering the simple question, Why a designer?
Hot Irons
Howard Brenton
Diaries, Essays, Journalism
The first autobiographical book by one of Britain's most controversial playwrights.
288 pp hbk : 1 85459 123 1
The
Guinness Who's Who of Film Musicals and Musical
Films
This encyclopaedia covers the complete history of the genre, from the birth of the film musical with The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson in 1927, right through to the Oscar winning Walt Disney classics such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.
354 pp : pbk ISBN 0851127878
Collins - Musicals
Michael Patrick Kennedy & John Muir
Collins Musicals is an invaluable guide to this hugely popular art form, presenting essential information on over 180 major - and some not so major - musicals in an accessible, yet scholarly, way.
The entry for each musical includes:
- The composer, lyricist and the first UK and US performances
- Principal characters, plot synopsis and hit songs
- Original stage cast and film credits
- Recommended recordings
- Diverting background information, reviews and anecdotes featured in an entertaining "Did You Know?" section.
The guide also includes potted biographies for many of the composers and lyricists, plus an overview of the origins and development of the musical, an a glossary of terms.
Covering everything from mould-breaking productions such as Show Boat, through the shows of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Lerner and Loewe, to the theatrical extravaganzas of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Collins Musicals is an indispensable reference source for musical devotees and newcomers alike.