In the first book-length study of Annie Baker, one of the most critically acclaimed playwrights in the United States today and winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a MacArthur “genius� grant, Amy Muse analyzes Baker’s plays and other work. These include The Flick, John, The Antipodes, the Shirley Vermont plays, and her adaptation of Uncle Vanya. Muse illuminates their intellectual and ethical themes and issues by contextualizing them with the other works of theatre, art, theology, and psychology that Baker read while writing them. Through close discussions of Baker’s work, this book immerses readers in her use of everyday language, her themes of loneliness, desire, empathy, and storytelling, and her innovations with stage time. Enriched by a foreword from Baker’s former professor, playwright Mac Wellman, as well as essays by four scholars, Thomas Butler, Jeanmarie Higgins, Katherine Weiss, and Harrison Schmidt, this is a companionable guide for students of American literature and theatre studies, which deepens their knowledge and appreciation of Baker’s dramatic invention. Muse argues that Baker is finely attuned to the language of the everyday: imperfect, halting, marked with unexpressed desires, banalities, and silence. Called “antitheatrical,� these plays draw us back to the essence of theatre: space, time, and story, sitting with others in real time, witnessing the dramatic in the ordinary lives of ordinary people. Baker’s revolution for the stage has been to slow it down and bring us all into the mystery and pleasure of attention.

When he left Hollywood in March 1941, Jimmy Stewart was America's boy next door movie star and a recent Academy Award winner. He left all that behind to join the United States Army Air Corps and fulfill his family mission to serve his country—only to face obstacle after obstacle from both Hollywood and Washington. Finally he made his way to the European Theater, where several near-death experiences and the loss of men under his command took away his youthful good looks. The war finally won, he returned home with millions of other veterans to face an uncertain future, suffering what we now know as PTSD. For the next half century, Stewart refused to discuss his combat experiences and took the story of his service to the grave. Mission presents the first in-depth look at Stewart's life as a Squadron Commander in the skies over Germany, from takeoff to landing and every key moment in between. Author Robert Matzen sifted through thousands of Air Force combat reports and the Stewart personnel files; interviewed surviving aviators who flew with Stewart; visited the James Stewart Papers at Brigham Young University; flew in the cockpits of the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator; and walked the earth of air bases in England used by Stewart in his combat missions of 1943-45. What emerges in Mission is the story of a Jimmy Stewart you never knew until now, a story more fantastic than any he brought to the screen.

As a boy, Tom's first crush was a strapping young farmhand who worked the fields around his family home. Finland is a land of tough physical men, catching fish in the icy sea; cutting logs in the endless forests; threshing oats, rye, and barley on the farms. Tom, a more sensitive boy, admired these rough men and their distinctive clothing, designed for protection and utility. He later said, "When I was young, leather was worn by people who worked outside because it was warm. All the men who wore leather, they were the type of men which I adored." When he began to draw he celebrated these early idols, improving their wardrobes with tight jeans, faded T-shirts, and thigh-high beak-toed Lappish boots. It was a young logger in this gear who appeared on the spring 1957 cover of Physique Pictorial, introducing Tom to the world. In the decades to follow Tom added truckers, repairmen, construction workers, circus roustabouts, and the American cowboy to his roster of working-class heroes. Though just sexual fantasies for him, his portrayal of blue-collar lovers helped working class gays accept their true selves. The Little Book of Tom: Blue Collar traces Tom's fascination with working men in one compact and affordable package. A brawny lineup of multi-panel comics and single-panel drawings and paintings is set alongside archival and contextual material, including historic film stills and posters, personal photos of Tom, sketches, and Tom's own reference photos.

The extraordinary global success of Turkish drama serials is a significant development in contemporary popular culture. This book presents comparative audience data from three different regions to explore its ramifications across the Global South. We learn how this phenomenon has transformed Turkey—a Muslim-majority country—into the world’s second-largest producer of scripted television serials, enticing audiences from all over the world. The book takes an audience-centred approach, investigating the reasons for the allure of Turkish dramas to Arab, Latin American, and Israeli audiences. In tandem, it explores Turkey's changing foreign policy, economic, and trade relationships since the turn of the millennium, which have coincided with the enormous success of the country's television output. It also analyses the role and importance of Turkish dramas as a soft-power tool by scrutinizing how they have influenced viewers' perceptions of Turkey, its people, and its culture. This volume will appeal to those working in various disciplines—from media and communication, international relations, public diplomacy, sociology, and Middle Eastern studies. The material will also be of great relevance to upper-level undergraduates, postgraduate students, academics, scholars and researchers.

Metaphysical thought has been excluded from much of the discourse on modern art, especially abstract painting. By connecting ideas about faith with the initiators of abstract painting, Joseph Masheck reveals how an underlying religiosity informed some of our most important abstract painters. Covering Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, Piet Mondrian, and El Lissitzky, Masheck shows how ‘revealed religion’ has been an underlying but fundamental determinant of the thinking and practice of abstract painting from its originators down to the present. He contextualizes their art within some of the historical moments of the early 20th century, including the Russian revolution and the Stalinist period, and explores the appeal of certain themes, such as the Passion of Christ. A radical new theorization of the influence of religion over visual art, Faith in Art asks why metaphysics has been eliminated from the discussion where it might have something to say. This is a new way of thinking about a hundred years of abstract painting.

PUBLISHED TO ACCOMPANY THE ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXHIBITION AT THE RIJKSMUSEUM, AMSTERDAM, THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR STUDY ON VERMEER'S LIFE AND WORK FOR MANY YEARS. ---------- 'Proust was once so excited to see a Vermeer show that he collapsed … I got chest pains merely leafing through the catalogue' Jonathan Jones, Guardian 'Invest in the fat catalogue, stuffed with scholarly discoveries and photographic closeups, and you will learn about everything from Vermeer’s optical mastery to his moral symbolism' Rachel Campbell-Johnston, The Times 'Excellent' Artists & Illustrators ---------- Vermeer's intensely quiet and enigmatic paintings invite the viewer into a private world, often prompting more questions than answers. Who is being portrayed? Are his subjects real or imagined? And how did he create such an unrivalled sense of intimacy? Bringing together diverse strands of the Dutch master's professional and private worlds, this is the first major authoritative study of Vermeer's life and work for many years, throwing light on all thirty-seven of his paintings. The book was designed by Irma Boom, the ‘Queen of Books’, and printed on an uncoated ‘Munken Print White’ paper, specially commissioned to ensure the veracity of colours. Irma Boom says: ‘the matte paper brings you closer to Vermeer; there is no gloss or glare in between, just like with the real works.’ With a wide selection of contextual illustrations, commentaries and up-to-date research by distinguished international Vermeer scholars, this is the definitive volume on the most admired of all seventeenth-century Dutch masters. With contributions by Bart Cornelis, National Gallery, London Bente Frissen, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Sabine Pénot, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna Pieter Roelofs, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Friederike Schuett, Staedel Museum, Frankfurt am Main Christian Tico Seifert, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh Ariane van Suchtelen, Mauritshuis, The Hague Gregor J.M. Weber, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Marjorie E. Wieseman, National Gallery of Art, Washington

This book demonstrates the beneficial effects in brain circuits involving memory and attention, reward and social values, decision making and coordination, creativity and persistence of the skills and expertise of continuing education and exposure to the Arts; including chess practice, music/counting, college education and watching movies. These activities were reviewed and investigated using full-spectrum, advanced quantitative imaging techniques. The book highlights extensive applications for this research in common diseases, together with cutting-edge and full-spectrum static and dynamic, functional and structural, regional and inter-network, imaging and phenotypic scales. It will capture the interest of researchers in the areas of neurodevelopmental, neuroplasticity and neuropsychiatric imaging and correlation, as well as disease diagnosis and treatment, and could help convey the methodological innovation and neuroscientific applications of important educational, health and arts/science-related topics.

'Arts, Entertainment and Tourism' is a pioneering text that, by focusing on the consumer, investigates the relationship between these 3 industries and how this relationship can be developed to its best competitive advantage.

Issue-led, this text draws on appropriate disciplines rather than using one single approach, to examine issues in arts and entertainment within the framework of cultural tourism.
Written to meet the needs of students studying on management courses in the arts, tourism and leisure, 'Arts, Entertainment and Tourism':
*Describes the general arts and tourism background
*Identifies a framework for analysis that acknowledges differing levels of interest in the arts and entertainment
*Discusses the arts and entertainment that feature (past and present) in tourism
*Examines the reasons why the arts, entertainment and tourism have an interest in each other and how they go about developing the relationship
*Examines the relationship: are there tourists in audiences and do the arts and entertainment attract tourists to a destination?
*Evaluates the wider effects (good and bad) on both the arts and tourism
*Discusses the direction of future developments by arts and tourism organizations and for future research
International text with case studies from around the world
Managerial relevance but based on Academic disciplines
Includes Entertainment as well as the 'high' arts

This book provides an overview of the growing field of screenwriting research and is essential reading for both those new to the field and established screenwriting scholars. It covers topics and concepts central to the study of screenwriting and the screenplay in relation to film, television, web series, animation, games and other interactive media, and includes a range of approaches, from theoretical perspectives to in-depth case studies. 44 scholars from around the globe demonstrate the range and depths of this new and expanding area of study. As the chapters of this Handbook demonstrate, shifting the focus from the finished film to the process of screenwriting and the text of the screenplay facilitates valuable new insights. This Handbook is the first of its kind, an indispensable compendium for both academics and practitioners.

We live in an ever-increasingly complex world, but refreshment waits for you within these pages. Escape the anxiety—the let-downs, the distractions, the chaos—and color your way toward a quiet soul. Escape the stress of daily life and color your way toward quietness and strength. Even in our hectic world, God's mercy and faithfulness are available. Slow down with this attractive, Bible-based adult coloring book and let God's mercy and goodness renew your soul. With more than 90 pages of unique patterns and inspiring selections of Scripture and quotations alongside original illustrations from author and artist Jennifer Tucker, New Mercies I See invites you to turn down the volume, be still, and relax in God's goodness. A beautiful way to relieve anxiety and treat yourself to the vital practice of self-care, this exquisitely designed adult coloring book features: 96 single-sided pages of art and inspiring text A large format with 10x10 pages A strikingly lovely cover with gold accents High-quality paper that doesn’t bleed through Convenient lay-flat binding Reflective Bible verses and inspirational quotes, all accompanied by beautiful designs and accented with metallic ink Detailed illustrations suitable for all skill levels   New Mercies I See invites you to: Reflect on God's goodness and generosity as you read calming and reassuring Bible verses Create unique pieces of art that you can give away or display as decorative reminders of God's love Take a break from your busy schedule to find moments for rest and replenishment   This relaxing and beautifully designed adult coloring book is perfect for anyone who: Welcomes a respite from the noise, distraction, and busyness of life Longs to meditate on Bible verses and uplifting thoughts Needs a stress-relieving activity, but doesn't have much time Looks for ways to bless a loved one with an encouraging gift for special occasions or just because Wants to experience a decrease in anxiety through the research-based benefits of coloring   New Mercies I See is a beautiful invitation to enjoy the peace and serenity that the Lord offers. Whatever season of life you're in, pick up your favorite art supplies and find rest for your soul as you color your way toward a more peaceful and contented state of being.

This book reflects on time, space and culture in the Game of Thrones universe. It analyses both the novels and the TV series from a multidisciplinary perspective ultimately aimed at highlighting the complexity, eclecticism and diversity that characterises Martin’s world. The book is divided into three thematic sections. The first section focuses on space—both the urban and natural environment—and the interaction between human beings and their surroundings. The second section follows different yet complementary approaches to Game of Thrones from an aesthetic and cultural perspective. The final section addresses the linguistic and translation implications of the Game of Thrones universe, as well as its didactic uses. This book is paired with a second volume that focuses on the characters that populate Martin’s universe, as well as on one of the ways in which they often interact—violence and warfare—from the same multidisciplinary perspective.

From the early days of his stage career in the decades before World War I through his unparalleled comeback after World War II, Al Jolson was billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer." This book provides an insightful sketch of Jolson's life and a comprehensive record of his extensive career. The volume begins with a biography which discusses the factors that shaped Jolson's development as a performer. A chronology of the chief events in his life follows. Chapters are then devoted to his stage, film, recording, and broadcast career. Each of these chapters contains annotated entries for Jolson's performances. A bibliography follows, with entries for books, periodicals, and newspaper articles. Appendices list stage shows based on Jolson's life, along with newsreels, cartoons, awards, and endorsements related to his career. Name and title indexes conclude the work and add to its reference value.

Publicity, nerve, and verve made David Merrick possibly the most successful producer in the history of Broadway. Not since the days of David Belasco or Florenz Ziegfeld had the theatre produced such a spectacular producer-star. He was dubbed The Barnum of Broadway or, less flatteringly, The Abominable Showman, and Clive Barnes of the New York Times said he had showmanship running out of his ears. Although he was best known for his musical productions, including Hello Dolly! (1964) and 42nd Street (1980), he produced many nonmusicals as well; Cecil Smith of the Los Angeles Times wrote that he was one of the most sensitive and effective producers of fine dramas in modern Broadway. Merrick's career, tempered by a legal background, is an undisputed testimony to his artistic sensibilities, his razor-edged business acumen, his talent for public relations, and his unrelenting drive. This study chronicles the life and career of one of the last of Broadway's independent producers, David Merrick, who produced eighty-eight plays on Broadway during his professional lifetime. Following a chronology of his career and a biographical sketch, all his plays, plus film productions, are carefully documented with credits, runs, synopses, and review citations. An annotated bibliography includes his own writings and a chronologically organized listing of books and articles about him. An appendix is devoted to major awards given to Merrick, his productions, and other principals and stars involved with them; and a second appendix lists theatre productions that were made into films. Carefully cross-referenced and indexed, the book adds to the growing number of studies that organize essential resources for research and scholarship in American theatre.

Best known for his iconic print Under the Wave off Kanagawa, also known as the Great Wave, Katsushika Hokusai was a revolutionary printmaker. His mastery of ukiyo-e in the nineteenth century has inspired generations of artists since, and his works exposed the world to the delicate beauty and power of Japanese woodblock technique. In addition to his remarkable artistic output, Hokusai was also a dedicated teacher who sought to pass down his deep understanding of color and painting to practicing artists through immensely detailed written tutorials. Here, for the first time in centuries, are excerpts from his manuals, many available for the first time in English. It is an invaluable insight into the psyche of a true master, and a rare personal account of an artist's life during a fascinating period in Japan's history. Connecting Hokusai's prints from the Edo period to manga, author Ryoko Matsuba foregrounds Hokusai's contributions to Japanese creative expression from the 1800s to today. Also included in this book: Vincent Van Gogh's letter about Hokusai's Great Wave and the contemporary artist Ikeda Manabu's concise observations about Hokusai's lasting influence.

A thorough survey of great interest and value to scholars in this field.

Black women’s work in television has been, since the beginning, a negotiation. Black Women and the Changing Television Landscape explores the steps black women, as actors, directors, and producers, have taken to improve representations of black people on the small screen. Beginning with The Beulah Show, Anderson articulates the interrelationship between US culture and the televisual, demonstrating the conditions under which black women particularly, and black people generally, exist in popular culture.