From his early horror movies, including Scanners, Videodrome, Rabid, and The Fly-with their exploding heads, mutating sex organs, rampaging parasites, and scientists turning into insects-to his inventive adaptations of books by William Burroughs (Naked Lunch), Don DeLillo (Cosmopolis), and Bruce Wagner (Maps to the Stars), Canadian director David Cronenberg (b. 1943) has consistently dramatized the struggle between the aspirations of the mind and the messy realities of the flesh. ""I think of human beings as a strange mixture of the physical and the non-physical, and both of these things have their say at every moment we're alive,"" says Cronenberg. ""My films are some kind of strange metaphysical passion play."" Moving deftly between genre and arthouse filmmaking and between original screenplays and literary adaptations, Cronenberg's work is thematically consistent and marked by a rigorous intelligence, a keen sense of humor, and a fearless engagement with the nature of human existence. He has been exploring the most primal themes since the beginning of his career and continues to probe them with growing maturity and depth. Cronenberg's work has drawn the interest of some of the most intelligent contemporary film critics, and the fifteen interviews in this volume feature remarkably in-depth and insightful conversations with such acclaimed writers as Amy Taubin, Gary Indiana, David Breskin, Dennis Lim, Richard Porton, Gavin Smith, and more. The pieces herein reveal Cronenberg to be one of the most articulate and deeply philosophical directors now working, and they comprise an essential companion to an endlessly provocative and thoughtful body of work.

Creating Musical Theatre features interviews with the directors and choreographers that make up today's Broadway elite. From Susan Stroman and Kathleen Marshall to newcomers Andy Blankenbuehler and Christopher Gattelli, this book features twelve creative artists, mostly director/choreographers, many of whom have also crossed over into film and television, opera and ballet. To the researcher, this book will deliver specific information on how these artists work; for the performer, it will serve as insight into exactly what these artists are looking for in the audition process and the rehearsal environment; and for the director/choreographer, this book will serve as an inspiration detailing each artist's pursuit of his or her dream and the path to success, offering new insight and a deeper understanding of Broadway today. Creating Musical Theatre includes a foreword by four-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara, one of the most elegant and talented leading ladies gracing the Broadway and concert stage today, as well as interviews with award-winning directors and choreographers, including: Rob Ashford (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying); Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights); Jeff Calhoun (Newsies); Warren Carlyle (Follies); Christopher Gattelli (Newsies); Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes); Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde); Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon); Randy Skinner (White Christmas); Susan Stroman (The Scottsboro Boys); Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys); and Anthony Van Laast (Sister Act).

Fifteen years in the making, "860 glittering pages" ("The New York Times"), the first volume of the astonishing life of Barbara Sanwyck--one of our greatest screen actresses--explores her extraordinary range of eighty-eight motion pictures, her work, her world, and her Hollywood through an American century.
Frank Capra called her "the greatest emotional actress the screen has yet known." Yet Barbara Stanwyck (1907-1990) was also one of its most underrated stars. Now, Victoria Wilson gives us the most complete portrait of this magnificent actress, seen as the quintessential Brooklyn girl whose family was in fact of old New England stock...her years in New York as dancer and Broadway star...her fraught marriage to Broadway genius, Frank Fay...the adoption of a son; her partnership with Zeppo Marx, with whom she created a horse breeding farm; her fairytale romance and marriage to Robert Taylor, America's most sought-after male star... Here is the shaping of her career working with Hollywood's most important directors, all set against the times--the Depression, the rise of the unions, the coming of World War II, and a fast-evolving motion picture industry. At the heart of the book is Stanwyck herself--how she transformed herself from shunned outsider into one of America's most revered screen actresses.
Volume One is the result of more than 100 exhaustive interviews with those who knew Stanwyck, many who never before had agreed to be interviewed: her family, friends, and co-workers from Lauren Bacall, Jane Fonda, and Jackie Cooper to Patricia Neal, Milton Berle, and Kirk Douglas; from Billy Wilder, Bruce Dern, and Anthony Quinn to Jane Powell, Charlton Heston, Arthur Laurents, and Sydney Lumet. "An epic Hollywood narrative," "A Life of Barbara Stanwyck "includes never-before-seen letters, journals, and photographs.

With Danny Turner, Stansberry uses an epistolary to advance, color, and develop characters created in his two earlier novels, So Sings The Chattahoochee and 234 Whitehall. The book focuses on Danny Turner, high school friend of Dewey Favers, and the Campbellton children whose relationships were so solidly formed back in that magical summer of 1912. Watch for the companion book, Dewey Favers: Aviator Angel which contains the other side of this conversation. Coming soon. The book is a collection of letters detailing a year in the life of minor league baseball star Danny Turner, as he is called up to the majors for a glorious season with the 1926 St. Louis Cardinals......the eventual World Series Champions. Perhaps life, is more important, and surprising, than baseball?

This book contains a selection of non-academic materials on a wide range of topics related to Malaysian culture. Several of them deal with traditional Malay theatre genres, particularly mak yong, recognised by UNESCO as an item of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005, the shadow play and bangsawan. Others record the contributions of prominent personalities as practitioners, preservers, teachers and transmitters of oral traditions. The author touches upon issues related to the precarious situation in the arts in a rapidly changing Malay society which has in general neglected traditional performing arts forms under pressures exerted by modenisation and the simultaneous wave of Islamicisation. His own involvement in teaching, research, documentation as well as preservation of many of these arts provides unique personal insights into some of the problems and pertinent issues. Other essays of a more general nature, touch upon the continuing and at times controversial relationships between Malay cultural manifestations and those in neighbouring countries, contributions of the minority Indian-Muslim community in Malaysia, and upon the role of the administration in the preservation of heritage. The brief accounts contained in this volume are presented in a direct and readable manner for the non-expert enthusiast of culture and the arts from the perspective of someone deeply and passionately involved.

A treasured read. I learned, laughed, and cried. I will pass on this remarkable resource. - Dawn Eger Rizzo, Thyroid Cancer SurvivorUnflappable, witty, honest, and inspirational describe Lorna's exploration of her journey. As a survivor of kidney cancer, I was awed, captivated, and encouraged by the positive nature of Lorna's personal philosophy. - Marsha E. Bergquist, Cancer SurvivorHaving suffered much loss from this disease, Lorna's narrative about dealing with thyroid cancer is not only filled with useful and practical information, but was cathartic for my own repressed emotions. I laughed, I cried, and I healed. - Ellie Osborne Lorna has the innate gift of bringing light, laughter, and hope while sharing her journey with readers. I was pulled in by her honesty and even laughed out loud at times. - Linda Joy, PublisherMain Entry: dirty bomb-shellFunction: nounDate: 2005: a former bombshell beauty fighting thyroid cancer in the Nuclear Medicine Department of a hospital about to ingest a purple radioactive radiation pill that will make her a contagious toxic human dirty bomb. Dirty Bombshell is the poignant and brave story of a 33 year old girl who is fighting her way back to wellness. Her triumphant story sheds light on a cancer most Americans are in the dark about. This story of faith, forgiveness, strength, hope, courage, tolerance, and self-discovery will change the way you tackle hardship, leaving you with the power to survive and thrive. Dirty Bombshell will help you find your way back to FABULOUS As an actor, singer, writer, producer, and teacher, Lorna J. Brunelle has always had a passion for the arts. A tireless volunteer, with an indelible commitment to bring positive change, she is dedicated to a range of causes.

This is a man's journey through addiction and his quest for recovery. It is a story of hope, faith and strength that will lead one man from the pits of despair to the heights of recovery, and through that process find himself and his calling: to help others find their way.

Many life stories are represented in this book that is presented as a poetic autobiography. The author uses the poetic "voice" to announce that we are all "wonderfully made" despite being told or treated otherwise. Although there is anger, pain and protest on the pages, there is also love, pleasure and power included. The book is both cultural autobiography and poetry therapy. It is both sad and sassy. The goal is for the reader to leave the work with a new sense of priceless value. What is most interesting is that the author gets to your heart and brain with powerful poetry that can assist you with self expression and empowerment.

Stanley Baxter delighted over 20 million viewers at a time with his television specials. His pantos became legendary. His divas and dames were so good they were beyond description. Baxter was a most brilliant cowboy Coward, a smouldering Dietrich. He found immense laughs as Formby and Liberace. And his sex-starved Tarzan swung in a way Hollywood could never have imagined. But who is the real Stanley Baxter? The comedy actor's talents are matched only by his past reluctance to colour in the detail of his own character. Now, the man behind the mischievous grin, the twinkling eyes and the once- Brylcreemed coiffure is revealed. In a tale of triumphs and tragedies, of giant laughs and great falls from grace, we discover that while the enigmatic entertainer could play host to hundreds of different voices, the role he found most difficult to play was that of Stanley Baxter.

Born in 1916 in La Jolla, California, Gregory Peck took up acting in college on a lark that would lead to a career. In his early years, he appeared in a series of summer stock engagements and Broadway shows. He became a star within a year after arriving in Hollywood during World War II, and he won an Academy Award nomination for his second film. From the 1940s to the present, he has played some of film's most memorable and admired characters. This volume provides complete information about Gregory Peck's work in film, television, radio, and the stage. Entries are included for all of his performances, with each entry providing cast and credit information, a plot summary, excerpts from reviews, and critical commentary. A biography and chronology highlight significant events in his life, while a listing of his honors and awards summarizes the recognition he has received over the years. For researchers seeking additional information, the book includes descriptions of special collections holding material related to Peck's work, along with an extensive bibliography of books and articles.

Once called the ""perfect example of a homeless waif"" by director Cecil B. DeMille, Junior Coghlan has been acting in movies for over 70 years. Perhaps best remembered for his role as Billy Batson in the Republic serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel, he has worked with many of the legends of Hollywood, such as Charlie Chaplin, Mickey Rooney, Jackie Cooper, and Shirley Temple. Also included are the stories of Coghlan's 23-year naval service, where he enlisted as an aviator during World War II and eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Included are the stories of his eight years as the naval liaison on such films as The Caine Mutiny and Mr. Roberts. A filmography traces his career.

Tracing the historical figure of Vaslav Nijinsky in contemporary documents and later reminiscences, Dancing Genius opens up questions about authorship in dance, about critical evaluation of performance practice, and the manner in which past events are turned into history.

Feathers of Color What it was like playing the Famous BigBird " An American Icon" is about the journey of a man who became one of the world's biggest stars. In this book Lionel Douglass shares the days before he reached stardom as the Sesame Street character, and the book will touch on several phases of his life, giving you a glimpse of his life's paths. This book will make you realize that we all have a destiny. Part of Lionel's destiny was to secure a spot in history, and join the ranks of those who have been affiliated with one of the biggest television shows for children. This book touches upon the life of a middle-class, small-town boy with dreams, which were answered as a young-adult by becoming one of the famous Bigbirds, on stage and screen. Learn the interesting story of how Lionel became one of the famous Bigbirds, and how Jim Henson, Caroll Spinney, Anita Mann, as well as Kermit Love helped school and condition him to represent and portray the work of this Muppet great Travel along with Lionel and find out how he was snubbed by members of the Sesame Street organization despite his vital contributions to the show's survival. Ride with him, and share his journey as he tells the world about a dreamer who embraced the opportunity to become one of the world's largest icons, and some of his fascinating adventures along the way. Just sit back and relax, and enjoy Lionel Douglass' story of an African American who relished the chance to portray such a world-renowned icon.

Anyone who aspires to lead and be successful in any endeavor will profit from reading the Joe Francis story. No matter what your goals might be, you can bet that Joe Francis would encourage and support them in any way he could, even if you were a competitor of his. His credo, to make a poor man rich, came to fruition while he tread his journey and it is indelibly printed in the hearts of many of those who did become rich as a result of following Joe s lead.
Joe Francis had an iron core but was a kind and gentle man with an abundance of dignity and class. His passion was fueled by his love for his wife Flo, who was with him every inch of the way, providing new wind under wings as he faced challenges that seemed to be insurmountable.