Show Tunes fully chronicles the shows, songs, and careers of the major composers of the American musical theatre, from Jerome Kern's earliest interpolations to the latest hits on Broadway. Legendary composers like Gershwin, Rodgers, Porter, Berlin, Bernstein, and Sondheim have been joined by more recent songwriters like Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Flaherty, Michael John LaChiusa, and Adam Guettel. This majestic reference book covers their work, their innovations, their successes, and their failures. Show Tunes is simply the most comprehensive volume of its kind ever produced, and this newly revised and updated edition discusses almost 1,000 shows and 9,000 show tunes. The book has been called "a concise skeleton key to the Broadway musical" (Variety) and "a ground-breaking reference work with a difference" (Show Music)-or, as the Washington Post observed, "It makes you sing and dance all over your memory."
The eagerly anticipated Fourth Edition, updated through May, 2009, features the entire theatrical output of forty of Broadway's leading composers, in addition to a wide selection of work by other songwriters. The listings include essential production data and statistics, the most extensive information available on published and recorded songs, and lively commentary on the shows, songs, and diverse careers. Based on meticulous research, the book also uncovers dozens of lost musicals-including shows that either closed out of town or were never headed for Broadway-and catalogs hundreds of previously unknown songs, including a number of musical gems that have been misplaced, cut, or forgotten. Informative, insightful, and provocative, Show Tunes is an essential guide for anyone interested in the American musical.

For centuries, Arthurian legend has captured imaginations throughout Europe and the Americas with its tales of Camelot, romance, and chivalry. The ever-shifting, age-old tale of King Arthur and his world is one which depends on retellings for its endurance in the cultural imagination. Using adaptation theory as a framework, From Camelot to Spamalot foregrounds the role of music in selected Arthurian adaptations, examining six stage and film musicals. The book considers how musical versions in twentieth and twenty-first century popular culture interpret the legend of King Arthur, contending that music guides the audience to understand this well-known tale and its characters in new and unexpected ways. All of the productions considered include an overtly modern perspective on the legend, intruding and even commenting on the tale of King Arthur. Shifting from an idealistic utopia to a silly place, the myriad notions of Camelot offer a look at the importance of myth in American popular culture. Author Megan Woller's approach, rooted in the literary theory of scholars like Linda Hutcheon, highlights the intertextual connections between chosen works and Arthurian legend. In so doing, From Camelot to Spamalot intersects with and provides a timely contribution to several different fields of study, from adaptation studies and musical theater studies to film studies and Arthurian studies.

In the span of four months in 2012, Tig Notaro was hospitalized for a debilitating intestinal disease called C. diff, her mother unexpectedly died, she went through a breakup, and then she was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer. Hit with this devastating barrage, Tig took her grief onstage. Days after receiving her cancer diagnosis, she broke new comedic ground, opening an unvarnished set with the words: 'Good evening. Hello. I have cancer. How are you? Hi, how are you? Is everybody having a good time? I have cancer.' The set instantly went viral, and was ultimately released as Tig's sophomore album, Live, which sold one hundred thousand units in just six weeks and was later nominated for a Grammy. Now, the wildly popular star takes stock of that no good, very bad year - a difficult yet astonishing period in which tragedy turned into absurdity and despair transformed into joy. An inspired combination of the deadpan silliness of her comedy and the open-hearted vulnerability that has emerged in the wake of that dire time, I'm Just a Person is a moving and often hilarious look at this very brave, very funny woman's journey into the darkness and her thrilling return from it.

Let the spooky citizens of Halloween Town guide your tarot practice with this sumptuously illustrated tarot deck inspired by Tim Burton's classic animated film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Disney's iconic holiday film The Nightmare Before Christmas is now an enchanting tarot set, offering a frightful-but-friendly take on the traditional 78-card deck. This set features all your favorite characters from Jack Skellington to Mr. Oogie Boogie to Sandy Claws himself in gorgeous original illustrations based on classic tarot iconography. Featuring both major and minor arcana, the set also comes with a helpful guidebook explaining each card's meaning, as well as simple spreads for easy readings. Packaged in a sturdy, decorative gift box, this hauntingly charming tarot deck is the perfect gift for the The Nightmare Before Christmas fan or tarot enthusiast in your life.

Structure is Character. Characters are what they do. Story events impact the characters and the characters impact events. Actions and reactions create revelation and insight, opening the door to a meaningful emotional experience for the audience. Story is what elevates a film, a novel, a play, or teleplay, transforming a good work into a great one. Movie-making in particular is a collaborative endeavour - requiring great skill and talent by the entire cast, crew and creative team - but the screenwriter is the only original artist on a film. Everyone else - the actors, directors, cameramen, production designers, editors, special effects wizards and so on - are interpretive artists, trying to bring alive the world, the events and the characters that the writer has invented and created. Robert McKee's STORY is a comprehensive and superbly organized exploration of all elements, from the basics to advanced concepts. It is a practical course, presenting new perspectives on the craft of storytelling, not just for the screenwriter but for the novelist, playwright, journalist and non-fiction writers of all types.

"Those who dismiss Brecht as a yea-sayer to Stalinism are advised to read these journals and moderate their opinion." (Paul Bailey, Weekend Telegraph) Brecht's "Work Journals" cover the period from 1938 to 1955, the years of exile in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and America, and his return via Switzerland to East Berlin. His criticisms of the work of other writers and intellectuals are perceptive and polemic, and the accounts of his own writing practice provide insight into the creation of his dramatic works of the period, the development of his political thinking and his theories about epic theatre. Also integrated into the journals are Brecht's immediate reactions to and commentary upon the events of the period: his political exile's view of the course of World War II and his account of the House Un-American Activities committee."A marvellous, motley collage of political ideas, domestic detail, artistic debate, poems, photographs and cuttings from newspapers and magazines, assembled, undoubtedly for posterity by one of the great writers of the century" (New Statesman and Society)

On the Buses: The Filming Locations is the most comprehensive guide to filming locations used in the classic British sitcom and its spin-off films ever compiled. Over 200 filming locations with now and then photographs depicting the changes over the years and full travel directions if you wish to visit the locations. Read the book and learn about the locations used, but when you have finished, the book still serves a purpose as a guide. A section cataloguing the unknown locations mean you too can turn into a locations detective. Also make use of the travel trips and suggestions in the book and plan your days out visiting these locations. All in all, this is a book with plenty of uses either as a travel companion, a guide or a book to read and learn about where so many of the funniest scenes in On the Buses were filmed. Hop aboard and learn so much more about one of Britain's best-loved .

On the Buses: The Filming Locations is the most comprehensive guide to filming locations used in the classic British sitcom and its spin-off films ever compiled. Over 200 filming locations with now and then photographs depicting the changes over the years and full travel directions if you wish to visit the locations. Read the book and learn about the locations used, but when you have finished, the book still serves a purpose as a guide. A section cataloguing the unknown locations mean you too can turn into a locations detective. Also make use of the travel trips and suggestions in the book and plan your days out visiting these locations. All in all, this is a book with plenty of uses either as a travel companion, a guide or a book to read and learn about where so many of the funniest scenes in On the Buses were filmed. Hop aboard and learn so much more about one of Britain's best-loved sitcoms.

Enjoy the countdown to Christmas! Open a numbered window every day in December until the big day and reveal a seasonal sticker to help you get in the festive spirit! This advent calendar features beautifully crafted images from Aardman's delightful new animated musical film special Robin Robin produced for Netflix, about an optimistic young robin raised by a family of mice, who sets off on a journey of self discovery. Printed on FSC-certified paper.

Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema loved the theatre and dreamed of being an actress. She soon discovered that acting wasn't for her – managing productions was. She meets rising-star, Mbongeni Ngema and they marry.  As his success grows, they start a company that births the hit Sarafina! But beneath the stardom, Xoliswa experiences constant abuse.  With Fred Khumalo, she tells her powerful story. 

A heartfelt, humorous personal memoir and relatable guide to overcoming obstacles, wising up about romance, and getting ahead in your career from the star of Netflix's hit reality show Selling Sunset. In this engaging, witty, and inspirational memoir, Chrishell Stause shares her story of living an unconventional childhood in small-town Kentucky marked by periods of homelessness, family addiction struggles and dreams of one day being on a daytime soap, all while managing the local Dairy Queen. Through resilience and grit, she overcame obstacles and pushed past every barrier in her path to become one of the most envied luxury realtors in Los Angeles and buzzworthy cast members in reality TV. She takes us behind the scenes of Selling Sunset, reveals never-before-told stories from her life in soaps, and even pulls back the curtain on her highly publicised love life, offering insight not before shared. With her signature honesty and charm, Stause also gives tangible advice based on the lessons she's learned over the years and offers unique insight about how to stay resilient and positive no matter how many times life knocks you down. Under Construction is for anyone who wants to remember that no matter what happens or how, you have to get up, dress up and show up - and walk back into the room stronger than ever before.

The Art of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the only book to provide an inside look at the magic behind the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge themed lands at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, documenting the art and innovations that led to the creation of Galaxy’s Edge. Featuring hundreds of full-color concept artworks, sketches, blueprints, photographs, and more, the book will reveal Walt Disney Imagineering’s creative process.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge invites guests to explore Black Spire Outpost, located on the remote Outer Rim planet Batuu―a spaceport bustling with First Order and Resistance activity where guests can interact with droids, creatures, and fan-favorite characters. Alongside Black Spire Outpost’s vibrant cantina and marketplace, a new and original score composed by John Williams accompanies guests as they seek out the land’s two major attractions: Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, which allows guests to commandeer the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, in which guests find themselves in the crossfire of a ferocious battle between the Resistance and the First Order.

Exclusive interviews with the key creative minds who shaped the lands’ design provide commentary on what it’s like to dream and then build a life-size Star Wars adventure.

Plus, the book offers an inside look at the upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience, a first-of-its-kind immersive two-night adventure.

Andrey Tarkovsky, the genius of modern Russian cinema--hailed by Ingmar Bergman as "the most important director of our time"--died an exile in Paris in December 1986. In Sculpting in Time, he has left his artistic testament, a remarkable revelation of both his life and work. Since Ivan's Childhood won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1962, the visionary quality and totally original and haunting imagery of Tarkovsky's films have captivated serious movie audiences all over the world, who see in his work a continuation of the great literary traditions of nineteenth-century Russia. Many critics have tried to interpret his intensely personal vision, but he himself always remained inaccessible.

In Sculpting in Time, Tarkovsky sets down his thoughts and his memories, revealing for the first time the original inspirations for his extraordinary films--Ivan's Childhood, Andrey Rublyov, Solaris, The Mirror, Stalker, Nostalgia, and The Sacrifice. He discusses their history and his methods of work, he explores the many problems of visual creativity, and he sets forth the deeply autobiographical content of part of his oeuvre--most fascinatingly in The Mirror and Nostalgia. The closing chapter on The Sacrifice, dictated in the last weeks of Tarkovsky's life, makes the book essential reading for those who already know or who are just discovering his magnificent work.

The complete unexpurgated scripts of the original television series--except for, of course, the animation bits This volume includes the scripts of all 23 episodes from the first and second series of the famous Monty Python's Flying Circus shows. Well loved and much quoted pieces such as "The Lumberjack Song," The Architect Sketch," "The Spanish Inquisition," "Archaeology Today," "Dead Parrot," "Test Match," and "Hell's Grannies" are included in this volume.

11 Oak Street is the true story of how the Queen's bankers, Coutts & Co, sent two cashier's cheques to the law firm of Urie Walsh in San Francisco with the wrong address on the envelope (11 Oak Street instead of 1111 Oak Street), setting off a chain of events that led to the abduction of a three-year-old child from Bristol, England, to San Francisco, California. It is a horrifying story of greed, ineptness, corruption, stupidity and wasted years as the father tries to seek justice and access to his son in the midst of a thirteen-year nightmare that even Kafka could not have thought up. If you want to read about the seven California lawyers involved in this story who either went to jail, were disbarred, or resigned with charges pending, and inept judges who broke all the rules or were disciplined, this is the book for you. This is a story that would never have happened if those concerned had fulfilled their duties correctly and not broken the law. If Graham Cook, the author, had known then what he knows now, there would have been no story and he would not have gone bankrupt, become homeless or, through the actions of his own brother, ended up in a California jail. This is the book the California Judges Association refused to let the author promote to its members, since it reveals in detail the judicial abuse by some of their past and present members whose conduct will shock and disgust any right- minded person. The best way to describe this book is that everything that could go wrong went and if the internet was around at the start of the nightmare most of what went on in this book would not have happened.This is a book where certain people have gone to extraordinary lengths to stop people buying and have dismally failed in their objective.

The Matrix trilogy is unique among recent popular films in that it is constructed around important philosophical questions--classic questions which have fascinated philosophers and other thinkers for thousands of years. Editor Christopher Grau here presents a collection of new, intriguing essays about some of the powerful and ancient questions broached by The Matrix and its sequels, written by some of the most prominent and reputable philosophers working today. They provide intelligent, accessible, and thought-provoking examinations of the philosophical issues that support the films.
Philosophers Explore The Matrix includes an introduction that surveys the use of philosophical ideas in the film. Topics that the contributors tackle include: how a collaborative dream could differ from hallucination, the difference between the Matrix and the "real" world; why living in the Matrix would be considered "bad"; the similarities between the Matrix and Plato's Cave; the moral status of artificially created beings, whether one can behave immorally in illusory circumstances, and the true nature of free will and responsibility. This volume also includes an appendix of classic philosophical writing on these issues by Plato, Berkeley, Descartes, Putnam, and Nozick.
Philosophers Explore The Matrix will fascinate any fan of the films who wants to delve deeper into their themes, as well as any student of philosophy who desires an accessible entry into this challenging and profoundly vital world of ideas.