Provides advice for mastering monologues and improving auditioning techniques, and includes acting exercises, sample scripts, lists of Internet resources, improvisation tips, and more.

Mastering Monologues and Acting Sides: How to Audition Successfully for Both Traditional and New Media is everything an actor needs to be ready for that perfect part, from webisodes to Shakespeare. Scripts, acting technique tips, and exercises keep a performer toned and ready, while industry experts give advice on how to audition professionally. Invaluable Internet listings keep you on top of changing trends, as well. Casting directors, agents, managers, and actors share insights on proper protocol for different performance settings, and practice is made simple with script excerpts and exercises to keep skills sharp for last minute auditions. Includes instructional CD.

A Life in Acting is a practical guide for aspiring and established theater actors looking to make a consistent living doing meaningful, creative work on the stage. Author Lisa Mulcahy communicates her advice through a series of interviews and “war stories” that will have you taking notes and laughing until your sides hurt. The sage advice of veteran performers and an entertaining writing style make this a terrific tool to build career longevity. The veteran thespians who give advice are and sustain themselves as artists and professionals through the sage advice of veteran performers who have already done it and continue to do so. Each industry veteran who contributes to these pages is renowned for their talent, is vastly respected by their peers, and has worked consistently in the theater for decades. Actors will learn how some of the industry’s most successful and longest-surviving members have developed invaluable traits that have kept them in show business, including: Recognizing personal strengths Developing versatility Marketing oneself effectively Earning a paycheck Pursuing the most valuable opportunities Choosing the right kind of training Finding a mentor Making important connections Dealing with success and failure And much more A Life in Acting is a must-read for career stage actors. It is a book that will serve as the ultimate guide that can be referenced again and again. Learn how the best actors in the business have made their built a life on the stage, and how you can too! Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

Have you ever been told that you have a great voice? Put it to use in a career as a voiceover actor! Veteran voice-over actor, writer, producer, and teacher Janet Wilcox provides the inside scoop on the industry and personal training to help voice-over hopefuls find work in network promos, commercials, documentaries, books on tape, radio, animated films, and more! This rich resource comes with a CD-ROM featuring vocal exercises and interviews with voice-over actors. Readers will discover a treasure trove of useful information, including: Acting warm-ups Vocal workouts Improv sketches Character work sheets Tips for making demos Sample V.O. scripts Interviews with show biz heavyweights Casting insights Advice on getting professional representation Secrets to finding opportunities in traditional and emerging venues And much more! Voiceovers, Second Edition shows readers how to use that great voice to garner cash and compliments. Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

Long-Form Improv deftly teaches the wildly popular form of improvisation that is so foundational to the comedy stylings of many of today’s top actors and thriving comedians. Crammed with innovative ideas for conceptualizing improvised scenework and “finding the game of the scene,” this crisply written manual covers techniques for experienced improvisers, curious actors, and even non-actors. A complete long-form improv resource comprising topics like ideation and character creation, improvising scenes for extended periods of time and enhancing them—and even performing the most famous expression of long-form improv, the half-hour improvised form known as “The Harold”—this astute text is written in a friendly, supportive voice by an experienced improv teacher and professional actor whose own frustration in learning the craft drove an obsession to create a program free of confounding teachings and contradictory concepts. The book’s groundbreaking infusion with drama theory and game theory brings new life to the teachings of the craft, breaking down various aspects of long-form improv into short chapters for swift, step-by-step intake of its vital lessons. Students of acting and long-form improv alike should expect Long-Form Improv to bolster their education and fast-track their course to improv greatness.

One of the country’s top voice-over talents shares his secrets of success in an insider’s guide to the industry. Actors, broadcasters, and anyone who has longed to earn a living by speaking into a microphone will cherish this insightful and often hilarious glimpse at the business. Coverage includes: • Identifying natural talent • Training a voice to make it commercially viable • Gaining experience in smaller markets • Making a demo CD • Auditioning effectively • Locating and signing with an agent • Joining the appropriate unions • Negotiating contracts • Self-promoting to maximize exposure Reflecting the quantum change that has occurred in the way voice-overs are recorded and cast in recent years, the updated Second Edition describes the advantages and disadvantages of auditioning and recording from home studios for clients around the world. This indispensable guide also addresses finding work in venues outside film and television, such as games, automated telephone systems, and websites. Aspiring and established voice-over actors will savor the behind-the-scenes details that show what actually happens during a voice-over recording session. Through it all, the author pairs performance tips with an expanded personal account of the crazed clients, practical jokes, and coincidences encountered on the long journey to success. Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

New York’s Broadway theatre scene has long been viewed as the “top of the heap” in the world theatre community. Taking lessons from the very best, this innovative guide delves into the business side of the renowned industry to explain just how its system functions. For anyone interested in pursuing a career on Broadway, or who wants to grow a theatre in any other part of the world, The Business of Broadway offers an in-depth analysis of the infrastructure at the core of successful theatre. Manager/producer Mitch Weiss and actor/writer Perri Gaffney take readers behind the scenes to reveal what the audience—and even the players and many producers—don’t know about how Broadway works, describing more than 200 jobs that become available for every show. A variety of performers, producers, managers, and others involved with the Broadway network share valuable personal experience in interviews discussing what made a show a hit or a miss, and how some of the rules, regulations, and practices that are in place today were pioneered. Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

In today’s competitive society, parents face great pressure to encourage their children to follow their dreams and strive for excellence. Organized in a practical question-and-answer format, Your Child’s Career in Music and Entertainment: The Prudent Parent’s Guide raises and addresses many of the issues parents encounter when seeking to turn their children’s creative passion and talent into a sustainable career in entertainment. Topics include: •Knowing which professionals to consult and when •Finding and preparing for auditions •Dealing with the financial aspects •Understanding statutory and regulatory legal protections for children •Creating balance for the whole family Most importantly, maintaining a child’s health and happiness is underlined throughout. Drawing on author Steven Beer’s extensive contacts in the industry, the book quotes the personal experiences of industry players, stars and their parents, and veteran sources. This indispensable guide will help parents ensure that their children are instilled with morals and values that will make them not just good performers, but good people, capable of becoming responsible adults who will run their own careers someday. Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

Voice-over acting is no longer all about having that “announcer-y” boom or classic fireside radio voice. More and more casting directors are looking for regular, “conversational” voices to represent a product in a commercial or to play the animated moose in a new Hollywood flick, but the competition is fiercer now than ever before. In a business that is “more risk than reward, more heartbreak than success,” author Talon Beeson will show you in Starting Your Career in Voice-Overs how to beat the odds, improve your skills, make the right connections, and build a career in the voice-over business. Some of the topics covered in this book include: Warm-up exercises for the voice Reading everything—jokes, telephone numbers, video games, commercials, feature films, and more Cold reads Analyzing scenes and translating that analysis to voice Creating demo tapes Representing and marketing yourself effectively Equipment and recording at home And many more! This instructional book for professionals presents readers with varying techniques, exercises, and theories to practice—a vocational foundation guaranteed to elevate an actor’s game. In an ingenious and instructive way, Beeson relates voice work to the greatest dramatist of all times, William Shakespeare. This is an added bonus for the classically inclined individual and provides excellent training for every actor. This intellectually informed book is designed improve your voice skills and teach you the basics of the business—the ultimate preparation for any serious actor seeking to pursue this field. Surrounded by microphones, voice-over actors are a unique breed who require additional and different skills to create their reality, and Talon Beeson shows you how to do just that in Starting Your Career in Voice-Overs. Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

Voices are increasingly in demand for commercials, cartoon characters, announcements, and other spots. This outstanding handbook explains how to launch a career and ?nd work. Along with sample commercials and script copy, the author gives advice on vocal exercises, self-promotion, and business matters. Chapters include: getting started, voice-over aerobics, copy basics, melody and tempo, layering techniques, believing what you say, commercial and stylized characters, corporate narration, animation, video games and toys, getting an agent, marketing your talent, and staying on top of the business. This expanded edition features new tips on making a demo CD, vocal modulation and breath techniques, advanced copy-reading strategies, and a section on how copywriters see the job of the voice artists for whom they write. If you’ve ever been interested in voice-over acting, you need this book!