Kids of today face a different world – and a different set of challenges – then did the children of even 15 years ago. Playing with a Purpose features a collection of monologues that reflects these new attitudes and circumstances. Highly diversified in its view of the family and the child's place in the world, the monologues have been chosen from several sources: from contemporary playwrights and screenwriters; from YouthPlays, a new company that specializes in publishing cutting-edge plays for the youth market; and from such conservatories for young actors as The Playground, the Los Angeles-based training center run by Gary Spatz, the leading acting coach for performers ages 6 to 16. “Playing with a purpose” is an idea that arose from Fife's work with young actors over the course of several decades. The included monologues have been chosen and arranged to allow for a young actor's development. From “Getting Started: Simple Situations and Circumstances” to “Intermediate: Adding Elements of Character” to “Advanced: Character Counts ” each chapter includes pieces that will test the young actor's ability, while making use of the lessons presented in each.

Representing the largest expansion between editions, this updated volume of Ottemiller's Index to Plays in Collections is the standard location tool for full-length plays published in collections and anthologies in England and the United States throughout the 20th century and beyond. This new volume lists more than 3,500 new plays and 2,000 new authors, as well as birth and/or death information for hundreds of authors.

This three-volume encyclopedia describes and explains the variety and commonalities in Latina/o culture, providing comprehensive coverage of a variety of Latina/o cultural forms—popular culture, folk culture, rites of passages, and many other forms of shared expression. In the last decade, the Latina/o population has established itself as the fastest growing ethnic group within the United States, and constitutes one of the largest minority groups in the nation. While the different Latina/o groups do have cultural commonalities, there are also many differences among them. This important work examines the historical, regional, and ethnic/racial diversity within specific traditions in rich detail, providing an accurate and comprehensive treatment of what constitutes "the Latino experience" in America. The entries in this three-volume set provide accessible, in-depth information on a wide range of topics, covering cultural traditions including food; art, film, music, and literature; secular and religious celebrations; and religious beliefs and practices. Readers will gain an appreciation for the historical, regional, and ethnic/racial diversity within specific Latina/o traditions. Accompanying sidebars and "spotlight" biographies serve to highlight specific cultural differences and key individuals.

"An introductory theatre text focusing on theatre practitioners and their processes. Using an accessible tone and a focused exploration of how theatre artists work, the book covers playwrights; directors; actors; designers of sets; costumes, and props; and lights, sounds, and technology; as well as the varying roles of scholars, critics, and dramaturgs." - Back cover.

Theatre: Its Art and Craft is intended for use in theatre appreciation and introduction to theatre courses. This new edition features updated statistics and references that keep the text current. The first chapter of the text introduces readers to the broad issues of artistic practice, while the second chapter inspects the specific area of live theatre. The remainder of chapters examine in detail the various functionaries of the theatre (audience, critics, playwrights, directors, actors, designers, historians, and dramaturgs). As in previous volumes, readers are encouraged to examine the complex interaction of all theatrical elements. Just as in music some instruments supply the basic structure and some embellish that structure, so in the theatre the elements of script, directing, acting, and design interact in shifting configurations to offer a new work of art at every performance. Examining these relationships will enrich the theatrical experience. A Collegiate Press book

Successful theatre relies on a complex interaction of all theatrical elements: script, direction, acting, and design interact in shifting configurations to offer a new work of art at every performance. Examining these relationships often enriches the theatrical experience. Theatre: Its Art and Craft is an introductory theatre text that focuses on the practitioners and their processes. Using an accessible tone and a focused exploration of how theatre artists work, the book covers every aspect of this art form: from writing, directing, and acting to the designing of sets and costumes, as well as the use of props, lights, sound, and new technology. This book also examines the varying roles of scholars, critics, and dramaturgs. This seventh edition has been thoroughly revised and features new statistics, new photos, and updated references. New sidebars have been added throughout, including one on cultural appropriation, another on lighting technology, and more and better discussions of what carpenters, technical directors, stage managers, and theatre artists do. Accessible to students who have little or no theatrical background, this book helps readers understand how theatre happens by explaining who makes it happen and what they do. Reflecting a commitment to explore how all theatre practitioners work, Theatre: Its Art and Craft is a useful text for beginning theatre majors, minors, and non-majors alike.

A new collection by the author of Marisol and Other Plays.

A Study Guide for Lynn Nottage's "Poof!," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Drama For Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Drama For Students for all of your research needs.

An introvert braves the cybersex, the pitfalls of eating out alone, the difficulties of weight gain, and other hurdles faced by shy people living in a world that urges us to be cool as "J" humorously recounts her life in all its awkward glory.