Reading List

I know what you’re thinking…
“What can I read that can help me improve my craft and further my career…something I can peruse when the A train is stalled between 59th and 125th…something SEXY.”

Well, look no further. This is a list of a few tomes that are either directly or obliquely related to what we do; think of it as “Oprah’s (Musical Theater) Book Club.” Feel free to send me suggestions of things to add.

Enjoy:

 

076791841XHow I Paid For College – Marc Acito
Okay, this isn’t really “improve your craft” material, but it is one of the funniest books ever. The sheer amount of inside musical theater humor is astounding, and I defy you not to laugh out loud at the main character’s improvised Juilliard audition monologue.

1877761265The Performer Prepares – Robert Caldwell
This is a book that I read when I was dealing with debilitating performance anxiety, and I found it really helpful. It’s definitely written from a classical music perspective, but it’s easy to apply the exercises to theater work.

0671723650How To Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie
This book is a classic of business management, and while at first glance it may seem removed from our field, I use Carnegie’s principles all the time. The information is simple, concise, and excellent to remember whenever you’re faced with a tough situation.

03161723240316346624Blink and The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell
Gina Shmukler turned me on to these books, and I found them both to be fascinating. Blinkaddresses the inherent wisdom and limitations of the countless split-second decisions that we make on a daily basis; obviously, this is exactly what happens in an audition. It is full of case studies that give you insight into the casting process. The Tipping Point deals with the moment when a trend becomes an epidemic, and analyzes the factors that encourage a product or message to be instantly successful. For anyone who is marketing something (and as actors, we all are), this is a must-read.

0879100257Great Singers on Great Singing – Jerome Hines
Containing interviews with 40 singers discussing vocal technique, this book truly shows that there are many ways to describe the same thing. No wonder voice is confusing! The slant of this book is totally operatic, but as a glimpse into the mind of the singer, it is unparalleled. Someone needs to write the musical theater version of this (“Now Idina, when you stuck your tongue out at the end of ‘Defying Gravity,’ what were you thinking?”)