An invaluable guide to the traditions and best practices of the professional stage actor, from first rehearsal to final curtain. Professional stage actors are expected to have ready knowledge of a multitude of unwritten yet well-established protocols. Traditionally, this knowledge was passed along from one generation of stage actors to the next via word of mouth, or were learned by having one's missteps corrected--until now. In The Stage Actor's Handbook, these protocols have finally been assembled into one volume, allowing theatre artists to know in advance what is expected of them. A definitive guide for professionals and aspiring professionals alike, this book details best practices on everything from rehearsal demeanor to backstage etiquette. It also shares the theatre's unique vernacular and revered superstitions, as well as field-tested guidelines on touring, interactions with the public, and more. Written by established theatre pros Michael Kostroff (The Producers, Les Misérables) and Julie Garnyé (Cats, Come From Away), The Stage Actor's Handbook features bits of wisdom contributed by legendary stage actors, including Bebe Neuwirth, John Lithgow, Chita Rivera, Alfred Molina, Billy Porter, Betty Buckley, Harvey Fierstein, Sam Waterston, Jason Alexander, Cynthia Nixon, and Sir Patrick Stewart.
About the Author: Michael Kostroff is an established stage and television actor best known for his five seasons on HBO's The Wire. He is also an instructor, director, and writer. He is the author of Letters from Backstage and Audition Psych 101, and the co-author of Answers from "The Working Actor." Kostroff served as an advice columnist for the weekly publication Backstage and is a frequent guest speaker at theatre schools, theatre companies, and universities. He is the creator of the popular Audition Psych 101 workshop, which he's presented all over the country. On stage, Kostroff has played a host of iconic character roles, including Max Bialystock, which he covered on the first national tour of The Producers, and the comic villain Thénardier, a role he played on two national tours of Les Misérables. Julie Garnyé is a singer, actress, director, voice teacher, producer, and writer. She appeared in the roles of Jennyanydots and Grizabella in the national tour of Cats and originated the role of Martha Dumptruck in the developmental readings of Heathers: The Musical. Other appearances include Les Misérables, Chicago, and Mamma Mia, all at the iconic Hollywood Bowl. She was an original cast member of the first national tour of the Broadway hit musical Come From Away. Garnyé regularly teaches two masterclasses--The Vocal Intensive Workshop and Know the Business of Show--which she has presented at Harvard University, Studio School, Santa Clara University, and many other theatre schools and theatre companies in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.