Applause Books

Close encounters of the third kind; the making of Steven Spielberg's classic film.

Los Angeles-based Morton is an author, teacher, script consultant, and a writer and columnist for scr(i)pt magazine. Based on in- depth research and interviews with many of the movie's creators, he presents an inside look at the complexities in the making of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the film's initial release. Illustrated with some 70 color and b&w photographs, the text will appeal to film buffs and general readers interested in this landmark film. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

George Clooney; the last great movie star.

Potts provides a biography of movie star George Clooney, based on interviews with his friends, family, and the actor himself. She recounts his life and career, from his childhood and stints on The Facts of Life and ER, to his movie career and films such as Syriana, Ocean's Eleven, and Good Night, and Good Luck. The book includes a filmography and a list of 100 of his favorite movies from 1964 to 1976. Potts has written for TV Guide, US Weekly, and E! Online and is the author of Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from a Chick Flick. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Journeys in the night; creating a new American theatre with Circle in the Square; a memoir. (DVD-ROM included)

As its director/producer since the first act of Circle in the Square Theatre, which helped birth off-Broadway theatre in the 1950s, Mann traces his role in the Greenwich Village theatre that launched the careers of such actors as Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Jason Robards, and Vanessa Redgrave. Play stills showcase these and other Circle actors. The accompanying DVD includes the 1977 television program Twenty-five Years of Circle in the Square, and excerpts from notable Circle productions (e.g., Death of a Salesman and Mourning Becomes Electra). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Musical scene study; the musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein; Oklahoma!, Carousel, Allegro, South Pacific, The King and I, Me and Juliet, Cinderella, Flower drum song, The sound of music, State fair.

This volume features 29 comic and dramatic scenes and 36 songs from 10 Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals — Oklahoma!, Carousel, Allegro, South Pacific, The King and I, Me and Juliet, Flower Drum Song, The Sound of Music, State Fair, and Cinderella — for studying character development, lyric analysis, and musicality for auditions or performance. They are organized by the number of characters in each scene, and each includes an introduction to the musical, description of characters and dramatic circumstance, dialogue, stage directions, and piano/vocal scores for the songs. The book is meant for students and teachers of musical theater from high school to the professional level, as well as vocal and acting coaches. Briggs, a librettist, is associated with a division of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, which represents more than 100 musicals. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)