Backstage Stories

Book excerpt: Gaining a view behind the scenes into the jobs and personalities of people who work in the theatre is a privilege afforded to few. This book grants that privilege to all its readers. Twenty-one highly respected backstage professionals are interviewed, from artistic director to wig maker, working in all kinds of theatres in Britain and the United States. Their stories inform and entertain as they describe what they do and how they got to do it. Their anecdotes and observations intrigue and amuse as they reminisce about working with people such as Alan Bennett, Judi Dench, Placido Domingo, Ian McKellen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, to name just a few. Whether you enjoy watching theatrical performances and want to know more about them, or you would like to work in the theatre, Backstage Stories is the book for you.