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Michael Kostroff
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Letters from Backstage: The Adventures of a Touring Stage Actor Paperback – November 1, 2005

by Michael Kostroff (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 50 ratings
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• Part backstage tour, part travelogue, part social commentary, all funny and insightful • Adventures in more than 20 US cities, large and small • Anecdotes about celebrities, including Mel Brooks, Susan Stroman, Jason Alexander, and Martin Short Ever wonder what it’s like to be a real working actor? Wonder no more! Michael Kostroff is here to reveal, in hilarious detail, just what it’s like to travel with the road companies of The Producers and Les Miserables. His firsthand account of the exciting, funny, and sometimes bizarre highlights of his journey includes working at a temp job when his agent calls to say, “You got the part!”; singing on a revolving stage while lugging a dead body; seeing ghosts in haunted theaters; and much more. Along the way, anecdotes about nailing an audition, keeping a performance fresh, and getting along with fellow cast members give useful tips for working actors. Anyone who wants to know what a life in the theater is really like needs this intimate and unforgettable narrative.

Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.
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  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Allworth Press
  4. Publication date
    November 1, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.56 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1581154410
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1581154412
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kostroff is the illegitimate child of Jack Kerouac and Dorothy Parker." -- Mark Freed, VP Business Development, Showbiz Expo

"Letters from Backstage is brilliant and captivating. I can t wait to reread it with the TV off." -- Martin Short

"Loved it! So well written it made me feel like I was THERE! I can t wait for the sequel." -- Gwen Hillier, Casting Director, ABC

From the Publisher

At the ripe old age of 41, Michael Kostroff’s childhood dream came true when he was cast in the first national tour of The Producers. He toured with the show for a year, and then, immediately afterwards, toured for a year with Les Misérables. While traveling, Kostroff, who is also a freelance writer, kept in touch with friends back home with short stories about road life.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Allworth Press; 1st edition (November 1, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1581154410
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1581154412
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.56 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 50 ratings

About the author

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Michael Kostroff

Michael Kostroff

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ABOUT MICHAEL:

Michael Kostroff is an established stage and television actor, best known for his role as the unscrupulous gang attorney Maury Levy on the acclaimed HBO series, "The Wire" and for his long list of TV credits, which includes "Billions," "Wizard of Lies," "The Plot Against America," "The Deuce," "The Good Wife," "The Blacklist," "Law and Order: SVU," and so on. On stage, he's toured with "The Producers" and "Les Miserables," and performed at some of the nation's top regional theatres as well.

ABOUT MICHAEL'S BOOKS:

"The Stage Actor's Handbook" is a manual detailing the long-established rules, protocols, traditions, and best-practices for professional stage actors. Throughout the book are insights and advice contributed by legendary stage performers including Bebe Neuwirth, Sir Patrick Stewart, Harvey Fierstein, Billy Porter, Joel Grey, Chita Rivera, Cynthia Nixon, Alfred Molina, Sam Waterston, Jason Alexander, Betty Buckley, and many more.

"Letters from Backstage," is a humorous chronicle of his two years on the road with "The Producers" and "Les Miserables."

"Audition Psych 101" is based on his popular workshop of the same name (www.auditionpsych101.com). In it, Kostroff takes an in-depth look at some of the faulty logic that creates terror and self-doubt during the audition process.

"Answers from 'The Working Actor'" is a collaboration with professor, actor, and writer Jackie Apodaca, with whom Kostroff shared the Working Actor column in the well-known actor publication, "Backstage." Using questions from advice-seeking actors as a jumping off point, the book delves into all aspects of the acting career, drawing on Apodaca and Kostroff's years of experience.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
50 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

JMD
5.0 out of 5 stars READ THIS BOOK!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2005
Verified Purchase
"Letters from Backstage" has been one of the most pleasurable reading experiences I've had in awhile. Michael Kostroff begins with his audition for the first national tour of "The Producers" and then takes us through rehearsals and on the road with him. After a year with that show, he joins the national tour of "Les Miserables".

So often I've been in the audience of shows like these and wondered what it was like to be part of one...what was going on back there that we didn't see...what life was like, performing in city after city. Now I know! "Letters from Backstage" told me all about it.

Michael Kostroff captured my attention and sympathy in the prologue, with his pep talk to himself before the audition. Just that quickly, I was rooting for him, and I was thrilled with him when he made Mel Brooks laugh. And it just got better with each page.

The writing is genuine and skillful and confident and humorous; the tales are fascinating. I just wish it had been twice as long!
5 people found this helpful
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Julie A. Esposito
5.0 out of 5 stars You Don't Have To Be an Actor To Love This Book!
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2006
Verified Purchase
This book is funny, funny, funny-- and has tremendous heart to boot.

Kostroff relates scores of hilarious behind-the-scenes experiences (e.g., having a dresser who actually impedes the dressing process); pet peeves ( e.g., people who desecrate the English language); and vulnerable moments ( e.g., the some time loneliness of life on the road).

What's more, Kostroff is such a fine, observant writer and humorist, that he is able to convey his thoughts with an emotional precision that compels the reader to nod in recognition.

Kostroff's ascerbic wit and self-deprecating humor are matched by his generosity in letting us into his world--this world he spent so much of his life working to enter.

This book is for everyone who wants to laugh, be moved or just reminded that working toward a dream can really pay off-- and sometimes in ways different from what one expects.
5 people found this helpful
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phylliev
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful insights of what it's like to on the road!
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
I have had the pleasure of seeing Michael Kostroff in several plays performed at the professional theater near us. We last saw him as Max in The Producers. We have always enjoyed his hilarious characters! This book is a delightful memoir which highlights what it is like to be an actor on the road. Very entertaining!
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DJT74
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, funny look backstage
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2014
Bought for a college student studying theater education. Short stories, easy to pick up and put down. Interesting, funny, and a peek at what life can be on stage and traveling.
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Beth Gross
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful account of backstage life
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2013
Verified Purchase
This book is great for theater buffs, theater students, professional and amateur theater folk.. Kostroff is insightful and witty. He brings a passion for theater to his personal accounts of touring in two musicals. He tells all - the good, the bad, and the insane. if you want to know what a life in the theater is REALLY like, this is a good place to start finding out.
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Ed Hawkins
3.0 out of 5 stars Ok
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2013
Verified Purchase
Not as fascinating as I hoped, but enjoyable nonetheless. This guy has done a lot of theater in a lot of venues and is good with a story.
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Emily J. Silver
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
Absolutely loved this book! So funny and insightful - a great read for anyone who loves theatre. The author gives hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from the shows he's done and touches on problems that nearly every theatre person has encountered at one point or another. Highly recommend!
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johnnylightning
5.0 out of 5 stars Kostroff Rocks!
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2005
Verified Purchase
I remember seeing Mr. Kostroff perform many years ago in NYC with an improv group. I had the feeling he was destined for greater things and sure enough - he has written this hilarious and moving book - has appeared in feature films, prime time TV shows and theater. I remember also that he played the piano and sang.. Is there anything this man cannot do? :) Congrats to Michael Kostroff on an amazing book. Put this book in your shopping cart asap - and enjoy!
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Top reviews from other countries

al baby
5.0 out of 5 stars humorous vein it strikes all the right notes and I recommend it to all whom are interested in the
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2017
Verified Purchase
As a former touring stage actor myself this book really resonated but even for the layman it's highly enjoyable. Written in a folksy, humorous vein it strikes all the right notes and I recommend it to all whom are interested in the theatre
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