Review
"Acting A to Z" is a comprehensive nuts-and-bolts acting encyclopedia. It addresses aspects of acting not usually written about, such as conservatory theater education, how to make a living while acting, and what to expect if you make it big --
Daily Hampshire Gazette, February 17, 1999Mayfield has written a helpful book jammed with information. Concepts are clearly explained and reinforced with examples. Her final analysis is positive and optimistic. She cares about her readers. . . .It's a book worth reading for the basics, the essentials, of the business side of acting --
Bravo, the Performing and Visual Arts Newspaper, March 1999One of the best things about Mayfield's title, besides its ease of use and quality design, is its comprehensiveness. Well-conceived and packaged, this slim, eye-catching paperback does just what the title implies: it explores the profession of acting from the general (career overview) to the specific (monthly expense budgets), from the nuts and bolts (resumes and headshots) to the esoteric (trusting your instincts). Including practical advice on networking, casting, education, self-esteem, self-promotion, and preparation, this above-average work . . . tells it like it really is. It is an ideal offering for that star-struck kid who wants to be the next Leonardo DiCaprio, but has no idea of the work involved [in] getting there --
Voice of Youth Advocates, June 1999
From the Back Cover
Have you ever thought: "I want to be an actor when I grow up . . . go on the stage . . . appear in Hollywood films . . . and be on television?
If you have, here's just the book for you! It has been written for young people who want to know what it's really like to become an actor.
Did you ever wonder how actors get the roles they play? Are they all given a big break by powerful producers? Or are they simply hired to do a job?
How would you start out in an acting career? You would need to know how show business works. In Acting A to Z, you'll read all about what you would do to make your living as an actor. You'll find out what your life would really be like:
* The people you'd meet and work with * The different fields you might work in * What kinds of training you'd need to get * How to enjoy the fun and excitement, and deal with the hard times, too
Most of the time, magazines and TV reporters show you only the dream world of the stars. The author, an actor herself, tells you the facts about the actor's world--from A to Z. So you'll be able to decide if you'd really be happy with a performing career.
