Letters from Backstage: The Adventures of a Touring Stage Actor [Paperback]

Michael Kostroff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2005

• 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.

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.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581154410
• ISBN-13: 978-1581154412
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #145,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Kostroff is a 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 role as Marshall Pike on the Disney Channel's hit sit-com, "Sonny with a Chance." Other television appearances have included "West Wing," "ER," "Cold Case," "The Closer," "Without a Trace," "Studio 60," "Brothers and Sisters," "Law and Order," and many others.

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

In addition to his acting career, Kostroff is a freelance writer and journalist whose work appears regularly in the actors' publication, "Back Stage," for which he writes an advice column, "The Working Actor."

Mr. Kostroff divides his time between Los Angeles and his home town, New York City, and is working on his second book, "Audition Psych. 101," based on his popular seminar of the same name.

Latest News: Kostroff has just returned from touring again, this time in the new 25th anniversary production of "Les Miserables."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars READ THIS BOOK!!, November 13, 2005

By 

JMD "jmd411" (Renton, WA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Letters from Backstage: The Adventures of a Touring Stage Actor (Paperback)

"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!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging Must Read For All, November 10, 2005

By 

Julia (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Letters from Backstage: The Adventures of a Touring Stage Actor (Paperback)

While on tour with THE PRODUCERS, I was fortunate to have Michael visit our high school to speak with students about his career. It is a rare sight in any school environment to see a room filled with people of all ages hanging on a speaker's every word, but such was the case with Michael. He has a gift of relating sincerely to people and an ability to convey meaningful messages. His work-ethic, positive attitude, wise advice, kind nature and sense of humor inspired everyone that day.

Turns out, he is as engaging in writing as he is in person. The treasured moments from his school visit have been successfully captured in LETTERS FROM BACKSTAGE. Michael's experiences and insightfulness serve as more than lessons in the theatre world, they are life lessons. If only they all could be delivered in such an entertaining and informative fashion! This is a must read book for people of all ages and interests.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Don't Have To Be an Actor To Love This Book!, March 6, 2006

By 

Julie A. Esposito "julieesq" (USA, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Letters from Backstage: The Adventures of a Touring Stage Actor (Paperback)

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.