On Singing Onstage (Applause Acting Series) [Paperback]

David Craig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000 | Series: Applause Acting Series

A terrific take on theatre singing by a master teacher. "David Craig knows more about singing in the musical theatre than anyone in this country - which probably means the world. Time and time again his advice and training have resulted in actors moving from non-musical theatre into musicals with ease and expertise. SHORT OF TAKING CLASSES, THIS BOOK IS A MUST." - Harold Prince

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Applause Books; Rev Sub edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557830436
• ISBN-13: 978-1557830432
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #806,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Singing with Clarity, Emotion and Purpose!, October 27, 2000

By 

middlemoo "maraschino" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Singing Onstage (Applause Acting Series) (Paperback)

David Craig breaks down the sometimes overwhelming task/joy of performing songs into manageable chunks. His analysis of songs at the beginning of the book is priceless. After determining the Who-what why-when-where-how facts, the singer is guided through creating a subtext that personalizes and animates the performance, making it truly something worth watching/hearing. Highly recommended to singers of all genres, although Mr. Craig's focus is on musical theater. Answers the eternal question, "is this song (trip) necessary?" with a resounding "YES!"

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The unseen subtext that runs through a performance, February 20, 2006

By 

Mrs Spader - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Singing Onstage (Applause Acting Series) (Paperback)

This is indeed a very brilliant guide to singing onstage. However, I do not recommend it to novices. I remember having read this book when I was still a drama student in school, and not understanding most of what the great David Craig taught, because his methods are so painfully detailed(which is good, but not if you've never stood on a stage much before), and requires a good amount of maturity and self-awareness to achieve the desired results.

This book does not teach you about vocalising or their techniques. What it does is that it teaches you how to interpret the song through the lyric, the music, phrasing, and most of all, the subtext in your mind!

Having been a professional performer for more than a decade now, re-reading the entire book has been mindblowing, as it reaffirms and reintroduces me to the lessons that Experience has taught me. Oftentimes, I didn't even know that I possessed that piece of knowledge, until Craig puts it to the class in his always eloquent and witty way. He really does have a very persuasive way of luring the "real" you out, so we can all hear and watch YOU perform a song, and not the guy you are hiding behind. Singing becomes a much greater joy then, both for the singer and the audience, I promise you!

A must-read for singers and especially for actors wanting to get into musicals.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The true master's book for professionals, September 26, 2007

By 

P. Ellenstein - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Singing Onstage (Applause Acting Series) (Paperback)

David Craig literally invented musical theatre performance training. He was the master. You may want to save this book until after you've read some others. It is highly technical and deals with performers on at a master level. His books and tapes are all we have left of this amazing teacher. But there was simply no one better.