Year Of The Pearl: The Life of a New York Repertory Company [Hardcover]

David Hapgood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 1993

Takes readers through a year in the life of a small, Off Broadway repertory theater dedicated to the classics, describing auditions, the actors' preparation, personality clashes, and the specter of AIDS over the theatrical community.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hapgood, a freelance writer, spent August of 1991 to May of 1992 with a small off-Broadway theater company. Established in 1984, The Pearl is located in the Chelsea section of Manhattan and presents productions of the classics. The author provides a wealth of interesting detail about theatrical fund-raising, acting techniques and the artistic problems involved in mounting serious drama. Hapgood's family was involved in theater (his mother translated Stanislavski's An Actor Prepares ), and he shows great sympathy for the travails of performers, directors and production support staffers whose devotion to their work causes them to live close to the poverty line. The interviews he conducted with Pearl founder and artistic director Shepard Sobel, actress Joanne Camp (Shepard's wife) and the other players reveal their dedication to their craft, as well as a glimpse into the rivalries that surface when egos conflict. This is an engaging work of theater history. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Hapgood uses well-documented writer's skills, a theater lover's passion for the art, and strong childhood impressions of Konstantin Stanislavsky and actors from the Moscow Art Theater to take the reader backstage at the Pearl Theater. The Pearl is a tiny Off Broadway repertory theater that produces classics exclusively. Hapgood, who spent a year interviewing Pearl director/producer Shepard Sobel and Sobel's actors and actresses, has created something special. His account is not a historical treatise but instead allows the company to speak through him about their work and their dreams. This book is easily read, but it has real theatrical meat on its bones. Appealing to theater professionals, students, and fans, every library with a theater collection should consider purchasing.
- Jon P. Cobes, Central Wyoming Coll., Riverton
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 195 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1st edition (October 26, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679411658
• ISBN-13: 978-0679411659
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,293,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for theatre students and audiences, August 14, 2004

By 

Book Addict "Eleanor T" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Year of the Pearl: The Life of a New York Repertory Company (Paperback)

I read this book as I began my college theatre studies and now years later looking back, I picked it up again. For those who always wondered what goes on behind the scenes in a small theatre company, or for those who have been there and want to see themselves reflected, this is the book. The petty arguments, artistic personalities, technical difficulties, and money troubles are all there. Highly recommended as a quick and interesting read- this literary documentary made me want a job at the Pearl, if nothing, just to meet all the interesting people introduced in the book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Who was this book written for?, August 22, 2003

By 

Bren Carlow (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Year of the Pearl: The Life of a New York Repertory Company (Paperback)

It is hard to know who this book was aimed at. Because Hapgood takes time to explain the obvious (such as the fact that not all theaters have curtains but use lighting to signal the start of a play), it appears that he intends the book for people who have never attended a theater. But the concerns of this book are so parochial that there is little to interest non-theatrical readers.
There is some delightful unintentional humor and a good deal of backstage drama can be inferred between the lines. But you will have to wade through tons of puffery to get at the interest.