Featuring contributions from New York Times bestsellers, award-winning authors, and superstar Broadway, TV, and film actors!
No light is as unforgiving as the spotlight, but to be in it while being a teenager is just plain brutal. This collection of fictional short stories highlight the struggles, hopes, failures, and triumphs of young aspiring singers, dancers, actors, actresses, and performers. While these characters may feel out of place during their everyday lives, they are able to find a home onstage and in rehearsals. Woven throughout the anthology are personal anecdotes from several of today’s most celebrated performers of stage, screen, and television.
Whether hilarious or romantic or devastating or suspenseful, these diverse coming-of-age stories are perfect for anyone who is reaching for the stars.
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“DEFINITELY WORTHY OF APPLAUSE. Even a teen with only a pang of stage or screen hunger will be fascinated by this book, with its various accomplished contributors, from the introduction by Clay Aiken to stars from television shows such as <i and Glee.
The stories run A RICH AND VARIED EMOTIONAL GAMUT …Teens needn’t be star-struck to enjoy this collection, as under the hubbub of the theater world are themes that deal with common teenage issues such as insecurity, jealousy, the fear of coming out and YOUNG LOVE!”
There’s a reason that so many people love Glee—besides all of the musical numbers. And Jane Lynch.
Really, Glee is a show about the underdog, and no one knows what it feels like to be ignored, pushed aside, and made of fun like a teenager—especially one who loves the performing arts. Not only do Glee and other TV shows like Smash, The Voice, The X-Factor, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance? (and many more) inspire us to believe in the power of music, they encourage us to follow our dreams. They teach us that with hard work and confidence, anything is possible. Because when it comes to the performing arts, it’s not about fitting in—it’s about standing out.
Which is why my co-editor, Josh Pultz, and I wanted to craft a collection of stories that spoke to the very heart of what it means to be a teenager and to love performing. The stories in this anthology are written by some of today’s most fantastic writers, and they are all inspired by the transformative power of music, dance, and drama. Whether you’re a member of the audience, taking it all in, or up on stage, making it all happen, there’s nothing quite like the magic of a fantastic performance. In these pages, you will read about everything from the simple wonder of a first kiss to unlikely yet powerful friendships to the thrilling mystery of finding one’s voice—literally.
Interspersed throughout these fiction pieces are personal anecdotes from theater, television, and film actors who were as touched by the arts as the protagonists in this anthology. They have shared the moments that inspired their current careers and exposed their personal failures and triumphs.
The seeds of this anthology were planted many years ago, when we were in school. For us, performing was the creative outlet we needed to make us feel special. We may not have been jocks or on top of the social food chain, but on stage, underneath the lights … none of that mattered. From plays and musicals to Chorus, Band, and Orchestra rehearsal, we were allowed to truly be ourselves. To pursue our dreams and reach for the stars. Our best friends were made during productions and musical summer camps. The arts provided us a home, a safe haven when we needed one, and for that we are forever grateful.
We hope that you enjoy STARRY EYED as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.
Ted Michael & Josh Pultz
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