The Stage eBooks

We are currently having intermittent problems with the process that produces the on-demand editions of our ebooks. We are working with our supplier to find a solution, but in the meantime you may from time to time see error messages saying that your chosen book is not available. Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

The Stage presents a new series of information guides, for you to download and read on your computer. All e-books are presented in PDF format, which most modern computers can read automatically (but you may need to download the free Adobe Reader software for your computer).

If you want information on publication dates for any of our forthcoming ebooks, The Stage will email you when these become available online. Register your email address with us to receive this information.

The Stage Guide to Stage School Franchises

Whether you’re a parent with a talented child, a performing professional seeking work as a part-time tutor or you’re interested in setting up your own stage school business, making the right choice is always a challenge. Did you know that nearly 1,000 stage schools in the UK operate as part of a franchise and the number is growing every year? Franchises can offer the benefit of shared advice and resources, but it pays to be well prepared before you enter the business or send your child to a class. As the industry publication for the UK performing arts and entertainment, The Stage has been providing expert guidance to the profession and those seeking to enter it for more than a century. Now our education and training editor Susan Elkin offers invaluable advice both to practitioners and parents on what’s available, your financial commitment and how to pick the right franchise to suit your talents. Plus interviews with stage school teachers and listings for the best-known operators.

Download (PDF) £5.00 — Paperback £10.00

The Stage Guide to Schools for Young Performers 2010/11

The UK's first comprehensive guide devoted to secondary schools which specialise in the performing arts. Aimed at parents of those children leaving primary school who have an interest in the theatre and entertainment, the book details hundreds of institutes, including the growing proportion which exist within the state sector. An increasing number of specialist schools and academies within the mainstream education system are devoted to theatre, dance and related subjects. Mums and dads who cannot afford costly fees and youngsters who want to perform without ever turning 'pro', now have hundreds of schools to choose from. For the first time, all are listed by region, with details of school size, staffing, specialities and exam results.

Download (PDF) £5.50 — Paperback £7.95

The Stage Guide to Performing in Casinos

Changes to UK gambling laws have provided entertainers with exciting new work opportunities in the country’s expanding casino sector. For the first time in more than three decades, acts are allowed to perform in British gaming venues. More and larger sites are being built and competition for customers will intensify. Live entertainment is essential to attract people into casinos and boost revenue. For the performer, there is the potential for regular and often well-paid work in a multi-billion pound industry. The Stage Guide to Performing in Casinos, edited by the publication’s careers coach John Byrne, advises how to hone your act to what managements are looking for, with tips on preparation, material, reading your audience and getting re-booked. There’s also tips from working casino acts, bookers and management, and the first-ever comprehensive list of those casinos which stage entertainment - who runs them, where they are located and what sort of artists they feature.

Download (PDF) £5.00 — Paperback £10.00

The Stage Guide to Working Backstage - Introduction

Good at working with your hands, leaving school soon and like the idea of an exciting job where your skills are in demand? From the Olympics ceremony to Glastonbury, Hollywood to the West End, there's no event that doesn't rely on an army of highly skilled backstage people. Britain's reputation in this field is second to none. With opportunities increasing around the world, the UK needs to train thousands more. If you have a knack for building things, design, electrics, computers, or a flair for costume, hair and make-up, then you’re the sort of person the industry wants. Produced by experts writing for the world-renowned publication for the performing arts and entertainment, The Stage Guide to Working Backstage series consists of five essential books. Our introduction provides you with an overview of what's on offer, how to find funding and what area of work suits you best. The other four volumes focus on key areas - stage management, craft and construction, lighting and sound, plus costume and make-up.

Download (PDF) £3.95 — Paperback £7.90

The Stage Guide to Working Backstage - Craft and Construction

From a lavish stage set that would tax the skills of the best builders and carpenters, to a realistic, life-sized animal puppet or an authentic-looking model of a severed head, craft and construction experts create the effects that help make a show convincing to the audience. Most have no interest in acting but their talents mean they are constantly in demand in theatre, film, television and events. Even in these gloomy economic times, demand for your talents is set to grow over the next decade. For those in secondary school or just finished, the career opportunities are abundant but you need the right advice. This guidebook, published by The Stage, the world-renowned UK arts and entertainment publication, is edited by the paper’s training editor Susan Elkin. In it, you’ll find an outline of the jobs available, a glossary of words and phrases you need to know, interviews with teachers, students and the experts themselves, FAQs and advice on passing that all-important college audition.

Download (PDF) £5.50 — Paperback £10.00

The Stage Guide to Working Backstage - Costume and Make-up

Ever wondered how a film actor can age from 30 to 130, how to make a modern day actress look like a convincing Jane Austen heroine or what it takes to turn a male performer into a convincing Edna Turnblad for a performance of Hairspray on stage? The answer lies with top quality costume and make-up artists – an area of entertainment in which Britain is a world leader. Your chances of getting on a top backstage training course can be ten times higher than for a leading acting course. For those in secondary school or just finished, the career opportunities are abundant but you need the right advice. This guidebook, published by The Stage, the world-renowned UK arts and entertainment publication, is edited by specialist writer Paul Vale. In it, you’ll find an outline of the jobs available, a glossary of words and phrases you need to know, interviews with teachers, students and the experts themselves, FAQs and advice on passing that all-important college audition.

Download (PDF) £5.50 — Paperback £10.00

The Stage Guide to Working Backstage - Lighting and Sound

How many blockbuster theatre, music, film and other events wouldn’t work without the aid of top-class lighting and sound? It’s an area of entertainment in which Britain is a world leader and there couldn’t be a better time to get involved. To be a part of this industry, you don’t need to have any acting talent but a lot of technical ability and creativity. Employment prospects afterwards are much greater too, with the potential to work in theatre, television, film, music and events. For those in secondary school or just finished, the career opportunities are abundant but you need the right advice. This guidebook, published by The Stage, the world-renowned UK arts and entertainment publication, is edited by lighting and sound expert Geoffrey Joyce. In it, you’ll find an outline of the jobs available, a glossary of words and phrases you need to know, interviews with teachers, students and the experts themselves, FAQs and advice on passing that all-important college audition.

Download (PDF) £5.50 — Paperback £10.00

The Stage Guide to Working Backstage - Stage Management

What do world famous impresario Cameron Mackintosh and Mamma Mia! director Judy Craymer have in common? They both began their working lives as stage managers. No wonder when the job requires people skills, technical ability and great organisational ability. You may never tread the boards, but backstage, when the performance starts, you are the key person who keeps the show on the road. For those in secondary school or just finished, the career opportunities are abundant but you need the right advice. This guidebook, published by The Stage, the world-renowned UK arts and entertainment publication, is edited by Barbara Eifler, executive director of the Stage Management Association and co-editor of the paper’s weekly Backstage section. In it, you’ll find an outline of the jobs available, a glossary of words and phrases you need to know, interviews with teachers, students and the experts themselves, FAQs and advice on passing that all-important college audition.

Download (PDF) £5.50 — Paperback £10.00