Standing Naked in the Wings: Anecdotes from Canadian Actors

By Lynda Green

Book Overview

This collection brings together first-hand stories from Canada's acting community. Funny, shocking, embarrassing and poignant, these are the stories actors tell each other, providing an intimate glimpse into the world behind the camera and beyond the footlights. Arranged thematically, it starts with a chapter that focuses on early acting experiences ranging from William Shatner's first stage appearance and the evolution of Martin Short's Ed Grimley character, to Wayne and Schuster's initial meeting with Ed Sullivan.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195411951
• ISBN13: 9780195411959
• Release Date: October 1997
• Publisher: Oxford University Press Canada
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.1"

Customer Reviews

Actors Shine While Naked on Stage

Although I was reading a book, I felt like a fly on the wall of a cocktail party attended by Canadian actors. I buzzed around the room eavesdropping on groups of actors telling hilarious, intimate stories of life on the stage and before the cameras.Standing Naked in the Wings is a book of actors' anecdotes written by 250 contributing actors including Jenifer Dale, Al Waxman, Dave Broadfoot, Gordon Pinsent, Sarah Polley, Frank Shuster, Michael Ironside, Martin Short, Lynne Griffin, Gordon Clapp, Christopher Plummer, Sonja Smits.Editors Lynda Mason Green and Tedde Moore have woven the 450 contributions into 17 chapters covering themes such as auditions, mentors, kids and animals, missed cues and other mistakes, bodily functions, tours, early days, and the moving "Family Album". This chapter includes the letter Nicholas Pennell, a veteran of 23 seasons at the Stratford Festival, delivered to the Shakespearean company two days before his death.The book's title is taken from a story in which Bruce Greenwood describes how he was literally standing naked in the wings while performing in Bent at the Arts Club in Vancouver. The Comedy of errors that transpired "bears an uncanny similarity to nightmares I've had," Greenwood writes.

Fun behind-the-scenes look at actors in theatre, TV & film

What a fun book! It's like being the fly on the wall, listening to your favorite actors telling stories, on themselves, their friends and contemporaries. It captures many great (and not so great) moments in Canadian film, TV and theatre. They share their joys, fears, embarrassing moments, poignant memories and a wonderful sense of history. I had read some of the tales online over the last year or so, and the finished product is truly a treat. The only thing, in my opinion, that would make it better, is to have more of the contemporary actors we're seeing on TV, but perhaps there's a sequel there. :)