Introducing a complete drama course for kids in a book. Written by Lise Friedman, a former performing artist and author of First Lessons in Ballet, with over 40,000 copies in print, BREAK A LEG! teaches budding thespians everything thay need to know about stagecraft and the production of performances, in home or out. Illustrated throughout with informative how-to and candid shots of young working actors, BREAK A LEG! is as comprehensive as it is high-spirited. There are sections on body preparation, including warm-ups, stretches, and breathing exercises. Theater games, inprov, miming, and other fun ways to develop technique. Important acting skills, such as voice projection, crying on command, learning accents, and staging falls and fights without getting hurt. The performance: analyzing scripts, building a character, what to expect from rehearsals, and overcoming stagefright. A backstage look at blocking, lighting, and other technical aspects of theater production. And for the fun of costumes and make-up, a 16-page color insert.