Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life
by Donna McKechnie, Greg Lawrence
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Book Summary Information
Author: Donna McKechnie, Greg LawrenceEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-08-29
ISBN: 0743255208
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Book Reviews of Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life
Book Review: The Life of a Professional
Summary: 5 Stars
Broadway stars don't get the recognition that movie stars get, but so far as Broadway stars go, Donna McKechnie is pretty well up there. After all, winning a Tony goes a long way to separate the stars from the wanna be's.
In Broadway acting there's a balance between the capabilities of the star and the play that doesn't seem to be as strong as it is in movies. Every Broadway actor has a series of talents in some combination of singing, dancing and acting. The key to success is for that actor to find a position in a play that exactly matches the mix of these talents. For Ms McKechnie that came together in 'A Chorus Line.'
This book has a lot about 'A Chorus Line.' But it's from a personal side. How do you take the talents you have, get them in front of the people making the decision about who to hire and get the job. Then what do you do afterward. How do you handle the problems that life brings you. And why does it seem that those who rise to great heights offten have problems more severe than the rest of us, try to imagine what rheumatoid arthritis does to a professional dancer. After a lifetime of working to be a dancer, to be told you will will never dance again, indeed may not be able to walk.
As has been said before, actors don't do acting because they want to, they do it because they have to. Ms. McKechnie probably has to do walk this line, but she's also doing exactly what she wants to do.
Summary of Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life
A poignant and revealing memoir from a legendary entertainer.Donna McKechnie began her love affair with dance as a child in Detroit. At fifteen, she ran away from home to join a touring dance troupe, and in 1961, she was cast in the Broadway smash hit How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. She soon won acclaim as Michael Bennett's show-stopping muse in Promises, Promises and Company. In 1975, with her Tony-winning performance in Michael Bennett's masterpiece, A Chorus Line, McKechnie vaulted to stardom as a unique Broadway "triple threat" who could do it all -- dance, sing, and act.
Moving among the circles of artists, dancers, and musicians who inspired and challenged her in myriad ways, McKechnie writes about the trajectory of her career as it intertwined with and influenced her personal life and the lives of those around her. Recounting her dazzling career, McKechnie also reveals the dark side of fame: from her parents' troubled relationship to a searing account of her own marriage to Michael Bennett and her inspiring triumphs over depression and the rheumatoid arthritis that nearly ended her career. With affectionate reminiscences of Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon, Stephen Sondheim, Fred Astaire, and many other well-known friends, McKechnie exhibits all the warmth, sensitivity, and verve that have endeared her to legions of fans over the years.
Filled with behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes, Time Steps is a candid, funny, and deeply personal memoir by a vivacious woman with an indomitable spirit and an illustrious, ongoing career.
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