Going Green in Twenty Thirteen

Wool Mittens from Recycled Sweaters

New Year's Resolution:

• Go Green!

• ReCycle
• UpCycle
• ReStore
• RePurpose
• ReStore

Here are some fabulous eco-friendly ideas by members of the Etsy Maine Team.

 

The profound, the delightful and the fantastic   The Theater of Asia

Classic Dance Drama of Thailand

I would like to show you some books from the Bookshelf which may introduce you to the great beauty and strangeness of Asian theater as it is distinguished from the Broadway shows that have been part of your heritage.

First, let's look at a basic form of Chinese theater that you probably know by title but have never really enjoyed in particular.  On the cover of this book on Peking Opera  you will see Monkey, the God-King of Asian legend, who is featured in most theaters and can be clever beyond measure, powerful beyond imagination and a trickster beyond doubt.

Peking Opera

India has its profusion of festivals and sectional theater as well as serious playwrights such as Tagore who received the Nobel Prize for his literary accomplishments.

Rabindranath Tagore

Tagore's Red Orlanders

And festivals are a constant part of Indian culture.  And here are some suggestions when you plan your trip to India.

Festivals of India

Looking at puppets, one must never forget the Malaysian shadow puppets from whose performances children of traditional Malaysia learn about their history and culture as well as their manners and religious beliefs.  And here again is the Monkey King Hanuman that mythical and spiritual figure of Asian thought and literature.

Hanuman

And finally Japan where theater has always been a dominant part of culture: the serious and profound Noh drama, its comic relief in Kyogen and the popular Kabuki.  Today American politicians tend to flip that term kabuki around in a ridiculous manner.  Learn what Kabuki really is.

Kabuki

Kyogen

 Come visit the many shelves of Prosperosbookshelf,

©2012 ProsperosBookshelf.

Great Actors and Actresses

 American actresses--and all actresses for that matter--have been explaining themselves since forever.  Today whether in the movies or on the stage they do it with indifferent rapidity, and readers have a tendency to react in key.


But for a change let me introduce you to two real actresses from the 19th century American stage who had good reason to write about themselves and did it with considerable verve and style.  They were individuals and women of character when it took some daring and self reliance to escape the reputation that women in the theater had to contend with much of their careers.

Let's begin with an actress who has a major position for theater historians as she made a fascinating career for nearly half a century acting "dear old ladies and foolish virgins."  I wonder just what actresses today would say about this combination.

Mrs. Gilbert

Now here is another actresses from the 19th century whose name just might be familiar to you!

Mrs. Drew

 Am I right?  Check it out!

 ©2012 ProsperosBookshelf.

Down East Ballads

Down East Ballads

Down East Ballads

"This jolly old earth was made for mirth,

For song and laughter gay,

So keep a smile on your face the while

You journey on your way.

Just sing and be glad as though you had

No time for feeling blue.

If you can't do this there's something amiss --

It isn't the world, it's YOU."

 ©2012 ProsperosBookshelf.