Extreme Exposure: An Anthology of Solo Performance Texts from the Twentieth Century

Performance art can be traced back to the tradition of the "Griot" (African oral historian), Greek monologists, and medieval traveling minstrels. Solo performers all have a story to tell and in so doing speak directly to each member of their audiences. Each artist in this anthology adds a fresh voice to the genre. Readers are introduced to monologs and performance pieces that come from a variety of artists, such as Beatrice Herford and Ruth Draper, who delighted audiences during the first 50 years of the century, on to "Moms" Mabley, Lord Buckley, Lily Tomlin, Lenny Bruce, Whoopi Goldberg, Tim Miller, and many other contemporaries. Each artist is introduced by someone familiar with their work. There are photos of each performer along with brief biographies and bibliographies. This excellent companion to Glenn Alterman's Creating Your Own Monologue (LJ 2/15/00) is highly recommended for theater arts collections in public and university libraries.
-Howard E. Miller, Rosary H.S., St. Louis
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