{"product_id":"theater-geek-the-real-life-drama-of-a-summer-at-stagedoor-manor-9781439145777","title":"Theater Geek: The Real Life Drama of a Summer at Stagedoor Manor","description":"\u003cb\u003eB\u003c\/b\u003eefore there was \u003ci\u003eGlee \u003c\/i\u003eor \u003ci\u003eAmerican Idol, \u003c\/i\u003ethere was Stagedoor Manor, a theater camp in the Catskills where big-time Hollywood casting directors came to find the next generation of stars. It's where Natalie Portman, Robert Downey, Jr., Zach Braff, Mandy Moore, Lea Michele, and many others got their start as kids. At age thirty-one, Mickey Rapkin, a senior editor at \u003ci\u003eGQ \u003c\/i\u003eand self-proclaimed theater geek, was lucky enough to go, too, when he followed three determined teen actors through the rivalries, heartbreak, and triumphs of a summer at Stagedoor Manor. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eEvery summer since 1975, a new crop of campers has entered Stagedoor Manor to begin an intense, often wrenching introduction to professional theater. The offspring of Hollywood players like Ron Howard, Nora Ephron, and Bruce Willis work alongside kids on scholarship. Some campers have agents, others are just beginning. The faculty--all seasoned professionals--demand adult-size dedication and performances from the kids. Add in talent scouts from Disney and Paradigm and you have an intense, exciting environment where some thrive and others fail. Eye-opening, funny, and full of drama and heart, \u003ci\u003eTheater Geek \u003c\/i\u003eoffers an illuminating romp through the world of serious child actors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRapkin, Mickey:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cb\u003eMickey Rapkin\u003c\/b\u003e is a senior editor at \u003ci\u003eGQ\u003c\/i\u003e magazine. His work has also appeared in \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times, TimeOut New York, The New York Post, Entertainment Weekly, \u003c\/i\u003e and other publications. His first book, \u003ci\u003ePitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory, \u003c\/i\u003e was published in 2008 by Gotham Books. He graduated cum laude from Cornell University in 2000. He lives in Manhattan.","brand":"Free Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50925720273170,"sku":"9781439145777","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_8ef35d4e-e03a-43f1-aa1e-2bbf645f28d7.jpg?v=1738978224","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/theater-geek-the-real-life-drama-of-a-summer-at-stagedoor-manor-9781439145777","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}