A group of angels behind a curtain in the sky prepares for a big debut over the manger in Bethlehem.

The New York Times bestselling author of Sweetness delivers the first all-encompassing account of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of professional sports’ most-revered—and dominant—dynasties. The Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s personified the flamboyance and excess of the decade over which they reigned. Beginning with the arrival of Earvin “Magic” Johnson as the number-one overall pick of the 1979 draft, the Lakers played basketball with gusto and pizzazz, unleashing their famed “Showtime” run-and-gun style on a league unprepared for their speed and ferocity—and became the most captivating show in sports and, arguably, in all-around American entertainment. The Lakers’ roster overflowed with exciting all-star-caliber players, including center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and they were led by the incomparable Pat Riley, known for his slicked-back hair, his Armani suits, and his arrogant strut. Hollywood’s biggest celebrities lined the court and gorgeous women flocked to the arena. Best of all, the team was a winner. Between 1980 and 1991, the Lakers played in an unmatched nine NBA championship series, capturing five of them. Bestselling sportswriter Jeff Pearlman draws from almost three hundred interviews to take the first full measure of the Lakers’ epic Showtime era. A dazzling account of one of America’s greatest sports sagas, Showtime is packed with indelible characters, vicious rivalries, and jaw-dropping, behind-the-scenes stories of the players’ decadent Hollywood lifestyles. From the Showtime era’s remarkable rise to its tragic end—marked by Magic Johnson’s 1991 announcement that he had contracted HIV—Showtime is a gripping narrative of sports, celebrity, and 1980s-style excess.

Trouble is brewing at the Varmint Theatre and Hermux has the role of a lifetime! Hermux Tantamoq is in the spotlight again when he gets an urgent plea for help from Fluster Varmint - the most famous mouse in showbiz. It seems as if someone wants to put Varmint's lights out! Hermux dives into the mystery headfirst, but quickly discovers he is in too deep. And there are other threats too, notably suave director Brinx Lotelle, practising his amorous skill on aviatrix Linka Perflinger, Hermux's sweetheart - if only he had the courage to tell her. This case thrusts Hermux centre stage, where his courage and cleverness will be tested to the limit. Can Hermux save the day, the theatre and get the girl? Or will it be curtains for our favourite watchmaker?

SHOWTIME is the follow-up book to Monologues: Dramatic Monologues For Actors. It is contains 16 hilarious comedic scenes for two actors that range from one to ten minutes in length. All of the scenes are original and are taken from selected plays, films, and television pilots from Gregory's body of work. Like Monologues, SHOWTIME was written to fill a much needed void for comedic scenes for black and minority actors; although this book was written for actors of all races. There are the many unique characteristics in this book that separates it from similar books. The characters can be performs by anyone and there are plenty of scenes for males and females, males and males, older males and younger males, and so on. There are scenes that are appropriate for middle school actors all the way to professional actors. It is the perfect book to produce a show consisting of short comedic scenes for two actors. Also, it is the perfect book for directing funny scenes or shows at high school, colleges, or professional level. SHOWTIME was written to be a comedic actor and director's dream. The characters in each scene allow the actors to explore a different character through: researching, exploring, and understanding the motivation and objective necessary to bring the character to life. For the director, it allows him/her to utilize, enhance, broaden, and develop many of their skills necessary for directing full-scale productions. As a literary resource for educators, SHOWTIME includes: a chapter on vernacular, commonly used vernacular terms, a chapter on copyright infringement, a chapter on stage terminology, a chapter on film/television terminology and more. It is an excellent resource to teach: acting, scene study, and character development. SHOWTIME is original, the characters are diverse, very funny and lots of fun for acting, directing, or teaching.

If you purchase The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World in ebook format, receive free monthly updates via your device so you'll be in the know about important changes, making your vacation planning better than ever! March-April 2015 Updates Available! Your Kindle update includes important changes to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot monorail schedules through July 2015; ticket prices, dates, and times for the Magic Kingdom's Night of Joy celebration in September; and updates to Fastpass+ locations for the Magic Kingdom's parades. Compiled and written by a team of experienced researchers whose work has been cited by such diverse sources as USA Today and Operations Research Forum, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World digs deeper and offers more than any other guide.

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