The "how-to" book for Torah study

"Michele Lowe's radiant new play explores the possibilities that open up in the lives of an array of women as they come into contact with a certain strand of pearls. While the pearls are stolen, bought, bestowed, unstrung and nearly lost, four actresses play 27 characters in this deeply moving drama that is as fresh as it is funny. On the eve of her granddaughter Amy's wedding, Beth asks to see the pearls she gave Amy's mother long ago. When Amy cannot produce them Beth determines to find the pearls. She takes us back to the time when she received them and then gave them to her daughter, who passed them on to her dearest friend Ela who lost them one Sunday morning. Spanning 35 years, the pearls touch the lives of mothers and daughters, sisters and friends, even husbands and wives as they weave a deeply affecting story of love and loss."--Publisher's website.

"This book is published in conjunction with the exhibition Pearls on a String: Artists, Patrons, and Poets at the Great Islamic Courts, presented at The Walters Art Museum from November 8, 2015 to January 31, 2016 and at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco from February 26 to May 8, 2016."

A near-death experience in a car with her Mother; running from tear gas at a Vietnam War rally hand-in-hand with her Pop; a year in India learning side-by-side the country's 'untouchables;' the highs and lows of living on a rural Pennsylvania commune...and all before Fiona Sprechelbach's thirteenth birthday. Set during one of the most politically divisive eras in American history, Thread for Pearls is a coming of age tale that takes us on a young heroine's journey to faith and freedom amidst a turbulent family dynamic. It's a story of resilient hope that questions whether it's the events of our lives that define us, or the thread on which we choose to string them.

Do you want to teach improv, but don't know where to start? Are you looking for ways to structure improv games into effective lesson plans? Introducing Teaching Improv: The Essential Handbook, a new resource packed with 16 step-by-step lesson plans that will take the stress out of planning your improv classes. We've done the hard work for you, by organizing today's best improv games into fun, skill-based lessons that your students will absolutely love. More importantly, you'll see them grow into confident and creative performers. This resource was created by the same award-winning publisher of Teaching Drama: The Essential Handbook, a #1 best-seller on Amazon which has sold over 35,000 copies and has been translated into 5 languages. Go beyond improv games. With this book you'll get: 16 detailed, full-proof lesson plans that cover the "9 rules of improv" Notes on how to introduce improv concepts in clear, concise language Over 114 improv games and activities Reflection and journaling exercises after each lesson Homework handouts and YouTube video links to deepen understanding Sample "performance line-ups" for every age/experience level A troubleshooting guide to address common issues Bonus Digital Material with 23 Videos to demonstrate how games are played Below are just a few of the topics covered in the lessons: Teamwork and Trust. Students will demonstrate an understanding of improv and develop trust with their classmates. Make Associations. Students will practice making associations and discover tools to help them think quickly and creatively. Yes, and. Students will demonstrate the ability to accept a statement or action that they are given and add something to it. Listen. Students will listen to each other by observing how their classmates move and absorbing what their classmates say. Relate. Students will learn to internalize and connect with whatever has been communicated. Be honest. Students will demonstrate honesty in their creation of environments, objects and characters. Be in the present. Students will make strong initiations that are rooted in the present. Tell a story. Students will learn how to incorporate the Important Elements of Storytelling into their scenes. Develop Relationships. Students will explore how status affects relationships, and how it can be used to enhance a scene for comedic or dramatic effect. Scenework. Students will create entertaining scenes with characters who have a strong relationship, locations, a strong initiation, and a conflict.