Annotated Bibliographies

Paul Carter's book Backstage Handbook is a great resource for theater technicians everywhere. While the book is informational and useful the information is image based and not many sections of writing can be found easily in the book. This means that the book its self requires some interpretation or translating for people fresh to technical work. While the images are straight forward people that have never worked with construction like materials will have difficulty deciphering the information. In the preface Carter states “I didn’t want to write a how to book, I wanted a what is book – facts and figures only.” Paul Carter himself has worked as a stage hand for several years and he assembled his book by asking questions he need answers to. When he figured out the answer he wrote it in a note book. This means the information he gives he himself has used in the real world which gives him credibility in the practical world. This book is helpfully to me in the way that Paul Carter wanted it to be, what is not how to. This book will provide me with answers to my little questions, how much weight can this rope hold, how much electricity should this use, what is the name of this lamp. This book may not necessarily teach me much but it will help me finish the project.


John Ramsey Holloway, in his book Illustrated Theater Production Guide, gives detailed information about theaters, theater technology, techniques, theory, and application. While the book, like the Backstage Handbook, is filled with images it is also filled with much text and information. This guide goes into much detailed and using it it is possible to learn a lot about a theater and working in one without ever actually setting foot in a theater setting. Holloway himself has gained his knowledge through 30 years of stage work and is a Professor in the Theater Department of the University of Kentucky. The book is purely informational and that is evident in the way that is written. This book by Holloway can be helpfully to me by giving in depth explanations for techniques and objects used in theater of which I may have little to know knowledge about. This is not a quick guide like Paul Carter's book, this book as a book designed the have all the answers to someone that doesn't even know what question to ask yet. It will not give me the quick explanation, instead it will go as in depth as possible.