“All the world’s a stage” wrote William Shakespeare, and perhaps you have a special person in your life whose universe revolves around acting and theater. With the holiday season fast approaching, it can be hard to shop for that friend or family member who is a drama student, an aspiring actor, or a theater lover if you don’t have a clue about gift ideas. If you’re looking for some theater-themed presents, the internet can be a great resource for a variety of gifts sure to please creative people. Take the stress out of shopping for your thespian or theater aficionado with this selection of great gift ideas for actors and theater lovers.
Broadway Musical Snow Globes and Ornaments
PlaybillStore.com offers a variety of Broadway themed snow globes and holiday ornaments. The Broadway Cares Legends-Bernadette Peters as Dot Ornament is the perfect gift idea for actors who are interested in musical theater. This stunning ornament designed by Christopher Radko is six inches high, costs $55 and features actress Bernadette Peters in costume as Dot from the Sondheim musical “Sunday in the Park with George.” Shop for other musical theater themed ornaments celebrating actresses Chita Rivera and Carol Channing, or pick out a snow globe from hot Broadway shows like “The Lion King.”
Broadway Posters and Souvenirs
PlaybillStore.com also features a nice selection of Broadway posters and souvenirs. Do you have a friend or relative who’s away at college pursuing a degree in theater, acting or directing? Provide some inspiration with a gift of theater posters to decorate their walls. These authentic Broadway theater posters and frames are perfect for an acting student’s dorm, a bedroom or living room in their first apartment, and there are many classic and current shows to choose from. While you’re visiting this site, check out the gift ideas section and shop for Broadway gifts by show title.
The BBC Acting Series: The Complete Set
PlaybillStore.com carries the sought after “The BBC Acting Series: The Complete 6 DVD Set,” regarded as the foremost video learning series for acting technique. This set costs $159 for six different DVDs with a total of six hours of acting instruction. The diverse performers and acting disciplines include: Michael Caine and film acting; Janet Suzman on Shakespeare; Brian Cox teaching “Acting in Tragedy.” You simply can’t go wrong with this ideal gift idea for actors at the beginning or professional stages of their careers.
Actor T-Shirts and Novelty Gifts
CafePress.com is home to a huge selection of actor and theater themed gifts, including T-shirts and cute novelty gifts like boxer shorts, mugs, and wall plaques. Thespians with a sense of humor will get a kick out of fun gifts like the “Eat Sleep Theatre” T-shirt. The wide assortment of smaller items like buttons, decals, and necklaces would make the ideal stocking stuffers for the aspiring performer or theater fan on your shopping list, and they are sure to put a smile on any actor’s face.
Books on Acting Technique
Amazon.com has a huge variety of acting and theater books that will jumpstart any performer’s career. Go to the Amazon web site and search books for the term “acting” to discover lots of great gift ideas for actors and theater fans. Excellent books on acting technique include “The Power of the Actor” by Ivana Chubbuck and two books by Uta Hagen: “Respect for Acting” and “A Challenge for the Actor,” perfect for anyone who wants to explore the craft of acting.
“Breaking Into Acting for Dummies” by Larry Garrison and Wallace Wang is a useful book for figuring out the acting business (whether you’re headed to Broadway or just doing community theater). Theater lovers on your list will appreciate receiving books about theater history, Broadway, and actor biographies.
Back Stage Magazine Subscription
Backstage.com is the official site of Back Stage Magazine, considered the “Show Biz Bible.” Years ago, actors had to trek to the newsstand to get a weekly copy of Back Stage packed with news, valuable information and casting notices, but in the digital age, the magazine is now online. You can’t go wrong gifting a budding thespian with a Back Stage subscription; veteran actors and novices constantly turn to this respected magazine for casting news and essential articles about the acting business.
The Back Stage web site has plenty of free information; however, there are a variety of subscription packages that offer full access to Backstage.com; the Call Sheet Online database of agents and casting directors; the weekly print version of Back Stage; total access to over a thousand job listings; and more. The most expensive Back Stage subscription to receive both print and full online services costs $195 per year; a subscription to the print copy only costs $79 a year (check the site for current rates and packages).
Sources:
http://www.playbillstore.com/keepsakes.html
http://www.playbillstore.com/brwipo.html
http://www.playbillstore.com/bbcacsecoset.html
http://shop.cafepress.com/actor
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.backstage.com/bso/subscribe/index.jsp