Letters from Backstage: The Adventures of a Touring Stage Actor

Michael Kostroff
Allworth Press (2005)
ISBN 1581154410
Reviewed by Kelley Anderson for Reader Views (11/06)

“Letters from Backstage” is a collection of e-mails to friends and family while Michael Kostroff toured with "The Producers" and "Les Miserables." They give you brief glimpses of his journey, from auditioning for "The Producers" to his last curtain call of "Les Miserables." He gives his impressions and descriptions of the cities, sites, hotels and cast-mates that he meets along the way. It is the story of a hardworking theater actor who doesn't seem to take anything for granted and doesn't let the fame go to his head. I feel that the book is especially written for anyone who has ever wanted to be a theatrical actor. He is brutally honest about the amount of work it takes in rehearsal and performing and also what gifts and shortcomings life on the road brings. He tells his story from his perspective and tells it well.

An actor is not something I ever wanted to be growing up. I was horribly shy and terrified of making what I thought was a fool out of myself. While Michael was describing being up onstage, the audience in their seats and all of the singing, dancing and acting going on onstage, I could honestly feel my hands grow clammy and my chest tighten. His descriptions were clear, accurate and (for me) terrifying. Any aspiring actor is sure to enjoy the suspense and drama of the stage. The practical jokes carried out among cast members did make me laugh out loud. Rehearsals, practices and more behind the scenes work seems to be just another day at work for any of these professionals, and yet Michael has a way of making it seem magical, because it obviously is to him. I have to admit, the book may have been even more interesting to me if I had ever seen either one of the shows.

My favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of the local activity in the cities he visited. Farmer's markets, local restaurants, and lively locals made me yearn to visit some of these cities. Other times, the descriptions were too sparse and generalized and I couldn't see in my mind what he was trying to describe, which is not surprising for text originally intended as e-mails to friends. A great addition to this book would be a final chapter, after the tours were finished, of highlights of what really stood out for Michael in all of those trips.

Michael says he has a "passion for the correct use of the English language" and it shows through in his writing. I read through the chapters swiftly, never getting tangled up in obvious grammatical mistakes. It is an easy to read book that I am sure will delight a younger audience looking to become actors as well as fellow actors in or retired from the business who would like to reminisce. He naturally finds a great transition from story to story, filling in background details necessary to the telling without bogging the entire story down. I believe that Michael could take many parts of this book and expand them into stories that would stand alone brilliantly, and they all still fit together neatly in "Letters from Backstage."

Aspiring, current and former actors along with theater lovers of all kinds will enjoy reading "Letters from Backstage." Michael is a natural storyteller, keeping true to the theme of the book, the backstage of two touring performances, while sharing his life and travels. The e-mails and letters included could be written directly to the reader. He tells the story as he sees it, not apologizing for some of the less than professional antics that go on. He continues to fall in love with the theater life over and over and brings you along for the ride.

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