From Page to Stage: How Theatre Designers Make Connections Between Scripts and Images

I use this book as the text for Principles of Design for the Performing Arts--an intro to design course I teach. It's really the only book of its kind (with a design emphasis) available. While I could load up my students with four or five other books that would be far better in each respective area, From Page to Stage is the only text that brings them together in a compact and digestible form. The book is an easy read--important for a class top-heavy with studio work, and an adequate introduction to script analysis for design. That said, I think the book is long overdue for a serious second edition. Professor Ingham should consider dropping the odd, theater history chapter toward the end of the book, in favor of a massively expanded chapter on the actual execution of the design/collaboration process. The final chapter briefly touches on the actual "to stage" process. By far most of the book is devoted to the "from page" half. This is surprising as Ingham is herself a noted costume designer and would obviously have much to share in that area. There is next to nothing describing the production meeting process, communication with colleagues and directors, and the final steps in the production process. It's as if two or three chapters are missing from the end of the book. Don't get me wrong, I use this book, I recommend this book, and it isn't as if there is some better alternative--I'm simply eager to buy the greatly expanded second edition--should it ever appear.

Rosemary Ingham really captured the fundamentals of what it takes in creating and collaberating a design. Her book is full of examples of sources of inspiration, forms of play analysis, commentary on the NEA, and transcripts of directors and designers communicating ideals. This is a wonderful book and it belongs on every designers shelf.

This book is a great help for me since this is my 1st year at theater stage design