Drama

An Actor's Education

By: John Lithgow

Narrated by: John Lithgow

Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

In this riveting and surprising personal history, John Lithgow shares a backstage view of his own struggle, crisis, and discovery, revealing the early life and career that took place out of the public eye.

Above all Lithgow’s memoir is a tribute to his most important influence: his father, Arthur Lithgow, who, as an actor, director, producer, and great lover of Shakespeare, brought theater to John’s boyhood. From bedtime stories to Arthur’s illustrious productions, performance and storytelling were constant and cherished parts of family life. Drama details with poignancy and sharp recollection the moments that introduced a budding young actor to the undeniable power of theater.

Before Lithgow gained fame with films like The World According to Garp and television shows like 3rd Rock from the Sun, his early years were full of scenes both hilarious and bittersweet. His ruminations on the nature of theater, film acting, and storytelling cut to the heart of why actors are driven to perform, and why people are driven to watch them do it.

Lithgow chronicles the harrowing moments of his past, reflecting with moving candor on friends made and lost, mistakes large and small, and the powerful love of a father who set him on the road to a life onstage. Illuminating, funny, affecting, and thoroughly engrossing, Drama raises the curtain on the making of one of our most beloved actors.

©2011 John Lithgow (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

Wonderful

I can recommend this for anyone who enjoys listening to a well told heartfelt story.

A life in drama is a life full of stories

John Lithgow has always been one of my favorite actors. I've never seen him in stage, but I've seen his TV and film performances, and I adored him on 3rd Rock From The Sun. He doesn't talk much about thst show or any movie in which he participated after the 1980s. Instead, he talks about life, what he wanted to be, what I was like growing up with a theater director as a father. He's honest, inspiring, hilarious, charming and so, so powerful.

Life is made of all the little details that we keep in our heads. Life is what we have to show for ourselves, not the stuff we can say about others. His journey was incredible, his stories about how he got out of the military, the embarrassment in front of Marcel Marceau, his affair with Liv Ullman, his experience as a theater actor going to Los Angeles for the first time... This book is so rich because of that.

I'm a sucker for John Lithgow.

I really enjoyed this book, because I am a sucker for John Lithgow. I find every role he does fascinating by virtue of the fact it's him. I am, therefore, not a good reviewer because I am very far from impartial. Having been warned: I loved this book. The amount of self-awareness that had to go into creating this honest and self-effacing look at one's own life required someone with the ability to dig into their own dirty laundry and hold up the piece of which you're most embarassed. That is no easy task. If you're a fan of Lithgow, of the live stage, or an adult looking back on the frailties of our parents and ourselves, I think you'll like it, too.

John Lithgow - The Actor as Storyteller

I didn't care so much for the long recounting of his childhood. When he hits his professional stride, the story became more interesting. He's a good, but not great, writer but a great actor who brings the non-actor into the heart and purpose of drama.

an excellent insight into an actor's development

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in learning about "where actors come from" and in learning more about an interesting person's growth and development. John Lithgow reads his own story, and who better! His narration is a good listen, and there is no question that he knows the subject. I had met John in the early 1970's when he worked at a local theater so I was curious to know more about him. He was a nice guy then, and now I know much more about why he is who he is, and I enjoyed the story of his life. While Lithgow has done a lot of acting, he may not be at the top of the list of "most well known" actors, but that does not prevent the book from being an engrossing and educational listen. Some actor's auto- or bio-graphies tend to be filled with name-dropping and/or self-glorified tales. This book is not that way at all, and reveals more of a personal perspective on the growth of an actor. I really enjoyed the book!

Absolutely fabulous!

Would you listen to Drama again? Why?

Yes, I imagine I'll listen to this one again. Lithgow is a wonderful storyteller and as someone who's done theater all my life, I found the content fascinating and timeless. I don't think, however, you'd need any background in theater to enjoy it immensely.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Well, John Lithgow, of course!

What does John Lithgow bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He's a wonderful actor, which makes his narration incredibly engaging. And, of course, he is very much invested in his own experiences, which only adds to the pleasure of the listener.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! Thank heavens I had a long car ride which allowed me to listen to it all the way there and all the way home. I still was so sad when it was over. I didn't want it to end.

Any additional comments?

Truly one of my most favorite Audible books ever!

Everything you could want and more

I adore John Lithgow and this book solidifies my adoration more than I could've expected.

Excellent piece of work

Where does Drama rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

As an autobiography Drama is one of the best I have listened to.

Have you listened to any of John Lithgow’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

His description of the time he spent with his parents as they advanced in age.

Good, but what happened to THIRD ROCK?????

What made the experience of listening to Drama the most enjoyable?

It is always fascinating to learn how people get to be the celebrities that they are. Did they scratch and claw their way to the top or ride a wave of talent? JL seemed to have the talent to make it happen. And he was born into acting. There were some good stories and interesting insights.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I really wanted to hear about GARP and THIRD ROCK and DEXTER. Just a little celebrity gossip wouldn't have hurt, would it?

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved how he started it, the story about his father's illness. That really set the stage.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he reads to his dad.

Any additional comments?

When I finished I realized that, not only did he leave out the "good stuff" about Hollywood, but he left out is mother! It seems like his father was his only important parent.

Egoist

What disappointed you about Drama?

I know, actors ARE egoists; however this was unbearable and tedious so I didn't finish it. John prattles on about how wonderful he is for realizing his own faults, still oblivious to the egotism buried in his statements. The feigned humility used throughout feels so omni-present all the time I got tired of the boasting. The book reads like a narcissist who realizes that narcissism is bad so the author covers up his real pretentiousness with a phoniness that oozes in the background. NO!: John didn't go to Harvard, he was a simply country boy who found himself at Harvard. It's was more like an accident really... Constantly portraying himself as the guy who didn't fit in but magically found himself in roles where he was the center of attention, John manages to evince that he just stumbled through his social life without doing much to manipulate anything.

What do you think your next listen will be?

3 hours of Lithow's ego was enough thanks.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Read a different book.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Drama?

Chapters 2 onwards.