Attack of the Theater People

| ATTACK OF THE THEATER PEOPLE |

IN BOOKSTORES NOW

| Synopsis | back |

It's 1986, and twenty-year-old Edward Zanni has been kicked out of drama school for being "too jazz hands for Juilliard." Mortified, Edward heads out into the wonderland of 80s New York City, bumbling through a series of disastrous day jobs before finally finding one that suits his limited abilities. Working as a "party motivator," Edward excels at getting thirteen-year-olds to dance at Bar Mitzvahs and charming business people as a "stealth guest" at corporate events. Eventually, he attracts the attention of Chad Severson, a devastatingly charismatic and unscrupulous young stockbroker who befriends Edward in order to obtain insider trading information.

Unaware he's breaking the law, Edward is soon in a heap of trouble. Not only are the feds after him, but he's being stalked by an obsessive thirteen-year-old Bat Mitzvah groupie, and facing the revenge of his spiteful ex-stepmother, Dagmar.

Only the help of his crew from How I Paid for College can rescue Edward from a stretch in Club Fed, tumbling him into an adventure involving roller-skating actors, jet-setting Persians, guerilla theater, and a Springsteen tribute band called Almost Bruce. Together, they must give the performance of their lives.

Laced with the inspired zaniness of classic American musical comedy, Attack of the Theater People matches the big hair of the eighties with an even bigger heart.

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| Reviews | back |

"Attack of the Theater People is as sweet and nutty and irresistible as a bag of M & M's. Acito's deft hand with dialogue lends a curious believability to even his most preposterous scenarios."--Armistead Maupin, author of Tales of the City

"Sort of an east coast Tales of the City, this over-the-top yet scarily accurate burlesque of theatre folk rampaging through ‘80s Manhattan caused me gasps of appalled recognition and frequent laughing out loud. It's the kind of book where you read passages to friends and they laugh too." —Stephen Schwartz, composer & lyricist of Godspell, Pippin and Wicked

“Reading this book was like being invited to the most riotous high-school reunion ever and it was a pleasure to revisit the characters and the hair, fashion and moral failings of the 1980s. Jazz hands down, the funniest thing I've read this year.”—Jennifer Weiner, author of In Her Shoes

“Attack of the Theater People is the book I'd write if I weren't so busy watching TV and depositing checks.”—Jeff Marx, co-creator of Avenue Q

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| Book Club Guide | back |

1) Edward gets a lot of advice from everyone around him, much of it bad. With which advice do you agree? If you were his friend, what would you tell him?

2) Edward pretends to be a lot of people. How does that relate thematically to the book?

3) How I Paid for College is a love letter to friends. What is Attack of the Theater People a love letter to?

4) How do the two books differ?

5) Edward is told he's "too jazz hands for Juilliard." How does that relate to his feelings about his sexuality and his relationship with Hung?

6) Edward continues to be infatuated with Doug. Is Doug gay, straight or bisexual?

7) Which of this crew of friends are you and your friends the most like?

8) This is a book about finding your place in the world. What do you think Edward will do next? What about the rest of his friends?

9) How does the 1980s atmosphere affect the story? How would it be different or the same today?

10) Shakespearean references abound throughout. What do they say about the characters and situations?

11) Both Natie and Chad have no ethical problem with sharing inside information for financial gain. How do you feel about it?

12) Many of these characters have almost religious feelings about the theater. Why do you suppose so few people go to the theater?

13) Edward comes of age during the second-worst season on Broadway (the first being the season before). Why do you suppose that happened? How did Broadway come back? How has it changed?

14) What's the thematic significance of Edward and Paula fixing the gridlock on Broadway?

15) If you were to create a piece of Guerilla Theater, what would it be?

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