Showing titles in Performing Arts

Learn about the early lives and exciting careers of the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Bob Marley, Bruce Springsteen, and Bono. The Rock Box! celebrates the musicians who have made us sing along to their songs for decades.

How does a little boy from the London suburbs named Reginald Kenneth Dwight grow up to become one of the biggest pop stars of all time? A lot of talent and a lot of personality! Elton John, as he would later call himself, started playing piano at the age of three. Although he was trained to play classical music, Elton's real love was rock and roll.

Juniper is a young girl who dreams of making it big in the movies along with her horse, Able. In particular, Juniper is obsessed with getting Able onto her favorite television show, Castle MacAvoy, and will do anything, even slay dragons, to make that happen.

Jackie Chan has been making movies and amazing audiences with his original and comedic stunts for decades. But before he was an international star, Jackie grew up in relative poverty in China, studied martial arts at the grueling China Drama Academy, and worked for years trying to find his way in film. Twist, tumble, and train alongside martial arts hero Jackie Chan in this biography from lauded author Kristen Mai Giang.

David Bowie, born David Robert Jones, wasn't just an incredible singer; he had an amazing talent for keeping his fans happily guessing about what he would do next. He alternated between musical genres with ease, established a successful acting career, and even created a legendary persona - the rocker alien Ziggy Stardust - that people still dress up as for Halloween each year. Author Margaret Gurevich takes listeners through David Bowie's life and shows exactly why he is an inspiration to many people and is celebrated all over the world.

Thirteen-year-old Nat Beacon loves a lot of things: her dog Warbucks, her best friend Chloe, and competing on her wheelchair racing team, the Zoomers, to name a few. But there's one thing she's absolutely obsessed with: musicals! From Hamilton to Les Mis, there's not a cast album she hasn't memorized and belted along to. She's never actually been in a musical though, or even seen an actor who uses a wheelchair for mobility on stage. Would someone like Nat ever get cast?

He was a boy with a guitar. She was a girl with a piano. Raised by loving grandparents in Depression-era rural Texas, their humble beginnings playing local shows to put food on the table started Willie and Bobbie Nelson on a remarkable path to global stardom. In a story filled with details of a childhood in rural Texas - with church socials, general stores, and town dances - Willie and Bobbie weave together an inspiring story of a long-ago time. With triumphs and tragedies, hard work, and determination, here is a deeply personal, gorgeously written, and profoundly moving tale of hope.

Pearl lives on a ranch where her chores include collecting eggs and feeding ornery ostriches. She has three older brothers, who don't coddle her at all. And she knows a thing or two about horses, too. One day, Pearl's brothers get cushy jobs doing stunts for this new form of entertainment called "moving pictures". They're the Daredevil Donnelly Brothers, a Death-Defying Cowboy Trio. Before she knows it, Pearl has stumbled into being a stunt girl herself - and dreams of becoming a star. The only problem is, her mother has no idea what she's up to.

RuPaul Andre Charles always knew he was meant to be a performer. Even as a young child, he loved to dress up and imitate the glamorous women he saw on television. When he turned 15, he began studying theater in a performing arts school in Atlanta and never looked back. Ru developed his drag-queen personality and launched his career in the 1980s. He now hosts and judges the widely popular and long-running show RuPaul's Drag Race, which has raised the profile of the art of drag and drag queens around the world.

Charlotte Andrews is perfectly fine being quiet - in fact, she prefers it. When she doesn't speak, people can't make fun of her stutter. But when she witnesses bullying on the school bus and doesn't say anything, her silence comes between her and her best friend. As if that wasn't bad enough, her parents signed her up for musical theater. Charlotte doesn't want to speak onstage, but at least she doesn't stutter when she sings. Then, just as she starts to find her voice, the arts program is cut. Charlotte can't stay silent anymore.

In her debut book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young girl - an every girl - whose confidence is fragile and who is questioning her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has reached. Misty encourages this young girl's faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through hard work and dedication, she, too, can become Firebird.

Marcus is NOT happy to be stuck in after-school film class...until he realizes he can turn the story of the cartoon superhero he’s been drawing for years into an actual MOVIE! There’s just one problem: He has no idea what he’s doing. So he’ll need help, from his friends, his teachers, Sierra, the strong-willed classmate with creative dreams of her own, even Tyrell, the local bully who’d be a perfect movie villain if he weren’t too terrifying to talk to.

Peter and Santa live a rather dull existence with their aunt, Rebecca, but when she dies, they face the awful prospect of life in separate orphanages. In desperation, they run away to find their only living relative, Uncle Gus, who works in a circus as a clown. Gus will let them stay only if they promise to work hard, and so the children plunge headlong into the circus world, where they soon discover skills they never knew they had. But life is so different - will they ever truly belong?

Inspired by the much-loved classic Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, Into the Spotlight is a magical new story from best-selling author and acclaimed performer Carrie Hope Fletcher. Brilliant Aunt Maude visits seasides the world over and has become quite the pebble collector. Pebbles of all shapes, sizes and colours and even one that looked a bit like Elvis Presley if you squinted a bit. Her favourite pebbles, however, are Marigold, Mabel and Morris.

Young Lily Marks loves to stand on her tiptoes. When her parents notice weakness in her legs, her doctor suggests dancing lessons to strengthen them. Lily falls in love with ballet - but can this fragile girl ever become a serious dancer? When the famous ballerina Anna Pavlova comes to town, Lily just has to meet her. Maybe Pavlova - small, delicate, and Jewish like Lily - hold the key to Lily's future.

You may know that Katy Perry is a shining star of pop who has soared to number one on the charts again and again. But did you know that Katy: is a pastor's kid times two? Both her mom and dad are pastors who encouraged her to sing in church; was dropped by two recording labels before she finally got her big break with Capitol Records?; exercises by jumping rope before every single show? Want to know more about the life of this talented celebrity? Listen on to learn all about Katy's childhood, career, favorite things, love life, future goals, and more!

Join Miffy and her friends in the seventh volume of her delightful adventures - thoroughly modern and more adorable than ever. Follow Miffy as she embarks on more adventures, big and small - exploring the exciting world around her with her friends and family. The classic Miffy books by Dick Bruna have sold more than 85 million copies worldwide. These brand new episodes feature a cast of children’s voices, fun songs and delightful stories. Recommended for children three years and over.

1870. It is opening night at the Royal Opera House in a freezing city by the sea, where a huge crystal chandelier in the shape of a galleon sparkles magically with the light of 750 candles. Celeste, a theatre rat, wakes up in a costume basket from what she hopes is a bad dream, to find out that everyone at the theatre where she works thinks she is someone else. When the chandelier falls, she is haunted by a strange girl who claims to know Celeste's past and why she must play a game called the Reckoning to try to save the people she loves.

A dynamic, exciting circus setting is the backdrop of this engaging fantasy featuring a fantastic cast of characters whose extraordinary talents are cleverly presented in an unforgettable mystery and coming-of-age story.

Sassy and Waldo have been cast in the school play and they couldn't be more excited. They love to play! Only this isn't that kind of play. Sassy and Waldo are good dogs. They will do anything for their boy, Stewart. That includes putting on a trench coat and pretending to be a new student named Salty in his class just to make sure he is happy. But this month Stewart's class is going to put on a play. Play! There's nothing that dogs love more than to play. Well, except maybe eating hamburgers, napping, and chasing squirrels. But they're all equal.