Official Review: Exit Stage Left by Jack Coey
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Kourtney Bradley
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Official Review: Exit Stage Left by Jack Coey
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Exit Stage Left" by Jack Coey.]
More often than not, people view the limelight placed on actors and actresses as something to envy due to the glitz and glamor that encompasses those with flourishing professions. Although there are occurrences of this type of success, more often than not, these actors and actresses have struggled their way through small theater productions in order to become noticed. Exit Stage Left is a collection of short stories written by Jack Coey that shares the tales of struggling young performers in New York who are aspiring to hit it big time. Though Exit Stage Left is a shorter read at only 104 Kindle edition pages, the stories run deep and are much more meaningful than the pages allotted.
My favorite element about this collection of short stories is that there is no glamorization for the conflicts that these young actors are facing. Some of them are scarcely withstanding on the minuscule payouts they receive from small acting roles, while some others are fortunate if they are even given a call back on a role that pays only a dent in their financial obligations. Some can't handle the struggle and give up and others put in the arduous work and dedication in hopes that they will be noticed, but the collection never fails to elaborate on the justice of their circumstances. I find theater stage performance to be fascinating and the author unquestionably has great knowledge of the subject and never disappoints with signifying so. The characters were well-depicted and resembled real-life people with real-life situations. Their individualized determination to make ends meet while also striving towards their lifelong dreams were admirable, though I occasionally hoped that some of them with more rigorous travails would find work otherwise and leave their depression and soul-sucking commitment behind.
My sole criticism of the collection is that it was a bit complex to decipher when a new story was beginning or when I would be introduced to a completely new set of characters for another small set. Some of the accounts were told in a one-chapter setting, while there was another set that was elaborated for several chapters and left me wondering if I had missed an association between the characters in the other stories.
I'm rating Exit Stage Left 3 out of 4 stars. I'm deducting one star due to the confusion with the transition from one story to another, though I certainly did enjoy the compilation of short stories. The author does well with capturing varied personalities with different characters and the collection was also exceptionally well-edited, as I found no spelling or grammatical flaws while reading.
I would be happy to recommend Exit Stage Left to other readers, specifically those who are interested in the society of performance and playwriting. There are some instances of sexual conduct, explicit communication, drug/alcohol use, depression, and self-destruction, so conclusively, I would only suggest this collection to mature readers who can distance themselves from the situations if they found them relatable. These realistic tales could be of great sustenance to those who are contemplating pursuing their dreams into the world of performance. Though they are unquestionably not discouraging, they do show the mental strength and determination that is required to journey through challenging situations that could make you lose yourself along the way.
******
Exit Stage Left
View: on Bookshelves
More often than not, people view the limelight placed on actors and actresses as something to envy due to the glitz and glamor that encompasses those with flourishing professions. Although there are occurrences of this type of success, more often than not, these actors and actresses have struggled their way through small theater productions in order to become noticed. Exit Stage Left is a collection of short stories written by Jack Coey that shares the tales of struggling young performers in New York who are aspiring to hit it big time. Though Exit Stage Left is a shorter read at only 104 Kindle edition pages, the stories run deep and are much more meaningful than the pages allotted.
My favorite element about this collection of short stories is that there is no glamorization for the conflicts that these young actors are facing. Some of them are scarcely withstanding on the minuscule payouts they receive from small acting roles, while some others are fortunate if they are even given a call back on a role that pays only a dent in their financial obligations. Some can't handle the struggle and give up and others put in the arduous work and dedication in hopes that they will be noticed, but the collection never fails to elaborate on the justice of their circumstances. I find theater stage performance to be fascinating and the author unquestionably has great knowledge of the subject and never disappoints with signifying so. The characters were well-depicted and resembled real-life people with real-life situations. Their individualized determination to make ends meet while also striving towards their lifelong dreams were admirable, though I occasionally hoped that some of them with more rigorous travails would find work otherwise and leave their depression and soul-sucking commitment behind.
My sole criticism of the collection is that it was a bit complex to decipher when a new story was beginning or when I would be introduced to a completely new set of characters for another small set. Some of the accounts were told in a one-chapter setting, while there was another set that was elaborated for several chapters and left me wondering if I had missed an association between the characters in the other stories.
I'm rating Exit Stage Left 3 out of 4 stars. I'm deducting one star due to the confusion with the transition from one story to another, though I certainly did enjoy the compilation of short stories. The author does well with capturing varied personalities with different characters and the collection was also exceptionally well-edited, as I found no spelling or grammatical flaws while reading.
I would be happy to recommend Exit Stage Left to other readers, specifically those who are interested in the society of performance and playwriting. There are some instances of sexual conduct, explicit communication, drug/alcohol use, depression, and self-destruction, so conclusively, I would only suggest this collection to mature readers who can distance themselves from the situations if they found them relatable. These realistic tales could be of great sustenance to those who are contemplating pursuing their dreams into the world of performance. Though they are unquestionably not discouraging, they do show the mental strength and determination that is required to journey through challenging situations that could make you lose yourself along the way.
******
Exit Stage Left
View: on Bookshelves
Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light. 
–Vera Nazarian
–Vera Nazarian
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This sounds like an interesting and original book. Thanks for your detailed review.
