Attack of the Theater People
In praising “the witty high school romp” How I Paid for College, the New York Times Book Review said, it “makes you hope there’s a lot more where this came from.” There is. In this hilarious sequel Attack of the Theater People, Edward Zanni and his merry crew of high school musical-comedy miscreants move to the magical wonderland that is Manhattan.\ It is 1986, and aspiring actor Edward Zanni has been kicked out of drama school for being “too jazz hands for Juilliard.” Mortified, Edward heads...
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In praising “the witty high school romp” How I Paid for College, the New York Times Book Review said, it “makes you hope there’s a lot more where this came from.” There is. In this hilarious sequel Attack of the Theater People, Edward Zanni and his merry crew of high school musical-comedy miscreants move to the magical wonderland that is Manhattan.It is 1986, and aspiring actor Edward Zanni has been kicked out of drama school for being “too jazz hands for Juilliard.” Mortified, Edward heads out into the urban jungle of eighties New York City and finally lands a job as a “party motivator” who gets thirteen-year-olds to dance at bar mitzvahs and charms businesspeople as a “stealth guest” at corporate events. When he accidentally gets caught up in insider trading with a handsome stockbroker named Chad, only the help of his crew from How I Paid for College can rescue him from a stretch in Club Fed.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.Kirkus ReviewsIt's not getting into acting school that's hard, apparently, it's figuring out what to do when you're kicked out. In All Things Considered contributor Acito's first novel (How I Paid for College, 2004), fresh-out-of-Jersey drama kid Edward Zanni was on his way to Juilliard, stars in his eyes. When this follow-up novel opens in 1986, Edward is getting booted from paradise for being too " jazz hands' for Juilliard." With his confidence in his acting abilities at a historic low, Edward makes ends meet the best he can-his schemes include entertaining at "bash mitzvahs" and finagling a not-quite-legal rent-controlled apartment-all the while trying not to kill himself with jealousy as his acquaintances become more successful than he. Things go from desperate to worse pretty quickly, and Edward's confused bisexuality isn't helping him out in the dating department, either (his semi-straight crush isn't interested, and the only guy coming onto him is not his type). Acito again surrounds Edward with his tight-knit and eccentric (though fortunately not too-sitcom-zany) band of high-school friends, which makes the various money-making hijinks speed by. The mid-'80s struggling-Manhattan-actor-setting is organically relayed, with the Reagan presidency and the specter of AIDS present in the background. While Acito maintains his zippy smarts throughout, he occasionally resorts to YA-fiction narration ("I will not play a minor role in my own life") as the novel roller-skates to the busy conclusion, pom-poms flying. Exuberant, but less impressive than Acito's debut. Agent: Gloria Loomis/Watkins Loomis
\ Kirkus ReviewsIt's not getting into acting school that's hard, apparently, it's figuring out what to do when you're kicked out. In All Things Considered contributor Acito's first novel (How I Paid for College, 2004), fresh-out-of-Jersey drama kid Edward Zanni was on his way to Juilliard, stars in his eyes. When this follow-up novel opens in 1986, Edward is getting booted from paradise for being too " ‘jazz hands' for Juilliard." With his confidence in his acting abilities at a historic low, Edward makes ends meet the best he can-his schemes include entertaining at "bash mitzvahs" and finagling a not-quite-legal rent-controlled apartment-all the while trying not to kill himself with jealousy as his acquaintances become more successful than he. Things go from desperate to worse pretty quickly, and Edward's confused bisexuality isn't helping him out in the dating department, either (his semi-straight crush isn't interested, and the only guy coming onto him is not his type). Acito again surrounds Edward with his tight-knit and eccentric (though fortunately not too-sitcom-zany) band of high-school friends, which makes the various money-making hijinks speed by. The mid-'80s struggling-Manhattan-actor-setting is organically relayed, with the Reagan presidency and the specter of AIDS present in the background. While Acito maintains his zippy smarts throughout, he occasionally resorts to YA-fiction narration ("I will not play a minor role in my own life") as the novel roller-skates to the busy conclusion, pom-poms flying. Exuberant, but less impressive than Acito's debut. Agent: Gloria Loomis/Watkins Loomis\ \
