Curtain Going Up! - Hardcover

Grade 5-8?The story of Fitzi and her show-biz family, which began in The Street Dancers (Viking, 1991), continues along a pleasantly tantalizing path, mixing the sparkle of theater life with the everyday problems of an adolescent girl. The plot builds on the behind-the-scenes tensions of the successful Broadway musical that Fitzi auditioned for in Broadway Chances (Viking, 1992). She is an appealing heroine, struggling to learn about boys and teen parties while doing homework backstage and worrying about the health problems of her grandfather, the enduring patriarch of her clan. Her awkward attempts at conversation with Mark, the play's juvenile lead, are among the most endearingly realistic parts of the book and are sure to strike a chord with every struggling social novice. This is a good step-up title for the paperback-series crowd?comfortable heroine, familiar emotions, easy-going prose?with the exotic yeast of authentic theater detail leavening the same-old/same-old monotony of many junior-high novels.?Sally Margolis, Deerfield Public Library, IL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Fitzi comes from a New York show biz family, all of whom have roles in a Broadway hit called Crowd Scene. But while Fitzi can put on a big smile and dance in front of countless strangers week after week, she is shy and uncertain in her private life. For one thing, she can't figure out how to act around Mark Hiller, the young star of the show, who both thrills and confuses her with his vanity. Further, Mark and Fitzi's theater veteran grandfather, Clement, are in competition for a Tony award. While some aspects of the plot are melodramatic (e.g., the set falls on and injures Mark, who then takes up drinking backstage to dull the pain), the characters and situations are generally believable, particularly the portrayal of Fitzi, an only child who unknowingly feels responsible for others' well-being. Hill's (Broadway Chances) in-the-know use of theater lingo further certifies the appeal of her in-the-wings stage story. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.