Many a community theater or high school drama teacher has faced an audience expecting the bright lights of Broadway at pennies a head. Martin, a designer with over 200 productions to his credit, shows producers and directors how to whittle down large scale plays and musicals to fit their size. He explains design keys, the basics of stage design, the clues in a script that will lead to a fresh production, and examples of the staging of big plays, musicals and even grand opera at a pauper's budget. He begins with seven case studies and continues with a portfolio designs from classic musicals, straight plays, and opera, giving readers hundreds of ideas for their productions. In a very good final chapter, Martin puts the theater in its living contexts, which include guts and magic. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)