After viewing the film, I recently purchase the hardcopy of the play for myself to read and of course to add to my own library. If you don't like to read the film is wonderful, witty, and walks/talks the truth about friendship and how we bond as gay men. This isn't a play, it's simple truth. A must read/see.

I saw the movie and thought, "I have to read this play!" So I did and it's every bit as wonderful as the movie. The characters are so *real* and the whole thing is just so poignant and brilliant. The ending is wonderful as well. I very highly reccommend reading this one.

This collection of three plays is such an amazing example of McNally's work. "The Libson Traviata" is an emotional play, dealt with such tenderness and wit. "Frankie and Johnnie" is a wonderful play full of compassion and humor, making light of a situation. "It's Only A Play" is a very funny, yet touching play that is a must-read for fans of McNally. Terrence McNally, you are amazing!

This collection is worth getting simply for the second play 'Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune'. Yes, I'm sure you have all seen the film with Al Pacino, but the play version is much more detailed. The relationship between Frankie and Johnny, as seen from dusk till dawn, is one of the most intense, moving and powerful ever written.

Great dialouge, high energy, contrasting characters and good 60's American humor. Each of the three plays has some tie-in to the Vietnam war, and each of these plays has its own unique take on society.

Hilarious yet often sad true tale of the author's incredibly frustrating run of his stage play Legends, starring two honest-to-goodness stage divas Carol Channing and Mary Martin, who in real life gave their stage characters more than a run for their money. Greedy producers, bickering stars, hostile reviewers, backstage manipulations, it's all here, presented in good humor by Kirkwood, a vastly unsung writer, unfortunately long since deceased. This was his final book. A good read in itself, and sure to provoke laughter and empathy from anyone who has been involved in theatre.

I have been looking for this book, since I first heard the soundtrack Christams morning. Then I went to Broadway and saw the show last April. Yazbek has shared with us what are sure to become clasics in the musical theatre world. If this show had come out any other year it would have swept the tony's for music and score (unfortunetly it had to content with "The Producers". The song "You Walk With Me" is such a touching testamony to friendship. It is one of the most touching songs to come out of a muscial in recent years. It would also work well in a church service. Then there is the song "Big Ass Rock" which has sent everyone I have played it for into fits of laughter and when they finally stop they demand that I play it again. This Book is a must for anyone who buys sheet music to show tunes.

This play is not only deeply moving, but is extremely relevant to our day and age. Despite its deep moral premise, and horrific moments, McNally treats his work with a very sensitive touch, making "Ganesh" his finest work to date. Both humorous, entertaining, heartbreaking, and poignant, "A Perfect Ganesh" is one of the greatest theatrical achievments of the 1990's. It is a tragedy that this piece is not in stock.

"The plays in this collection represent some of my earliest work as well as the most recent. It is good to have them all in print together. I usually think my plays are dead, or at least comatose, unless they are being performed somewhere. But when they're not in print, it's as if they never even existed. Not a good feeling. I can assure you." This quotation comes from Terrence McNally's own preface to this brilliant collection of short plays. I first stumbled across this book in my college library. "Hm. Terrence McNally," I thought. "He's good." Little did I know then that I would be completely overtaken by the LIFE that is in this collection. As a bad, young actor, I am always on the frantic look-out for things that do justice to human nature. I think McNally is capable of just that: doing justice without exploiting. Some of you may recognize McNally's name from some of his more popular plays, perhaps the most popular being "Frankie and Johnny In The Clair De Lune." However, upon reading this book, you will find that McNally's brilliant hand touches all of his work, especially in the brief piece "Andre's Mother." Because of this, this book would be of great aid to actors and directors alike looking for something new and yet somehow familiar to work on. Although McNally himself declares that he hates reading plays, this collection serves a a beautiful piece of literature to not only actors, but even the "traditional reader." I highly recommend this book to any person interested in human nature - why we do what we do, what causes us to do it, and what happens when things don't go our way. As the title suggests, these plays are for actors, but in the grand scheme of things (pardon my cliche, I'm wrapping this up now)these plays are about all of us, for all of us.

Under the spotlight of increasing popularity, Kava...or Kava Kava to those who think twice about using it, is the latest "miracle natural drug," alleged to relieve anxiety and stress without side effects or addiction. This book is not bad. It certainly is true to its title, discussing in depth how Kava is nature's answer to several common aliments. Yet, in our modern world where the newest "fad" goes from scientist to corporation to local mall vendor in a matter of months, the basic question is, "do these things really work?" Take a valium, and you will feel calm. Take a Xanax and your anxiety will be relieved. Most likely, however, you will became dpeendant on these drugs and eventually resort to robbing your local Dairy Queen to support you habit, unless friends intervene and get you to Rehab in time. So there is the true magic of Kava. No dependancy...no side-effects...it is legal...and it works? Well, this book certainly believes it does, and it backs this assertion with several well laid out and researched chapters. The problem is, is that Kava has been used for centuries in elaborate rituals on beautiful tropical islands as the sun is setting and soft island music plays in the background. Oh yea, and they use Kava. Now, if you are not relaxed after that, you are either already dead, or you might as well give up your dream of becomming stress free. Does Kava work in the bog city, with big city pressures? Will a Kava Latte be that far off, or even a Kava encrusted chicken breast? Nothing is certain as yet. If anything, this book is a step forward in educating the public on a possibly promising new alternative to presciption drugs. A message to the reader, however: Keep an open mind and remember, the Metabolife people know where you live.

I have the pleasure of living in the only city in the country that has an authentic Kava Bar. I've chosen to remain anonymous to keep it underground, where is should stay. Kava is amazing and this book is just another testimonial of that fact. Kava does just what this book claims that it does...it cured my insomnia, and that's a fact. I just dread the day Kava becomes the next frapaccino, because I love it right where it is. It is illegal in Canada and Germany and probably many other places, so I'm hoping that that doesn't happen in the U.S. by people abusing this awesome herbal medication.

This book continues the progress that is being made in the effort to rediscover the essential links between natural medicine, the human personality, and true health. It can be read to further personal well being and it is a testament of how our leading western physicians are returning to honest, scientifically vaild remedies for what ails us. This book is not only about kava--though it is the most readable account of the traditional and modern uses of that wondrous herb--moreover it encourages us to find our own health in the matrix of Her Mystery that is our own deep self.

Lips Together, Teeth Apart is a play that shows the fast pace society that we call America. Touching on issues such as extramarital affairs, homosexuality, and AIDS, McNally exhibits a culture that we know exists, but want to deny the facts. It may take another read or two in order to see the humor in the dialogue. Having read other plays such as Angels in America, Lips treats society with a kind hand and a turn of the cheek. Each character has a problem, resulting in their own monologue to find their true personality. Read it with an open mind and an open heart!

You will read lots of reviews from people telling you this play deals with homosexuality and AIDS, and 'isn't it a tough subject?' They're wrong. This play is about fear. If you can see that, you will fall in love with this play.

Terrence McNally is Art. He's never failed to astound me, be it in the way he deals with sensitive topics with humor, or the way he conveys the humanity is a comical situation. Lips is an amazing play that deals with tough issues, such as AIDS, extramarital affairs, homosexuality, and acceptance. It shows how people naturally want to sweep difficult issues under the rug and never really want to accept that which is hard for them to deal. All taking place on a 4th of July Weekend, Lips Together, Teeth Apart follows two couples staying at the home of a gay man who died of AIDS, and how they are unable to talk about it. Each of them has a story to tell, and a personal issue to deal with, though none of them like to discuss their problems with their companions. This is a play about coming to terms with yourself and those around you, lay all your cards on the table, and those who stick around, stick around. I reccomend this strongly to anyone in theatre and even anyone interested in reading a compassionate play.

The best thing about "Love! Valour! Compassion!" is its technical complexity. The author goes to great lengths to make the play dynamic: forward presentation of key events, overlapping monologues and conversations, onstage transformation of John Jeckyll into James and back, complex stage design. However, after getting through all these twists and turns, one is left wondering: what is all this dynamics for ? What purpose does it serve ? The transactions between characters are trivial, and everything that happens to them is boring and predictable. The characters in the play don't live - they are engaged in self-analysis. Well thank you, but I am capable of analyzing things myself when there is something to analyze. Overall, the play's elaborate complexity only underlines the absence of real drama between the characters.

PERFECT GANESH is a very well-written play but the piece that takes most of the credit here is the justly famous LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION! The 8 characters are so well carved that their interaction demands attention. There is romance and true love (on many different levels) in the play, but there's also betrayal and a genuine anger at the injustices of the world (homophobia, AIDS). After an addictive reading session, you will walk away hopefully caring more than you did when you picked up this book. Investigate the film version also - it brings the drama to life.

One of the most endearing plays of the 1990's, McNally reaches into the heart of the audience and never lets go. The magical thing about Love! Valour! Compassion! is that even though it details the lives of eight gay men in upstate New York, anyone, gay or stright, man or woman, can relate to it. A fine piece of drama that stands as a testament to the human soul, McNally shows us once again that life consists of successes and failures, truth and lies, and of course, love, valour, and compassion.