The Stage Is Set

Even a cursory glance at the news is enough to convince us that the world is falling into chaos. But we haven't seen anything that compares to what will happen in the final events leading to the second coming of Jesus Christ. For anyone who longs to know what the future holds--and especially for those who look for a glimmer of hope in our broken world--highly respected pastor and Bible teacher Bryant Wright offers a book that shows God has not lost control over his creation. In fact, he has a sovereign plan that includes ultimate victory for the church and the salvation of his people, Israel. God's timeless promises offer hope to believers who are grieved at the state of the world. Wright carefully illuminates the signs of the times that point toward his glorious appearing and millennial reign, and answers common questions, such as: - What does the Bible say about the antichrist? - What will be the future of Israel? - Where is Armageddon, what will happen there, and why?

He's the Banksy of the international theatre scene - daring, anonymous, renowned. So when playwright 'Draven' bequeaths his latest play to the rural Rivervue Theatre, the stage is set for drama. While the redevelopment brief for Rivervue Community Theatre moulders on his desk, a phone call from an unrequited past love sends architect Gabriel Mora running back to his artsy hometown. Afraid of worsening his mother's health, Gabriel is forced to hide his involvement in the redevelopment. It's just one more secret to keep, along with his feelings for a certain red-headed stage manager. Bruce Clifton can build anything. But the jobs mean nothing if he's not getting paid. On the cusp of losing his home, Bruce needs to find a way to call in those debts without showing his community how much trouble he's got himself into. With Gabriel's return to town stirring up past hurts, soon it's not just his home Bruce has to worry about losing, but his heart. Can Bruce and Gabriel work together for the good of Rivervue, or will their hope for a second chance exit stage right?

Emilie Danvers wins a place in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s company and gets a second chance to launch her acting career. She’s vowed never to repeat the mistakes she made the first time: no following her heart, no putting herself second to someone else, no relationship drama. She won’t let any woman keep her from reconnecting with her dreams. Arden Philips has stood on the outskirts of the festival for years, tending the gardens of nearby Lithia Park. She’s seen actresses come and go and only allows herself the occasional dalliance. But when she comes across Emilie rehearsing on a mossy riverbank, Arden realizes her heart might not listen to her head. The stage is set, the house lights dimmed. Is true love merely make-believe or can these two women write it into the script of their lives?

Mystery is abound when Alex and Theo receive The Book of Convergence, with a crystal and two wristbands inside for their thirteenth birthday. The unseen forces that desire to empower humanity and see the earth move into her rightful place in the universe have chosen the teens. Will the twins be able to master the ancient teachings in order to discover their Profound Destiny? Will they have the courage to battle the dark forces? Luckily they have the wristbands that validate when they are connected to the source of all things, Crystal, and Max the elder dragon whose ability to travel throughout all time and space to keep them on track. Alex and Theo will take you on a rollercoaster ride through their magical adventures in this first book of the Profound Destiny series.

The spotlight's on Ella as the world's cutest elephant prepares for a school talent show -- and wonders if she has anything special to offer at all. The school on Elephant Island is holding a talent show, and all the children are excited -- all the children, that is, except for Ella. Belinda's going to do ballet, Tiki's planned a magic act, but Ella doesn't have a single idea. She can't sing, dance, or play an instrument -- doesn't Ella have any talent at all?Then comes the night of the big show, and Ella discovers her own special talent that shines very bright -- even when she's not in the limelight. Carmela and Steve D'Amico put friendship center stage in this third charming adventure with Ella the Elephant, now the inspiration for an animated series on Disney Junior.

Set the Stage! is a collection of essays on teaching Italian language, literature, and culture through theater. From theoretical background to course models, this book provides all the resources that teachers and students need to incorporate the rich and abundant Italian theater tradition into the curriculum. Features of the book include ? the ?Director's Handbook,” a comprehensive guide with detailed instructions for every step of the process, from choosing a text to the final performance, ? an exclusive interview with Nobel laureate Dario Fo, ? a foreword by prize-winning author Dacia Maraini.

Many women today wonder: what will it take to get that seat at the boardroom table? Earn that coveted promotion? Or simply have their voices heard? Taking the Stage provides a comprehensive, proven approach that enables women to come forward into the spotlight and speak up, stand out, and succeed. Based on a program from the Humphrey Group that has been delivered to over 400,000 women worldwide, Taking the Stage shows women—no matter their age, rank, or profession—how to communicate with courage and confidence in every situation, from formal speeches to brief hallway conversations. Judith Humphrey provides the inspiration and practical advice for women to “take the stage” mentally, verbally, vocally, and physically. Women can make the most of every opportunity by understanding how best to: Speak up confidently, even when others don’t agree; Convey their accomplishments without self-doubt; Be assertive but not aggressive; Deliver clear and convincing messages; Move beyond “minimizing” language and apology; Find their own powerful and authentic voice; Achieve confident body language and a leadership presence. By applying these techniques and others to every communication— whether making a presentation, speaking at meetings, conducting an elevator conversation, or selling themselves in job interviews—women will be recognized as the leaders they are and attain positions of influence. For women at all stages of their career, and for managers and executives committed to supporting and guiding women on their leadership journeys, Taking the Stage is the practical, broad-based solution that will allow women to speak up confidently, gain respect, earn the promotions they deserve, and secure their places at the boardroom table.

Interest in sensory atmospheres and architectural and urban ambiances has been growing for over 30 years. A key figure in this field is acclaimed German philosopher Gernot Böhme whose influential conception of what atmospheres are and how they function has been only partially available to the English-speaking public. This translation of key essays along with an original introduction charts the development of Gernot Böhme's philosophy of atmospheres and how it can be applied in various contexts such as scenography, commodity aesthetics, advertising, architecture, design, and art. The phenomenological analysis of atmospheres has proved very fruitful and its most important, and successful, application has been within aesthetics. The material background of this success may be seen in the ubiquitous aestheticization of our lifeworld, or from another perspective, of the staging of everything, every event and performance. The theory of atmospheres becoming an aesthetic theory thus reveals the theatrical, not to say manipulative, character of politics, commerce, of the event-society. But, taken as a positive theory of certain phenomena, it offers new perspectives on architecture, design, and art. It made the spatial and the experience of space and places a central subject and hence rehabilitated the ephemeral in the arts. Taking its numerous impacts in many fields together, it initiated a new humanism: the individual as a living person and his or her perspective are taken seriously, and this fosters the ongoing democratization of culture, in particular the possibility for everybody to participate in art and its works.