Broadway Vet Bo Metzler Wins Gold Medal Book Award for 'What We Do - Working in the Theatre'

A book by Broadway theatre veteran Bo Metzler has won a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award.  "What We Do - Working in the Theatre" has won the Gold Medal Award in the Performing Arts / Drama category. 

The ForeWord Magazine Awards recognize excellence in publishing for independent books from 2008 highlighting outstanding writing, as well as the independent spirit of small publishers. At a ceremony at the 2009 BookExpo America in New York City, the 220 Book of the Year Award winners in 61 categories were honored. They were selected by a panel of librarian and bookseller judges who are experts in the subject matter of the books they judged.

The book is aimed at anyone who loves theatre, including the friends and families of theatre people. It is a general comprehensive resource book loaded with who, what and where information about the professional theatre in New York. Structured in a play-like format-with chapters divided into Acts and Scenes-the book provides a complete overview of all of the major elements involved with "doing theatre." It includes plenty of the author's real-life experiences and personal anecdotes, giving the book a casual readability and first hand authenticity.

It is the only book about everything in theatre - written by someone who has actually DONE everything in theatre.

The critics have raved:

"What We Do fills a need. It's an informative and entertaining read. Even those with much experience will learn new things." -- Dave Williams, Theatre Design & Technology.

"This [is a] unique perspective on the who, what and how of professional theatre in New York. By explaining the various roles played by different people in putting on a professional production, he provides considerable insight for young people seeking a professional career on stage or behind the scenes." -- Stage Directions Magazine

"Such a breadth of experience is unusual and Mr. Metzler decided to set his knowledge down in a book. The result is a sort of layman's guide to how things get done in the professional theatre.
Metzler writes in a pleasant, conversational style and What We Do is a quick and entertaining read." - talkinbroadway.com

Published in 2008, "What We Do - Working in the Theatre" is a practical, easy-to-read theatre guide for anyone who has ever asked "what is it, exactly, that you do?" It can be purchased online at: http://www.whatwedo-book.com or direct from Infinity Publishing (877) BUY-BOOK. It's also available from Ingram Booksellers, amazon.com or by checking with your local bookstore.

The author, Bo Metzler, has been involved in some form of theatre activity for over 40 years. He spent 6 years doing theatre at Kent State University ('68 - '74) as an actor, scenery builder, lighting tech, propman, stage manager, publicity director, writer and director-on over 40 shows.
In 1974 he began a 32 year career in New York where he plied his trade on over 2 dozen Off-Off Broadway and Off Broadway shows and in over 20 different Broadway theatres on over 30 Broadway shows throughout the years. His work on Broadway has spanned the jurisdiction of 3 labor Unions anywhere from a few days to months and years on such shows as "La Cage aux Folles" "42nd Street," "Jekyll & Hyde," "Sweet Smell of Success," "The Lion King" and the three longest running Broadway shows: "Cats," "Phantom of the Opera" and "Les Miserables."

Mr. Metzler's work on Broadway as an actor, stage manager, dresser, electrician, carpenter and propman may very well be a singular professional achievement.

Mr. Metzler has also worked on various TV shows such as 5 years on Sesame Street (3 times earning Emmy Certificates for his contribution to Outstanding Lighting Direction), and various sporadic days on Donahue, Letterman, Today, Later, Jane Whitney, Howard Stern, Jane Pratt, Dudley, Inside Moves and Family Edition.  He has traveled as a company manager, road manager, stage manager and actor on three tours throughout the U.S.; supervised the wardrobe and dressed Harry Belafonte in Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Zimbabwe as well as in Vegas, Atlantic City and other U.S. cities; designed for a Modern Dance Company which performed in Israel, South Korea, Japan and New York; worked as a stagehand on 15 rock concerts in Omaha; stage managed or crewed Tributes & Benefits at: Lincoln Center (MET & Avery Fisher), The Waldorf Astoria and Giants and Yankee Stadiums; worked at the CBS carpentry shop, E.L.T., La Mama ETC, the Orpheum, Theatre of the Open Eye, Lion Theatre, Harold Clurman Theatre, The Public Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, The New Victory Theatre, The Actors Studio, The Kennedy Center, The Spoletto Festival and Lincoln Center State Theatre and was a staff stage manager at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts on more than a dozen full productions. Mr. Metzler has also worked in Dinner Theatre and Children's Theatre and even helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity. He is the author of a play about the Lincolns entitled "Abraham and Mary," in which he appeared as well as directed, and is working on a new book based on a journal chronicling his last two years on "The Lion King," tentatively titled "It's About Ethics, Stupid!"

He retired from theatre after a fall and neck injury in 2006 at the age of 55.