Cut the Lights

by Karen Krossing

Briar has a vision for the one-act play she's been chosen to direct at her performing arts high school. She's going to create a masterpiece. If only everyone involved in the production shared her vision. Her leading lady is gifted but troubled, her leading man has a crush on the leading lady, her stage manager doesn't have a clue, and her best friend, who wrote the play, is worried that Briar's production is cursed. As Briar struggles to motivate her cast and crew, she learns some important truths about the fine art of directing—and about herself.

Genres: Middle Grade, Canada, Young Adult

136 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

Karen Krossing wrote comics and poetry as a kid and dreamed of becoming a published writer. Today, she’s the author of many books for kids and teens, including picture books and novels. She won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Canada in 2015 and 2023 and has been a finalist for the Ontario Library Association White Pine Award and the Joan F. Kaywell Books Save Lives Award, among other honors. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she’s on faculty at Whale Rock Workshops.

For more about Karen, visit karenkrossing.com.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cut the Lights was a predictable read. The characters were okay, but I didn't really care for the play part of the storyline. I guess I got kind of bored with the directing/acting and just wish it would have been a bit more deep? I know these books aren't meant to be deep, but that is what I wanted. I did like what the MC did at the end of the book -- it was thoughtful.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. It was cute how each new location started with a mini stage direction, setting the scene for the reader. The ending was good, though I did expect it.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not a bad story, but all of the characters are flat. Even Briar, the main character, is one dimensional.

[Jade Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cut the lights is an amazing book for anyone of any gender or age especially if you love the theatre. I love how Karen describes Briar's love for directing. I really enjoy this book and it makes me want to involved in the theatre. I couldn't put this book down it was so addicting, I wanted it to last longer. I wished that this book had more pages because it's really short. I felt that the author didn't go into much detail, she seemed fast to the point which isn't bad. I give it a four-star rating because I truly did enjoy this book, but not very much detail. My favorite part is that the main character Briar never upon her friends. Briar was able to motivate her friends even though it was hard she keep going even when she doubted herself. Overall I enjoy this book and I hope you can too!

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

read with my group for work. Not their favourite - maybe a bit too intense, and also slightly above their level? But they chose to keep going with it, so liked it ok :) (the "rule" is we try each book at least 2 sessions, but they can call it quits after that if they want.)

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is a typical Orca book - fast paced and interesting. I appreciated the growth in the characters.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

15 year old (?) Briar attends a performing arts academy, and her dream is to be a director. Her school is putting on a Fringe Festival of one-act plays written, directed, and acted by students, and Briar desperately wants to direct her best friend’s play, ‘Wish Upon a Star.’ When she gets the gig, though, everything starts going wrong. Her actors won’t listen to her (or even show up sometimes), one of them breaks an arm, everyone is miserable, and the other students start saying Briar’s show is cursed. At home, meanwhile, her buttoned-up, traditionally-employed parents are at permanent odds with her free-spirited aunt Darla, who moves in whenever she loses a job (which is usually after a few days of working anywhere). Will anything work out in Briar’s life?

I really enjoyed this one as well, and thought it actually had a bit of depth. The characters weren’t stereotypes, even if they were a bit one-dimensional (book was too short for much else, with so many characters to consider), and I had no trouble telling them apart. I loved all the descriptions of trying to put on the play and what worked/didn’t work, which will appeal to a lot of readers interested in all aspects of theater, and it was clever to start each section with stage directions. I thought the climax was interesting and a bit unexpected, even if the resolution was predictable. I liked the family tension with Darla, and the way both sides were presented; there was no right way, and both had attractions and drawbacks. There was really a lot going on in a short book.

There were a couple things that didn’t work for me, however. I had trouble believing that Briar’s parents, adamant as they were about finding gainful employment in a traditional manner, would pay for her to attend a performing arts academy. I just don’t believe they would do that. They’d be much more likely to send her to a traditional school and grudgingly allow her to take part in theatrical productions, warning her all along that there’s no future in it.

Also, the plot of the play Briar is directing, when it’s finally fully described, is so far beyond LAME I just couldn’t believe it. **Spoiler alert** I mean, a young teenager writes a play about a 30-something housewife’s dissatisfaction with her marriage? Seriously? And then recycles one of the most hackneyed tropes in the world about wishes not coming true the way you expect them to? Okay, I believe a teen would recycle that trope, but why would the faculty of a performing arts academy allow it to be produced? We know what our kids are capable of writing, and that wouldn’t cut it. (Sorry, I read so much questionable juvenilia that I don’t tolerate it well when it’s presented as, pardon the pun, stellar).

[Jessica | Bookish Serendipity · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review appeared on www.bookishserendipity.com
This fall, I attended a Young Voices Conference for teen writers and artists. One of the presenters was Karen Krossing, who taught a workshop on Character Development. I really enjoyed her advice and handouts (I still have them!) so when I saw Cut The Lights at the bookstore, I had to purchase it.

At the time of the Character Development workshop, I had not read any of Ms. Krossing's novels so I could not fully appreciate her mastering of the topic. I connected with the main character, Briar, from the start. She is clever, fun and ambitious! Briar isn't the daughter of a billionaire or a spy or a fairy princess; she is an aspiring teen theatre director with a really cool goal. I like reading about teens or kids with ambitions and I thought that directing a short play sounded very interesting and unique.

The setting and description in Cut The Lights wasn't anything special. I wish the descriptions were more detailed and vivid. Though, I did enjoy reading the "intros" at the start of each scene (ex. Briar's kitchen on Sunday morning. Dad is reading the newspaper with coffee in hand. Mom is flipping pancakes.)

This book is for 11 to 14 year olds but it is very short at just 128 pages. I would have loved to spend more time with Briar and the cast of characters (*pun intended). I liked this story; I liked the plot twists, and I really liked the dynamics between the characters.

Overall? I really, really enjoyed this book so I am going to rate it 4/5 Stars! I thought the characters were great, the concept was fresh and the writing was top-notch. Sure to delight young performers of all kinds (actors, musicians, dancers)! I also picked up another book in this middle grade performing arts series from Orca Limelights. It is called Totally Unrelated and it is written by Tom Ryan. I'll be sure to share my thoughts on this book in the coming weeks.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teen Briar is excited for her directing debut of a one-act play that is supposed to be part of her performing high school’s theater festival. Briar is so focused on her vision of the production that she’s quick to reject suggestions for improvement, even if they come from her best friend who wrote the play.

Briar’s narrow-minded concentration does not inspire nor motivate the actors or stage manager which leads to more conflict than she ever imagined. Maybe directing is not as easy as she first thought. Will Briar figure out how to keep her cast and crew together long enough to stage their final production?

Pre-teens and teens who like high school realistic fiction will enjoy this Orca-sibling book that offers a bit more depth than the Orca Soundings and Orca Currents series.

Like other Orca novels, this one will appeal most to reluctant readers, especially teens who enjoy some theater with their teenage drama. Each book in this series focuses on one performing art, such as music, theater or dance.

[Terri Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adorable novel let's us follow Briar, an aspiring director, through her first play. Even though she is in grade 10 she knows what her vision is and wants to obtain it no matter what. Even with others around her offering to aide and advise her she is too stubborn to take it and her play and her actors suffer for it. Go figure a teenager thinking they know best! It is great to see her start to take her job as director to heart and when she starts to do what is best for the play.... Even when there are bumps in the road, the show must go on.

A short afternoon read, well written and an age appropriate plot. I enjoyed the characters and their struggles and the layers that were added as I read on. I have to admit the dedication in the playbill made me cry a little bit. Thanks for the good read.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Initial thoughts: I quite enjoyed Cut the Lights. So much is evident about accidentally starting and finishing it in one go. Lol. That is, I was planning which books I might want to read during Bout of Books come January. After reading three chapters, I realized how short Cut the Lights is (ebooks, y'know!) and felt like I was almost done anyway, so I read the remaining fifteen chapters.

Cut the Lights was short and simply written but for a novella, it did manage to pack some punch. I also liked how each section started with pseudo-stage directions to introduce the setting, just how scenes are set in place. It was a neat little touch to underscore the plot engaged in theatre.

[Gabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll actually try to keep this review short -- just like the book itself.

Characters? Meh. Didn't really sympathize. We didn't know any of them long enough to really form an attachment. And the development the author tried to put in felt false, because it was all told, with little evidence given to back it up.

Plot? Simple. Short. Direct. But it seemed to go by too quickly -- trying to cover too much time in as many pages.

Voice? Nothing special. A bit dull, maybe.

The length really bothered me, though. It felt rushed -- like the author was just skimming over the actual plot and touching on some of the important bits.

But there were some clever bits (didn't see that star thing coming) and it wasn't a terribly bad story. A three-star book, I'd say.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

WIIA: Can a girl who dreams of becoming an director, really director a play for her school? And what about her cast...which has there own problems?

Pros: This was a sweet book. One of those books that teaches a lesson.

Cons: Hmm...Nothing off the top of my head..maybe boring at times? Or redundant?

Iffy: This is not a Christian book so it openly (more than a Christian book would) shares the problems of the world. Such as boyfriend\girlfriend dilemma Small spoiler coming: The director has one cast member commit or I should say TRY to commit suicide using pills. She is in the hospital and knows what she did was wrong but she really had a problem :(

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel provides insight into the challenges involved in the production of a high school level one-act play by a young girl whose parents do not approve of her career aspirations. The main character is fleshed out nicely in terms of emotions and motivations, and the others are likeable, if a little flat. It is a very good middle grade novel with nothing that is age inappropriate and with a modicum of plot uncertainty and angst amongst the characters that will appeal to pre-teen and teen girls.

[Catrina R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a determined high school aged director named Briar. It is hard to direct when two of your actors don't get along, and another is not excited about his part. Briar struggles to keep his play going, even though it seemed as if EVERYTHING had gone wrong, especially after Sonata, his best actor, has a breakdown due to stress. I like all of the surprising turns of events. This is an amazing book. No matter what, Briar, the show must go on!

[Pat Bourke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cut the Lights is for every teen who's ever wondered what it's like behind the scenes. Briar, future director, gets a chance to direct her best friend's play, but the cast has issues and nothing goes the way she plans. As focused and driven as she is, Briar has to learn what directing really means when you're working with people who bring their ideas (and their flaws) to the task of creating theatre. A super book for drama geeks (and wannabes).

[Patricia McCowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an engaging, intelligent and true-to-life story of Briar, a student director at an arts high school, who is determined to put on the best show she can. Readers curious about the world of theater will love all the insider details about rehearsals and how to deal with actors who don't always make the process easy!

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish it was longer. I know it's a weird comment for a novella but it's true. I would have liked to see what Karen Krossing would have done if she made it longer and fleshed out the characters. What would Briar have done if there were different kinds of setbacks? That kind of thing.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A determined young woman with a dream and a vision. She definitely beats to her own drum.
My favorite line was right in the beginning Briar says "Trends Are For Followers". An nice quick read with heart. Absolutely sweet.

I won this book through goodreads.

[Caroline Mcphail-Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little story about teen students struggling to learn and grow at a performing arts high school.

As the would-be directors learn from their teacher, "'A successful director empowers actors to create great art as a team.'" (pg 56)

[Milo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story, but the execution failed to grab me. The narrator frustrated me -- it was painful to see her attitude in the first half of the book. I think if I was younger, I might have appreciated this one more.

[Gillian Dawson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Ayesha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please save your time and not read this. There is no character developments and I wish I could somehow get back the time I wasted reading it

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read the orca books to catch up on my reading challenge. I think I'm done doing that now. They were fine when I was younger but now they completely bore me.