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Drama! #1-2
The Devil's in the Diva
Bryan Stark describes himself as the "Greek Chorus," constantly watching the action and drama unfold around him in the arena with the most high school divas possible--the theater! At his posh private school in Malibu, Orion Academy, the teens are entitled, the boys are cute, and the theatre productions extremely elaborate. Bryan sees it all as he directs his best friend Samantha, the most talented of the Orion divas, through the throng.
This bind-up is filled with friends, theatre, and romance, but underneath it all DRAMA! is a heartfelt comedic series.
This bind-up is filled with friends, theatre, and romance, but underneath it all DRAMA! is a heartfelt comedic series.
496 pages, Paperback
First published December 11, 2010
2 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Paul Ruditis
113 books98 followersPaul Ruditis also writes under the name P.J. Ruditis.
I was born and raised in Philadelphia where I lived a typical childhood with a far more interesting fantasy life. I mean, how many other eight year olds were sticking their Star Wars action figures in Ziploc bags filled with water and putting them in the freezer to recreate the ice planet of Hoth? (Really? That many? Never mind.)
After college, I moved to Los Angeles and was very lucky to get a job as a page at Paramount Pictures only months after I got into town. I worked as a tour guide and usher, and I performed temp office work around the lot.
Eventually, I took a position working in the studio's licensing department where I quickly worked my way up to middle management.
After a while, one of my friends in the publishing industry offered me the opportunity to write a Buffy, The Vampire Slayer short story for a collection she was editing. Well, when I heard how little money I could make as a writer, I immediately quit my job to try it full time. (Stupid, I know, but it kind of worked for me.)
I started out by writing books based on such wonderful TV shows as Star Trek, Roswell, and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. I have since written over 30 books based some of the best shows on TV, adding The West Wing, Alias, and Prison Break to that ever growing list.
While I continue to work on these media tie-ins, I have also been focused more on my own original fiction, including my teen series DRAMA! and the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy Love, Hollywood Style.
- Abridged Bio - Official Website.
I was born and raised in Philadelphia where I lived a typical childhood with a far more interesting fantasy life. I mean, how many other eight year olds were sticking their Star Wars action figures in Ziploc bags filled with water and putting them in the freezer to recreate the ice planet of Hoth? (Really? That many? Never mind.)
After college, I moved to Los Angeles and was very lucky to get a job as a page at Paramount Pictures only months after I got into town. I worked as a tour guide and usher, and I performed temp office work around the lot.
Eventually, I took a position working in the studio's licensing department where I quickly worked my way up to middle management.
After a while, one of my friends in the publishing industry offered me the opportunity to write a Buffy, The Vampire Slayer short story for a collection she was editing. Well, when I heard how little money I could make as a writer, I immediately quit my job to try it full time. (Stupid, I know, but it kind of worked for me.)
I started out by writing books based on such wonderful TV shows as Star Trek, Roswell, and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. I have since written over 30 books based some of the best shows on TV, adding The West Wing, Alias, and Prison Break to that ever growing list.
While I continue to work on these media tie-ins, I have also been focused more on my own original fiction, including my teen series DRAMA! and the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy Love, Hollywood Style.
- Abridged Bio - Official Website.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 14, 2011
This was a mildly entertaining story, though I assume the intended audience wasn't adult males. There is a lot of gossip and relationship plot issues to navigate around, and it often becomes rather complicated. It was one of the stories that has the entire plot develop as a function of the relationships of the characters, rather than having action that the characters really have to respond to or take direct action to recognize and overcome.
There is absolutely no way I could teach this, and I wouldn't even know how to suggest it as an independent read. The best I could do is just to put it on a shelf with a warning label that says "bizarre: are you sure you don't have better things to do?"
There is absolutely no way I could teach this, and I wouldn't even know how to suggest it as an independent read. The best I could do is just to put it on a shelf with a warning label that says "bizarre: are you sure you don't have better things to do?"
October 20, 2014
I bought this book when I was about 12 years old and thought the cover was pretty. It was a complete impulse buy and didn't read it for the longest time. Now after reading it, I think the cover is horrible and doesn't do the books (it is a combo of the first two books) justice. First off the colors may get your attention, but not in a good way. The people on the cover don't resemble any of the characters found in the book. The individual book covers are better, but not the best. I finally picked the book up after starting to watch Glee on TV, because the books sounded a lot like it. That's so far from the truth it isn't even funny. I loved these books, but in no way is it a copy of Glee.
(I think it is better going into these books without knowing much so here's a brief summary of the two...no spoils!) The books follows a character named Bryan who is a 'drama geek' and attends Orion Academy in LA. The first book The Four Dorothys is about when the school puts it on production of The Wizard of Oz, the four girls cast to play Dorothy start to mysteriously drop out of the play.
The second book Everyone's a Critic takes place the summer after the first book. During Orion's summer theatre program, a special guest arrives changing how the summer program usually goes down.
The main character's in the first book are: Bryan (the lead character), Sam & Hope (Bryan's best friends), Sam & Eric (soccer players), and in the second book we met Jasper. *There are other characters, these are just a few big ones.
I really had absolutely no expectations going into these, but I was blown away. First Bryan is so relatable and I felt as though I was in the story. The story was entertaining and kept my interest. The books could almost be stand-a-lones as in no cliff hanger to make you read the next book. The only reason I read the second was because I already had it. I would encourage you two continue with the series. I almost like the second story better, because I was already attached to the characters. I probably will read the next book just because of my love for the characters and their stories.
This is the first I have heard of Paul Ruditis, but here is the entire series (1st to 4th)- The Four Dorothys; Everyone's a Critic; Show, Don't Tell; Entrances and Exits
(I think it is better going into these books without knowing much so here's a brief summary of the two...no spoils!) The books follows a character named Bryan who is a 'drama geek' and attends Orion Academy in LA. The first book The Four Dorothys is about when the school puts it on production of The Wizard of Oz, the four girls cast to play Dorothy start to mysteriously drop out of the play.
The second book Everyone's a Critic takes place the summer after the first book. During Orion's summer theatre program, a special guest arrives changing how the summer program usually goes down.
The main character's in the first book are: Bryan (the lead character), Sam & Hope (Bryan's best friends), Sam & Eric (soccer players), and in the second book we met Jasper. *There are other characters, these are just a few big ones.
I really had absolutely no expectations going into these, but I was blown away. First Bryan is so relatable and I felt as though I was in the story. The story was entertaining and kept my interest. The books could almost be stand-a-lones as in no cliff hanger to make you read the next book. The only reason I read the second was because I already had it. I would encourage you two continue with the series. I almost like the second story better, because I was already attached to the characters. I probably will read the next book just because of my love for the characters and their stories.
This is the first I have heard of Paul Ruditis, but here is the entire series (1st to 4th)- The Four Dorothys; Everyone's a Critic; Show, Don't Tell; Entrances and Exits
June 10, 2016
The Four Dorothys
★★★★☆
I enjoyed The Four Dorothys more than expected. Not that I expected to dislike it or anything—not all all. I loved how it involved a play for The Wizard of Oz; that was my favourite movie when I was younger, and it remains one of my favourites of all time. And I found Bryan—yes, spelt with a "y" and not an "i"—witty and amusing. I don't think the story would've been as colourful as it is with him as the narrator if anyone else took on the role. Overall, I loved The Four Dorothy—and it made me want to watch The Wizard of Oz.
Everyone's a Critic
★★★★☆
Everyone's a Critic was just as good as The Four Dorothys. It really lives up to the Drama which the series is called. Bryan is just as witty and amusing, and I liked Sam and Hope, as well as Jason. There were lots of talks about Shakespeare plays—they had to perform a monologue, and Shakespeare was an obvious contender—and although I'm not much of a fan of his work, I did like Joss Whedon's adaptation of his Much Ado About Nothing; it would've been cool if that was at least mentioned, but A Midsummer Night's Dream is fine.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed this bind-up. Both of the stories, as I said for Everyone's a Critic, lived up to the Drama which the series is named after. I can't wait to get my hands on the third and fourth books, Show, Don't Tell and Entrances and Exits.
★★★★☆
I enjoyed The Four Dorothys more than expected. Not that I expected to dislike it or anything—not all all. I loved how it involved a play for The Wizard of Oz; that was my favourite movie when I was younger, and it remains one of my favourites of all time. And I found Bryan—yes, spelt with a "y" and not an "i"—witty and amusing. I don't think the story would've been as colourful as it is with him as the narrator if anyone else took on the role. Overall, I loved The Four Dorothy—and it made me want to watch The Wizard of Oz.
Everyone's a Critic
★★★★☆
Everyone's a Critic was just as good as The Four Dorothys. It really lives up to the Drama which the series is called. Bryan is just as witty and amusing, and I liked Sam and Hope, as well as Jason. There were lots of talks about Shakespeare plays—they had to perform a monologue, and Shakespeare was an obvious contender—and although I'm not much of a fan of his work, I did like Joss Whedon's adaptation of his Much Ado About Nothing; it would've been cool if that was at least mentioned, but A Midsummer Night's Dream is fine.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed this bind-up. Both of the stories, as I said for Everyone's a Critic, lived up to the Drama which the series is named after. I can't wait to get my hands on the third and fourth books, Show, Don't Tell and Entrances and Exits.
October 29, 2024
This is actually two books in one, so this review might be a bit long. Or not.
When I first saw this book I thought it looked like a rip off of Glee, but I decided to give it a shot anyway. I wasn’t really expecting much, so I was pleasantly surprised when I actually like it.
I sort of figured that the characters would be thinly veiled Glee character clones, but that was most definitely not true. (Full disclosure: I watch Glee, but mostly because it’s so bad that I can’t stop. Like watching a train wreck.) Anyway, I actually really liked Bryan, and found him surprisingly easy to relate to. The writing was from his point of view, and the way it was written was pretty much the way my brain works, so it was really fun to read. I pretty much read both of these books (which actually only totaled 489 pages) in like 2 days.
Despite what could have been some really mediocre plot lines, I found myself laughing nearly the entire time I was reading these. My personal favorite line?
"Pinocchio gets a tiny cricket as his conscience. Me? I warrant a two-hundred-fifty-pound bald black man."
I’m not really sure why I found this so funny, but it really just set me off. Maybe it was because I was overtired?
When I first saw this book I thought it looked like a rip off of Glee, but I decided to give it a shot anyway. I wasn’t really expecting much, so I was pleasantly surprised when I actually like it.
I sort of figured that the characters would be thinly veiled Glee character clones, but that was most definitely not true. (Full disclosure: I watch Glee, but mostly because it’s so bad that I can’t stop. Like watching a train wreck.) Anyway, I actually really liked Bryan, and found him surprisingly easy to relate to. The writing was from his point of view, and the way it was written was pretty much the way my brain works, so it was really fun to read. I pretty much read both of these books (which actually only totaled 489 pages) in like 2 days.
Despite what could have been some really mediocre plot lines, I found myself laughing nearly the entire time I was reading these. My personal favorite line?
"Pinocchio gets a tiny cricket as his conscience. Me? I warrant a two-hundred-fifty-pound bald black man."
I’m not really sure why I found this so funny, but it really just set me off. Maybe it was because I was overtired?
April 10, 2011
It was fun and I will read the rest of the series and probably keep the bindups, BUT there's a lot of shallowness to the plot, and the main character is passive in a way that can get annoying at times. Still, cute take on theater that is at times funny and meaningful.
May 13, 2011
I enjoyed this book very much.
July 21, 2011
It's about Drama!!! Of course it was amazing!
January 17, 2012
i believe this book had a great original concept about drama geeks and their life. It felt a bit rushed, suspense should last longer. Overall it was a good book for young teens.
June 12, 2011
Ah-maze-ing! I loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews