The Backstagers and the Theater of the Ancients (Backstagers #2)

by Andy Mientus, Rian Sygh (Illustrator), No People, Inc.

Overview

Based on the award-winning comics cocreated by artist Ryan Sygh, The Backstagers and the Theater of the Ancients is an original middle-grade book from actor Andy Mientus.

After all the backstage ghost drama during Phantasm, things are quiet for the Backstagers of the St. Genesius School Drama Club. Too quiet. But when that quiet is filled by a mysterious voice that haunts the Backstagers day and night, they set off on a globetrotting adventure to discover the ancient secrets of the legendary artifacts of the theater. Can they solve the mystery in time to open their production of the rock musical Tammy?

Each Backstager brings unique skills to the team: Mischievous Sasha is impossibly positive; no-nonsense Aziz makes sure everything runs smoothly; whiz-kid Beckett is a perfectionist through and through; flirtatious Hunter knows the backstage better than anyone; and sweet Jory can think his way through any problem.

Effortlessly inclusive and full of adventure, The Backstagers and the Theater of the Ancients is sure to have readers calling, “Encore!”

The Backstagers series:
The Backstagers and the Ghost Light (#1)
The Backstagers and the Theater of the Ancients (#2)
The Backstagers and the Final Blackout (#3)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419742705
Publisher:	Amulet Paperbacks
Publication date:	06/02/2020
Series:	The Backstagers
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	808,706
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 5.40(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Andy Mientus is an actor, singer, and songwriter who is known for his roles in Spring Awakening, Wicked, Les Misérables, Smash, and The Flash. He lives in New York.

Rian Sygh is a comic artist and cocreator, along with James Tynion IV, of the award-winning Backstagers comics. He lives in Glendale, California.

Editorial Reviews

"Readers fond of heady theatrical hustle and bustle, desperate battles with mythological monsters, or both will be equally charmed."

Booklist

2019-01-15

The show goes on in this encore novelization of the hit comic-book series.

Fresh off closing night of their last show, the Backstagers are already gearing up for the next St. Genesius spectacle: Tammy, a nod to 1969 rock-opera Tommy. Irreconcilable differences between the alpha Onstager McQueen brothers land Beckett an opportunity to step in as director. More new ground is broken when the title role of a Deaf character is shared between Penitent Angels School guest stars Bailey and Adrienne, who is actually Deaf. For most, change brings new opportunities to try out unfamiliar backstage jobs. But a rift grows between boyfriends Jory and Hunter as Jory's newfound social media stardom—and a persistent negative voice in his head—convinces him to abandon the show for an all-expenses-paid trip to Greece. Is it all too good to be true, or will Jory leave the Backstagers for real? In this sophomore effort, Mientus effectively expands the series' mythic Backstage, which magically connects to theaters all over the world, into international territory. The already notably diverse cast broadens further to include disability. Despite Bailey's initial choice to take the role of playing a Deaf character, her allyship and the company's subsequent discussions about accurate representation expertly situate the novel in conversation with real-life casting controversies. Sygh's two-color spot art accentuates the series' whimsy and shojolike romance, albeit with a slightly darker edge.

Applauseworthy. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews