From Fantasy to Hollywood

James Taris was only nine when he fantasised about becoming an actor, but life got in the way and nothing happened for nearly forty years. By chance he saw an amateur theatre play and was so inspired to turn his childhood fantasy into reality that within six weeks he had written The Glory of Athens, a play that he performed twenty-nine times over the next twelve months - in nine countries, on five continents - while on a 400-day world tour. In this book, James goes into great detail explaining all the stages he went through to write, promote, produce and perform The Glory of Athens, his first ever playwriting effort. It is an inspirational journey that will be enjoyed by budding writers and readers alike.About the Author James Taris is an accomplished author, poet, playwright, actor and public speaker. He has travelled to nineteen countries over the past three years, thus earning himself the title of a modern-day globetrotting Odysseus. He lives the life he advocates, sharing happiness and hope with audiences all over the world. An evening with James Taris can be a life-changing experience. This book reinforces his philosophy and attitude to life.Performance History I wrote The Glory of Athens in June 2003, while I was in Shanghai, China, at the beginning of my 400-Day World Tour. And I've since given quite a number of readings and performances - in theatres, halls, offices and homes - to the public and groups that have hosted me all over the world.James TarisTESTIMONIAL AND REVIEW Hi James, I wanted to send you a copy of the article I wrote for our local newsletter after seeing your play. I was so impressed with your portrayal that I was really glad to have the opportunity to see it more than once. The first time, at the Kitchener Public Library was amazing I loved the plot development, especially since each of the monologues could probably stand on their own, but are knit together so skillfully that the entire play has to be seen to be fully appreciated. All of the performances, from the library to the business office to the church were exactly as you'd billed them. When we received the poster and had a look at your web-site, we had an idea of what was in store, but once we'd had an opportunity to see the play, we were thrilled that we'd decided to support your presentation of it. The tone of the play is inspirational and humourous, with enough "meat" to keep the audience captivated, and we are so pleased that we were able to witness it Thank you so much for sharing your "story" with us. You are a skilled storyteller and your enthusiasm for each character in the play is obvious. Bravo Kit AndersonREVIEW From the opening line of the play, James catches your attention and doesn't let go until the final, inspirational words of this 80-minute one-man show. Traditionally, the words "comedic" and "inspirational" are not grouped together, but in this context, it works wonderfully well. The play is upbeat and moves quickly, as you see through the characters' eyes from the initial dilemma to the inspirational conclusion. Each character, from a modern-day accountant, to 6 of Greek history's most famous geniuses, comes alive in James' portrayal of them. Observe the transformation of the protagonist, Demi, from hopeless and desperate to confident and inspired, as he is given the opportunity to see history unfold in a series of flashbacks around the building of the Parthenon in ancient Greece. I have seen the play on three separate occasions and in three different venues and each time, I have been witness to the power of positive thinking. The first time was at a local public library, where one member of the audience was so inspired, he requested that James perform the play for his sales team, as he understood the value of being able to present the message of believing in oneself. The second time I saw the play was ...