There is No Backstage: An Actor's Life

by Linda Stephens

Linda shares her journey through almost every possible venue for theatre. From auspicious beginnings to regional theatre to Broadway, she has created a successful and fulfilling career. In this sensitive and beautifully written memoir, Linda reveals the struggles, triumphs, dedication, and above all, the ultimate grace found in a life in the theatre.

216 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2022

Reviews

[Lenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! If you want to know what it's like to be one of the 5% of actors who make their living doing theater, this is the book to read. It takes an incredible amount of stamina, flexibility, strength, and fortitude on top of talent to "make it" as a theater artist. I admired her ability to remain vital throughout her career, celebrating her triumphs and tearing up at her sacrifices and losses. This is a terrific story, one which is rarely told. Highly recommended!

[Richard Conlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book!

Linda Stephens has written a fascinating memoir of her fifty years as a professional musical and dramatic actress — one that every theatre professional should read, and every theatre lover will find illuminating and entertaining.

One of the premiere stage actors of the past half century, Linda’s won Obie’s and Jeff’s (among many other awards), starred on Broadway, and worked with and been praised by a who’s who of theatre noteworthies, including Stephen Sondheim, Tennessee Williams, and Tracy Letts.

She may not be a household name but that’s part of what makes her story so compelling. She’s always played in the top tier of the theatre world and made her living doing what she loves: performing on stage. And while acting/music is her art, she’s always approached it as a job. And seeing how she balanced the two is what makes this such a valuable book for working actors, and especially young working actors. There’s much wisdom to glean from her honest approach to both the artistry and the business of acting.

Linda’s been a significant theatre force in at least four major theatre towns: New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Milwaukee. She’s worked at the highest level on the L.A. screen scene, too (playing John Mahoney’s love interest on “Frazier”!).

What hasn’t Linda Stephens done?! Well, up till now — write a book about it all that we can all enjoy and learn from. Such a joyful, fascinating read!

From Tony- and Pulitzer-winning playwright Tracy Letts:
“In her soulful memoir, Linda Stephens explores her life as a performer with grace and aplomb. She makes explicit what a life in the theatre gets you . . . and what it costs. Sometimes triumphant, sometimes heartbreaking, always honest, this really is the actor’s life -- specifically the stage actor’s life -- or more accurately, a successful stage actor’s life. I would urge any young person considering an acting career to read this book and ask themselves: Do I have the hide for this?”

[Joe Fab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Stephens has been an actor for 50+ years and has known great successes as well as her share of disappointments in a career that began in college and dinner theatre, leading to Broadway, off-Broadway and regional theatres across the country. She's played the roles that female actors dream of in plays by Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Stephen Sondheim (all of whom specifically praised her work) and many others. What is so magnificent about this beautifully written memoir is that she shares so honestly what it was like to work at, win and lose at, and ultimately thrive as a working actor for an entire lifetime. This is no self-congratulatory celebrity autobiography, but rather a realistic depiction of the job of being an actor and, with remarkable introspection, the art of LIVING as an actor.
THERE IS NO BACKSTAGE: AN ACTOR'S LIFE is a gutsy, intimate, uncompromisingly introspective book which those who feel the draw of performing onstage should read -- both to feed their passion and, importantly, to fact-check their own resolve. Indeed, theatrical icon, playwright and actor Tracy Letts writes on the book jacket that he "would urge any young person considering an acting career to read this book and ask themselves, 'Do I have the hide for this?'"

[Jennifer Rupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike other actor memoirs, this is not a “tell-all” book. There Is No Backstage is a “tell-it-like-it-is” book that reads like a how-to manual. People will say that to learn life lessons, you have to live life. True, of course, but it never hurts to get some insight from people who know. Broadway and regional theater actress Linda Stephens worked the stage for 50 years. If, as an artist, you can look back on your body of work and be proud, if you can recognize your mistakes, acknowledge your achievements, and then be able to pass on your accumulated knowledge to others, you can with confidence say that you have had a successful career. Linda Stephens has had a truly successful career. I think what is outstanding about this memoir, aside from its shear entertainment value, is that Stephens is able to interpret how events in her childhood not only influenced, but also added color and texture to her career choices. Anyone who loves theater will find There Is No Backstage an utter delight to read.

[Carol]

As a theater buff, I enjoyed Linda Stephen's memoir about her life as an actor - especially when it touched on people in the Midwest theater world that I know. She said that she wrote it in part to show what a career as a working actor, but not a star, looked like. It sounds as if there were long periods that were nomadic and lonely despite the many friends she has in the theater world in New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Milwaukee. I'm grateful that she wrote this book, and appreciate her candor about the prices those we applaud on stage have paid for choosing the life of a professional actor.

Please note that I don't use the star rating system, so this review should not be viewed as a zero.