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100 Monologues
100 (monologues) collects all of Eric Bogosian's monologues, originally performed as part of his six off-Broadway solo shows, including Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll; Pounding Nails in the Floor with my Forehead; Wake Up and Smell the Coffee; Drinking in America; Funhouse; Men Inside and selections from his play Talk Radio. For these solo shows, first performed between 1980 and 2000, Bogosian was awarded three Obie awards and a Drama Desk award--earning him living icon status in the downtown theater scene. One of America's premier performers and most innovative and provocative artists, Eric Bogosian's plays and solo shows include Talk Radio (Pulitzer Prize finalist); subUrbia; Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll; Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead, among many others. He has starred in a wide variety of film, TV and stage roles. Most recently, he created the character Captain Danny Ross on the long-running series Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Acting Emotions
Actors and actresses play characters such as the embittered Medea, or the lovelorn Romeo, or the grieving and tearful Hecabe. The theatre audience holds its breath, and then sparks begin to fly. But what about the actor? Has he been affected by the emotions of the character he is playing? What's going on inside his mind? The styling of emotions in the theatre has been the subject of heated debate for centuries. In fact, Diderot in his Paradoxe sur le comedien, insisted that most brilliant actors do not feel anything onstage. This greatly resembles the detached acting style associated with Bertolt Brecht, which, in turn, stands in direct opposition to the notion of the empathy-oriented "emotional reality" of the actor which is most famously associated with the American acting style known as method acting. The book's survey of the various dominant acting styles is followed by an analysis of the current state of affairs regarding the psychology of emotions. By uniting the psychology of emotions with contemporary acting theories, the author is able to come to the conclusion that traditional acting theories are no longer valid for today's actor. Acting Emotions throws new light on the age-old issue of double consciousness, the paradox of the actor who must nightly express emotions while creating the illusion of spontaneity. In addition, the book bridges the gap between theory and practice by virtue of the author's large-scale field study of the emotions of professional actors. In Acting Emotions, the responses of Dutch and Flemish actors is further supplemented by the responses of a good number of American actors. The book offers a unique view of how actors act out emotions and how this acting out is intimately linked to the development of contemporary theatre.
Actor's Survival Handbook
Worried about short rehearsal time? Think that fluffing your lines will be the end of your career? Are you afraid you'll be typecast? Is there such a thing as acting too much? How should a stage actor adjust performance for a camera? And how should an actor behave backstage? The Actor's Survival Handbook gives you answers to all these questions and many more. Written with verve and humor, this utterly essential tool speaks to every actor's deepest concerns. Drawing upon their years of experience on stage, backstage, and with the camera, Patrick Tucker and Christine Ozanne offer forthright advice on topics from breathing to props, commitment to learning lines, audience response to simply landing the job in the first place. The book is rich with examples - both technical and inspirational. And because a director and an actor won't always agree, the two writers sometimes even offer alternative responses to a dilemma, giving the reader both an actor's take and a director's take on a particular point. Like Patrick Tucker's Secrets of Screen Acting, this new book is written with wit and passion, conveying the authors' powerful conviction that success is within every actor's grasp.
Actors and Acting in Shakespeare's Time : The Art of Stage Playing
John Astington brings the acting style of the Shakespearean period to life, describing and analyzing the art of the player in the English professional theater between Richard Tarlton and Thomas Betterton. The book pays close attention to the cultural context of stage playing, the critical language used about it, and the kinds of training and professional practice employed in the theater at various times over the course of roughly one hundred years - 1558-1660. Perfect for courses, this up-to-date survey takes into account recent discoveries about actors and their social networks, about apprenticeship and company affiliations, and about playing outside the major center of theater, London. Astington considers the educational tradition of playing, in schools, universities, legal inns, and choral communities, in comparison to the work of the professional players. A comprehensive biographical dictionary of all major professional players of the Shakespearean period is included as a handy reference guide.
The Actor Within : Intimate Conversations with Great Actors
In Rose Eichenbaum's third work on the confluence of art making and human expression, she delves into the lives of thirty-five celebrated actors through intimate conversations and photographic portraits. With her probing questions and disarming manner, she captures the essential character of her subjects while shining a light on the art that defines them. The work provides extraordinary insights on the craft of acting with discussions of process, techniques, tools of the trade, and how to advice for aspiring actors from seasoned veterans. These stars of stage and screen, known for signature roles and critically acclaimed performances, emerge in The Actor Within with masks and wardrobe removed. Here, they speak their own lines, tell their own stories, and raise the curtain on what it means to live the actor's life--the challenge of mastering their craft, the drama of big breaks and career woes, the search for meaningful roles, and above all, having the courage to bare their souls before theater audiences or the camera. For the artists featured in this work, acting is more than a profession; it is how they make their way in the world and artfully merge their inner sense of humanness with universal truths. This collection serves as an important inspirational resource for anyone interested in making art, regardless of medium. The Actor Within includes interviews with Karl Malden, Ruby Dee, Ed Harris, Piper Laurie, Marcia Gay Harden, William H. Macy, Ellen Burstyn, Joe Mantegna, Debra Winger, Julia Stiles, Elliott Gould, Elijah Wood, Stockard Channing, Bill Pullman, Amanda Plummer, Marlee Matlin, Charles Durning, Marsha Mason, and many others.
The Art of Film Acting : A Guide for Actors and Directors
This guide for actors and directors develops a valid method for training performers to act from their core--whether they are cold reading, auditioning, or performing for film or television. This book teaches actors how to achieve and respond to believable and honest emotions before the camera, and it maintains that the key to a successful performance lies in how the actors relate to one another and to the circumstances. Exercises, including script examples, throughout the book give readers an easy resource for practicing the principles outlined. The Art of Film Acting applies a classic stage acting method (Stanislavsky) to the more intimate medium of performing before a camera, teaching readers to experience an emotion rather than to indicate it.
Awakening the Performing Body
Awakening the Performing Body is an exemplary work of practice-based research presented in a pedagogical format. This text is clearly laid out for any acting teacher who wishes to pursue a more spiritual approach to acting and participate in the goal of reclaiming the sacred in theatre or indeed for any acting teacher who seeks a more body centered and imaginative approach to character and actor-audience connections. This book is a crucial contribution to acting pedagogy.---Per K. Brash, University of Winnipeg, Canada
Here at last, is a deep, probing and totally fascinating inquiry into the palpable yet unseen forces at work and at play in the theatre. McCutcheon, flaming torch in hand, has entered the mysterious dark cavern where one knows there's a magic exchange. AWAKENING is an awakening - to link mind, body and spirit - to holistically mine acting education where the WHOLE person is engaged, so that magic we long for and crave, becomes something you can actually set out to entice into the light - not something one hopes might appear if we are lucky. An extraordinary work.---Dean Carey, Artistic Director/Founder, Actors Centre Australia
Bringing the Body to the Stage and Screen : Expressive Movement for Performers
As stage and screen artists explore new means to enhance their craft, a new wave of interest in expressive movement and physical improvisation has developed. And in order to bring authenticity and believability to a character, it has become increasingly vital for actors to be aware of movement and physical acting. Stage and screen artists must now call upon physical presence, movement on stage, non-verbal interactions, and gestures to fully convey themselves.In Bringing the Body to the Stage and Screen, Annette Lust provides stage and screen artists with a program of physical and related expressive exercises that can empower their art with more creativity. In this book, Lust provides a general introduction to movement, including definitions and differences between movement on the stage and screen, how to conduct a class or learn on one's own, and choosing a movement style. Throughout the book and in the appendixes, Lust incorporates learning programs that cover the use of basic physical and expressive exercises for the entire body. In addition, she provides original solo and group pantomimes; improvisational exercises; examples of plays, fiction, poetry, and songs that may be interpreted with movement; a list of training centers in America and Europe; and an extensive bibliography and videography.With 15 interviews and essays by prominent stage and screen actors, mimes, clowns, dancers, and puppeteers who describe the importance of movement in their art and illustrated with dozens of photos of renowned world companies and artists, Bringing the Body to the Stage and Screen will be a valuable resource for theater teachers and students, as well as anyone engaged in the performing arts.
Creativity: the Actor in Performance
Creativity: the Actor in Performance focuses on what it takes to be a creative performer. Many stage-actors succeed in rehearsals, yet under-perform where it counts--in performance. But, as actors know, performance is a thing unto itself--something is going to have to happen out there beyond anything that happened in rehearsals. This book provides actors, their teachers and directors with insights into the creativity of the actor in performance. An historical account of the emergence and development of one of the most generative concepts of our times - creativity - provides a theoretical backdrop to a critical discussion of the creativity of acting - a discussion that includes analyses of Denis Diderot, George Henry Lewes, William Archer, Konstantin Stanislavsky, Michael Chekhov, Michel Saint-Denis, Zeami and Eugenio Barba. Creativity: the actor in performance concludes by offering a detailed rationale for performance-oriented actor training, offering examples of workshop exercises (CREATICS) which focus on developing four main competencies crucial for successful and creative performances: situation awareness, audience awareness, divided consciousness and presence.
Reframing Screen Performance
"A significant contribution to the literature on screen performance studies, Reframing Screen Performance brings the study of film acting up to date. It should be of interest to those within cinema studies as well as general readers." ---Frank P. Tomasulo, Florida State University Reframing Screen Performance is a groundbreaking study of film acting that challenges the long held belief that great cinematic performances are created in the editing room. Surveying the changing attitudes and practices of film acting---from the silent films of Charlie Chaplin to the rise of Lee Strasberg's Actor's Studio in the 1950s to the eclecticism found in contemporary cinema---this volume argues that screen acting is a vital component of film and that it can be understood in the same way as theatrical performance. This richly illustrated volume shows how and why the evocative details of actors' voices, gestures, expressions, and actions are as significant as filmic narrative and audiovisual design. The book features in-depth studies of performances by Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, and Julianne Moore (among others) alongside subtle analyses of directors like Robert Altman and Akira Kurosawa, Sally Potter and Orson Welles. The book bridges the disparate fields of cinema studies and theater studies as it persuasively demonstrates the how theater theory can be illuminate the screen actor's craft. Reframing Screen Performance brings the study of film acting into the twenty-first century and is an essential text for actors, directors, cinema studies scholars, and cinephiles eager to know more about the building blocks of memorable screen performance. Cynthia Baron is Associate Professor of Film Studies at Bowling Green State University and co-editor of More Than a Method: Trends and Traditions in Contemporary Film Performance. Sharon Carnicke is Professor of Theater and Slavic Studies and Associate Dean of Theater at the University of Southern California and author of Stanislavsky in Focus.
The Student Actor Prepares : Acting for Life
The Student Actor Prepares is a practical, interactive approach to a student actor’s journey. Each chapter includes acting principles, their importance to the process, and workbook entries for emotional work, script analysis, and applications to the study of theater. Topics cover a brief history of the art of acting and how the study of acting can be an advantage in numerous occupations; an actor’s discovery of emotional work; movement and mime practices for the actor; vocal practices for the actor; solo improvisational study; script analysis for the individual actor; rehearsal tips; monologue work; original solo work; audition information; working with an acting partner or in a production; acting resources; and research topics.nbsp;
Systems of Rehearsal : Stanislavsky, Brecht, Grotowski, and Brook
The gap between theory and practice in rehearsal is wide. many actors and directors apply theories without fully understanding them, and most accounts of rehearsal techniques fail to put the methods in context. Systems of Rehearsalis the first systematic appraisal of the three principal paradigms in which virtually all theatre work is conducted today - those developed by Stanislavsky, Brecht and Grotowski. The author compares each system ot the work of the contemporary director who, says Mitter, is the Great Imitator of each of them: Peter Brook. The result is the most comprehensive introduction to modern theatre available.
To the Actor : On the Technique of Acting
In To the Actor Michael Chekhov has recorded brilliantly the results of his many years of experimenting, testing and verifying in the professional theater and schools of the theater. He brings to actors far greater insight into themselves and the characters they are to portray, which enables them to approach any role with new ease and skill. "To the Actor is by far the best book that I have read on the subject of acting. Actors, directors, writers and critics will be grateful for it. It should prove enlightening to theatergoers who wish to deepen their appreciation for fine acting and thus help to invigorate the theatrical art."--Gregory Peck "I think without a doubt every creative person in the theater will want to have it as a constant reference book, outside of its being, in my opinion, absorbing and entertaining reading."--Yul Brynner (from the Preface) "One of the most remarkable and practical books on the technique of acting I have ever read....Enthusiastically recommended to all theatre collections of whatever size."--Library Journal
To the Actor: On the Technique of Acting
In To the Actor Michael Chekhov has recorded brilliantly the results of his many years of experimenting, testing and verifying in the professional theater and schools of the theater. He brings to actors far greater insight into themselves and the characters they are to portray, which enables them to approach any role with new ease and skill. "To the Actor is by far the best book that I have read on the subject of acting. Actors, directors, writers and critics will be grateful for it. It should prove enlightening to theatergoers who wish to deepen their appreciation for fine acting and thus help to invigorate the theatrical art."--Gregory Peck "I think without a doubt every creative person in the theater will want to have it as a constant reference book, outside of its being, in my opinion, absorbing and entertaining reading."--Yul Brynner (from the Preface) "One of the most remarkable and practical books on the technique of acting I have ever read....Enthusiastically recommended to all theatre collections of whatever size."--Library Journal
Women, Method Acting, and the Hollywood Film
Women, Method Acting, and the Hollywood Film is the first study dedicated to understanding the work of female Method actors on film. While Method acting on film has typically been associated with the explosive machismo of actors like Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro, this book explores an alternate tradition within the Method--the work that women from the Actors Studio did in Hollywood. Covering the period from the end of the Second World War until the 1970s, this study shows how the women associated with the Actors Studio increasingly used Method acting in ways that were compatible with their burgeoning feminist political commitments and developed a style of feminist Method acting. The book examines the complex intersection of Method acting, sexuality, and gender by analyzing performances such as Kim Hunter's in A Streetcar Named Desire, Julie Harris's in The Member of the Wedding, Shelley Winters's in The Big Knife, Geraldine Page's in Sweet Bird of Youth, and Jane Fonda's in Coming Home. Challenging the longstanding assumption that Method acting's approaches were harmful to women and incompatible with feminism, this book argues that some of Hollywood's most interesting female actors, and leading feminists, emerged from the Actors Studio in the period between the 1950s and the 1970s. Written for students and scholars of Film Studies, Cultural Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies, and Gender Studies, Women, Method Acting, and the Hollywood Film reshapes the way we think of a central strain in American screen acting, and in doing so, allows women a new stake in that tradition.
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60 Seconds to Shine Volume 1, 221 One-minute Monologues for Men
"If brevity is the soul of a good audition, then these titles will prove a great resource." - CHOICE
Actors looking for short pieces to work on in class or to use for auditions need look no further. This volume is loaded with choices from contemporary and classic plays, novels, and stories. Shakespeare, Molière, and Chekhov are represented, along with contemporary writers such as Philip Roth and Steve Tesich. Many of the monologues in this book are from less well-known authors, making it the perfect choice for actors looking for something fresh¿something auditioners have never seen before.
JOHN CAPECCI holds a Ph.D. in Speech Communication and has nearly twenty years experience coaching, teaching, and presenting public performances. John has taught communication techniques and performance theory and practice to high school, undergraduate, graduate, and adult learners. He also has published essays on the performance of literature.
IRENE ZIEGLER ASTON is an actor, teacher, playwright, and novelist. Most recently, she played Maggie Runyon in The Contender (nominated for two academy awards) and can currently be seen as Mrs. Laughlin in Showtime¿s series, Going to California. She has taught speech, oral interpretation, and acting at Eastern Michigan University, Old Dominion University, and the University of Richmond, where she was an Artist in Residence.
John and Irene have co-edited The Ultimate Audition Book II: 222 Monologues from Literature, Two Minutes and Under; The Ultimate Audition Book III: 222 Monologues, Two Minutes and Under from the Movies; and The Ultimate Audition Book IV: 222 Monologues, Two Minutes and Under.
Acting : The Basics
A practical and theoretical guide to the world of the professional actor, skilfully combining ideas from a range of practitioners and linking the academy to the industry. It covers key areas such as: the development of modern drama and acting processes over the years the approach and legacy of acting pioneers and practitioners from around the world acting techniques and practicalities, including training, auditioning, rehearsing and performing ¿ both for stage and camera Complete with a glossary of terms and useful website suggestions, this is the ideal introduction for anyone wanting to learn more about the practice of acting and the people who have advanced its evolution.
The Actor's Art and Craft : William Esper Teaches the Meisner Technique
William Esper, one of the leading acting teachers of our time, explains and extends Sanford Meisner's legendary technique, offering a clear, concrete, step-by-step approach to becoming a truly creative actor.Esper worked closely with Meisner for seventeen years and has spent decades developing his famous program for actor's training. The result is a rigorous system of exercises that builds a solid foundation of acting skills from the ground up, and that is flexible enough to be applied to any challenge an actor faces, from soap operas to Shakespeare. Co-writer Damon DiMarco, a former student of Esper's, spent over a year observing his mentor teaching first-year acting students. In this book he recreates that experience for us, allowing us to see how the progression of exercises works in practice. The Actor's Art and Craft vividly demonstrates that good training does not constrain actors' instincts--it frees them to create characters with truthful and compelling inner lives.
An Actor's Work on a Role
An Actor's Work on a Roleis Konstantin Stanislavsky's classic exploration of the rehearsal process, applying the techniques of his seminal actor training system to the task of bringing life and truth to one's role. Originally published over half a century ago as Creating a Role, this book became the third in a trilogy - after An Actor Preparesand Building a Character, which are now combined in a newly translated volume called An Actor's Work. In these books, now foundational texts for actors, Stanislavsky sets out his psychological, physical and practical vision of actor training. This new translation from renowned writer and critic Jean Benedetti not only includes Stanislavski's original teachings, but is also furnished with invaluable supplementary material in the shape of transcripts and notes from the rehearsals themselves, reconfirming The System as the cornerstone of actor training.
Bringing the Body to the Stage and Screen: Expressive Movement for Performers
As Stage and Screen: artists explore means to enhance their craft, a new wave of interest in expressive movement and physical improvisation has developed. To bring authenticity and believability to a character, it has become increasingly vital tor actors to be aware of movement and physical acting. Stage and screen artists must now call upon physical presence, movement on stage, nonverbal interactions, and gestures to fully convey themselves. In Bringing the Body to the Stage and Screen, Annette Lust provides these artists with a; program of physical and related expressive exercises that can empower their art with more creativity. Lust offers a general introduction that includes definitions and differences between movement on the stage and screen, how to conduct a class or learn on your own, and how to choose your own movement style among a variety of current schools of movement. Throughout the book and in the appendixes, Lust incorporates learning programs that connect the use of basic physical and expressive exercises for the entire body. Also included are original solo and group pantomimes; improvisational exercises; examples of plays, fiction, poetry, and songs that may be interpreted with movement; a list of training centers in America and Europe; and an extensive bibliography and videography. With fifteen interviews and essays by prominent stage and screen actors, mimes, clowns, dancers, and puppeteers who describe the importance ot movement in their art, and illustrated with dozens of photos of world-renowned companies and artists, Bringing the Body to the Stage and Screen is a valuable resource for theatre teachers and students, as well as anyone engaged in the performing arts. Book jacket.
Contemporary American Monologues for Women
Audition monologues from recent works by American playwrights.
Dialogue : The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, Screen
The long-awaited follow-up to the perennially bestselling writers' guide Story, from the most sought-after expert in the art of storytelling. Robert McKee's popular writing workshops have earned him an international reputation. The list of alumni with Oscars runs off the page. The cornerstone of his program is his singular book, Story, which has defined how we talk about the art of story creation. Now, in DIALOGUE, McKee offers the same in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. DIALOGUE applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech. Famous McKee alumni include Peter Jackson, Jane Campion, Geoffrey Rush, Paul Haggis, the writing team for Pixar, and many others.
A Dream of Passion
Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Paul Newman, Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Hopper, Robert DeNiro, Marilyn Monroe, and Joanne Woodward-these are only a few of the many actors trained in "Method" acting by the great and legendary Lee Strasberg. This revolutionary theory of acting-developed by Stanislavsky and continued by Strasberg-has been a major influence on the art of acting in our time. During his last decade, Strasberg devoted himself to a work that would explain once and for all what The Method was and how it worked, as well as telling the story of its development and of the people involved with it. The result is a masterpiece of wisdom and guidance for anyone involved with the theater in any way. .
Fine on Acting : A Vision of the Craft
Heralded as "Best Acting Teacher in LA" by Back Stage magazine, Hollywood s most sought after acting teacher Howard Fine reveals the winning technique that has garnered his students international acclaim and the industry s highest honors in his astonishing book FINE ON ACTING. During his twenty-five years as a teacher and director, Fine has developed a technique that is both useful and exciting. Emmy Award(r)-winning actor Michael Chiklis (THE SHIELD, FANTASTIC FOUR) writes in the foreword for FINE ON ACTING, You ve purchased this book because you either aspire to be an actor or want to be a better one. Either way you ve made a wonderful decision. Howard Fine is a great teacher. His philosophy and approach to the craft of acting are the most helpful, encouraging and practically applicable I ve ever encountered. FINE ON ACTING covers the essentials for actors, including The Common Mistakes, Rehearsal, Auditions, Stage vs. Television and Film Acting, and Comedy vs. Drama. Fine also offers valuable advice for troubleshooting challenging situations, such as playing opposite a bad actor, nerves, memorizing lines, working with a bad director, and being emotionally blocked. A close colleague of the legendary Uta Hagen and the founder of the Howard Fine Acting Studio, Fine has worked with hundreds of stars, including Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake, Lindsay Lohan, Salma Hayek, Simon Baker, Amanda Bynes, Gerard Butler, Jennifer Connelly, Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Michelle Williams, Val Kilmer, Sela Ward, Jason Priestley, Kerry Washington, Amy Smart, Jared Leto, Wilmer Valderrama, Brooke Shields, Daryl Hannah, Rick Fox, Estella Warren, Christopher Meloni, Enrique Murciano, Garry Shandling, Alexa Vega, Heather Locklear, Geri Halliwell, Carla Gugino, James Belushi, Diana Ross, Jon Bon Jovi, and Josh Groban. Fine is one of the few elite acting experts who has devoted his primary career to perfecting the teaching and coaching of professional actors. His outstanding reputation is the product of his remarkable expertise uniquely coupled with his extraordinary gift to inspire."
The Monologue Audition: A Practical Guide for Actors
(Limelight). A founder of the Atlantic Theater Company, where she now teaches, and an acclaimed director, Karen Kohlhaas exposes what auditors are looking for in The Monologue Audition , the first book of its kind to show actors how to stage monologues using specific, step-by-step directing and acting techniques. Applicable to auditions for theaters, agents, casting directors, and training programs, this is an indispensable guide for any actor looking to master their audition approach.
Play the Scene : The Ultimate Collection of Contemporary and Classic Scenes and Monologues
Alexander Dumas * Christopher Durang * Beth Henley * Kenneth Lonergan * Donald Margulies * Steve Martin * Nicky Silver * Bernard Shaw * Alfred Uhry * Paula Vogel A collection of the greatest scenes and monologues ever written-ranging from Elizabethan to Tony Award-winning plays-this comprehensive anthology spans over five hundred years of theatre.Play the Scene: The Ultimate Collection of Contemporary and Classic Scenes and Monologues by coauthors Michael Schulman and Eva Mekler includes scenes and monologues from classic plays by such notable authors as Edith Wharton as well as the best in contemporary theatre, such as Margaret Edson's Wit. * Blight Spirit * Camille * The Chosen * The Graduate * How I Learned to Drive * The Last Night of Ballyhoo * The Lisbon Traviata * This Is Our Youth * Vincent in Brixton * And many more!
Stage Fright, Animals, and Other Theatrical Problems
Why do actors get stage fright? What is so embarrassing about joining in? Why not work with animals and children, and why is it so hard not to collapse into helpless laughter when things go wrong? In trying to answer these questions - usually ignored by theatre scholarship but of enduring interest to theatre professionals and audiences alike - Nicholas Ridout attempts to explain the relationship between these apparently unwanted and anomalous phenomena and the wider social and political meanings of the modern theatre. This book focuses on the theatrical encounter - those events in which actor and audience come face to face in a strangely compromised and alienated intimacy - arguing that the modern theatre has become a place where we entertain ourselves by experimenting with our feelings about work, social relations and about feelings themselves.
Stella Adler : The Art of Acting
Stella Adler was one of the 20th Century's greatest figures. She is arguably the most important teacher of acting in American history. Over her long career, both in New York and Hollywood, she offered her vast acting knowledge to generations of actors, including Marlon Brando, Warren Beatty, and Robert De Niro. The great voice finally ended in the early Nineties, but her decades of experience and teaching have been brilliantly caught and encapsulated by Howard Kissel in the twenty-two lessons in this book.
Tools and Techniques for Character Interpretation
Actor and author Blumenfeld offers practical suggestions and exercises for applying different theories of psychology, such as psychoanalysis, object relations, and existentialism, to character interpretation. He explains these various theories and their terminology and offers character studies that exemplify psychological concepts based on characte
Why Acting Matters
A provocative, highly engaging essay on the art of pretending on the stage, on screen, and in daily life Does acting matter? David Thomson, one of our most respected and insightful writers on movies and theater, answers this question with intelligence and wit. In this fresh and thought-provoking essay, Thomson tackles this most elusive of subjects, examining the allure of the performing arts for both the artist and the audience member while addressing the paradoxes inherent in acting itself. He reflects on the casting process, on stage versus film acting, and on the cult of celebrity.
The art and considerable craft of such gifted artists as Meryl Streep, Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Daniel Day-Lewis, and others are scrupulously appraised here, as are notions of "good" and "bad" acting. Thomson's exploration is at once a meditation on and a celebration of a unique and much beloved, often misunderstood, and occasionally derided art form. He argues that acting not only "matters" but is essential and inescapable, as well as dangerous, chronic, transformative, and exhilarating, be it on the theatrical stage, on the movie screen, or as part of our everyday lives.
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