This accessible, systematic guide will teach you how to memorise your lines quickly and effectively, and let go of the fear of forgetting them - helping you build confidence and focus, and reducing anxiety and stress around auditions, rehearsal and performance. Inside, you'll find dozens of tips, tricks and techniques such as Memory Palaces, Mental Maps, Creative Memorisation, Visual Cues and many more, along with exercises and examples to illustrate how they work in practice. Discover how to harness these tools to strengthen your memory, and develop a personalised line-learning strategy that works for you and your acting process - one that is easier, faster and more enjoyable. The Compact Guides are pocket-sized introductions for actors and theatremakers, each tackling a key topic in a clear and comprehensive way. Written by industry professionals with extensive hands-on experience of their subject, they provide you with maximum information in minimum time.

"It shouldn't surprise us that politicians, clerics, rock singers as well as actors queue up to train their voices under the supervision of Patsy Rodenburg. This book will explain her popularity among her pupils." - Sir Ian McKellen Practical, passionate and inspiring, this book teaches how to use the voice fully and expressively, without fear and in any situation. Patsy Rodenburg is one of the world's foremost voice and acting coaches, having trained thousands of actors, singers, lawyers, politicians, business people, teachers and students: her book distils that knowledge and experience so that everyone can enjoy the right to speak. Part one is a discursive account of our right to speak which examines impediments to clear, natural, confident speech and establishing habits that will help overcome these, while part two is a practical 'workbook' containing exercises and practical tips, providing a step-by-step approach to using the voice effectively. Covering speech and phonetics, dialects and accents, vocalising heightened emotions, singing, auditions, recording and caring for the health of your voice, these approachable and informative exercises aren't just designed to benefit actors and singers, but a wide range of readers who wish to improve the use of their voice to help them at work or when communicating in formal and informal situations. This Bloomsbury Revelations edition also considers the effect of social media on communication skills, the need for empathetic listening, how scientific discovery now illuminates why and how voice exercises work, and cultural and global issues of ethics and storytelling.

Movement: Onstage and Off is the complete guide for actors to the most effective techniques for developing a fully expressive body. It is a comprehensive compilation of established fundamentals, a handbook for movement centered personal growth and a guide to helping actors and teachers make informed decisions for advanced study. This book includes: fundamental healing/conditioning processes essential techniques required for versatile performance specialized skills various training approaches and ways to frame the actor's movement training. Using imitation exercises to sharpen awareness, accessible language and adaptable material for solo and group work, the authors aim to empower actors of all levels to unleash their extraordinary potential.

Practical, positive and uplifting, the advice in this book is designed to lead to the best outcomes possible for you, the actor, making the transition from craft to career. The reader is given insight into the various types of casting directors across the industry and how that practical knowledge can benefit you and increase your chance of success. While providing an in-depth insight into the role of the casting director, this book explains the jobs of all the other people involved in the casting process - including producers, network executives, writers - and how they influence casting decisions. As the collected wisdom Merri Sugarman's 20+ years of experience in different aspects of professional casting within television, film and theater, this book is a treasure trove of advice to help the actors and those who support them in their career goals, learn what it takes to be a pro. For those who choose to make their craft a career, it's an invaluable resource.

Movement: Onstage and Off is the complete guide for actors to the most effective techniques for developing a fully expressive body. It is a comprehensive compilation of established fundamentals, a handbook for movement centered personal growth and a guide to helping actors and teachers make informed decisions for advanced study. This book includes: fundamental healing/conditioning processes essential techniques required for versatile performance specialized skills various training approaches and ways to frame the actor's movement training. Using imitation exercises to sharpen awareness, accessible language and adaptable material for solo and group work, the authors aim to empower actors of all levels to unleash their extraordinary potential.

Annie Morrison, creator of the Morrison Bone Prop, abandons the notion that language and thought are mainly processed in the left cerebral hemisphere, and coaches the actor to speak from the heart. Through this method, words acquire physical properties, such as weight, texture, colour and kinetic force. Think about Martin Luther King, Mao Zedong or Malala Yousafzai; potent speech impacts external events. And internally, it forms and shapes the world of the speaker. Seeing articulation as a purely mechanical skill is detrimental to an actor's process: it is crucial to understand what language is doing on a biological level. This workbook is invaluable for actors, both professional and in training, and also for voice and speech teachers.

This pioneering introduction to Stanislavsky's methods and modes of actor training covers all of the essential elements of his System. Recreating 'truthful' behaviour in the artificial environment, awareness and observation, psychophysical work, given circumstances, visualization and imagination, and active analysis are all introduced and explored. Each section of the book is accompanied by individual and group exercises, forming a full course of study in the foundations of modern acting. A glossary explains the key terms and concepts that are central to Stanislavsky's thinking at a glance. The book's companion website is full of downloadable worksheets and resources for teachers and students. Experiencing Stanislavsky Today is enhanced by contemporary findings in psychology, neuroscience, anatomy and physiology that illuminate the human processes important to actors, such as voice and speech, creativity, mind-body connection, the process and the production of emotions on cue. It is the definitive first step for anyone encountering Stanislavsky's work, from acting students exploring his methods for the first time, to directors looking for effective rehearsal tools and teachers mapping out degree classes.

The Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, director and teacher has written a blunt, unsparingly honest guide to acting. In True and False David Mamet overturns conventional opinion and tells aspiring actors what they really need to know. He leaves no aspect of acting untouched: how to judge the role, approach the part, work with the playwright; the right way to undertake auditions and the proper approach to agents and the business in general. True and False slaughters a wide range of sacred cows and yet offers an invaluable guide to the acting profession.

In 'Digging up stories', James Thompson explores the problems of theatre practice in communities affected by war and exclusion. Each chapter or 'story' is written in a lively and accessible style and draws on a range of contemporary performance theories. The chapters discuss: - participatory theatre in refugee camps - theatre workshop and stories of a massacre - traditional dance-dramas in an insurgent controlled village - 'Forum' theatre with the Mahabharata - ethical issues - the struggle to teach the author to dance 'Digging up stories' documents a range of theatre practice and includes project reports, ethnographic accounts, performance analysis and diary-style reflection. Taken from Thompson's research and practice in Sri Lanka, these diverse examples question the link between applied theatre, traditional performance and performances in everyday life. The book blurs lines between research and travel writing to create rich and provocative accounts of applying theatre in a troubled setting. -- .

Ian Wilkie contends that comic acting is a distinct art form, and as such demands a unique skillset. By exploring the ways in which performance choices and improvised moments can work in conjunction with texts themselves, Performing in Comedy offers an indispensable practical tool for enhancing comic performance. This volume is a must-read for any actors, directors or students who work with comic texts. Wilkie synthesises theories and principles of comedy with practical tips, and re-evaluates the ways in which these ideas can be used by the performer. Most importantly, these skills - timing, focus, awareness - are teachable rather than being innate talents. Exercises, interviews and guides to further resources enhance this comprehensive exploration of comic acting.

There are over 150 BFA and MFA acting programs in the US today, nearly all of which claim to prepare students for theatre careers. Peter Zazzali contends that the curricula of these courses represent an ethos that is as outdated as it is limited, given today's shrinking job market for stage actors. Acting in the Academy traces the history of actor training in universities to make the case for a move beyond standard courses in voice and speech, movement, or performance, to develop an entrepreneurial model that motivates and encourages students to create their own employment opportunities. This book answers questions such as: How has the League of Professional Theatre Training Programs shaped actor training in the US? How have training programmes and the acting profession developed in relation to one another? What impact have these developments had on American acting as an art form? Acting in the Academy calls for a reconceptualization of actor training the US, and looks to newly empower students of performance with a fresh, original perspective on their professional development.

This comprehensive collection provides theoretical accounts of the grounds and phenomenon of film acting. The volume features entries by some of the most prominent scholars on film acting who collectively represent the various theoretical traditions that constitute the discipline of film studies. Each section proposes novel ways of considering the recurring motifs in academic enquiries into film acting, including: (1) the mutually contingent problematic of description and interpretation, (2) the intricacies of bodily dynamics and their reception by audiences, (3) the significance of star performance, and (4) the impact of evolving technologies and film styles on acting traditions.

Improvisation is a performance practice that animates and activates diverse energies of inspiration, critique, and invention. In recent years it has coalesced into an exciting and innovative new field of interdisciplinary scholarly inquiry, becoming a cornerstone of both practical and theoretical approaches to performance."

The Improvisation Studies Reader" draws together the works of key artists and thinkers from a range of disciplines, including theatre, music, literature, film, and dance. Divided by keywords into eight sections, this book bridges the gaps between these fields. The book includes case studies, exercises, graphic scores and poems in order to produce a teaching and research resource that identifies central themes in improvisation studies. The sections include:

• Listening
• Trust/Risk
• Flow
• Dissonance
• Responsibility
• Liveness
• Surprise
• Hope

Each section of the Reader is introduced by a newly commissioned think piece by a key figure in the field, which opens up research questions reflecting on the keyword in question.

By placing key theoretical and classic texts in conversation with cutting-edge research and artists statements, this book answers the urgent questions facing improvising artists and theorists in the mediatized Twenty-First Century. "

Become the actor you must be to turn your dreams into reality. For over 25 years, Bernard Hiller's revolutionary techniques and exercises have produced unprecedented success for actors, artists, and performers all around the world. Acting is always evolving, and in The Revolutionary Guide to Acting Bernard shares the latest methods to help you gain vital skills for success in this competitive industry. Set yourself apart at your next audition by using Bernard's unique techniques, and uncover the secrets to delivering unforgettable performances. Acting is a journey to self-awareness that will lead you to discover your true authenticity, empowering you to become unstoppable in show business. Cultivate the tools you will need for a long-lasting career and, ultimately, a more accomplished and happier life.

THE GOOD AUDITION GUIDES: Helping you select and perform the audition piece that is best suited to your performing skills Each Good Audition Guide contains a range of fresh monologues, all prefaced with a summary of the vital information you need to place the piece in context and to perform it to maximum effect in your own unique way. Each volume also carries a user-friendly introduction on the whole process of auditioning. Shakespeare Monologues for Women contains 50 monologues drawn from across the Shakespeare canon. Each speech is prefaced with an easy-to-use guide to Who is speaking, Where, When and To Whom, What has just happened in the play and What are the character's objectives. In fact, everything the actor needs to know before embarking on the audition! Shakespeare Monologues for Women is edited by director, teacher and academic Luke Dixon. 'Sound practical advice for anyone attending an audition' Teaching Drama Magazine on the Good Audition Guides

This book approaches film and television acting from an actor's perspective rather than that of an audience member, and therefore theorizes how screen acting works as a process that engages an actor's memory, imagination, emotions, and physical body in the creation of a character. It argues that film actors strive to perform profound empathetic connections with their characters and fellow actors, and then put themselves out there through performing to make those connections clear to the eventual audience. It combines interviews with working professional film and television actors, key insights and methods from Film, Television, and Theatre Studies, and theories of imagination and embodiment to show that screen actors are more than just "the moving parts" of the mise-en-scene.

Stanislavski in Practice is an unparalleled step-by-step guide to Stanislavski’s system.

Author Nick O’Brien makes this cornerstone of acting accessible to teachers and students alike through the use of practical exercises that allow students to develop their skills. This second edition offers more exercises for the actor, and also new sections on directing and devising productions. Each element of the system is covered practically through studio exercises and jargon-free discussion. Exercises are designed to support syllabi from Edexcel, Eduqas, OCR and AQA to the practice-based requirements of BTEC and IB Theatre.

This is the perfect exercise book for students and a lesson planner for teachers at post-16 and first year undergraduate level.

New to this edition:

Thoroughly reorganized sections, including 'Work on the Actor', 'Work on a Role' and 'Developing your Practice';

A new chapter on using Stanislavski when devising with a series of exercises that will allow students to structure and create characters within the devising process;

A new chapter, Directing Exercise Programme, which will be a series of exercises that allows the student to develop their skills as a director;

New glossary with US and UK terms;

New exercises developed since the publication of the first edition;

A new chapter going beyond Stanislavski, exploring exercises from Michael Chekhov, Maria Knebel and Katie Mitchell.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Objectives

Action

Imagination

Free Body

Communication

The Super Objective, Through Action and Germ

Events

Tempo-rhythm, voice and movement

Rehearsing and Play

Improvisations

The Acting Exercise Programme

The Directing Exercise Programme

Stage Fright in the Actor explores the phenomena of stage fright-a universal experience that ranges in intensity from a relatively easy-to-conceal sense of anxiety to an overwhelming feeling of terror-from the actor's perspective, unearthing its social, cultural, and personal roots. Drawing on her experience as both an actor trainer and a licensed psychotherapist, Linda Brennan recounts the testimonies of professional actors to paint a clear picture of the artistic, behavioral, cognitive, physiological, and psychological characteristics of stage fright. This book encourages the reader to reflect on their own experiences while guided by the stories of fellow actors. Their personal accounts, combined with clinical research and practical exercises, will help readers to identify, manage, and even conquer this "demon in the wings." Stage Fright in the Actor is an essential tool for actors and acting students. Its insight into the many manifestations of stage fright also renders it as valuable reading for acting/performing arts teachers and directors, as well as anyone who fears stepping "onstage."

For the first time, the world-renowned Arden Shakespeare is producing Performance Editions, aimed specifically for use in the rehearsal room. Published in association with the Shakespeare Institute, the text features easily accessible facing page notes - including short definitions of words, key textual variants, and guidance on metre and pronunciation; a larger font size for easier reading; space for writing notes and reduced punctuation aimed at the actor rather than the reader. With editorial expertise from the worlds of theatre and academia, the series has been developed in association with actors and drama students. The Series Editors are distinguished scholars Professor Michael Dobson and Dr Abigail Rokison and leading Shakespearean actor, Simon Russell Beale.

Gain access to a personal collection of 101 highly effective drama games and activities suitable for children or adults. Sections include improvisation, mime, ice-breakers, group dynamics, rehearsal, story-telling, voice and warm-ups. This unique book has been developed over a thirty year career in education and theatre, through workshops with actors, teachers and children around the world. The pages are packed with tried and tested ideas for a whole range of activities useful for drama lessons, workshops or rehearsals. 'Belongs amongst the top 10 books any director or drama teacher should own.' - English Touring Opera

A World Elsewhere is Steven Berkoff's bold attempt to describe his multifarious theatrical works. Berkoff outlines the methods that he uses, first of all as an actor, secondly as a playwright and thirdly as theatre director, as well as those subtle connections in between, when one discipline melds effortlessly into another. He examines the early impulses that generated his works and what drove him to give them form, as well as the challenges he faced when adapting the work of other authors. Berkoff discusses some of his most difficult, successful and unique creations, journeying through his long and varied career to examine how they were shaped by him, and how he was shaped by them. The sheer scale of this book offers a rare experience of an accomplished artist, combined with the honesty and insight of an autobiography, making this text a singular tool for teaching, inspiration and personal exploration. Suitable for anyone with an interest in Steven Berkoff and his illustrious career, A World Elsewhere is the part analysis and part confession of an artist whose work has been performed all over the world.

This unique book offers a complete course in how to do any accent and also gives you the tools to navigate your way through a specific accent. Using solid technical know-how, clear practical steps, real-life examples, and the occasional dose of humour, the Haydn/Sharpe System brings to the surface the underlying structure of accents. The authors share the processes that they, as specialist dialect coaches, have developed, to give you the insight, tools and confidence to work with accents. This second edition includes examples and exercises for six new accents. Includes a free online code to access detailed exercises and sample sentences - giving you the sounds you need to get your accent skills going! Also includes ready-to-use resource recordings of the following accents: Norfolk (NEW), Yorkshire (NEW), Standard Canadian (NEW), Standard Australian (NEW), Standard American, Northern Irish (Belfast), Southern Irish (Cork), Scottish (Glasgow), Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, South Wales (Swansea), West Midlands (Walsall), Cockney, Neutral Standard English, Contemporary 'Street' London (NEW), Cornish.

A Complete Voice Training Manual For Actors A simple, step-by-step manual, written by an RSC voice coach, which offers everything that an actor needs to work on their voice. Suitable for actors at all levels, from students and young professionals to established and experienced actors. Drama teachers in schools and committed amateur actors who want to increase their vocal skills and understanding will also find it invaluable. Includes sections on: * Preparation * Body Work * Breathing and Support * Breathing Into Sound: Supporting the Voice * Releasing the Sound * Filling out the Sound: Resonance * Extending the Sound: Range * Shaping the Sound: Articulation * Trouble-Shooting. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction, then clearly and succinctly sets out a sequence of relevant exercises - accompanied by simple diagrams - ending with a summary of what we have learned. 'Brilliantly guides the actor using exercises and tools that can revolutionise the voice. It's a boon!' Joseph Fiennes 'Barbara's work is simple and practical, encouraging each actor to be free and fluid with their own voice... Very inspiring' Emily Watson 'Barbara has a great understanding of the way that actors' anxieties can affect their voice. Her tone is calm, reassuring and good humoured' Niamh Cusack

'A book that will stand the test of time' - Pierce Brosnan An essential guide to the Stanislavski technique, filtering out the complexities of the system and offering a dynamic, hands-on approach. Provides a comprehensive understanding of character, preparation, text, subtext and objectives. How to prepare for drama school and professional auditions How to develop a 3-dimensional, truthful character Preparation exercises to help you get in character Rehearsal guidelines An appendix of Transitive/Active Verbs and more