Intended for actors, directors, teachers and researchers, this book offers an exceptionally clear and thorough introduction to the renowned acting technique developed by Michael Chekhov. Sinead Rushe's book provides a complete overview of the whole method, and includes illuminating explanations of its principles, as well as a wide range of practical exercises that illustrate, step by step, how they can be applied to dramatic texts. Part One provides an outline of the ideas that underpin the work, which help to prepare practitioners to become responsive and receptive, and to awaken their imagination. Part Two charts a journey through the foundational psychophysical exercises that can both orient an actor's training routine and be applied directly to the development of a role. Part Three focuses on more specific and elaborate methods of scene work, characterisation and the art of transformation. Drawing on the full range of Chekhov's writing in English and French, this book also examines unpublished material from the Dartington Hall archives and features interviews with actors who have worked with the technique, including Simon Callow and Joanna Merlin. It illustrates Chekhov's approach by referring to Rushe's own productions of Nikolai Gogol's short story Diary of a Madman and Shakespeare's Othello, as well as characters and scenes in Sarah Kane's Blasted and the contemporary American television series Breaking Bad. Michael Chekhov's Acting Technique is an accessible, comprehensive and contemporary point of reference for those already trained in the method, as well as an initiation and toolkit for practitioners who are just beginning to discover it.

What actors do on-screen is a fascination for audiences all over the world. Indeed, the cultural visibility of movie stars is so pronounced that stardom has often been regarded as intrinsic to the medium's specificity. Yet not all great cinematic performances are star turns, and so, what really makes a cinematic performance good, interesting, or important has been a neglected topic in film criticism. This two-volume set presents detailed interpretations of singular performances by several of the most compelling actors in cinema history, asking in many different and complementary ways what makes performance meaningful, how it reflects a director's style, as well as how it contributes to the development of national cinemas and cultures. Whether noting the precise ways actors shape film narrative, achieve emotional effect, or move toward political subversion, the essays in these books innovate new approaches to studying screen performance as an art form and cultural force. This volume focuses on American cinema, including case studies of key performances from actors like Bette Davis, Irene Dunne, Whoopi Goldberg, Cary Grant, Oscar Isaac, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Sidney Poitier, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sellers, Kristen Stewart, and Ethel Waters, amongst many others.

What actors do on-screen is a fascination for audiences all over the world. Indeed, the cultural visibility of movie stars is so pronounced that stardom has often been regarded as intrinsic to the medium's specificity. Yet not all great cinematic performances are star turns, and so, what really makes a cinematic performance good, interesting, or important has been a neglected topic in film criticism. This two-volume set presents detailed interpretations of singular performances by several of the most compelling actors in cinema history, asking in many different and complementary ways what makes performance meaningful, how it reflects a director's style, as well as how it contributes to the development of national cinemas and cultures. Whether noting the precise ways actors shape film narrative, achieve emotional effect, or move toward political subversion, the essays in these books innovate new approaches to studying screen performance as an art form and cultural force. This second volume focuses on international cinema, and includes case studies of key performances from actors like Ingrid Bergman, Gael Garcia Bernal, Nikolai Cherkassov, Alec Guinness, Setsuko Hara, Isabelle Huppert, Peter Lorre, Madhubala, Anna Magnani, Toshiro Mifune, and Choi Min Sik, amongst many others.

The Process of Drama provides an original and invaluable model of the elements of drama in context, and defines how these are negotiated to produce dramatic art.
John O'Toole takes the reader through a lively, fascinating account of the relationships between the playwright, the elements of dramatic art, and the other artists involved in this most interactive of creative processes. In doing so he demonstrates - with clarity and wit - how dramatic meaning emerges; how the dramatic event is constructed. Areas covered include:
roles and relationships
the drama space
language and movement
tension and the audience
gesture and movement
This is an essential book for every student of drama who wants to understand how the theatrical art form operates

eBook available with sample pages: 0203359615

An exciting and invaluable collection of audition speeches, all chosen from plays produced by the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, spanning more than sixty years as one of the world's leading companies for young performers. Featuring seventy-five monologues by acclaimed writers such as Zawe Ashton, Moira Buffini, Carol Ann Duffy, Brian Friel, James Fritz, James Graham, Dennis Kelly, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Gbolahan Obisesan, Evan Placey, Sarah Solemani and Jack Thorne, the book offers rich and diverse roles ranging from teens to adults. Each audition speech also comes with invaluable supporting material - compiled by NYT Associate Artist Michael Bryher - to help you perform the piece to its maximum effect, including: A detailed description of the play that the speech is originally from Contextual information such as what's just happened in the play, where the monologue takes place, to whom the character is talking, and what their motivations are Things to think about when rehearsing and performing the speech The book also provides extensive advice on choosing a speech, working on it and preparing for auditions, plus tips and first-hand insights into the monologues from current NYT members and alumni who've performed them. An ideal resource for actors auditioning for drama school, the NYT or elsewhere, as well as those preparing for showcases or competitions, National Youth Theatre Monologues offers a wide and diverse range of roles, themes and styles - meaning you'll be able to find the speech that's just right for you.

In this richly detailed study, James Naremore focuses on the work of film acting, showing what players contribute to movies. Ranging from the earliest short subjects of Charles Chaplin to the contemporary features of Robert DeNiro, he develops a useful means of analyzing performance in the age of mechanical reproduction; at the same time, he reveals the ideological implications behind various approaches to acting, and suggests ways that behavior on the screen can be linked to the presentation of self in society. Naremore's discussion of such figures as Lillian Gish, Marlene Dietrich, James Cagney, and Cary Grant will interest the specialist and the general reader alike, helping to establish standards and methods for future writing about performers and their craft.

"I call this book The Intent to Live because great actors don't seem to be acting, they seem to be actually living."
-Larry Moss, from the Introduction
When Oscar-winning actors Helen Hunt and Hilary Swank accepted their Academy Awards, each credited Larry Moss's guidance as key to their career-making performances. There is a two-year waiting list for his advanced acting classes. But now everyone-professionals and amateurs alike-can discover Moss's passionate, in-depth teaching.
Inviting you to join him in the classroom and onstage, Moss shares the techniques he has developed over thirty years to help actors set their emotions, imagination, and behavior on fire, showing how the hard work of preparation pays off in performances that are spontaneous, fresh, and authentic.
From the foundations of script analysis to the nuances of physicalization and sensory work, here are the case studies, exercises, and insights that enable you to connect personally with a script, develop your character from the inside out, overcome fear and inhibition, and master the technical skills required for success in the theater, television, and movies.
Far more than a handbook, The Intent to Live is the personal credo of a master teacher. Moss's respect for actors and love of the actor's craft enliven every page, together with examples from a wealth of plays and films, both current and classic, and vivid appreciations of great performances. Whether you act for a living or simply want a deeper understanding of acting greatness, The Intent to Live will move, instruct, and inspire you.

"From the Hardcover edition."

To support a new generation of actors/acting teachers by coupling fresh ideas and new approaches with the best proven methods and practices. "On Acting" is written primarily for the contemporary American actor. It strives to address the acting process with an eye toward the performance culture and requirements that exist today. It is a book for the new twenty-first century artist--the serious practical artist who seeks to pursue a career that is both fulfilling and viable.

The text features a balance of philosophy, practical advice, anecdotal evidence/experiences and a wide variety of acting exercises/activities. Also included is the short Steven Breese play "Run. Run. Run Away" and an example of a scene score from that play.

Winner of a Nancy Staub Award for Excellence in Publications on the Art of Puppetry Connecting the art of puppetry with deeper learning for children, this workbook offers a comprehensive guide on how to bring puppetry into the classroom. It places puppet design, construction and manipulation at the heart of arts education and as a key contributor to 'manual intelligence' in young people. Packed with practical, illustrated exercises using materials and technology readily available to teachers, Puppetry in Theatre and Arts Education shows you how the craft can enliven and enrich any classroom environment, and offers helpful links between puppetry, the curriculum and other aspects of education. Informed by developments in assessments and cognitive research, this book features approachable puppetry activities, educational strategies and lesson plans for teachers that expand any syllabus and unlock new methods of learning, including: - Making puppets from basic materials and everyday objects - Puppetizing children's literature - Puppetizing science - Film-making with puppets Puppetry in Theatre and Arts Education is a core text for arts education courses as well as an essential addition to any teacher's arsenal of teaching strategies.

Through a study of the actress' films, records and writings, Gerda Taranow reconstructs the rigorously developed artistry that lay behind the superb performances. Analyzing each histrionic element and discussing repertoire she shows how Bernhardt adapted the techniques learned at the Conservatoire and in the theatre to her own particular strengths and limitations. Originally published in 1972. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

All great auditions require preparation and practice, but what's the secret to securing a callback? What are the best ways to prepare for that pivotal moment? And once you're in front of the casting director, what does it take to make the most out of your moment in the spotlight? In this second edition of Get the Callback: The Art of Auditioning for Musical Theatre, Jonathan Flom provides practical advice on the many facets of preparation, including selection of songs and monologues to suit your voice and the audition, organizing and arranging your music, working with the accompanist, and presenting yourself to the casting team. The book gives a detailed description of the actual audition performance and even offers advice on how non-dancers can survive a dance audition. In addition to extensively revised chapters on the audition process and how to build a repertoire book, this guide also features updated chapters on headshots, resumes, and cover letters; voice training techniques from Matthew Edward; advice from musical director Joey Chancey; and a foreword by casting director Joy Dewing. Aimed at professionals as well as young artists, this second edition of Get the Callback is a must-have for both seasoned and aspiring musical theatre performers.

Many theatre practitioners think of physical theatre as one thing and text-based theatre as another. In this book, Dymphna Callery, author of Through the Body: A Practical Guide to Physical Theatre, shows how exercises and rehearsal techniques associated with physical and devised theatre can be applied to scripted plays. Working 'through the body' enables performers to discover what really makes a play work. Drawing on key practitioners, including Jacques Lecoq, Joan Littlewood, Peter Brook and Simon McBurney, The Active Text offers a complete approach to working with a scripted play, leading the reader through a process of active exploration and experimentation that includes: Uncovering a play's internal dynamics Using improvisation and theatre games Exploiting the languages of the body Getting inside the words that are spoken (as well as those that aren't!) Discovering image structures Understanding the impact on the audience Throughout the book, the author draws on a core selection of well-known texts (from Sophocles and Shakespeare to Brecht, Arthur Miller, Steven Berkoff and Sarah Kane), showing how an active approach to text can challenge assumptions about even the most familiar of plays. Packed with theatre games, improvisation exercises and rehearsal techniques, The Active Text is an inspirational guide for performers, directors, students and teachers. It will revitalise work in the rehearsal room, workshop or classroom - anywhere that dramatic text needs to be brought to life.

(Applause Acting Series). This foray into the deeply serious and deeply funny (sometimes at the same time) world of life after 40 focuses primarily on scenes that depict the struggles of contemporary characters to come to terms with disappointment and obsolescence or to redeem their lives from the mistakes or miscalculations of their youth. It draws heavily on American classics like Long Day's Journey into Night, Death of a Salesman, The Price, Glengarry Glen Ross, Fences, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, as well as more recent classics-in-the-making like August: Osage County, Good People, and God of Carnage . There is also ample representation from British playwrights like Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Simon Gray, and Peter Nichols, whose work also explores this territory of growing older in a society obsessed by youth and novelty.

"The reigning (and often brilliant) king of enervation in experimental theater."--"The New York Times"

With his deadpan aesthetic and an ever-innovative body of work, Richard Maxwell has written a quasi-study guide to the art of making theater. This illuminating volume provides a deeper understanding of his work, aesthetic philosophy, and process for creating theater.

Richard Maxwell is a playwright, founder of the Cook County Theater at Illinois State University, artistic director of New York City Players, and resident writer at New Dramatists. Maxwell has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and Obie Award, and his plays have been commissioned and presented in over sixteen countries.

This second volume of the best monologues from the Best American Short Plays series features a diverse selection drawn from the outstanding works from many of today's best American playwrights. In these monologues the playwrights capture much of the flavors feelings and thoughts of American culture over the past several decades. The result is a collection of taught engaging monologues offering fascinating perspectives. They are written with an eye toward the stage that makes them excellent source material for actors young and old alike. And they offer a freshness and directness that make them excellent companions for readers attracted to good often quirky and always engaging contemporary literature.THIncluded in this volume are monologues by Billy Aronson Bruce Bonafede Victor Bumbalo Clay McLeod Chapman Yussef El Guindi Steve Feffer Catherine Filloux Daniel Gallant Madeleine George Willy Holtzman Paul Kuritz Neil LaBute Dano Madden Theodore Mann Donald Margulies Susan Miller Lavonne Mueller Joyce Carol Oates Carey Pepper Joe Pintauro Michael Roderick Murray Schisgal Paul Selig and Nicky Silver.

An inspiring and interactive workbook to help you develop skills for longform improvisation, by one of the UK's top improv performers and teachers. Structured as a twelve-week course, this book provides techniques, advice and exercises that can be done on your own or in groups - with activities to complete as you go - for learning faster and becoming (more) amazing at improvisation. It draws on the author's own experience of performing and teaching improv around the world, with added gems of wisdom from key experts. Starting with the basics of improvisation, it moves on to explore areas of the craft such as rehearsals, character, editing, form and style; plus career advice including how to cope with bad gigs, jealousy, fear of missing out and your Inner Critic. The Improviser's Way is ideal for improvisers at any level - from those new to improv entirely, through those familiar with shortform who are looking to extend their reach, to experienced longform performers and teachers looking to refresh their approach and embrace new ideas. It is also invaluable to anyone looking to discover more about this popular, thrillingly creative and empowering form of performance. By the end, you won't just be a better improviser - you'll be a better person!

EBest Monologues from Best American Short Plays Volume OneE is a must for actors of all ages a beginners as well as seasoned veterans a and belongs in the libraries of all theater teachers looking for new and exciting material for their students. The monologues in this volume are excerpted from the outstanding series Best American Short Plays an archive of works from many of the best playwrights active today presenting taut engaging single-character pieces that range from zany comedy to poignant tales of love and loss. Each monologue includes a short introduction and a reference identifying where to locate the entire play should anyone choose to pursue production beyond the monologue. Long or short serious or not this collection is must-have material for anyone interested in acting. The monologues also succeed as excellent companions for the casual reader.THIncluded in this volume are monologues by Liliana Almendarez James Armstrong Billy Aronson Clay McLeod Chapman Migdalla Cruz Laura Shaine Cunningham Eileen Fischer Jill Elaine Hughes Julia Jarcho Zilvinas Jonusas Adam Kraar David Kranes Neil LaBute Daniel Frederick Levin Bruce Levy Carey Lovelace Carol K. Mack Dano Madden Peter Maloney Joe Maruzzo Mark Medoff Susan Miller Julie Rae (Pratt) Mollenkamp Rick Pulos Ronald Ribman Murray Schisgal Pamela Sneed and co-writers Polly Frost and Ray Sawhill.

(Limelight). Do you need to learn an English or Irish accent quickly, or do you have plenty of time? Either way, Teach Yourself Accents The British Isles: A Handbook for Young Actors and Speakers is for you: an easy-to-use manual full of clear, cogent advice and fascinating information. Contemporary monologues and scenes for two are included, and an enclosed CD contains the extensive practice exercises. Perfect for the young acting student, the book will help anyone beginning a study of accents to get a rapid handle on the subject and use any accent immediately, with an authentic sound. More experienced actors who need an authoritative quick guide for an audition or for role preparation will find it equally useful, as will speakers who want to improve a specific accent or liven up a presentation with an apt anecdote. This first volume of the new Teach Yourself Accents series by Robert Blumenfeld, author of the best-selling Accents: A Manual for Actors, covers upper- and middle-class English accents (British Received Pronunciation), London accents, and English provincial accents (Midlands and Yorkshire), as well as Welsh, Scottish, and several Irish accents. Train your ears to hear, and your vocal muscles to respond, and you can do any accent

This book forms the basis for a new approach to the art of speech as inaugurated by Steiner. This course is filled with insights that lead to a deeper understanding of the forming of speech and the art of acting.

Geraldine Chaplin is the most distinguished actor among Charlie Chaplin's children. Through her collaborations with major international film directors, she has created a striking performative presence across international cinema. Her acting also evokes, with varying levels of self-consciousness and in shifting cinematic contexts, the memory of her father's screen performances. This book analyses the distinctive screen art of Geraldine Chaplin and uncover parallels between her performances and her father's work on film. Through this method, this star study explores the rich and surprising relationships between art cinema and silent film comedy, and between modernist and classical cinematic performance. It offers a long overdue appreciation of Geraldine Chaplin's own remarkable screen achievements, all the while shedding new insight into the art of Charlie Chaplin through the singular prism of his daughter's bold work.