Although the materials in this book are organized in such a way as
to make them practical for classroom use, they are intended for any
reader who is interested in a basic approach to the art of acting;
and though the book has been written with the stage actor in mind,
the methods described may be used as well by the actor in any other
field. The basic approach to acting is the same for the proscenium
stage, theatre-in-the-round, motion pictures, television, and
radio. The differences lie in the differing technical adjustments
required by these various mediums. The approach here presented is
based, to a considerable extent, on the methods of Stanislavski.
The borrowings have been recognized throughout, and the debt to
Stanislavski and to certain of his followers is gratefully
acknowledged. In no sense, however, does the book pretend to be an
interpretation of the Stanislavski "system." It attempts only to
draw upon some aspects of the system which have proved to be
practical in helping beginning actors to develop an effective
technique for bringing a character into existence on the stage. In
some instances the vocabulary of Stanislavski's translators has
been employed. Other terms have been used wherever they seemed to
have greater clarity. Stanislavski's influence has been admittedly
great, but the extent of that influence on the modern theatre is
difficult to determine. It would seem that his principal
contribution consists, not in his having originated a "system," but
rather in his detailed analysis and careful setting down of the
attitudes and techniques which have been used more or less
consciously by fine actors in all periods of theatrical history.
Such knowledge as one can obtain of the working methods of great
actors of the past indicates that they have always made imaginative
use of their own experiences and that they have always striven for
truth and a sense of reality in their performances. Furthermore, a
study of all of the writings of Stanislavski gives ample evidence
of his awareness that an actor's characterization must be
theatrically effective as well as truthfully conceived. This book
is based upon the following assumptions: 1), Although genius in
acting may be a quality that defies analysis, the art as it is
generally practiced consists of certain basic skills that may be
mastered to some degree by anyone who sincerely wants to do so. 2)
Mastery of those skills is much harder and more demanding work than
most would-be actors realize. 3) The aspiring actor must recognize
that, although rehearsals and performances before an audience are
vitally important to his growth, he must also develop his skills
through individual practice and effort. Only in this way can he
succeed in his aim of becoming a creative artist. Part I, The Actor
and Himself, is intended to help the young actor to develop himself
individually. Part II, The Actor and the Play, is intended to help
the actor to use his individual creative skills to express the
meaning of the play as it has been conceived by the dramatist. Part
III, The Actor and the Production, is designed to help the actor in
his relations with the director and to aid him in making the
necessary adjustments to the technical elements of a theatrical
production. The exercises throughout have been taken directly from
modern and classic plays so that the actor may always understand
the applicability of the theory he is attempting to put into
practice.
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