1. Chapter 7
The Art of Acting

2. What Shakespeare says about Acting
“All the world’s a stage / And all the men and women merely players.”
--As You Like It

3. Training to be an Actor The Body Dance Martial arts Fencing
Stage combat
Circus techniques
Yoga
Tai Chi

4. Training the Actor The Voice Breathing techniques
Vocal technique in pitch, volume and resonance
Dialects
International Phonetic Alphabet
Singing

5. Training the Actor The Mind Memorization skills
Engaging with the imagination
Levels of empathy
Keen awareness of surroundings and others
Ability to analyze and synthesize information quickly

6. and the Moscow Art Theatre
Gurus and Mentors
Konstantin Stanislavsky
and the Moscow Art Theatre
Michael Chekhov
Lee Strasberg and
Stella Adler
Sanford Meisner

7. Konstantin Stanislavsky 1863 - 1938
“An actor lives, weeps, laughs on the stage, but as he weeps and laughs he observes his own tears
and mirth. It is this double existence, this balance between life and acting that makes for art.”
--Konstantin Stanislavsky

8. Tadashi Suzuki
Suzuki’s training embodies the stamina and concentration of traditional Japanese theatre.
This rigorous training is designed to temper and shape the body so the actor can bring to the stage a “brilliant liveliness” that takes into account the “tiniest details of movement.”

9. Acting Techniques for Everyone
For expressing emotions
Outside/in
Technical approach
Inside/out
Emotional memory
For creating character
Use of costumes or props
Ability to visualize imaginatively the world of the play

10. Acting Techniques for Everyone
Empathy
Substitution
Use of imagery
Recall
Given circumstances
Magic if
Through-line actions

11. Characterization Given circumstances Superobjective
Their particular situation
Their specific problems
Their limitations
Their hopes
Superobjective
What is this character’s main driving force?
What does he or she want?
What is the most important thing to this character?

12. Characterization
Public Image
Personal Image

13. Characterization Inner conflict Character flaw
Motivation stated in the positive

14. The Actor’s Working Life
Actor’s Equity Association
Screen Actors Guild
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists

15. Auditions Open call – “cattle call” Cold Readings Improvisations
Callback list

16. Rehearsal to Performance
Table work
Blocking rehearsals
General working rehearsals
Special rehearsals
Off-book rehearsals
Run-throughs
Tech rehearsals
Dress rehearsals
Preview
Performance

17. Curtain Call
Actors are responsible to the people we play. I don’t label or judge. I just play them as honestly and expressively and creatively as I can, in the hope that people who ordinarily turn their heads in disgust instead think, “What I thought I’d feel about that guy, I don’t totally feel right now.”
--Philip Seymour Hoffman, actor
“Acting is simply my way of investigating human nature and having fun at the same time.
--Meryl Streep, actor