Table of Contents
Foreword to the Fifth Edition
Preface to the Fifth Edition
A Special Note to Female Performers and Readers
Part I Acting: In Person
Introduction to Part I
1 Centering
On Centering
The Centering Process
Moving with a Sense of Center
Selective Readings
2 Sensing
On Sensing
Isolating the Senses — Sight Perception, Touch Perception, Smell Perception, Taste Perception, Hearing Perception
Combining the Senses
Selective Readings
3 Focusing
On Focusing
The Importance of Observation — Developing Skills in Observation
Communion with the Self
Communion with Physical Objects
Communion with the Other
Communion with the Imaginary
Circles of Attention
4 Freeing
On Freeing
Sounding
Sound and Movement Explorations
Selective Readings
5 Speaking
On Speaking
On Being Heard
On Projection
Developing Skills
Phrasing
Context and Vocal Variety
Definition of Terms — Pitch and Range, Inflection, Intensity, Rate or Tempo, Emphasis, Pause, Rhythm
Vocal Variety in Context
Selective Readings
6 Feeling and Doing
On Feeling and Doing
Selective Readings
7 Synthesizing
Selecting a Scene from the Play
Four Techniques to Prepare a Scene — Personalization and Character in a Scene, Motivation and Character in a Scene, Pantomimic Dramatization and Character in a Scene, Visualization and Character in a Scene
Seven Steps to Heaven: A Simplified Approach to Preparing a Scene — The Seven Steps
Standard Acting Terms — Acting Area, Acting Positions, Rehearsal Terms, Terms Related to Movement or Blocking
A LastComment Concerning Final Rehearsals and Performance of the Scene
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Eclectic
Selective Readings
8 Auditioning
How to Audition
Types of Auditions
Selecting an Audition Piece
Practical Suggestions
The Callback
Musical Theatre Auditions
Cold Reading
Agents, Contracts, and Unions
The Interview
Selective Readings
9 Rehearsing
On Rehearsing
The Steps of Role Analysis
Selective Readings
Part II Acting in Style
Introduction to Part II
10 Classical Antiquity: Restraint
Overview of Greek Tragedy — Voice Greek Tragedy, Movement Greek Tragedy, Music Greek Tragedy, Character and Emotion Greek Tragedy
Overview of Satyr Comedy and Old Greek Comedy (Aristophanes)
Voice Old Greek Comedy, Movement Old Greek Comedy, Character and Emotion Old Greek Comedy
Transition — Roman and Medieval Drama — Roman Drama, Acting Roman Drama, Medieval Drama, Acting Medieval Drama
Translators and Translations and Adaptions
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Additional Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Greek Tragedy
Actor Checklist old Greek Comedy
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
Note
11 Commedia Dell'Arte: Regeneration
Overview of Commedia Dell'Arte — Voice, Movement, Character and Emotion
Transition — Tudor Drama — Acting Tudor Drama
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Commedia Dell'Arte
Suggested Readings
Suggested Filmography
12 Elizabethan and Shakespearean Style: Virtuosity
Overview of the English Renaissance in Theatre
Shakespeare — The Man, The Theatre, The Art, The Acting — Voice, Gesture and Movement, Character and Emotion, Dance and Music
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Elizabethan and Shakespearean Style
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
Notes
13 Seventeenth-Century French Neoclassicism: Restraint Again
Overview of French Neoclassicism (Seventeenth Century) — Voice French Neoclassic Tragedy, Movement French Neoclassic Tragedy, Character and Emotion French Neoclassic Tragedy, Voice French Neoclassic Comedy, Movement French Neoclassic Comedy, Character and Emotion French Neoclassic Comedy
Music and Translations — French Neoclassicism
Suggested Characters and Playsfor Scene Work
Actor Checklist French Neoclassic Tragedy (Racine)
Actor Checklist French Neoclassic Comedy (Moliere)
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
14 Restoration Comedy: Vitality
Overview of Restoration Comedy — Voice, Movement, Character and Emotion
Transition — Eighteenth-Century Sentimentalism and Nineteenth-Century Romanticism and Melodrama
Movement toward Realism
Acting in Romantic Plays and Melodramas
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Additional Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Restoration Comedy
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
Note
15 Realism and Naturalism: Selectivity and Photographic Detail
Overview of Realism
Overview of Naturalism — Voice, Movement, Character and Emotion
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Realism and Naturalism
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
16 Early Twentieth-Century Nonrealism: Distortion-A New Reality
Overview of Nonrealism — Voice, Movement, Character and Emotion
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Early Twentieth-Century Nonrealism
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
Note
17 Brecht and Epic Style: Didacticism
Overview of Brecht Epic Theatre-From Illusion to Fact and Social Action — Asian Influence on Brecht, Voice, Movement, Character and Emotion
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Brecht Epic Theatre
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
18 Absurd:Beyond Reason
Overview of Existential, the Absurd — Voice, Movement, Character and Emotion
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Absurd
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
19 Eclectic: Intermingling
Overview of Eclectic — Voice, Movement, Character and Emotion
Suggested Characters and Plays for Scene Work
Actor Checklist Eclectic
Selective Readings
Suggested Filmography
Note
Epilogue
Appendix A
Appendix B
Glossary
Credits
Index
