The Actor's Life: a survival guide by Jenna Fischer moved to Hollywood at age 22 with a theater degree in hand, ready to work hard. But it would be eight long years of struggle, rejection, and doubt before she landed her iconic role on The Office. If only she'd had someone to show her the way-- an established actor who could manage her expectations and reassure her in moments of despair... With amusing candor and wit, Fischer spells out the nuts and bolts of getting established in the profession, based on her own memorable and hilarious experiences. She tells you how to get the right headshot, what to look for in representation, and the importance of joining forces with other like-minded artists and creating your own work. She provides helpful hints on how to take risks and not to fall for scams, as well as tricks to good auditioning and callbacks.
Arthur Lessac's Embodied Actor Training by Arthur Lessac's kinesensics and embodied actor training -- Getting to know you -- Braiding perceptions through heightened self-awareness -- The actor's relationship with space -- Spontaneously free.
A History of the Theatre by 
Improvisation Starters: More Than 1,000 Improvisation Scenarios for the Theater and Classroom by Improvisation is an essential and invaluable technique for the actor's repertoire: It asks you to think beyond a script - and its memorized lines, movements, and facial expressions - to deliver a performance filled with honesty, insight, nuance, and verisimilitude. Improvisation Starters Revised and Expanded provides more than 1,000 brand-new scenarios that will help you: Depict confl ict by focusing on differing beliefs, motivations, and needs Use contrasts to show the clash of personalities and emotions Creatively incorporate props and specific lines of dialogue within an improvised scene Explore character relationships with various locations Take on the role of inanimate objects and animalsFrom the classroom to the community theater group - and even in business, language, and technology classes - improvisation is the perfect tool for thinking critically, communicating clearly, building self-confi dence, and developing interpersonal skills. With this revised edition of Improvisation Starters, you’ll bring new vitality to the stage or set - and have fun in the process!
Struggle and Survival under Authoritarianism in Turkey by "This book analyzes the trajectory of the major theatre institutions and companies under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey. Seyben studies several institutions, companies, and artists that have managed to survive despite an increasingly authoritarian system marked by censorship, exile, closures, and oppression"--
The Teacher Diaries: Romeo & Juliet by 
Theatrical Design and Production: an introduction to scene design and construction, lighting, sound, costume, and makeup by 
Understanding French Literature : «Rhinoceros» by Eugène Ionesco by 
The Use and Training of the Human Voice : a bio-dynamic approach to vocal life by The subject of this book is vocal life. Although it is a resource for anyone who wants a beautiful voice and who requires clear, articulate speech, I address this revised edition primarily to teachers and students of acting at colleges, universities, and private studios and to professional actors working in theatre, film, and television
Voice and the Young Actor : a workbook and [online] video by There are thousands of students enrolled in school drama classes and yet very often young actors cannot be heard, are culturally encouraged to trail off at the ends of sentences, and habitually use only the lowest pitches of the voice. Drama teachers frequently ask, "How can I get my students to speak up, to be clear, to articulate?" This book is written for the student actor. The accompanying 83-minute online videos feature 27 filmed voice workshop exercises with the author and two students. These students log their reflections in the book on what they have learned throughout their training and there is space for the reader to do the same.
Activating the Inanimate : Visual Vocabularies of Performance Practice by 
Arthur Miller’s century : essays celebrating the 100th birthday of America’s great playwright by 
A Companion to Greek Tragedy by The Blackwell Companion to Greek Tragedy provides readers with a fundamental grounding in Greek tragedy, and also introduces them to the various methodologies and the lively critical dialogue that characterize the study of Greek tragedy today. Comprises 31 original essays by an international cast of contributors, including up-and-coming as well as distinguished senior scholars Pays attention to socio-political, textual, and performance aspects of Greek tragedy All ancient Greek is transliterated and translated, and technical terms are explained as they appear Includes suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter, and a generous and informative combined bibliography
The Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre by International in scope, this book is designed to be the pre-eminent reference work on the English-speaking theatre in the twentieth century. Arranged alphabetically, it consists of some 2500 entries written by 280 contributors from 20 countries which include not only top-level experts, but, uniquely, leading professionals from the world of theatre. A fascinating resource for anyone interested in theatre, it includes:- Overviews of major concepts, topics and issues;- Surveys of theatre institutions, countries, and genres;- Biographical entries on key performers, playwrights, directors, designers, choreographers and composers;- Articles by leading professionals on crafts, skills and disciplines including acting, design, directing, lighting, sound and voice.
Directing : a Handbook for Emerging Theatre Directors by The theatre director is one of the most critical roles in a successful drama company, yet there are no formal qualifications required for entry into this profession. This practical guide for emerging theatre directors answers all the key questions from the very beginning of your career to key stages as you establish your credentials and get professionally recognized. It analyzes the director's role through relationships with the actors, author, designer, production manager and creative teams and provides vital advice for "on-the-job" situations where professional experience is invaluable. The book also provides an overview of the many approaches to acting methodology without focusing on any in particular to allow the director to develop their own unique methods of working with any actor's style. Each chapter includes these key features:* Introduces important theories, identifies practitioners and provides key reading to provide an overview of historic and current practice. * Interviews with leading practitioners and emerging directors. * Suggested exercises to develop the director's own approach and practical skills.
Drama Games for Rehearsals by " ‘I wish I’d had this book when I was starting out as a young director... I cannot recommend it highly enough.’ Marianne Elliott, from her Foreword This dip-in, flick-through, quick-fire resource book in the bestselling Drama Games series offers dozens of ideas and exercises to energise and inspire a bold, creative rehearsal process for any play, of any period or genre. Aimed at directors of all levels, it covers every aspect of rehearsal, including: Warm-up exercises to prepare the body, voice and mind, and to create a strong ensemble Ideas for approaching the text, tackling the ‘Story of the Play’ A wealth of games for unlocking the ‘World of the Play’, including developing characters, finding a physical style, understanding genre and investigating themes Suggestions for exploring sound and music, whether for use in the production or simply to encourage a sense of fun in rehearsals This essential ‘go-to’ book will provide you with a host of original and illuminating games, perfect for the play you’re rehearsing, be it Shakespeare or Greek tragedy, a Restoration comedy, physical theatre, Modern Naturalism – or even a brand new play. Marianne Elliott, one of the most innovative and exciting directors working anywhere in the world, describes it as a ‘beautiful, and very clearly written book’ which will become her ‘constant companion in future’."
Refugee Performance: Practical Encounters by The title of this book, Refugee Performance, suggests there is a constituency of practices that might be unified under a definite term or god forbid to propose a new field of study. This is far from the intentions of the collection. This collection has grown out of an interest in performance and theatre in sites of war and the impact of conflict on diasporic communities. The chapters represent stories from a range of countries and war contexts, including Iraq, Thailand, Burma, Uganda, Palestine, Croatia, Serbia, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. This is by no means a comprehensive guide to performance
The Rhythm of Space and the Sound of Time : Michael Chekhov's Acting Technique in the 21st Century by The Rhythm of Space and the Sound of Time examines the place of Chekhov's Technique in contemporary acting pedagogy and practice. Cynthia Ashperger answers the questions: What are the reasons behind the technique's current resurgence? How has this cohesive and holistic training been brought into today's mainstream acting training? What separates this technique from the other currently popular methods? Ashperger offers an analysis of the complex philosophical influences that shaped Chekhov's ideas about this psycho-physical approach to acting. Chekhov's five guiding principles are introduced to demonstrate how eastern ideas and practices have been integrated into this western technique and how they have continued to develop on both theoretical and practical levels in contemporary pedagogy, thereby rendering it intercultural. The volume also focuses on the work of several contemporary teachers of the technique associated with Michael Chekhov International Association (MICHA). Current teacher training is described as well as the different modes of hybridization of Chekhov's technique with other current methods. Contemporary practical experiments and some fifty exercises at both beginner and intermediate/advanced levels are presented through analysis, examples, student journals and case studies, delineating the sequences in which units are taught and specifying the exercises that differ from those in Chekhov's original writing. This book is for practitioners as well as students of the theatre.
Student Actor Prepares: Acting for Life by A practical, interactive approach to a student actor’s journey. Each chapter includes acting principles, their importance to the process, and workbook entries for emotional work, script analysis, and applications to the study of theatre. Topics cover a brief history of the art of acting and how the study of acting can be an advantage in numerous occupations; an actor’s discovery of emotional work; movement and mime practices for the actor; vocal practices for the actor; solo improvisational study; script analysis for the individual actor; rehearsal tips; monologue work; original solo work; audition information; working with an acting partner or in a production; acting resources; and research topics.
Working in the Wings: New Perspectives on Theatre History and Labor by Theatre has long been an art form of subterfuge and concealment. Working in the Wings: New Perspectives on Theatre History and Labor, edited by Elizabeth A. Osborne and Christine Woodworth, brings attention to what goes on behind the scenes, challenging, and revising our understanding of work, theatre, and history. Essays consider a range of historic moments and geographic locations--from African Americans' performance of the cakewalk in Florida's resort hotels during the Gilded Age to the UAW Union Theatre and striking automobile workers in post-World War II Detroit, to the struggle in the latter part of the twentieth century to finish an adaptation of Moby Dick for the stage before the memory of creator Rinde Eckert failed. Contributors incorporate methodologies and theories from fields as diverse as theatre history, work studies, legal studies, economics, and literature and draw on traditional archival materials, including performance texts and architectural structures, as well as less tangible material traces of stagecraft. Working in the Wings looks at the ways in which workers' identities are shaped, influenced, and dictated by what they do; the traces left behind by workers whose contributions have been overwritten; the intersections between the sometimes repetitive and sometimes destructive process of creation and the end result--the play or performance; and the ways in which theatre affects the popular imagination. This collected volume draws attention to the significance of work in the theatre, encouraging a fresh examination of this important subject in the history of the theatre and beyond.American Theater
A Companion to Shakespeare and Performance by A Companion to Shakespeare and Performance provides a state-of-the-art engagement with the rapidly developing field of Shakespeare performance studies. Redraws the boundaries of Shakespeare performance studies. Considers performance in a range of media, including in print, in the classroom, in the theatre, in film, on television and video, in multimedia and digital forms. Introduces important terms and contemporary areas of enquiry in Shakespeare and performance. Raises questions about the dynamic interplay between Shakespearean writing and the practices of contemporary performance and performance studies. Written by an international group of major scholars, teachers, and professional theatre makers.
Free Will : Art and Power on Shakespeare's Stage by A study of theatre and sovereignty that situates Shakespeare's plays in the contraflow between two absolutisms of early modern England: the aesthetic and the political
How Shakespeare Put Politics on the Stage : Power and Succession in the History Plays by A masterful, highly engaging analysis of how Shakespeare’s plays intersected with the politics and culture of Elizabethan England With an ageing, childless monarch, lingering divisions due to the Reformation, and the threat of foreign enemies, Shakespeare’s England was fraught with unparalleled anxiety and complicated problems. In this monumental work, Peter Lake reveals, more than any previous critic, the extent to which Shakespeare’s plays speak to the depth and sophistication of Elizabethan political culture and the Elizabethan imagination. Lake reveals the complex ways in which Shakespeare’s major plays engaged with the events of his day, particularly regarding the uncertain royal succession, theological and doctrinal debates, and virtue and virtù in politics. Through his plays, Lake demonstrates, Shakespeare was boldly in conversation with his audience about a range of contemporary issues. This remarkable literary and historical analysis pulls the curtain back on what Shakespeare was really telling his audience and what his plays tell us today about the times in which they were written.
Mastering Shakespeare by Who says only the British can act Shakespeare? In this unique guide, a veteran acting coach shatters that myth with a boldly American approach to the Bard. Written in the form of a play, this volume's'characters'include a master teacher and 16 students grappling with the challenges of acting Shakespeare. Using actual speeches from 32 of Shakespeare's plays, each of the book's six'scenes'offer proven solutions to such acting problems as delivering spoken subtext, using physical actions to orchestrate a speech, creating images within a speech, dividing a speech into measures, and much more.
Shakespeare in the New Europe by Shakespeare is the national poet of many nations besides his own, though a peculiarly subversive one in both east and west. This volume contains a score of essays by scholars from Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Poland, Romania, Spain, Ukraine and the USA, written to show how the momentous changes of 1989 were mirrored in the way Shakespeare has been interpreted and produced. The collection offers a valuable record of what Shakespeare has meant in the modern world and some pointers to what he may mean in the future.
Shakespeare's Legal Language : A Dictionary by This encyclopedia-style dicitonary explores early modern social life, legal thought, and the interactions within Shakespearean drama.
Shakespeare's Theatre : A Dictionary of His Stage Context by Shakespeare's Theatre consolidates the author's forty years of experience in studying and staging Shakespeare's plays. Under an alphabetical list of relevant terms, names and concepts, the book reviews current knowledge of the character and operation of theatres in Shakespeare's time, with an explanation of their origins. Coverage includes the practices of Elizabethan actors and script writers: methods of characterization; gesture, blocking and choreography, including music, dance and fighting; actors' rhetorical interaction with audiences; and use of costumes, stage props, and make-up. The author makes use of scripts and scholarship about original stagings of Shakespeare and suggests how those productions related to modern staging. Much of this material has developed as a result of the recent increased interest in the significance of performance for interpreting Shakespeare, including the recovery of the archaeological evidence about the original Rose and Globe Theaters. The book contains current bibliographies for each topic and consolidates these in an overall bibliography for Shakespeare and his theaters.
