Synopses & Reviews
Emphasizing that "an actor must believe to make his audience believe," ACTING IS BELIEVING remains one of the classic texts in the field of acting. Charles McGaw's and Larry D. Clark's earlier editions influenced generations of actors, and the book has been completely updated by Kenneth Stilson with the hope of inspiring today's future professionals. The Ninth Edition has an expanded theoretical grounding, while providing numerous new and revised exercises to help today's acting student apply the key concepts of a Stanislavski-based training program as interpreted through the eyes of twenty-first century artists.
Synopsis
Did you know that "an actor must believe to make his audience believe?" This is the key concept behind ACTING IS BELIEVING. Authors Charles McGaw and Larry D. Clark have influenced thousands of actors, and Kenneth Stilson's update which includes new exercises and updated scripts bring modern relevance to the text. Inside, you'll learn the Stanislavski method and how to perfect using it, along with hundreds of other tips to help you be the flawless actor you are meant to be.
About the Author
Kenneth L. Stilson is a Professor of Acting, Directing, and Musical Theatre and former Founding Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance in The Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts at Southeast Missouri State University. As a director, writer, or actor, he has worked in such theatres as the Lincoln Center (New York City), American Academy of Dramatic Art/Hudson Theatre (Los Angeles), Southern Repertory Theatre (New Orleans), Le Petite Theatre (New Orleans), Alabama Lyric Theatre, Stage West Theatre (Ft. Worth), Shakespeare in the Park (Ft. Worth), First Run Theatre (St. Louis), and Missouri's Summer Repertory Theatre. He has also been involved in the Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival and the Mississippi Shakespeare Festival. Over the past 28 years at various institutions, Stilson has directed and trained hundreds of actors, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in film, television, and stage, winning several Tony and Obie Awards. He has written numerous award-winning plays and screenplays, as well as published a biography and a range of national and international articles on acting and theatre. Stilson holds both a Ph.D. and M.A. in Theatre from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he studied under the tutelage of Larry D. Clark. Larry Clark is currently Professor and Dean Emeritus at University of Missouri. He joined the faculty in 1966 as an Assistant Professor of Speech and Dramatic Art. In 1988, after a distinguished career as a teacher of acting and directing, during which he directed dozens of plays, both with his students and for the University of Missouri professional Summer Repertory Theatre, Clark was selected as Dean of College of Arts and Science. During his career as a Professor of Theatre, Clark was active on the national scene and was elected President of all three professional organizations devoted to the educational aspects of theatre. He was an exceptionally well-known figure in the American College Theatre Festival, serving as festival critic for hundreds of plays during its first 20 years. The plays he mounted covered a broad range of dramatic literature from the classics to Sam Shepard. His production of Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" was particularly praised. It starred one of Clark's young students, Tom Moore, who went on to establish a distinguished motion picture career as the popular actor, Tom Berenger. Berenger leads a long list of Professor Clark's former acting students who are now earning their living in motion pictures, the theatre, or both.
Table of Contents
Part I: THE ACTOR. 1. Training Your Talent. 2. Approaching the Creative State. 3. Discovering Physical Actions. 4. Defining Simple Objectives. 5. Developing Your Power of Observation. 6. Exploring Circles of Attention. 7. Investigating the Subconscious. Part II: THE ACTOR AND THE PLAY. 8. Creating a Character. 9. Expressing the Super-Objective. 10. Interpreting the Lines. 11. Communicating the Lines. Part III: THE ACTOR AND THE PRODUCTION. 12. Getting the Job. 13. Transforming Your Character. Appendix A. Suggested Plays for Undergraduate Scene Study. Appendix B. Theatre Resources. Glossary. Bibliography.