Actors & Acting

Acting as an art, and as a profession, has long since fascinated many. Over the years, techniques, methods and styles have been formulated by the likes of Stanislavski, Strasberg, and Mamet, each with their own particular view on acting. Many of these legendary theatre artists have created accessible, helpful books that not only help demystify the craft, but also offer insight into their particular process. This section has a wealth of titles, ranging from technical handbooks, to intimate memoirs. An enthralling subject, these titles are sure to enlighten.

The Second Circle
Patsy Rodenburg
In this book, Patsy Rodenburg expounds on her theory of the Three Circles of Energy. She believes that everyone is born with a vital presence, and with this text you will learn to remember and channel positive energy into every aspect of your life. The charisma you see shimmering around a famous actor is tangible - you have the potential to be that energized. Hardcover, 276 pp. $27.50.

The Actor's Art and Craft: William Esper teaches The Meisner Technique
William DiMarco & Damon Esper
William Esper, one of the leading acting teachers of our time, explains and extends Sanford Meisner's legendary technique, offering a clear, concrete, step-by-step approach to becomming a truly creative actor. The Actor's Art and Craft vividly demonstrates that good training does not constrain actor's instincts -- it frees them to create characters with truthful and compelling inner lives. Softcover, 286 pp. $15.95.

Acting the Song
Tracey Moore & Allison Bergman
Acting the Song offers a contemporary, integrated approach to singing in musicals that results in better-trained, smarter performers. Directors, teachers of musical theatre, and students will find time-tested advice, exercises, and worksheets for all skill levels. This book guides readers through musical theatre elements classroom workshops, and the world of professional auditions and performances. Softcover, 309 pp. $27.95.

The Purpose of Playing: Modern Acting Theories in Perspective
Robert Gordon
The Purpose of Playing provides the first in-depth introduction to modern critical acting, enabling students, teachers, and professionals to comprehend the different aesthetic possibilities available to today's actors. The book presents a comparative survey of the major approaches to Western acting since the nineteenth century, their historical evolution, and their relationship to one another. Softcover, 418 pp. $29.95.

Michael Chekhov: On Theatre and the Art of Acting
Five-hour CD Master Class
Michael Chekhov
This five-hour CD master class features renowned acting teacher Michael Chekhov covering topics such as characterization, shortcuts to role preparation, how to awaken artistic feelings and emotions, overcoming inhibitions and building self-confidence, psycho-physical excercises, and development of the ensemble spirit. Audio CD. $55.94.

One Less Bitter Actor: The Actor's Survival Guide
Marcus Flanagan
Nothing is more frustrating than talent unrealized, and every actor struggles with bitterness when they aren't woriking to their full potential. One Less Bitter Actor offers sage, pragmatic, anxiety-calming advice on how to succeed in acting from one who has. Markus Flanagan offers encouraging, highly useful pointers on such vital matters as: how do you combat getting typed, understanding who you're auditioning for, bad habits to avoid in the waiting room, dealing positively with rejection. Softcover, 176 pp. $18.95.

What Have You Done?
Louis Zorich
The facts of an actor's life are often far stranger than any fiction they portray. "The joy in reading this book comes from the realization that we are all constantly auditioning for something -- and we are all the better for it -- win or lose." - Frank Langella

The Wooster Group Work Book
This is an extraordinary book which chronicles the working practices of one of the world's leading performance companies. Rehearsal methods, source materials, as well as the creative thinking and reflections of director Elizabeth LeCompte and her main artistic collaborators are included as the book focuses on five performance pieces which are considered classics of the contemporary stage. Combining journal extracts, actors' notes, stage designs, stage managers' logs with stunning photos, this is an indispensable resource for students and anyone interested in contemporary performance. Large format, softcover. $39.50.

Training of the American Actor
Arthur Bartow
Training of the American Actor offers a detailed technical overview of such theatre artists and educators as Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Michael Chekhov, Uta Hagen, and Jerzy Grotowski. Also discussed are a variety of theatre theories and practices, such as The Viewpoints, Practical Aesthetics, Interdisciplinary Training, and Neo-Classical Training. Softcover, 281 pp. $26.95.

Notes to an Actor
Ron Marasco
Ron Marasco's Notes to an Actor grew out of the actor's profession. It is learned by experience, by trial and error, and by succeeding and failing. In his years as an actor, director, scholar, and teacher of acting, Marasco developed his compact and user-friendly book geared specifically to the way actors work. Hardcover, 215 pp. $29.95.

Inside Inside
James Lipton
A revealing behind-the-scenes portrait of the award-winning TV show Inside the Actor's Studio and its creator and host, James Lipton. Hardcover, 492 pp. $34.00 $32.00.

Actors At Work
Rosemary Tichler & Barry Jay Kaplan
With a nod to The Paris Review's Writers at Work model, Actors at Work looks at the ways in which some of our most respected stage and film actors approach their calling. Rosemary Tichler and Barry Jay Kaplan explore these performers' influences, their idols and insecurities, their paths to work and success, the uses of training, and the art of acting itself. Softcover, 369 pp.

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An Actor's Tricks
Yoshi Oida & Lorna Marshall
Yoshi Oida infuses his acting and directing with the artistry of the Oriental traditions and a mastery of Western forms. An Actor's Tricks offers a meticulous scrutiny of the actor's preparation for performance. Throughout, examples and principles drawn from Oida's work with Peter Brook and from both Western and Eastern disciplines are offered to illuminate the process. This book is a study of the act of creation essential for every actor and director. Softcover, 102 pp. $29.95.

And Then, You Act
Anne Bogart
And Then, You Act contains eight new essays on art, theatre and the collaborative creative process by award-winning theatre director, Anne Bogart. Where her last book, A Director Prepares, detailed the process of preparation for an artist, this book is about the importance of action during times of difficulty, whether personal or political. Softcover, 140 pp. $27.95.

The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit
Bella Merlin
The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit collects together for the first time the terms and ideas developed by Stanislavsky throughout his career. It is organized into three sections: Actor-Training, Rehearsal Processes and Performance Practices. Key terms are explained and defined as they naturally occur in this process. Each stage of the process is then explored with sequences of practical exercises designed today's actors and students become thoroughly familiar with the tools in Stanislavsky's toolkit. Softcover, 340 pp. $29.99.

Joan Littlewood: Routledge Perfomance Practitioners
Nadine Holdsworth
A theatrical and cultural innovator, Joan Littlewood's various contributions to theatre made a huge impact on the way in which theatre was generated, rehearsed and presented during the 20th century. This book combines an overview of Littlewood's career in relation to the wider social, political and cultural context, an exploration of Littlewood's theatrical influence, a detailed case study of the origins, research, creative process and thinking behind Littlewood's most famous production, Oh What a Lovely War, as well as a series of practical exercises designed to illustrate Littlewood's key approaches to rehearsal. Softcover, 154 pp. $36.50.

Jacques Copeau: Routledge Performance Practitioners
Mark Evans
A leading figure in the 20th Century theatre practice, Jacques Copeau pioneered work on actor-training, physical theatre and ensemble acting, and was a key innovator in the movement to de-centralise theatre and culture to the regions. This book commbines an overview of his life and work, an analysis of his key ideas as well as a series of practical exercises offering an introduction to Copeau's working methods. Softcover, 173 pp. $36.50.

How To Rehearse When There Is No Rehearsal
Alice Spivak
This book on the subject of how to act, based on Ms. Spivak's forty years of acting, coaching, and teaching classes, provides a step-by-step system for quickly analyzing and creating a character. Her innovative approach can be applied even in the short time an actor has to prepare for auditions and, as is so often the case today, for many film and television performances. Softcover, 280 pp. $24.95.

Memory Power
Scott Hagwood
Forgetting is normal but it's not inevitable. Memory Power provides the solution to unleash one's inner genius. Scott Hagwood shares the easy-to-learn techniques he used to go from average Joe to the first American Grand Master of Memory. Softcover, 202 pp. $12.99.

The Art of the Actor
Jean Benedetti
The Art of the Actor is a groundbreaking text in the history of acting, comprising extensive writings by the principal theorists and practitioners, introduced and placed into context by Jean Benedetti. Designed as a working manual for students at all levels, The Art of the Actor reveals with unprecedented clarity the key ideas that shaped performance from the Greeks to the present day. This book will be an indispensable tool for all students of the theatre. Softcover, 245 pp. $32.95.

Acting is a Job: Real-Life Lessons about the Acting Business
Jason Pugatch
This invaluable guide goes beyond the perceived glamour of acting to provide a hilarious, heartrending, and honest overview of the acting life. Actor Jason Pugatch and other up-and-coming stars share anecdotes about their employment experiences, while agents, managers, and casting directors offer clear-eyed business advice. Actors will also learn what they need to know to stay afloat amidst a stream of rejection. Acting is a Job is a must-have for both aspiring and working actors. Softcover, 225 pp. $24.95.

Performance Anxiety
Eric Maisel
Actors and musicians call it "stage fright." Others may know it as "butterflies." No matter what you call it, the symptoms of performance anxiety are the same: a paralyzing sense of fear and dread whenever you have to speak or perform before a group of any size. Now Dr. Eric Maisel, a renowned author, psychotherapist, and creativity coach shows readers how to approach presentations calmly and comfortably, without sweaty palms and a pounding heart. It doesn't matter whether you work in the classroom, the boardroom, a theatre, or concert hall, this book will help you. Softcover, 260 pp. $24.95.

Managing Performance Stress: Models and Methods
David Pargman
An easy-to-use reference work for performers of all ages and experience levels, this book presents exercises, coaching devices, and strategies for conquering stress and anxiety. It is an invaluable resource for those who are performers, will be performers, or who are preparing to mentor, coach, or teach performers. The issues explored and the theories, principles, models, and hypotheses discussed all bear upon and clarify arousal, stress, and anxiety related to all forms of artistic performance. Softcover, 256 pp. $44.95.

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Tools and Techniques for Character Interpretation
Robert Blumenfeld
A must for theatre and film artists, this guide to creating and analyzing fictional characters lays out in clear, concise language the practical uses of the major schools of psychology for actors, directors, and writers. Blumenfeld details the theories and character typologies of the major psychological thinkers, such as Freud, Klein, and Jung, providing acting exercises based on these theories and illustrating their practical applications to the creative process by means of numerous examples drawn from theatrical and cinematic literature. Softcover, 325 pp. $32.95.

Actors Talk: Profiles and Stories from the Acting Trade
Dennis Brown
In Actors Talk, Dennis Brown profiles 11 remarkable actors whose careers on stage and screen span nearly a century. Regardless of whether Brown is travelling about America with film legend Peck, sharing a Chicago hotel suite with difficult Danny Kaye or visiting iconoclastic Sterling Hayden at his Sausalito loft during a "near fast," the results are never anything less than revealing. Hardcover, 278 pp. $36.50.

Lessons: The Craft of Acting
Tom Isbell
In his introduction, the author stresses that this in not a how-to book, but rather a series of 100 lessons. If you're new to acting, they should provide a solid foundation on which you can build your acting life; if you've been acting a while, these lessons will confirm what you already know deep within you, but perhaps haven't yet voiced. Softcover, 199 pp. $25.95.

In Character: Actors Acting
Howard Schatz
In Character is a landmark project for acclaimed author Howard Schatz. In it he has directed and photographed a host of today's finest thespians acting out a variety of scenarios. Characters might include an evil crime boss, an eight-year-old girl triumphing at a spelling bee, a gambler at the track, a businessman on the prowl, a teenage girl flirting, or a coach imploring his players to play harder and win. The ravishing images are paired with insightful comments which reveal the actors' views on the creative process, developing a character, and their own personal experiences. Hardcover, 264 pp. $67.00.

The 7 Steps to Stardom
Christina Ferra-Gilmore
This user-friendly workbook, including a two-hour DVD, features the best practical information on making it in the entertainment business. Included is vital information on: how to network, finding an agent and avoiding scams, making a living while looking for acting jobs, taking appropriate headshots, writing an actor's resume, and much more. Softcover, with DVD, 95 pages. $38.95.

Acting Qs: Conversations with Working Actors
Bonnie Gillespie & Blake Robbins
An inspirational volume for aspiring actors and a delightful peek into the personal lives of actors whose work we know so well. Twenty-nine professional perfomers share candidly about life, work and the show-business journey. Softcover, 365 pp. $30.95.

Acting Characters: 20 Simple Steps from Rehearsal to Performance
Paul Elsam
Acting Characters is an introductory book for students and aspiring actors to help demystify the process of acting. The author adopts a no-nonsense, down to earth approach based on many years of teaching experience at all levels. Acting is a demanding activity and when the inspiration, energy and rehearsal time may be lacking, the author's 20 simple tools help to build confidence in developing a new role. Softcover, 175 pp. $24.95.

Letters to a Young Artist
Anna Deavere Smith
Here is Anna Deavere Smith's brass tacks advice to aspiring artists of all stripes. In vividly anecdotal letters to the young BZ, she addresses the full spectrum of issues that people starting out will face: from questions of confidence, discipline, and self-esteem, to fame, failure, and fear, to staying healthy, presenting yourself effectively, building a diverse social and professional network, and using your art to promote social change. At once inspiring and no-nonsense, Letters to a Young Artist will challenge you, motivate you, and set you on a course to pursue your art without compromise. Softcover, 227 pp. $18.00.

Acting and Reacting: Tools for the Modern Actor
Nick Moseley
Nick Moseley has developed a system that is based on the individual actor's need to find truth in everything they do, to be 'in the moment' and to react truly instinctively to the other people on stage. In Acting and Reacting, he takes the best of Stanislavski, David Mamet and Sanford Meisner to fuel his own intensely practical approach. Softcover, $25.95.

So You Want To Be An Actor?
Prunella Scales & Timothy West
This handbook for aspiring actors is co-written by two of the best known names in British theatre and television. It offers practical advice and do's and don'ts to anyone thinking of taking up acting. Charmingly informal but full of sound advice, So You Want To Be An Actor? covers a total of 60 topics and is essential reading for anyone with their eye on a career in acting. Softcover, 143 pp. $22.95.

Acting for Life
Jack Frakes
A comprehensive text for high-school and college level teachers and students, Acting for Life presents a sequence of five sections -- Basic Acting Skills, Preparing to Perform a Scene, Techniques in Character Development, The Playscript, and Film Acting -- to help dicover the joy and basics of acting. Softcover, 299 pp. $26.95.


Acting: Advanced Techniques for the Actor, Director, and Teacher
Terry Schreiber
One of New York City's foremost actor-training programs is now available in book form. Whether you are an actor who wants to improve your craft, a director committed to bringing the best out in your performers, or a teacher looking to turn skilled students into serious professionals, you too can benefit from the techniques of Broadway director and renowned acting teacher Terry Schreiber. Softcover, 237 pp. $24.95.

Raising a Star
Nancy Carson
So your child wants to be a star? But what does it really take? Money? Looks? Tons of time? Not necessarily. Nancy Carson, a children's agent who has worked in the industry for more than 25 years and has guided the careers of such celebrities as Britney Spears, Mischa Barton, and even a young Cynthia Nixon, dishes the facts on what it takes to break your child into the entertainment industry. Raising a Star is a complete step-by-step guide that will help parents navigate the murky waters of show business. Softcover, 225 pp. $19.95.

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Your Name Here: An Actor/Writer's Guide to Solo Performance
Susan Merson
For actors, writers and public speakers of all kinds, Your Name Here will teach you how to get your solo play out and into the world. Inside you will find step by step acting and writing techniques, examples and discussion of six different forms of solo plays, production basics, marketing strategies, and much more. Award-winning and veteran actress, writer and producer Susan Merson brings over thirty years of theatrical experience to this essential guide. Softcover, 168 pp. $24.95.

Script Analysis for Actors, Directors, and Designers
Third Edition
James Thomas
Based on the premise that plays should be objects of study in and of themselves, this book teaches an established system of classifications that examines the written part of a play. Students will immediately be able to incorporate the concepts and procedures they learn into their practical creative work. Actors, directors, and designers will benefit from clear and comprehensive examples, end-of-chapter questions, and summaries meant to stimulate their creative process as they engage in production work. Softcover, 336 pp. $41.95.

Year of the King
Antony Sher
Antony Sher's stunning performance for the Royal Shakespeare Company as a Richard III on crutches -- the so-called "bottled spider" -- won him both the Laurence Olivier and the Evening Standard Awards for Best Actor. This book records, in the actor's own words and drawings, the making of this historic theatrical event. This new edition has been published to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the premiere. Softcover, 249 pp. $25.00.

The Shakespeare Sessions
with John Barton
Focusing on language as the way into the world of Shakespeare's plays, legendary directors and founders of the Royal Shakespeare Company, John Barton and Sir Peter Hall, have devised a series of workshops to help actors and directors illuminate the Bard's plays. This one-of-a-kind DVD features the American workshops, conducted with Kevin Kline, Dustin Hoffman, Cynthia Nixon, Harriet Walter, Charles S. Dutton and Liev Schreiber. Actors and directors of all ages and levels of experience will eagerly devour the overflowing wealth of hints, tips, notes, and advice contained on this remarkable resource. DVD. $258.95.

The Working Shakespeare Library
Cicely Berry
In this remarkable set, Cicely Berry guides a group of renowned actors (Kate Burton, Claire Daines, Blythe Danner, Victor Gaber, Tony Goldwyn, Helen Hunt, Samuel L. Jackson, Cherry Jones, Robert Sean Leonard, Cathy Tyson, Diane Verona, and Emily Watson, among others) through a series of challenging performance exercises. Although centred on the works of Shakespeare, the advise disclosed over the course of these 5 DVDs is applicable to any acting situation. The five workshops are: "Muscularity of Language,""Under the Text,""Prose and Verse Texts,""The Whole Voice," and "Voice Preparation." This incredible resource is made complete by a helpful workbook, and is perfect for use in the classroom. DVD. $778.95.

Singing and the Actor
Second Edition
Gillyanne Kayes
This book contains a structured training programme for the singing actor and dancer. Pitching, registers and breath management, the communication of sung text and the production of Belt, Twang, and Speech qualities are all covered in this practical book. Revised throughout, this second edition now benefits from new insights on managing 'the break' and additional exercises for readers who process in different training modes. Softcover, 199 pp. $33.95.

Letters to a Young Actor: A Universal Guide to Performance
Robert Brustein
Having been at the forefront of the American theatre for the duration of his illustrious career, Robert Brustein has long been a mentor to many of today's most accomplished actors. Here, for the first time, he offers both sage advise and hard-earned wisdom for performers on every stage and screen, and at any level of experience. Hardcover, 234 pp. $32.00.

Casting Directors' Secrets
Ginger Howard Friedman
Technique and natural ability can only take you so far; if you don't know how to audition, you can't expect to be a working actor. Ginger Howard Friedman is a respected casting director and a leading authority on audition and rehearsal technique. In this updated and expanded edition of Casting Directors' Secrets she takes actors behind-the-scenes to hear what working casting directors have to say about preparing for and performing first-rate auditions. Softcover, 188 pp. $24.95.

The Second City Almanac of Improvisation
Anne Libera
In The Second City Almanac of Improvisation, Anne Libera collects the diverse ideas, viewpoints, and memories of a vast array of teachers, actors, and directors who all got their start at the legendary comedy theatre. Libera puts each essay in context to give readers an understanding of how The Second City method of improv-based comedy has become the industry standard. Softcover, 196 pp. $41.95.

A Challenge for the Actor
Uta Hagen
A worthy companion to Respect for Acting -- yet detailed enough to stand alone -- A Challenge for the Actor is a stunning elaboration on Uta Hagen's acting theory. Inside, the reader will learn her ideas about actor's goals, the specifics of technique, and the actor's relationship to the physical and psychological senses. Furthermore, this volume is loaded with exercises to help the actor enrich and renew their craft. $38.50.

Respect for Acting
Uta Hagen
Divided into three parts -- "the actor,""the object exercises" and "the play and the role" -- Respect for Acting is Uta Hagen's classic treatise on the art of acting. Lucid and thought-provoking, it represents the wisdom of a great actress, accumulated over a rich and diverse career on stage. Both actors and members of the audience would be well advised to read this stimulating de-mystification of the actor's craft. $23.99.

Stanislavski in Rehearsal
Vasili Toporokov
This unique perspective on the acting technique of Stanislavski comes courtesy of his former student Vasili Toporokov. Already an accomplished actor when he joined the Moscow Art Theatre, Toporokov was forced to re-train under the master's guidance. Stanislavski in Rehearsal is Toporokov's account of this learning process. All actors will be captivated and educated by this invaluable document of Stanislavski's mature thoughts on acting. Softcover, 163 pp. $29.95.

Other People's Shoes: Thoughts on Acting
Harriet Walter
Divided into 4 parts -- "Why Do It?", "Preparations and Rehearsals", "Character and Context", and "Performance" -- this elucidating book takes us step by step through Harriet Walter's creative process as an actor. Every actor can benefit from this book's unparalleled insights, all of which are firmly rooted in Harriet's own experiences. Softcover, 275 pp. $22.95.

Uta Hagen's Acting Class (DVD)
Uta Hagan
Uta Hagen's Acting Class is a lucid distillation of the master thespian's thoughts, reflections, and advice, accumulated and refined during her magnificent career. Now, with this stunning 2 DVD set, you can "sit in" on one of Uta's master classes, and learn at your own pace as you watch it over and over.
DVD, $51.95.

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Acting-In: Practical Applications of Psychodramatic Methods
Adam Blatner
Psychodrama can be one of the most powerful tools used in psychotherapy. Charmingly illustrated with a wealth of case examples, this volume presents current training techniques and shows how to use them, whether as a complement to traditional verbal approaches, in individual or group therapy, in educational or community settings, or in many other contexts. Softcover, 206 pp. $51.00.

Stanislavski: An Introduction
Revised and Updated
Jean Bendetti
Jean Benedetti's Stanislavski is the clearest and most succinct explanation of Stanislavski's writings and ideas. Thoroughly revised and updated, and now available in an attractive new edition, Stanislavski: An Introduction provides the perfect guide through the Master's writing. Softcover, 112 pp. $25.95.

Actions: The Actor's Thesaurus
Marina Caldarone & Maggie Lloyd-Williams
Actions The Actors' Thesaurus
This is an essential companion for actors in rehearsal -- a thesaurus of action words to revitalise and help create stronger performances. One of the most popular books in our collection, when actors discover it, they say time after time," why did it take so long to come upo with this great book?" Softcover, 158 pp. $22.95.


The Back Stage Actor's Handbook
Sherry Eaker
Here, in one convenient volume, is everything that you need to know about launching your career and breaking into new performance venues. Included is essential insider information on: finding the best acting teacher, getting the right headshot and resume, promoting yourself on the web, getting an agent, auditioning, finding work, and much more. Softcover, 415 pp. $29.95.

The Intercultural Performance Handbook
John Martin
The Intercultural Performance Handbook opens up a new world of technique for performers. It provides a guide to physical, vocal and improvisational dynamics drawn from world performance styles, a new vocabulary with which to interpret plays from around the globe, games for exploring rhythm, movement, balance, tension and gesture, and much more. Softcover, 153 pp. $42.50.

Michael Chekhov
Franc Chamberlain
Michael Chekhov is the first book to combine a biographical introduction to Chekhov's life, a clear explanation of his key writings, an analysis of his work as a director, and a practical guide to Chekhov's unique actor-training exercises. Softcover, 152 pp. $28.95.

Konstantin Stanislavsky
Bella Merlin
This compact, well-illustrated guide provides an overview of Stanislavsky's life history, an assessment of his widely read text An Actor Prepares, detailed commentary of the key 1898 production of The Seagull, and an indispensable set of practical exercises for actors, teachers and directors. Softcover, 171 pp. $34.95.

Masking Unmasked: Four Approaches to Basic Acting
Eli Simon
In Masking Unmasked, Eli Simon updates the ancient art of mask acting for the contemporary stage. Illustrated throughout, the accessible exercises developed by the author teaches the actor a variety of techniques and systems. This book is an indispensible asset for the contemporary mask actor. Softcover, 181 pp. $36.95.


Speak With Distinction (Book Only)
Edith Skinner
This revised edition of the classic text is an absolute must, not only for the actor, but for anyone who wishes to speak with distinction. Exercises, diagrams, and expert advice guide the reader through the art and craft of effective verbal communication. Softcover, 406 pp. $47.95.


How to Stop Acting
Harold Guskin
In How to Stop Acting, Harold Guskin presents acting as a constantly evolving exploration, all the while revealing the insights and techniques that have worked wonders for the dozens of stage and screen actors he has coached, beginners and stars alike. This lucidly written text offers sound and original advice on auditioning, developing a role and keeping it fresh, adapting to the demands of film and television, playing difficult emotional scenes, and more. Softcover, 178 pp. $18.95.

Dreamwork for Actors
Janet Sonenberg
Dreamwork for Actors brilliantly explores the potential of dreams for actor training and development. Janet Sonenberg demonstrates how the actor seeds dreams with material from the play under study and then uses the resulting dream to affect the acting. This book is a wholly new tool with which actors can unleash startling performances. Softcover 256 pp. $26.95.

The Memory Deck
Gayle Steinbeigle
Learn to incorporate memory-enhancing techniques into your daily life with these 50 easy-to-apply strategies. $18.95.

Speak Without Fear
Ivy Naidstadt
In our age of impersonal electronic communication, the ability to speak before an audience is becoming increasingly important; however, for many people public speaking is a chore marked by overwhelming anxiety. Fear not, for Speak Without Fear offers a unique, practical process which is proven to help you become a powerful oral communicator. Hardcover, 211 pp. $28.95.


Between Director and Actor: Stategies for Effective Performance
Mandy Rees & John Staniunas
Divided in to specific sections, for specific acting challenges, this collection of "notes" -- suggestions, hints, strategies, and tips -- is geared towards maximizing the collaboration inherent to the performing arts. For both actors and directors, this book is a handy reference guide to help improve and refine their crafts. Softcover, 204 pp. $27.95.

Acting Reconsidered
Phillip B. Zarrilli
A wide ranging collection of theories of acting, ideas about the body and training, and statements about the actor in performance. Includes discussions by or about figures who have shaped performance in the past century including Meyerhold, Copeau, Artaud, Decroux, Brecht, Fo, Suzuki, Grotowski, Rosenthal and Dafoe. Softcover, 378 pp. $46.95.

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Acting Emotions
Elly A. Konijn
Acting Emotions utilizes contemporary research from the field of emotional psychology and examines such issues as a double consciousness, presence, and the illusion of spontaneity - the very essences of theatrical performance. Softcover, 209 pp. $42.95.

 
Book on Acting - Improvisation Technique
Stephen Book
Book on Acting begins with immediate training in how to improvise. Book's fundamental principle of improvisation is "acting is doing, and there's always more to do." The actor learns what to do to keep himself in a spontaneous improvisational state. Also included is a unique process for breaking down scripted scenes into improvisational choices. Softcover, 629 pp. $30.95.

Between Two Silences: Talking With Peter Brook
"This book of Brook in dialogue is an opening to amazement for all of us who work in the theatre, or teach it or think about it." Ranging widely over many topics, this book is the result of twelve hours of spontaneous answers and questions with theatre students in a university setting. $19.95.

Being an Actor
Simon Callow
Part autobiography, part analysis, part manifesto, this astonishingly honest book exposes all the pressures, rewards and insecurity of being an actor. Softcover, 238 pp. $20.95.

Acting Skills for Life
Ron Cameron
Integrates personal growth and the process of creative drama with the more formal skills required for stage production. A practical book, full of suggestions for drama exercises and improvisations and includes practical information for teachers working with students on stage productions. $29.99.

To The Actor: On The Technique of Acting
Michael Chekhov
A revised and expanded edition of the classic text originally published in 1953, showing Chekhov's simple and practical method for actors who want to train their imagination and body to fulfill their potential. Softcover, $42.95.

Twentieth Century Actor Training
Alison Hodge, ed.
The most unique phenomenon of 20th century theater making. Here, for the first time, the theories, training exercises, and productions of fourteen of the century's key theater practitioners are analysed in a single volume. $42.50.

The Moving Body: Teaching Creative Theatre
Jacques Lecoq
In English for the first time, Lecoq's Le corps poetique shares his unique philosophy of performance, improvisation, movement, and gesture. Neutral mask, character masks and counter masks, bouffons, acrobatics, commedia, clowns: all the famous Lecoq techniques are included here. Paperback, $23.95.

True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor
David Mamet
Invent nothing, deny nothing, speak up, stand up and stay out of school. With these words, one of the most brilliantly iconoclastic playwrights takes on the art and profession of acting, in a book that is as shocking as it is practical, witty as it is instructive and irreverent as it is inspiring. $15.95.

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Last modified July 15, 2003 .
Please note that all prices are in Canadian dollars. All prices are subject to change without notice.