Table of Contents

Notes on This Fifth Edition Preface About the Author PART ONE Preparing Yourself to Act 1 Understanding the Actor's Job Engagement Truthfulness Skill Dramatic Function Discipline Summary of Step 1 2 The Tradition of the Actor The Twentieth Century Getting into the Tradition Summary of Step 2 3 Relaxing and Centering Relaxation FindingCenter Summary of Step 3 4 Breathing, Sounding, and Moving from Center Your Cycle of Energy Your Relationship to Gravity Phrasing Movement Summary of Step 4 5 Collaboration Leading and Following Seeing and Hearing Getting and Giving Notes Summary of Step 5 Summary of part one PART TWO Discovering Action Example Plays 6 Actions and Objectives Stanislavski's View of Action Public Solitude Dual Consciousness Indicating Raising the Stakes Summary of Step 6 7 Action, Emotion, and Character: The Magic If Action and Emotion Character and the Magic If The Actor in You Selecting Your Scene Dramatic Function Revisited Summary of Step 7 8 Defining Objectives and Actions Defining Useful Objectives Subtext Not Doing Obstacles and Counter-Actions Summary of Step 8 9 The Flow and Shape of Drama Internal and External Action The Shape of Drama Crisis Summary of Step 9 10 Exploring Scene Structure and the Given Circumstances Units of Action (Beats) The Given Circumstances Summary of Step 10 Summary of part two PART THREE Developing the Character 11 The Character's Traits and Needs Function Traits Recognition Traits Needs and Personalization Emotion Recall and Substitution Summary of Step 11 12 Getting into the Character's Mind Perception, Arousal, and Attitude Automatic and Spontaneous Actions Deliberation and Strategic Choice The Inner Monologue Summary of Step 12 13 Exploring the Character's Language Word Choice Rhythm Melody Summary of Step 13 Summary of part three PART FOUR Final Rehearsal and Performance 14 Finding the Scenario, Score, Through-Line, and Superobjective The Score and Pace The Through-Line and Superobjective Personalizing the Superobjective Summary of Step 14 15 Staging Types of Stages Moving on Stage Blocking Shaping and Pacing 16 Performing Emotion in Performance Spontaneity Evaluating Your Work Growth After Opening The Actor's Sense of Purpose Summary of Step 16 Summary of part four Appendix A: A Sample Television Scene Appendix B: Suggested Plays and Anthologies Plays Play and Scene Anthologies Anthologies for Students of Color Glossary of Theater and Film Terminology Index