In this Section:
1) Brief Table of Contents
2) Full Table of Contents
1) Full Table of Contents
Part 1: Preparing Yourself
Chapter 1: Understanding the Actor's Job
Chapter 2: Relaxing and Centering
Chapter 3: Your Voice and Speech
Chapter 4: Working Together
Part 2: Action and Character
Chapter 5: Exploring the Text
Chapter 6: Actions and Objectives
Chapter 7: How Scenes Work
Chapter 8: The Foundations of Character
Chapter 9: Personalization
Part 3: The Performance and After
Chapter 10: Early Rehearsals
Chapter 11: Staging and Final Rehearsals
Chapter 12: The Performance and After
Appendix A: The Tradition of the Actor
Appendix B: Suggested Plays and Anthologies
Appendix C: Short Practice Selections from Shakespeare
Glossary of Theater Terminology
2) Full Table of Contents
Part 1: Preparing Yourself
Chapter 1: Understanding the Actor's Job
Engagement
Truthfulness
Skill
Usefulness
Dramatic Function
Finding Your Own Sense of Purpose
Discipline
Chapter 2: Relaxing and Centering
Relaxation Finding Your Center
Breathing, Sounding, and Moving From Center
The Cycle of Energy
Your Relationship to Gravity
Phrasing Movement
Chapter 3: Your Voice and Speech
Using Your Own Voice Speech
Voice Production
Articulation
Speech, Character, and Situation
Further Training of Body and Voice
Chapter 4: Working Together
Leading and Following
Seeing and Hearing
Part 2: Action and Character
Example Plays
Selecting Your Scene
Chapter 5: Exploring the Text
Word Choice Rhythm
The Music of Speech
The Given Circumstances
Chapter 6: Actions and Objectives
Stanislavski's View of Action
Internal and External Action: Justification
Action and Emotion
Action and Public Solitude
Dual Consciousness
Indicating
Automatic and Spontaneous Actions
Defining Useful Objectives
Playable Actions
Obstacles and Counter-actions
Subtext
The Through-line and Superobjective
Chapter 7: How Scenes Work
The Shape of a Scene Crisis
Units of Action or Beats
Making Connections
Chapter 8: The Foundations of Character
Character Traits
Chapter 9: Personalization
Needs and Personalization Emotion Recall and Substitution
Entering the Character's Mind
Perception, Arousal, and Attitude
Deliberation and Strategic Choice
The Inner Monologue
The Super-Choice
Autobiography, Diary, and Self-image
Part 3: The Performance and After
Chapter 10: Early Rehearsals
Auditions Preparation and Homework
Early Read-throughs
Getting Up and Off Book
Exploring the Character's Body
Communication in Rehearsal
You and Your Director
Chapter 11: Staging and Final Rehearsals
Types of Stages
Directions on Stage
The Groundplan and Blocking
Establishing the Score
Shaping and Pacing the Performance
Costumes, Makeup, and Props
Technical Rehearsals
Dress Rehearsal
Chapter 12: The Performance and After
Emotion in Performance Spontaneity
Beginning the Performance
The Fear of Failure
Measuring Success
Growth After Opening
Your Sense of Purpose
Transformation
Appendix A: The Tradition of the Actor
Appendix B: Suggested Plays and Anthologies
Plays
Play and Scene Anthologies
Anthologies for Students of Color
Appendix C: Short Practice Selections from Shakespeare
Glossary of Theater Terminology
