Chapter 4
It is the oldest of the theatrical arts. THESPIS,
the first actor, was the author of the plays in
which he appeared.
From his name comes the word THESPIAN, another word for actor.
The average theatregoer can name many
actors
The actor “presents” to the audience in a form
that we call “presentational.” It is also called
“external” or “technical” acting.
The second notion emanates from somewhere
“inside” the actor. The actor works honestly
and effectively to “live the life of the character.”
To feel the emotions. It can be called
“representational.” Actors of this school are
often “method actors” named for a “system”
devised by Konstantin Stanislavski.
In the United States, the “method” was
made popular by the actor Lee Strasberg
at the Actors Studio
in New York City.
 Represented by classically-trained British
actors
 Has been long debated
 See text (page 78) for examples from the
classical theatre including a passage from
Socrates
 In the 18th century, French encyclopedist Denis
Diderot discussed the differences in his essay
“The Paradox of Acting”
 At the Moscow Art Theatre, Stanislavski taught
that motivation gives meaning to action. And, as
such, plays have subtexts the actor needs to
understand.
 Almost all American teachers of acting pay
homage to Stanislavski and his “theories” of
acting...
 Famous American actors trained in the
method include...
 Greatness in acting, like greatness in almost
any endeavor, demands a superb set of skills
 In order to play HAMLET, for example, the
actor himself needs to embody the genius of
the character.
 To achieve this virtuosity, the actor must
possess two features
1. An expressive voice
2. A supple body
James Earl Jones
Glenn Close
Bill Irwin
Meryl Streep
 Beyond conviction and virtuosity, great
actors possess “presence” or “magnetism” or
“charisma”
 Actor training takes place in colleges,
universities, conservatories and private and
commercial schools
The self
 Mind
 Mettle
 Metabolism
Training is both physical and psychological
 In France and Japan, actors are trained
through apprenticeships
 All training requires practice, not simple book
learning
 VOICE AND SPEECH
 VOICE: breathing, phonation, resonance
 SPEECH: articulation, pronunciation, phrasing
 PROJECTION
 Dance, mime, fencing, acrobatics
 Relaxation, control, economy
 Strength and endurance
Imagination, and willingness and ability to use
it in the service of art, are major components
of the actor’s psychological instrument
1. Make the artifice of the theatre real (flats
and platforms become streets or
mountains)
2. Place the self in the imagined world of the
play (Really fall in love with your acting
mate)
3. Characterize the role with uniqueness and
life (liberate the actor’s imagination)
The fourth and final aspect of the actor’s
psychological instrument
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Follow the working conditions
Collaborate with fellow artists
Be on time to calls
Stay well and healthy
Train your instrument in exercise or class
Memorize parts before they are due
Work vigorously to develop craft
 Stanislavski described the actor’s ZADACHA
[задача] which also translates to mean
objective, task, goal, victory or intention.
Each character has a primary goal and
several minor goals in the play.
 Secondly, the actor develops TACTICS
necessary to achieve the GOALS
 Finally, the actor must understand the style
of given circumstances of the play and apply
it to the role
 GOAL. What the character wants
 OBJECT (Other). Who does the character
want it from?
 TACTIC. How does the actor get it?
 EXPECTATION. Why does the actor expect
to reach the goal?
 The audition
 Plays are in rehearsal for several weeks
 At rehearsal, actors learn lines and blocking…
…and explore the characters motivations
(goals)
MEMORIZE
…and work on the external elements of timing and
delivery
It is the most creative time for the actor
The excitement of live performance
Philip Seymour Hoffman in DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Now, the actor is aware of his audience...
The audience affects the actor’s timing, delivery and energy
Stage actors must re-create their performance
over and over. Each actor develops ways to
adapt to the different demands of various
media
Dame Judi Dench in film and onstage.
 Actors are privileged people, they get to live
the lives of saints, sinners, lovers, rulers, the
great and the meek
 They get to reenter the wonder of childhood
and play
 They get to fantasize freely and get paid for
it
 Many want to act, but true acting is a calling
 The addicted actor is probably not very good
 Actors must know more than acting, they
must represent the human and therefore
must understand humankind
 The proper study of acting is life: common
sense, observation, perception, tolerance
and understanding
 Actors need to possess training, business
acumen and a realistic vision
 Very few are capable of a professional
career in acting. Those that do possess
great talent, skill, persistence, fortitude and
luck