A Beginner’s Guide to Acting Methods: Understanding Practitioners and their Legacies

— —

Kimberly Shire

A Beginner’s Guide to Acting Methods

Understanding Practitioners and their Legacies

Kimberly Shire

$140

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Methuen Drama
26 June 2025

Acting techniques; Theatre direction & production; Individual actors & performers

Wanting to understand the workings and methods of your favourite theatre practitioner? Look no further. This accessible guide summarizes the methods of 20 practitioners by collecting the most important features of their work and framing them so that even the novice actor will understand the material.

Introducing us to the work of practitioners such as: Konstantin Stanislavski, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Bertolt Brecht, Michael Chekhov, Jacques Copeau, Maria Knebel, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Viola Spolin, Uta Hagen, Augusto Boal, Jerzy Grotowski, Tadashi Suzuki, and Anne Bogart among a number of others, the book sets readers on the path to discovering the methods they want to explore in greater depth.

It does so through each chapter offering:

- biographical information on each practitioner - a description of their method - suggestions for digging deeper and further exploration - journal and discussion questions - the opportunity for practical application with 3-6 hours' worth of in-class activities for instructors to use

As a whole, the book seeks to offer an introduction to the many acting teachers and their methods in one place, demystifying terminology such as ""biomechanics"", ""active analysis"", ""grounding"" and ""viewpoints"", and introducing readers to the founders of the principles that make up modern acting.

By: Kimberly Shire
Imprint: Methuen Drama
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 254mm, Width: 212mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 980g
ISBN: 9781350434165
ISBN 10: 1350434167
Pages: 360
Publication Date: 26 June 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary , Secondary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Preface Introduction Chapter One - Thespis Through Diderot: The First Masters Chapter Two - Konstantin Stanislavski: A Master of the System Chapter Three - Vsevolod Meyerhold: A Master of Biomechanics Chapter Four - Yevgeny Vakhtangov: A Master of Justification Chapter Five- Jacques Copeau: A Master of Masks/Play Chapter Six - Michael Chekhov: A Master of Imagination Chapter Seven - Maria Knebel: A Master of Active Analysis Chapter Eight - Bertolt Brecht: A Master of No Illusions Chapter Nine - Lee Strasberg: Master of The American Method Chapter Ten - Stella Adler: Master of Modern Acting Chapter Eleven - Sanford Meisner: A Master of Reaction Chapter Twelve - Viola Spolin: A Master of Play Chapter Thirteen - Uta Hagen: A Master of Endowment Chapter Fourteen - Augusto Boal: Master of Performance-Activism Chapter Fifteen - Jerzy Grotowski: A Master of Ritual Communion Chapter Sixteen - Tadashi Suzuki: Master of Grounding Chapter Seventeen - Harold Guskin: A Master of the Moment Chapter Eighteen - David Mamet: A Master of Practicality Chapter Nineteen - Anne Bogart: A Master of Viewpoints Chapter Twenty - Declan Donnellan: Master of the Target Conclusion Glossary Further Reading Bibliography Index

Kimberly Shire is Associate Professor of Theatre at Carroll College, US. She has been training actors for 25 years as a high school teacher, children’s theatre artistic director, college acting professor and theatre director.