Chapter five acting for the stage power point

Chapter 5

1. Making characters believable2. Physical acting—the use of the voice and

body3. Synthesis and integration: combining

inner and outer skills

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Making Characters Believable The Development of Realistic Acting

▪ The Stanislavski System: A Technique for Realistic Acting▪ Relaxation▪ Concentration and observation▪ Importance of specifics▪ Inner truth▪ Action onstage: What? Why? How?▪ Through line of a role▪ Ensemble playing

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Making Characters Believable continued

The Development of Realistic Acting▪ Stanislavski and Psychophysical Action

▪ Purposeful action undertaken to fulfill a character’s goals was the most direct route to the emotions

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Making Characters Believable continued

Modern Approaches to Realistic Acting▪ Lee Strasberg, founder of the Actors Studio in NYC

▪ Emphasized a technique called emotional recall A tool intended to help performers achieve a sense of

emotional truth

▪ Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, and Uta Hagen▪ Balanced the emphasis on inner resources with the inclusion

of given circumstances and purposeful action

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Making Characters Believable continued

Modern Approaches to Realistic Acting▪ Uta Hagen

▪ Respect for Acting▪ Emphasis on emotional recall and memory

▪ Robert Cohen▪ Acting One▪ Emphasis on the use of text as an instrument of action

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Making Characters Believable continued

Modern Approaches to Realistic Acting▪ Robert Benedetti

▪ The Actor at Work▪ Emphasis on the actor’s body and how performers can use it

to help shape character

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Physical Acting: Voice and Body The Actor’s Instrument: Voice and Body

▪ Theatre makes strong demands on a performer’s body

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Physical Acting: Voice and Body continued

The Actor’s Instrument: Voice and Body▪ The performer’s voice

▪ Key lines must be clearly heard by the audience▪ A performer must project his or her voice▪ Maintain a balance between credibility and the necessity of

being heard

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Physical Acting: Voice and Body continued

Training for Special Forms of Theatre▪ Certain types of theatre require special discipline

or training▪ Musical▪ Pantomime▪ Avant-garde

and experimental

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Synthesis and Integration Goal of training is to create for the performer

an instrument that is flexible, resourceful, and disciplined

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Judging Performances Has the performer mastered the techniques?

▪ Movements; vocal projection▪ Response to other performers and audience

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