Chapter Four

1. Part 2:
The Performers
and the Director
Acting

2. “All the World’s a Stage”
William Shakespeare
As You Like It
Spoken by the melancholy character, Jaques,
in Act II Scene VII of the pastoral comedy play
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

3. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school.
And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow.

4. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth.
And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part.

5. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound.

6. Sans = without
Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
Lines 139-166. This poem is in the public domain.

7. Acting in Everyday Life
Social Roles
• Imitation
• Role Playing
• Personal Roles

8. Acting in Life
vs.
Acting on Stage
Three Challenges of Performance Acting
1. To make characters believable—inner truth
2. Physical acting—the use of the voice and body
3. Synthesis and integration—combining inner and
outer skills

9. The Stanislavski System:
A Technique for Realistic Acting

10. Stanislavski on left:
Both Actor and Director

12. Stella Adler:
Stanislavski’s student and
famous acting coach
[Paraphrase]
“Even the eloquent words of Shakespeare
are dead on the paper in the script. They
only come alive when an actor empathizes
and recreates the emotion of the words in
physical space before an audience.”

13. The Stanislavski System:
A Technique for Realistic Acting
• Relaxation
• Concentration and observation
• Importance of specifics
• Inner truth: What if? “The magic if”

14. The Stanislavski System:
A Technique for Realistic Acting
• Action on stage: What? Why? How?
• Through line of a role or “super-objective” of
the character
• Ensemble playing
• Psychophysical action & Emotional recall

15. The Stanislavski System:
A Technique for Realistic Acting
Psychophysical Action & Emotional Recall
Stanislavski later improved on his way of thinking
and saw balances between action and emotional
recall.
He then emphasized that action and emotion were
more important than even the words of the script
because the words only come alive by the actor’s
performance.

16. Later Developments of
the Stanislavski System
for Realistic Acting
Three current approaches to training actors:
Uta Hagen – “Respect for Acting”
Emphasized the healthy balance between
emotional recall, memory in general and not
being overwhelmed by past emotion but rather
using it as a springboard into the action of the
play.

17. Later Developments of
the Stanislavski System
for Realistic Acting
Three current approaches to training actors:
Robert Cohen – “Acting One”
Emphasized the use of text as an instrument of action rather
than the source.
“Content—less Scene” is an exercise where actors memorize a
line and then use those words with different circumstances
surrounding the scene. Students learn that words are not as
important as the meaning behind them and must use those to
further the action of the play.

18. Later Developments of
the Stanislavski System
for Realistic Acting
Three current approaches to training actors:
Robert Benedetti – “The Actor at Work”
Focuses on the actor’s body and how performers’ can use it to
help shape character. Uses exercises that allow the student to
explore elements of rhythm, time, weight, intensity and space
through improvisational work.
He emphasizes starting with the outside (physical aspects of a
character) and use it to define the character’s inner life
(emotion). Example: “Mrs. Doubtfire” – Robin Williams

19. Later Developments of
the Stanislavski System
for Realistic Acting
And

20. Later Developments of
the Stanislavski System
for Realistic Acting
Dustin Hoffman in
“The Graduate”
One Actor… Many Faces… Different Emotions

21. The Instruments of the Performer
Voice:
Classical acting requires learning to speak and project stage
verse which requires much of the same vocal power and breath
control as opera.
Musical theatre also requires professional singing abilities.
Body:
Physical strength is particularly important in classical drama such
as in Shakespeare which requires running up and down stairs or
platforms and sword fighting.
Musical theatre also requires professional dancing abilities.

22. Other Global Influences on Modern
Acting Techniques
Asian Theatre
Stylization and Symbolism are emphasized in the acting of the
classical theatres of India, China and Japan.
Elements of formal ballet, pantomime and sign language are
prevalent.
“Tai chi” (Asian martial arts discipline) is used as a graceful,
gentle exercise appearing to be carried out in slow motion that
requires concentration and body control.

23. Other Global Influences on Modern
Acting Techniques
Japanese Theatre
Japanese director, Tadashi Suzuki, borrowed from ancient
Japanese practices to develop an acting training technique that
emphasizes the connection between the feet and the ground
underneath. We call this being “grounded” and “centered” which
helps the actor stabilize and control themselves.
Consciousness of this connection is accomplished by exercises
involving “stomping”.

24. Other Global Influences on Modern
Acting Techniques
U.S. Contemporary Theatre
Avant-garde choreographer, Merce Cunningham and
experimental director, Jerzy Grotowsky contributed to the
“Viewpoints Theory” which combines elements of dance and
stage movement with concepts of time and space.
Director, Anne Bogart, a chief proponent of the theory, uses it to
explore important elements of the theatrical performance such
as spatial relationships onstage, movement, and the notion of
time and other elements.

25. Other Global Influences on Modern
Acting Techniques
U.S. Contemporary Theatre
Reflecting on all of the influences, the term now used is “centering”,
a form of “physical acting”.
Centering: A process of pulling together and allowing oneself to
eliminate any blocks that impede either the body or the voice.
It involves locating the place—roughly in the middle of the torso—
where all the lines of force in the body come together. This helps
the actor achieve better balance, freedom and flexibility in body
and voice.

26. Theatre Spaces and the Actors
Exercise #3
Experience Stanislavski’s style of “getting into character”
exercises.
Get into groups and try saying the following line to each
other considering different circumstances.
“I’m thirsty. I need water. Get me some water.”
A. In a desert, after a long journey, to a stranger. You are
finally safe from harm.
B. In a palace, at a formal dinner, to a servant. You are
trying to impress your friends concerning your wealth
and station in life.
C. In your living room at home, while watching TV, to
your spouse. You just don’t feel like getting up but
you want to be persuasive.

27. Theatre Spaces and the Actors
Exercise #3
Experience Stanislavski’s style of “getting into character” exercises.
Get into groups and try saying the following line to each other considering
different circumstances.
“I’m thirsty. I need water. Get me some water.”
D. Invent other circumstances by choosing a place, a time, to whom
you are speaking, and your reasoning or current circumstance.
Discuss with each other and the class your experiences. Then write
what you have learned about acting techniques and how this acting
exercise might help a performer understand better about how to “get
into character”.

28. Theatre Spaces and the Actors
Exercise #4
Experience and explain the difference for an actor, audience and director
on performing a scene in different “stage spaces”.
1. Use the previous scenario “I’m thirsty” to adlib a short scene in front of
the class who will take the roll of the audience in different theatre
spaces i.e. proscenium, arena and thrust
2. Discuss with the class about the experience and what it was like to
experience different theatre spaces from the actor, the audience and
the director’s point of view. Then write a short paragraph about what
you learned concerning the affects of different theatre spaces on a
performance.

29. Theatre Spaces and the Actors
Exercise #5
Discuss and explain the best “stage space” to perform different types of
plays.
After a short class or group discussion, write a short paragraph or two
explaining the best “stage space” to use for different types of plays. Use
the following as examples:
A. Musical theatre such as “Lion King”
B. Shakespearian play such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
C. A contemporary drama such as “Fences”
D. An experimental theatrical performance with intimate scenes

30. Two Semester Group Projects
Explanation of Group Projects 1 and 2
Choose a scene from an approved play to work on the different
aspects of theatre, including acting, directing and designing.
Group Project 1:
Throughout the semester you will design a set, costume, lighting and
sound for your chosen scene. At the end of the semester, your group
will present your final renderings and other design work. Each person
in your group will explain how you analyzed the play and the scene to
come up with your designs. Each person should report on at least one
aspect of the designs.

31. Two Semester Group Projects
Explanation of Group Projects 1 and 2
Choose a scene from an approved play to work on the different
aspects of theatre, including acting, directing and designing.
Group Project 2:
Your group will present a performance of your scene to the class at
the end of the semester. Decide on the theatre space you choose to
perform your scene.
A. Distribute responsibilities for performance jobs: at least two actors,
a director, a stage manager and prop director, lighting, sound and
stage crew as appropriate.
B. Perform the scene for the class and be prepared to analyze your
group and the other class groups’ performances from an
audience/critic’s point of view.