5 MORE Books Every Acting Student Should Read

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 7/23/22 at 5:52pm

An Actor Prepares by Konstantin Stanislavski

Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen

Improvisation for the Theater by Viola Spolin 

The Empty Space by Peter Brook

The Art of Coarse Acting by Michael Green 

See how we did that without mentioning a supporting actor known primarily from a popular TV show who lists ZERO stage experience on her Wiki page? Easy. There are plenty of books on how to break into the business if you want to be famous. But for serious students of the art of acting, those should wait until after you have read all of the others. 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/5-Books-Every-Acting-Student-Should-Read-20220723

 

 

 
 

Updated On: 7/23/22 at 05:52 PM

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 7/24/22 at 12:42am

Lola Getz2 said: "See how we did that without mentioning a supporting actor known primarily from a popular TV show who lists ZERO stage experience on her Wiki page? Easy. There are plenty of books on how to break into the business if you want to be famous. But for serious students of the art of acting, those should wait until after you have read all of the others.”

 

Have you actually read Jenna Fischer’s book? It’s one of the most helpful and straightforward books I’ve encountered about the business and contains many things a “serious” actor should know if they wish to have a career. 

 

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/24/22 at 2:33pm

There are two schools of thought in books like these: ”our art is a priesthood,” and “our art is a job, a craft or a hobby.” I tend to lean more to the craftsman side than the more sacred side, and I think Fischer is extremely rooted in the realities of the lifestyle as more than a set of ideals and best practices. Plus, she’s excelled in a niche as a new media content creator, which is a whole new world few of the old masters prepared us for.

[Fire and Music]

Posted: 7/24/22 at 8:22pm

Okay but Jenna Fischer's book is the best contemporary book about the business of acting that I've read. It's not an acting technique book nor does it claim to be. I recommend it all the time, as I feel it's definitely a must-read for young actors. And for what it's worth, while her background is mostly in television, she's also done some plays, whether her Wiki page says so or not.

[themick2]

Posted: 7/24/22 at 8:50pm

Also, Jenna Fischer appeared in Reasons To Be Happy off-broadway at MCC and, if memory serves, got nice reviews, so...I really don't know what the point of this post is. 

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 7/24/22 at 11:04pm

Sorry if I came off bitchy. I just thought it was an odd choice for this list. I am not in the biz, and was  surprised to see it on a top 5  list for aspiring actors. But I do acknowledge books about getting in the business  are essential. 

[AnnJohnson]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 11:02am

The Empty Space by Peter Brook is a very good book. I finished it some time ago and really liked it. And the next one on my list is Audition by Michael Shurtleff. I've heard positive reviews of it

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 11:10am

Lists like this, like acting in general, is so subjective to the individual person. 

There are actors that need to live in the world and body of the character the entire time they are playing a role. There are others that can be themselves, and then once they step on a stage or hear "action", they can morph into who they are supposed to be. There are many other thoughts as well, and I think that you have to find what works best for you. We have gotten some amazing performances from both kinds of study.

[MargaretRoss2]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 12:45pm

Yes, I agree with you. There is no book that each person will like, and it's always complicated to recommend something because there are no guarantees that others will also like it. The same with acting; it's different for each. I'm a student, and I've read a lot of different books, and some of them we discussed in lectures. And there are always people who like the book and who don't. It's all subjective. And now, I have to write a term paper that includes a book review, and it's a pretty hard task. I used the help of https://edubirdie.com/essay-writers-for-hire some time ago when I needed to write something similar, but it was because I had little time to read a book, analyze it and write on it. This time I'll try to find an interesting acting book and write on it. But anyway, I'll always be able to get help.

Updated On: 5/16/23 at 12:45 PM