Each form of art has a core. A core that shapes the art form and is crucial to know to succeed in that art form. Many feel Ballet is the core of dance or Opera is the core of singing (or at least musical theatre singing). But what do you thing is the core of acting ? I am thinking that it is probably a method of acting like Stanislavsky or Shakespeare. But what do you think has shaped acting and is the core of it?
Current Avatar:The sensational Aaron Tveit in the soon to be hit production of Catch Me If You Can.
Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone and ta'en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
~Cymbeline
For the greater part of the 20th century, acting stemmed from Stanislavski. You can go back to Meisner, Adler, Strasberg, Hagen, or anyone else that was a major force in teaching acting, and they will tell you that it's basically stemming from Stanislavski. He was the first person to state what psychological realism was and how to get there. Most people never learn a pure "Stanislavski" technique, but they learn different ways and emphases of what he taught. That foundation has shaped acting for the 20th century. Now, we wouldn't accept anything different.
By the way, Shakespeare isn't a method of acting. He's just a genius. Gosh.
I've always been very partial to The Delsarte System of Expression.
"Just a Guy. Your feelings are touching. I am gladdened by the thought that you will one day wind up 6 feet under as we all do." - MrRoxy ------
"I do not suggest you walk out the door onto a New York street with your vulnerable child part exposed and not protected..." - Jason Bennett
Actually, what esparza is getting at is a valid concept shared by many and was discussed in one of my grad school acting classes.
The height of dance technique is ballet. The height of singing technique is opera/classical. The height of acting* technique is Shakespeare. The thought is that if you are a master of the height of the the technique, you should be able to do anything within that genre. Though, I would add that it requires you to be able to mold yourself. Not all opera singers can sing rock, but it's not surprising that a number of rock singers actually have opera training.
*I would prefer to say "speech" seeing how dancing and singing also require acting.