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Hero Worship

Hero Worship. Stanislavsky, Method Acting, and the effects of the Method on the contemporary stage. The Man. Constantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky 1863-1938 Son of a wealthy merchant. The Man: Theatrical Life. Began acting at the age of 14

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Hero Worship

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  1. Hero Worship Stanislavsky, Method Acting, and the effects of the Method on the contemporary stage

  2. The Man • Constantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky • 1863-1938 • Son of a wealthy merchant

  3. The Man: Theatrical Life • Began acting at the age of 14 • Continued to act & began to direct through the late 1800s • In 1898, with Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, founded the Moscow Art Theatre (MAT) • Focused on a naturalistic approach to acting • Debut production was Chekhov’s The Seagull

  4. The Man: His System • Developed “The Method”--the first prescribed system of acting--through work at the MAT • Published two books about his system: An Actor Prepares and My Life in Art

  5. The Man: His Legacy • Is still revered as a teacher & theorist • “Love the Art in yourself, not yourself in the Art.”

  6. The Method • Strives to create the illusion of natural reality on stage • Relies heavily on the “Fourth Wall” & “Willing Suspension of Disbelief” • An “inside-out” system of acting

  7. The Method: Emotional Memory • Encourages actors to connect real emotions with emotions for the stage • Actors recall a time when they experienced a similar emotion, feel it again within themselves, and then show its manifestation to the audience

  8. The Method: “The Magic If” • Also referred to as “The Situation” or “Given Circumstances” • Asks the actor to place himself in the shoes of the character • “What would I do if I were in Hamlet’s position?” • Encourages actors to improvise off-stage interactions and to play out scenes not found in the script

  9. The Method: Character Creation • Emphasizes “inner life” of the character • Asks actors to create extensive backgrounds for their characters to fill out the text • Stanislavsky insisted that even his extras have full bios for their characters

  10. The Madness • The Method is still the preferred acting technique of millions of actors & acting teachers around the world, particularly in the US • It has almost reached cult status, as Method Actors embrace Stanislavsky’s theory with pseudo-religious fervor

  11. The Madness: The Actors Studio • Founded in 1947 by Lee Strasburg • Espouses Method Acting, encouraging students to develop characters, rely on emotions, etc. • Accepts only the best • Has produced some of the greatest film & stage actors of our time

  12. The Madness: Mutations • Many variations on Stanislavsky have appeared over the years • Stanislavsky himself encouraged actors to use only the parts of the Method they chose and to discard the rest

  13. The Madness: Rebellion • David Mamet and many others have rebelled in recent years, calling the Method nonsense and mumbo-jumbo • They espouse a more direct system, eliminating character creation and focusing on the actor himself • “Hit your spot and tell the truth”

  14. My Assessment • Do what works for you • Young actors can benefit from the Method • Learn as you grow • Don’t fall into the trap of hero worship • And most importantly, HAVE FUN!

  15. Thank You!

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