Interviews with world-famous actors introduce the work of the actor as an exhilarating journey of self-discovery.

Full of illuminating anecdotes and witty accounts, this is the first English translation of Chekhov's two-volume autobiography. Two leading Russian scholars present an extensive and authoritative account of this great actor and extraordinary man.

For thousands of years, in traditional societies around the world, actors were seen as the guardians of intuitive wisdom, and the way of the actor was a path to knowledge and power. Brian Bates believes that this is still the case today—that actors and actresses fulfill an important function in our culture as modern-day seers and shamans. He portrays the actor as a creator of visions who transports spectators out of their habitual ways of being and leads them on a journey of self-discovery. Personal magnetism and charisma, intense body awareness, and psychic sensitivity are among the special powers that contribute to the actor's mystique. Citing the observations and experiences of more than thirty famous performers—including Meryl Streep, Marlon Brando, Glenda Jackson, Liv Ullmann, Jack Nicholson, and Shirley MacLaine—the author also draws on extensive research in science, psychology, parapsychology, and Eastern and Western mysticism to explore the significance of the dramatic art. He not only shows how the magical world of stage and screen mirrors our lives, but also reveals how actors and actresses point the way to self-transformation for everyone. For, as he writes, "the way of the actor is not an esoteric discipline divorced from everyday life. It is everyday life, heightened and lived to the full, with an awareness of powers beyond understanding."

For thousands of years, in traditional societies around the world, actors were seen as the guardians of intuitive wisdom, and the way of the actor was a path to knowledge and power. Brian Bates believes that this is still the case today--that actors and actresses fulfill an important function in our culture as modern-day seers and shamans. He portrays the actor as a creator of visions who transports spectators out of their habitual ways of being and leads them on a journey of self-discovery. Personal magnetism and charisma, intense body awareness, and psychic sensitivity are among the special powers that contribute to the actor's mystique.

* Individual, partner, and group exercises to make any actor more expressive * Crucial acting tips based on the work of distinguished theorist Rudolf Laban * 65 original illustrations of anatomy and warm-up exercises This in-depth, fully illustrated guide offers a groundbreaking approach to understanding physical and vocal movement that will enable readers to discover how to maximize their potential. Packed with practical exercises for individuals, partners, and group work, this book integrates voice, speech, and movement. Exercises for breath support, tone, range, articulation, dynamic alignment, balance, flexibility, strength, and stamina, as well as building relationships, Actor Training the Laban Way is essential reading for all serious actors, acting teachers, and students.

In The Power of the Actor, a Los Angeles Times bestseller, premier acting teacher and coach Ivana Chubbuck reveals her cutting-edge technique, which has launched some of the most successful acting careers in Hollywood. The first book from the instructor who has taught Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt, Elisabeth Shue, Djimon Hounsou, and Halle Berry, The Power of the Actor guides you to dynamic and effective results. For many of today’s major talents, the Chubbuck Technique is the leading edge of acting for the twenty-first century. Ivana Chubbuck has developed a curriculum that takes the theories of the acting masters, such as Stanislavski, Meisner, and Hagen, to the next step by utilizing inner pain and emotions, not as an end in itself, but rather as a way to drive and win a goal. In addition to the powerful twelve-step process, the book takes well-known scripts, both classic and contemporary, and demonstrates how to precisely apply Chubbuck’s script-analysis process. The Power of the Actor is filled with fascinating and inspiring behind-the-scenes accounts of how noted actors have mastered their craft and have accomplished success in such a difficult and competitive field.

There are many methods an actor may choose to study. There is Stanislavski, Meisner, Adler, Alexander, Hagen, that random British director you met in college who changed your life, that Spanish actor you watched in that play who has been your entire inspiration, etc. What do all of these methods really do for the actor's instrument? Is there a method that works best for you? Which one speaks to you? Where should you look for instructors who teach these methods? This short and practical guidebook gives you the nuts and bolts of four pinnacle training methods, sample exercises for each method, examples of actors who have used these methods, the places where you can find these methods being taught, and further in-depth literature on each method. Let this be an opening to these fundamental methodologies. The next steps are up to you.