At the age of ten, Charley Chase was singing and dancing on the street corners of Baltimore. Charley eventually became a local vaudeville attraction, but Baltimore could not contain the ambitious young man. After a brief, but memorable, stint in New York, Chase finally landed in Los Angeles in 1912. His timely arrival coincided with the birth of the film industry, and Charley Chase became a major force in the shaping of motion picture comedy.A human dynamo, Charley's talent and cre...

“[Not] the typical celebrity memoir . . . as much an account of her decades-long spiritual journey as it is a look back at her TV and movie career.” —Spiritual Pop Culture“Mary is a whole lot more than Erin on The Waltons. This book shows how she’s handled all the highs and lows with grace.” —George ClooneyFor nine seasons, Mary McDonough was part of one of the most beloved families in television history. Just ten years ol...

In his decades as a psychotherapist and creativity coach, Eric Maisel has found a common thread behind what often gets labeled “writer’s block,” “procrastination,” or “stage fright.” It’s the particular anxiety that, paradoxically, keeps creators from doing, completing, or sharing the work they are driven toward. This “creative anxiety” can take the form of avoiding the work, declaring it not good enough, or failing to market it — and it can cripple creators for decades, even lifetimes. Bu...

6-time Academy Award nominee Jeff Bridges is indeed a legend in Hollywood. Coming from a bloodline of actors, Jeff got exposed into the world of acting at an early age, and by 22, he earned his 1st Oscar nomination for the film The Last Picture Show. Over his 4 decades in the industry, he was hailed for his performances in flicks including Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Fisher King, The Big Lebowski, The Contender, Iron Man, Tron: Legacy, Crazy Heart and True Grit. A...

Stanislavski’s ‘system’ has dominated actor-training in the West since his writings were first translated into English in the 1920s and 30s. His systematic attempt to outline a psycho-physical technique for acting single-handedly revolutionized standards of acting in the theatre.Until now, readers and students have had to contend with inaccurate, misleading and difficult-to-read English-language versions. Some of the mistranslations have resulted in profound distortions in the way ...

As part of the ever-growing, increasingly popular Drama Games series, Jessica Swale returns with another dip-in, flick-through, quick-fire resource book, packed with dozens of drama games that can be used in the process of devising theatre.The games will be invaluable to directors and theatre companies at all levels who are creating new pieces of theatre from scratch and need lively, dynamic games to fire the imagination. They will particularly appeal to school, youth thea...

Ian McKellen discusses playing Macbeth, in this ebook taken from Shakespeare On Stage: Thirteen Leading Actors on Thirteen Key Roles.In each volume of the Shakespeare On Stage series, a leading actor takes us behind the scenes, recreating in detail a memorable performance in one of Shakespeare's major roles. They discuss their character, working through the play scene by scene, with refreshing candour and in forensic detail. The result is a masterclass on playing ...

The Potentials of Spaces interrogates the relationship between scenography and performance in contemporary dramatic activities. The book provides an illuminating platform for discussion concerning the interrelations between theatrical movement and gesture in physical space. In exploring territories of performance, the author equally combines theoretical research with details of dramatic methods and performances, thus providing a valuable insight into working practices. Avant-garde...

Based on the latest research from the fields of neuroscience and mind-body psychology, Acting With Passion offers a revolutionary new approach to the age-old problems of the actor: dealing with nerves, engaging the body, quieting the inner critic, auditioning, creating a character, and even playing comedy.With this step-by-step guide, actors who have struggled with 'visualization' and 'emotional recall' can learn an alternative method of accessing feelings through the relea...

Essential tips and advice from stars of stage and screen.Actors know the best source of advice on the profession is other actors. Nothing compares with the wisdom and practical know-how acquired through years of working in the business.Advice from the Players features a host of tips and guidance on every aspect of the actor's craft, direct from some of the best-known stars of stage and screen, including Julie Walters, Lenny Henry, Harriet Walter, Simon Callow, Mark...

The Actor's Business Plan is a self-directed practical guide for actors graduating from formal training programs, as well as for those already in the business whose careers need to move ahead more successfully. Using the familiar language of acting training, the book offers a method for the achievement of dreams through a five-year life and career plan giving positive steps to develop a happy life as an actor and as a person. It assists performers to flourish using the same kind o...

The Audie Award-winning team of Renea Mason, Noah Michael Levine, and Erin deWard share their experiences and ideas on indie audiobook narration, publication, production, and marketing.This self-help and reference guide for authors and narrators promotes collaboration, communication, understanding, and encouragement as foundations for approaching or refining a career in the fastest growing sector of the publishing industry—audiobooks.