The Acting Bible - by Michael Powell (Hardcover)

About the Book

(back cover)
For drama students and aspiring actors, The Acting Bible is the essential brush-up guide to acting technique. Covering a range of skills, from physical expressiveness to voice projection, and demonstrating how to analyze and understand scripts, this comprehensive reference is designed for actors in all media--theater, television, and film.

Above all, this book is a practical guide to the art of acting. From finding your mark to dialect coaching, and from emotional awareness to rehearsal procedures, the author provides step-by-step advice accompanied by detailed illustrations, which combine to make this book informative and accessible. The roles of actor, director, and stage manager are clearly explained, so that even novice actors can understand their responsibilities and enjoy being on set.

The author discusses both classic and contemporary productions, including experimental theater pieces, and inspires novice actors to try a variety of approaches and techniques as they learn their craft.

Book Synopsis

The complete resource for aspiring actors! Includes tips, tricks, and 300+ instructive illustrations

Do you love acting and want to pursue it as a career? Professional acting is both an art and a business, and this book advises beginning actors on how to succeed on both fronts. In this comprehensive and accessible guide, you will learn about:

• Exploring basic acting techniques, including memory exercises and methods for developing stage presence
• Reading scripts effectively and learning to build the character that you will be portraying
• Developing your voice as an actor, imitating regional accents, and more
• Expressing the character's thoughts and ideas through body posture and movement
• Adapting acting techniques to different media: stage, film, TV, and radio
• Learning the business side of acting by marketing and selling your talents effectively

Author Michael Powell strips away the preconceptions and clichés often associated with acting, and pinpoints common mistakes that inexperienced actors can avoid and overcome. Whether you're interested in pursuing a career on the Broadway stage, Hollywood screen, as a voice actor, or a combination of them all, The Acting Bible is your first step toward a creative, fulfilling career as an actor.

Review Quotes

". . . the truths espoused about the profession are universal. . . . an attractive volume that. . . works well as both inspiration and caution."
--Library Journal