Introduction
1. ‘Why act?’: Some socio-cultural perspectives
2. ‘The Player and the Instrument’: Actor training
3. ‘Systems and Methods’: 20th-century innovators
4. ‘Building a Character’: Rehearsal processes
5. ‘Expressing Your Creative Individuality’: 21st-century practitioners
6. ‘And ... Action!’: Performance practices
Epilogue
Biography
Bella Merlin is an actor, writer and Professor of Acting and Directing at the University of California, Riverside.
“After searching for an inclusive text for my undergraduate acting students that incorporates consent with anticolonial and anti-racist lenses and practices, I had given up and gone without. I was starting to consider writing one myself, when I read Bella Merlin’s new edition of Acting: The Basics. It outlines a clear and concise Stanislavsky-based methodology to explore (without dogmatizing it!) and a situated, relevant history of the field. Importantly, it also expands to other theatrical traditions both in training and as examples throughout. I immediately revamped my Intermediate Acting syllabus to incorporate the text and am thrilled with the deep class discussions it has already sparked. Merlin’s conversational tone and logical framing also make it a hit with my students - a win all the way around!”
Joelle Ré Arp-Dunham, Teaching Assistant Professor, School of Music, Theatre and Dance, Kansas State University
