An Acrobat of the Heart: A Physical Approach to Acting Inspired by the Work of Jerzy Grotowski

Courageous and compelling, an invaluable resource for actors, directors, and teachers that can open a pathway to inner creativity.

"The actor will do, in public, what is considered impossible." When the renowned Polish director Jerzy Grotowski began his 1967 American workshop with these words, his students were stunned. But within four weeks they themselves had experienced the "impossible."

In An Acrobat of the Heart, teacher-director-playwright Stephen Wangh draws on Grotowski's insights and on the work of Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, and others to bridge the gap between rigorous physical training and practical scene and character technique. Wangh's students give candid descriptions of their struggles and breakthroughs, demonstrating how to transform these remarkable lessons into a personal journey of artistic growth.

STEPHEN WANGH, is a director, acting teacher and the author of fifteen plays. He was Associate Writer for The Laramie Project (Emmy nomination 2002), a co-writer of The People’s Temple (Glickman Award: Best Play in the Bay Area 2005), and dramaturg of Moisés Kaufman’s Gross Indecency. His latest play, Misconceptions, premiered in New York in May, 2023.

Steve is the author of two books about teaching acting: An Acrobat of the Heart, a Physical Approach to Acting Inspired by the Work of Jerzy Grotowski and The Heart of Teaching: Empowering Students in the Performing Arts. He has taught acting at Emerson College, at Naropa University, and at NYU, where he is now Arts Professor Emeritus. During the past few years, Steve has also been training actors in Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok and at the Freedom Theatre in Jenin, Palestine. He lives in Brattleboro, VT. www.stephenwangh.com