An Actor Performs

Your best performance is still to come! In the latest edition of his book An Actor Performs, Shapiro breaks down the techniques that enable actors to connect with script and character on a new level:

• In part I, “The Tools,” explore the basics through storytelling and improvisation, and learn to analyze language in a way that will allow you to own the role.
• In part II, “The Process,” delve into exercises that will help you tap into your imagination and connect with your personal experiences to enhance the portrayal of the challenges faced by your character.
• In part III, “The Characterization,” flesh out your character’s personal experiences, and learn more about yourself and your character via various methods of performance art.
• In part IV, “Extending Your Range,” partake in advanced exercises to dig deeper and expand the connection with character and audience.
• In part V, “Performing,” hear from some of the best in interviews with actors Ron Leibman, Olympia Dukakis, Laura San Giacomo, Allison Janney, and Mel Shapiro himself as they discuss the nature of acting on the stage and for the screen.

Forget the jargon-laden textbooks of the past, and instead learn through firsthand experiences with Mel Shapiro and An Actor Performs.

Mel Shapiro is head of acting at UCLA and has taught acting from coast to coast. Shapiro was a founding member of what is now the Tisch School for the Arts at New York University and headed the drama department at Carnegie Mellon University. During his long career, Shapiro has directed on Broadway, off Broadway, and everywhere in between and has earned many awards for his efforts. In addition to An Actor Performs, Shapiro is also author of The Director's Companion.