The Actor in You: Sixteen Simple Steps to Understanding the Art of Acting

The Actor in You enhances the reader’s appreciation of the art of acting by helping them realize that they already possess, in principle, the ability to play a role, to fulfill the sense of drama and to structure dramatic scenes, and the capacity to express emotion. Without losing its simplicity, directness, and enjoyable writing style, this revised and enlarged edition contains more material on the history of the modern actor, greater emphasis on script analysis, and revisions suggested by teachers who have used it successfully in the classroom. Drawing exercises and examples from readers’ everyday lives and from well-known films and television programs, Benedetti succeeds in deducing dramatic principles from those experiences and then applying them to the creation of stage role.

The Actor in You: Sixteen Simple Steps to Understanding the Art of Acting, 4/e

Robert Benedetti, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

 

 

The Actor in You serves as an introduction to beginning acting by helping students realize that they already possess the basic skills of an actor.

 

By drawing the principles of acting from observations about everyday behavior, this text shows students how they already possess many acting skills. Acclaimed for its direct and enjoyable writing style, The Actor in You draws on exercises and examples from students’ everyday lives, well-known plays, and popular television programs to lead the beginning student through the process of creating a role. Organized in sixteen steps that can correspond to the weeks of a typical semester, the fourth edition of The Actor in You continues to provide a direct, concise presentation of acting fundamentals for beginning students.

 

Features:

• Includes both individual and group exercises to help students explore and experience the basic skills and processes of acting.
• Provides balanced coverage of acting for both stage and camera by drawing on principles and examples from film and television.
• Advocates an appreciation of a variety of styles, techniques, and approaches.

New to the Fourth Edition:

• Reorganized into four parts: Understanding Acting, Preparing Yourself to Act, Analyzing the Script, and Rehearsal, making it easier for teachers to design their own sequencing of the material.
• Incorporates new material on text analysis, guiding students to a deeper understanding of the psychophysical aspects of dramatic language, with special attention to rhythm and melody.
• Presents new material on the history of the modern actor.
• Includes more performance exercises, from improvisations to the preparation of a scene. 

What reviewers are saying:

“The four part structure . . . makes sense and helps students to see the connection between their real-life experiences and those of the stage.”

— Ray Miller, Appalachian State University

 

“Finally, an acting text that places the process of acting in an easy step-by-step order from making the choice to act, acting exercises, text analysis, and final scene choices.”

—Johnna Maiorella, Adirondack Community College

 

“Mr. Benedetti is a master at speaking to the actor in clear and simple terms without sacrificing the integrity of the process. He shows obvious respect for the actor, and his principles and process described in The Actor in You are a valuable addition to any actor’s library.”

 — Matthew Andrews, Marist College