The Young Actor's Handbook

The Young Actor's Handbook
Author(s)
Age Range
10+
Release Date
April 01, 2017
ISBN
9781495075421
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The way some introductory acting books are written, it seems that a literal leg break is your best option. In The Young Actor's Handbook, Jeremy Kruse, an actor, writer, producer, and director who teaches method acting, acting for camera, improvisation, and sketch comedy at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, mends this mangled genre, distilling invaluable lessons and years of experience down to a lean, mean, intuitive hundred page primer. Rather than bludgeoning the uninitiated with dense paragraphs, vague concepts, and opaque examples, The Young Actor's Handbook ignites the beginning actor's creative soul with inspirational acting exercises, acting theory, writing exercises, and insight into what it means to be an actor. This concise and pragmatic manual will guide and inform the young actor, beginning actor, novice acting teacher, or anyone who wants to understand acting through a broad and diverse survey of essential knowledge. The teachings of Richard Boleslavsky, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Uta Hagen, Michael Shurtleff, Lee Strasberg, and Constantin Stanislavsky are eloquently and accessible rendered, as are basics of script analysis, camera technique, the audition mindset, agent acquisition, and the actor's life. Whether you're a curious novice, veteran acting teacher, or even an interested observer, The Young Actor's Handbook will enhance your understanding of this vast and rewarding craft.

The way some introductory acting books are written, it seems that a literal leg break is your best option. In The Young Actor's Handbook, Jeremy Kruse, an actor, writer, producer, and director who teaches method acting, acting for camera, improvisation, and sketch comedy at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, mends this mangled genre, distilling invaluable lessons and years of experience down to a lean, mean, intuitive hundred page primer. Rather than bludgeoning the uninitiated with dense paragraphs, vague concepts, and opaque examples, The Young Actor's Handbook ignites the beginning actor's creative soul with inspirational acting exercises, acting theory, writing exercises, and insight into what it means to be an actor. This concise and pragmatic manual will guide and inform the young actor, beginning actor, novice acting teacher, or anyone who wants to understand acting through a broad and diverse survey of essential knowledge. The teachings of Richard Boleslavsky, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Uta Hagen, Michael Shurtleff, Lee Strasberg, and Constantin Stanislavsky are eloquently and accessible rendered, as are basics of script analysis, camera technique, the audition mindset, agent acquisition, and the actor's life. Whether you're a curious novice, veteran acting teacher, or even an interested observer, The Young Actor's Handbook will enhance your understanding of this vast and rewarding craft.

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The Young Actor's Handbook
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THE YOUNG ACTOR’S HANDBOOK by Jeremy Kruse is essentially a 101 course on acting. With a bare bones approach, Kruse addresses the most important skills performers must learn, such as how to break down a scene, how to build the inner life of a character, and how to balance the technical components of acting. He explains the creative differences between acting for stage and acting for theater, and goes even further by delving into the acting business, which includes auditioning, working with an agent or manager, and joining the union. He wraps the book up with prompts and encouragement to write your own material or produce it.

What I genuinely love about this book is that Kruse gives legitimate acting exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home. From the Open-Ended Scene Exercise to the Short Monologues Chapter, Kruse provides a real opportunity for actors to practice. While nothing beats an in-person workshop or on-the-job experience, it’s imperative to have ways to hone the craft in-between these events. You can’t sit down with acting like you can a piano, which can make it difficult to progress. Even worse, most books on acting focus solely on theory, which doesn’t always translate into practice. The fact that Kruse’s first chapter is designed to get people on their feet and doing the work, instead of just reading it, speaks volumes to his understanding of this art form.

As an actor myself, I can testify that this book is not only for beginners. While it is catered towards a younger audience who may just be starting out, there are many great pearls of wisdom in there. Moreover, I’ve learned throughout the years that while I may have been told the same information before, sometimes it’s how the teacher says it that makes it finally resonate. Kruse has a wonderful way of getting straight to the point and explaining his methods in a logical way.

In just under one hundred pages, Kruse offers a comprehensive look at what it means and takes to be a working actor. Overall, THE YOUNG ACTOR’S HANDBOOK is great for anyone who is curious about making acting a profession, as well as those who may need a refresher course.
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