Playing the Audience: The Practical Actor's Guide to Live Performance

by James B. Nicola

Book Overview

In this book divided into eight chapters, author James Nicola reveals how the technique of live acting springs directly from the unique relationship between the performer and the spectator. Playing the Audience includes advice on: creating a character from the stage - from external gestures to inner dialogue; scoring the text; subtext; emotional memory; substitution; conflict; objectives; through-line of action; improvisation; blocking a scene; language and speech; connecting to the world of the play; and much more.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 155783492X
• ISBN13: 9781557834928
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: Applause Books
• Length: 258 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Read this book -- it will challenge your concept of acting!

This book has become a "bible" for me! I have marked & highlighted so much of it that I will probably have to purchase another copy to be able to actually read it again. It is a definite departure from much of today's thinking that tries to "pretend" that the audience doesn't exist. For those of us who enjoy working in smaller theaters, close to the audience, Mr. Nicola gives some realistic and workable ideas for making an actor's "love-hate" relationship with the audience a very enjoyable and successful experience. His discussion of how and why the member of the ensemble or chorus can actually make or break a show is a fascinating look at whay every member of a cast is so important, regardless of how "small" a role seems to be. His analysis of how an audience relates to the play is amazing! Mr. Nicola's discussion of how to make each show in a long run a new opening night will be incredibly helpful to any beginning (and many an advanced) actor. Although the book reads like a textbook it is full of short catchy sentences that help to bring the concept to mind later. Very useable!!

A terrific resource for actors, directors, and playwrights!

Unlike so many acting books and methods that insist that the actor expend energy trying to erect an imaginary sheet of drywall between herself and the audience, Mr. Nicola acknowledges the presence of the audience, its role in shaping a live production, and explores many ways than an actor can consciously interact with and engage an audience while maintaining emotional truth. The book contains numerous exercises for actors to do alone and in ensemble - some are more useful than others, but not one of them is harebrained (which for an acting book, is saying something). This book is also extremely useful for directors and playwrights, as it goes into useful detail about play structure, textual purpose, and direction. It is helpful for these three to "read off the same page" for a change, and this is a book ideally suited to that purpose. This book is the real deal. No nonsense, no smoke, no mirrors. Destined to become required reading in theater departments everywhere.