Respect for Acting
At the invitation of Herbert Berghof, Uta Hagen joined the faculty of the HB Studio in 1947. Since then, teaching has always been a challenge for her, as well as for the many prominent actors whom she has helped to develop. For many years, she has been asked to write a book. Now, here it is: an account of her own struggle with the techniques of acting and based on her teachings. The first part, "The Actor," deals with techniques that set an actor in motion physically, verbally, and...
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"Uta Hagen wanted us never to settle, period, to keep on endlessly exploring, digging deeper, and aiming higher in our scenes, in our plays, in our careers. Respect for Acting is not a long book, and with any luck, it will take you the rest of your life to read it."—David Hyde Pierce (from the Foreword) Legendary actress and teacher Uta Hagen knew that an actor's finest work was often achieved for love rather than for money. She lived this philosophy alongside her husband, Herbert Berghof, at HB Studio, their acting school in New York. It was there that they created a workplace and spiritual home for actors such as Robert DeNiro, Jack Lemmon, Anne Bancroft, and Bette Midler. Respect for Acting is Hagen's blueprint for the actor, her design for "enlightened stage acting." This classic book has helped generations of actors hone their craft, and its advice is as useful now as it was when it was first published. Hagen draws on her own struggle with the techniques of acting as well as her decades of teaching experience to break down the areas in which actors can work and search for realities in themselves that serve the character and the play. This approach helps actors to be specific in their actions in order to communicate an artistic statement. Hagen's instructions and examples also guide the aspiring actor through practical problems such as "How do I talk to the audience?" and "How do I stay fresh in a long run?" Part One, "The Actor," deals with the actor's concept of him or herself, as well as techniques that set an actor in motion physically, verbally, and emotionally. Part Two, "The Object Exercises," offers specific and detailed work for the actor, covering a broad range of problems and circumstances, from making an entrance to using the Fourth Wall. Part Three, "The Play and the Role," covers how to approach the play and identify with the character the actor will undertake. It also shares practical thoughts and answers the questions young actors ask most. Uta Hagen's influence endures in many of today's most compelling stage and screen performances. Informative and inspiring, Respect for Acting will bring her timeless techniques to actors and audiences for years to come.
Foreword David Hyde Pierce Pierce, David HydePt. 1 The ActorIntroduction 31 Concept 112 Identity 223 Substitution 344 Emotional Memory 465 Sense Memory 526 The Five Senses 607 Thinking 658 Walking and Talking 699 Improvisation 7310 Reality 75Pt. 2 The Object ExercisesIntroduction 8111 The Basic Object Exercise 9112 Three Entrances 9513 Immediacy 10214 The Fourth Wall 10615 Endowment 11216 Talking to Yourself 11917 Outdoors 12418 Conditioning Forces 12919 History 13420 Character Action 139Pt. 3 The Play and the RoleIntroduction 14521 First Contact with the Play 14722 The Character 15223 Circumstances 15824 Relationship 16525 The Objective 17426 The Obstacle 18027 The Action 18428 The Rehearsal 19229 Practical Problems 20130 Communication 21331 Style 217Epilogue 222Index 224
