Born
Konstantin Sergeyevich Alekseyev in Moscow, actor, director, and producer
Konstantin Stanislavski was nothing less than the father of modern acting
theory.
His theories facilitated the evolution of theatrical performance from
hyperventilating melodrama to realistic depictions of human behavior.
According to Stanislavski, actors should draw from personal experiences
in order to create convincing emotions onstage.
Today, Stanislavski’s adherents are separated into two camps. The larger
camp is comprised of the method actors. The method technique is based
upon Lee Strasberg’s interpretation -- or misinterpretation -- of Stanislavski’s
original theories pertaining to sense-memory recall.
Ironically, Stanislavski came to believe that these emotional memory techniques
could be psychologically damaging. He abandoned this early work and created
a new theory: the "Method of Physical Actions." Although lesser known,
this theory is not just a total reversal of his previous work, but a more
integrated psychophysical approach.
Books by or about Stanislavski
The
Stanislavski System
My
Life in Art
Stanislavski
for Beginners
Stanislavski
in Rehearsal : The Final Years
Stanislavski
and the Actor
