The Anatomy of a Choice: An Actor's Guide to Text Analysis

by Maura Vaughn

Overview

How does an actor bring a script to life? The actor must know how to read a script, break it down, and mine all of its clues in order to make the most effective choices. The Anatomy of a Choice: An Actor's Guide to Text Analysis offers the actor a concrete method for approaching a script. This guide details a simple process to discover and define a character's scene and super-objective, obstacle, beats, and tactics. It includes practical information on how to build a character, how best to use rehearsal time, and what to do when nothing is working.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761851103
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	04/27/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	114
File size:	304 KB

About the Author

Maura Vaughn has been a professional actor and teacher of acting for over twenty-five years. A graduate of New York University's Tisch School for the Arts, she trained at Circle in the Square. As a performer, she has graced stages in New York, across the United States, and in Europe.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Foreword
Chapter 2 Introduction
Chapter 3 The First Word
Chapter 4 Reading the Play
Part 5 Reading the Play
Part 6 First Reading - Defining the Story
Part 7 Second Reading - Defining the Event
Part 8 Third Reading - Defining Character
Part 9 Character Interview Worksheet
Chapter 10 What Do I Want?
Part 11 The Super-Objective
Part 12 The Scene Objective
Chapter 13 What is in My Way?
Chapter 14 What Do I Do to Get What I Want?
Part 15 Beats
Part 16 Tactics
Part 17 Pivotal Point
Chapter 18 Creating the World of the Play
Part 19 The Magic If
Part 20 The Moment Before and the Moment After
Part 21 The Inner Monologue and Subtext
Part 22 Endowment
Part 23 Stage Business and Secondary Activity
Part 24 Secret
Chapter 25 Into the Rehearsal
Part 26 Bringing Choices to Life
Part 27 Tools for Rehearsal
Part 28 Rehearsal Journal
Part 29 Troubleshooting - When Nothing is Working
Part 30 The Final Word
Chapter 31 Appendix: The Anatomy of a Scene
Chapter 32 Acknowledgements
Chapter 33 Notes
Chapter 34 Bibliography
Chapter 35 Index

Editorial Reviews

There are many approaches to the study of acting. Vaughn's approach strikes me as incisive, thorough, thoughtful and eminently useful-especially for the younger actor. Vaughn puts to rest the notion that all the beginning student needs is desire and a bit of talent. Her anatomical chart is full of detail.

Ted Walch

I've had the pleasure of working with Maura as an actor, teacher and director and suffice it to say, she is a consummate theater artist. Her new book is an excellent guide to acting for all levels that offer a comprehensive vocabulary along with the necessary tools in order to mine the most out of one's craft. In it, she offers an organic approach to acting that is thorough, humble, and most of all, accessible. She inspires, elates, and educates, all from her first-hand professional experience both as an actor and a dedicated theater educator.

Ken Sonkin

A concise and engaging approach to the art of acting. Specific, entertaining and accessible to the young artist.

Kay Kostopoulos

Maura Vaughn's The Anatomy of a Choice: An Actor's Guide to Text Analysis is an indispensable handbook for any young actor starting out on their long journey to become a theatre artist. Come to that, it's a most useful tool for any actor already on that journey who should, when lost in rehearsal or performance, quickly refer to her concise, well-written advice.

Jeremy Geidt

A concise and engaging approach to the art of acting. Specific, entertaining and accessible to the young artist.--Kay Kostopoulos, lecturer, Stanford University

I've had the pleasure of working with Maura as an actor, teacher and director and suffice it to say, she is a consummate theater artist. Her new book is an excellent guide to acting for all levels that offer a comprehensive vocabulary along with the necessary tools in order to mine the most out of one's craft. In it, she offers an organic approach to acting that is thorough, humble, and most of all, accessible. She inspires, elates, and educates, all from her first-hand professional experience both as an actor and a dedicated theater educator.--Ken Sonkin, adjunct professor, University of San Francisco

There are many approaches to the study of acting. Vaughn's approach strikes me as incisive, thorough, thoughtful and eminently useful-especially for the younger actor. Vaughn puts to rest the notion that all the beginning student needs is desire and a bit of talent. Her anatomical chart is full of detail.--Ted Walch, director of theater, Harvard-Westlake School

From the Publisher