An Acrobat of the Heart: A Physical Approach to Acting Inspired by the Work of Jerzy Grotowski

(Paperback)

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Description

Courageous and compelling, an invaluable resource for actors, directors, and teachers that can open a pathway to inner creativity. "The actor will do, in public, what is considered impossible." When the renowned Polish director Jerzy Grotowski began his 1967 American workshop with these words, his students were stunned. But within four weeks they themselves had experienced the "impossible." In An Acrobat of the Heart, teacher-director-playwright Stephen Wangh draws on Grotowski's insights and on the work of Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, and others to bridge the gap between rigorous physical training and practical scene and character technique. Wangh's students give candid descriptions of their struggles and breakthroughs, demonstrating how to transform these remarkable lessons into a personal journey of artistic growth.

Reviews

"Stephen Wangh is a wonderful acting teacher. He has distilled his life's study of the actor's body in the creative act into a practical journey for the reader. Best of all, the book is a useful guide for an actor's daily work in the studio."Anne Bogart, director

"An indispensable book for anyone studying modern theater. Stephen Wangh is a master teacher."Moiss Kaufman, playwright

Author Bio

STEPHEN WANGH has been a playwright, director, and teacher of acting. He is the author of An Acrobat of the Heart, a physical approach to acting inspired by the work of Jerzy Grotowski and The Heart of Teaching- Empowering Students in the Performing Arts, as well as fifteen plays. Stephen now teaches the Acrobatics of the Heart immersive summer training for performers, and he leads seminars and workshops on the Inner Dynamics of Teaching for teachers of the performing arts.