The Viewpoints Book: A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition

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The Viewpoints is a technique of improvisation that grew out of the post-modern dance world. It was first articulated by choreographer Mary Overlie, who broke down the notions of space and time into practical segments. Since that time, directors Anne Bogart and Tina Landau have expanded her ideas and adapted them for actors, so that they can learn to function spontaneously and intuitively. The Viewpoints, then, constitute a language for talking about what happens on stage. When coupled with Composition, which involves selecting and arranging the separate components of theatrical language, Viewpoints can offer performers an important new tool for creating and under-standing their art form. Like the Method before it, Viewpoints is the new gospel amongst American actors - and like the Method - it is already spreading to Britain. This book offers actors a primer in a revitalising new technique.

Author Bio

Anne Bogart is Artistic Director of the SITI Company, which she founded with Japanese director, Tadashi Suzuki in 1992. Her shows have twice won OBIES (Off-Broadway Tonies). She is an Associate Professor at Columbia University, New York. Tina Landau is a noted director and playwright. Her most successful original work, Floyd Collins (with composer Adam Guettel), won an OBIE and the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical She has been a member of Steppenwolf in Chicago since 1997.