nislavskis System will be examined, along with the techniques of his protegees. Finally, the techniques of teachers who rejected the Stanislavski-based system will be examined.Chapter three contains a summary of the study, a listing of conclusions, and a discussion of their implications.The appendices consist of, but are not limited to, exercises for improving concentration and imagination, and some teachers opinions of the work of their colleagues. CHAPTER IIThe review of the related literature having relevance for this study is divided into three parts: the need for an acting technique; the Stanislavski method and its branches of thought; and the teachers of anti-Method.I. THE NEED FOR TECHNIQUE"Let the artist live, let him be enchanted,disappointed, happy; let him suffer, love,and live through the entire gamut of human emotions,but let him at the same time learn to recreate his life and his emotions into art!" -Stanislavski All humans begin as actors. When at play, children immerse themselves in fantasy, in the powers of their imaginations. They are not self-conscious and readily bring others into the sphere of their created world. But as adulthood grows closer, they begin to lose this nave quality of belief that is so essential for good acting. "The nave faith of going with the imagination which is so wonderful in the child has been knocked out of him. The relation between what I think and what I say has been inhibited." (Strasberg, 79) The traits of a full-fleshed human being take over the most innocent quality of an actor.Of course, acting is not so simple as a childs playtime, but the ability to believe in a made-up reality is fundamental to the art of acting. Thus, when actors begin their training they must undo many a bad habit, and technique is a way of breaking down these walls of human defense.There is no question that the another important element in good acting is the talent of the actor. Without a creative p...
