The Existential Actor cover art

The Existential Actor

Life and Death Onstage and Off

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The Existential Actor

By: Jeff Zinn
Narrated by: Jeff Zinn
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About this listen

This is a book for the thinking actor, and the finest actors I've known are just that. The best actors bring it all together: body, heart, spirit, and mind. This book is for the actor who thinks about craft and influence, who thinks about the relationship of performance to living, who thinks about doing and what that doing means. Acting is a metaphor, and it's a mirror. A theory of acting, if true, shows us to ourselves. Jeff Zinn knows this. He knows it as an actor, director, teacher, and thinker. His theory of everything is simple and revelatory.

(From the foreword by Todd London)

©2015 Jeff Zinn (P)2015 Jeff Zinn Acting & Auditioning Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV Celebrity Entertainment Theatre Heartfelt

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All stars
Most relevant
Intelligent amalgamation of all valuable acting techniques into one guide. Links all human psychology to truthful acting seemlessly. Aligns well with finding the size and beauty of characters (Adler springs to mind) as well as the fundamental tools of performance such as actioning and listening (transaction). Particularly interesting idea of surrender and heroic narrative, illustrating the life and death needs, desires and dreams of all humans and the honest naked self which is revealed when our lives fall apart. Zinn then goes on to give examples of his theories within plays and characters that we know so well- from Hamlet to Uncle Vanya and suggests why these roles are so loved by audiences and how we too, can apply the philosophy as actors. A thought provoking and extremely useful toolkit.

A must read for all serious actors.

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