Will Power: How to Act Shakespeare in 21 Days »

Thousands of young people set their sights on becoming professional actors each year, hoping to get a foot in the door with a solid resume built in high school, college, and local theatre company productions. But competition for parts is fierce, and no list of credits is complete without competency in the classical works of Shakespeare. Will Power guides both professional actors and aspirants through a lively 21-day rehearsal process leading up to the day of an actual audition or performance. Actors need never again be confused about where to begin or how to follow through when developing a Shakespearean role. Clear stepping stones have been laid out before them-by Shakespeare himself. Even seasoned actors, familiar with verse, are fascinated when they learn about the acting clues and stage directions embedded in the original First Folio text of Shakespeare's work, in the form of particular punctuation, capitalized letters, and spelling. Putting actors on their feet in dynamic and fun rehearsals, this practical guide helps them develop the 7 Cs of acting: commitment, concentration, conditioning, control, confidence, courage, and clarity while also demystifying how to perform these these magnificently crafted plays.

Library Journal

Little is stranger to many actors than William Shakespeare. In his first book, actor, director, producer, and teacher Basil (cofounder, American Globe Theatre) offers a three-week course that demystifies the English playwright and prepares actors to play Shakespearean roles with confidence. Dividing his course into four phases, Basil uses Phase 1 (days one-eight) to teach the discovery and exploitation of such Shakespearean acting clues as capitalization, punctuation, parts of speech, and repetition. Phase 2 (days nine-12) advises actors to put aside scripts and investigate a text's emotional depths by physicalizing lines, defining unfamiliar words, and more. In Phase 3 (days 13-17), actors learn to add subtlety by varying pace, focus, and delivery; identify a character's psychological roles; and use humor. Phase 4 (days 18-21) applies Stanislavskian, or "method," techniques by teaching actors how to establish a character's circumstances and motivations. Day 22 sums up and reinforces. While assuming knowledge of basic acting techniques, Basil is reassuring and enthusiastic, and his practical instructions should benefit both students and working actors. An outstanding addition to a crowded field and an essential purchase for both academic and public theater collections. M.C. Duhig, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.