Welcome to the column of the summer's most original questions, which adresses the use of acting books, the myth of the "starving artist," moving to NYC, tips on memorizing lines, and a few other Q's and issues.

Question
Hi Blair,

An acting instructor mentioned to me that Uta Hagen's book, "Respect for Acting" is the book that she refers to in her classes and the book that she bases her instructions on. What do you think of this book and why? If you would not recommend this particular book, which one would you recommend on the techniques of acting and why?

Jeanne

Dear Jeanne,

Nice to hear from you!

While I think that there are a lot of good books and techniques out there, ultimately, I don't think you can learn acting from a book. You learn by being in a class or a play (which you are doing). You need an audience, and a teacher's (a good teacher or a good director's) eyes to point out to you your "blind spots": the places where you force, hide, or act from your ideas instead of your spontaneity. Some people get hooked on one technique that really works for them. Others take bits and pieces from different styles and teachers. If you like the teacher and can feel that you are learning from him or her, it doesn't really matter what method or whose technique it is.

I like Uta Hagen's book quite a bit. Hagen's personal view of the method is well written, concise, easy to follow. The concepts of the "magic if" and her in-depth outline of circumstances and objectives should be useful to feed your thinking about scenes and technique. However, I do feel "Respect for Acting" is a bit dated in that Hagen doesn't incorporate a broad number of techniques or perspectives on working with or off another actor.

I also love Meisner's "On Acting" and a nifty little book "A Practical Handbook for the Actor" by Bruder et al. David Mamet's "True and False" is a good read for a contrast to some of Hagen's ideas. Enjoy the class!

Question
Dear Blair,

I'll be starting my junior year of college in the fall. I am already starting to look at Graduate Programs in Musical Theatre but am having a hard time finding any. I was wondering what resources I should find, what schools have programs, and if I should even get an MFA in musical theatre or get one in Acting and take separate lessons? What did most actors in Broadway and off Broadway musicals do? Thank you.

Megan Lujan

Dear Megan,

As far as I know, most people do it differently. I believe that the Broadway chorus/dancers who actually have degrees, are more likely to have only BFA's in musical theatre.

If you want to get an MFA, I think it's fine to get one in Acting and take other classes on the side. There are few MFA programs in musical theatre, but they do exist. U Navada at Las Vegas has one--I don't know how it is. U Cinn Conservatory of Music has one, as well as San Diego State.

You may want to refer to the Directory of Theatre Training. You can find more info on how to get one in the Spring column.

Question
Hi Blair.

I just found your site today and I wanted to let you know that I think the advice service that you offer is very positive.

My name is Will and I am 26 years old. I am at a cross roads in my life right now and have been giving a great deal of thought to making a career change. Lately I have been thinking about actually moving to New York to pursue my dream of acting. Although that's what I'd really like to do, I can't bring myself to become the "starving artist," running around New York or LA trying to get a role while working some part time job here and there.

My plan is to land a web development job in New York, work full-time during the day and then, explore my dream in the evening by taking some classes somewhere to further hone my acting skills. Eventually, I would like to be able to change things around such that, acting would be my full-time job and doing web page development and site maintenance would be something that I'd do on the side as an independent contractor.

(1) Based on what I have just stated, how feasible do you believe my plan is? I mean, does it sound like something that is too far fetched? Is there something that I may be overlooking or oversimplifying about the process of gaining acting techniques and experience while working a full-time job during the day in New York?

(2) How do I adequately evaluate the many different acting schools/coaches that New York has to offer? I went on the Backstage.com site (which, by the way is how I found your site) and I saw a nice amount of acting schools. Many of them had brief write-ups about what they offer that seemed to be interesting, but how can I "trim away the fat" and find the ones that would best suit my needs? I mean, are there certain questions that I should ask them if I were to call them for more information that could really clarify things for me?
Will

Dear Will,

I am really glad you found the site useful. It's always nice to know when someone does.

And thanks for your questions. I think it's great that you are creating a way for you to pursue your dream and not starve. It can be done. I think it is a very healthy way to do it. If you have money to pay for a nice home, good acting classes, headshots and resumes, a gym, etc. it

can feed your creative self because your energy isn't tied up in worrying about how you are going to pay the bills. For some people it works to live on the edge and create from that chaos; they feel like a truer "artist." For others, it is gentler to think about pursuing such a challenging career in the way that you are thinking about it.

What it is important to keep in mind is that moving to any new city, especially New York, can be a stressful process. As you likely know, NY is exorbitantly expensive and can be a harsh and lonely place. I am in no way discouraging you -- just warning you that it could feel like a rocky road for some time. On the other hand, everything can fall into place and it might be a piece of cake. It's just better not to expect that it will all be peachy, and if it's not, I encourage you to stick it out -- it gets better.

As far as acting schools, from the blurb's you are reading, isolate which ones interest you most. You can audit classes, and should get a feel, from the teacher's style, and the responsiveness of the students, whether or not you feel drawn to the work. It is useful to talk to other actors (after classes or auditions, friendly bartenders or waiters, or wherever you find them) about it. Actors love to talk about themselves and they usually have a lot to say about their class experiences. I recommend that you do not audit too many classes. You should get a feel from no more than five classes about what you like. Otherwise, you load yourself up with too many options and it can be overwhelming, not to mention a stalling mechanism that prevents you from taking the plunge because you want it to be perfect.

I think very highly of my intensives, coaching, etc. and I can put you in touch with some people who have studied with me if you are interested and want an actor's point of view. Class prices and info can be found on my web site: www.askblair.com.

Congrats and best of luck with the move!

Question
Hi Blair,

I am so glad I found you. Here is the deal. I am 27 years old and am interested in becoming an actor. I find myself wanting to head towards commercials and possibly film. I attend H.B. Studio in New York and take basic technique for 2 hours a week and speaking voice for 1.5 hours a week. I am very new to the business and in the fall when I get my feet wet I would like to continue and take more classes. The speaking voice seems like it is geared towards theater--projecting on stage.

How am I supposed to know what kind of classes to continue taking (speaking voice, speech, movement, tech11, sence study). It is so confusing. Are there special schools for film and commercials or should I continue where I am?

Also, I am afraid that I have trouble memorizing. When I read anything I have to completely drown out all that is around me and read something 3 or 4 times before I can actually fully understand what I am reading. I think I may have a small touch of Attention Deficit. My boyfriend says I just do not concentrate. Have you coached students who have had trouble comprehending?

Andrea

Dear Andrea,

I think it's important to get your basic technique down first. This means, becoming confident in approaching and delivering text in a realistic, truthful manner. A good scene study class should help you to do this. This can sometimes take a few years. If you are mostly interested in commercials, there are commercial classes around the city that should help you master commercial technique.

A lot of people have trouble concentrating on reading texts and memorizing lines, so know you're not alone. You need to find what works for you and just do it. Acting can be hard work. Too many people make the mistake of thinking that it's easy. If tuning everything else out works for you, then that's what you've got to do. Give yourself enough time to go over and really understand the text; don't rush through it.

As far as memorizing-there are many techniques. Some people tape their lines. Other's repeat them out loud over and over. I find working with someone who is willing to give me their time and read the script with me, giving me my cues, is the best. But it's not always easy to find that willing someone. I recommend you try to memorize your lines with as little affect as possible, so you don't get stuck saying your lines the same way every time. Sometimes this can be as difficult as the memorization itself.

Sincyberly to all,
Blair