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Movement for the Actor

Print Sources

• Alberts, David. The Expressive Body: Physical Characterization for the Actor. NH: Heinemann, 1997. ISBN 0-435-07030-4
  Movement and gestures, building a character, character interaction and movement for period plays.
• Barba, Eugenio and Nicola Savarese. The Secret Art of the Performer. New York: Routledge, 1991.
• Benedetti, Robert. The Actor at Work. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990.
  Includes movement work.
• Bloom, Katya and Rosa Shreeves. Moves: A Sourcebook of Ideas for Body Awareness and Creative Movement. London: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1998. ISBN 90-5702-133-1
  Illustrated book of exercises, aimed at deepening awareness of the body and the self through the practice of movement and dance.
• Camryn, Walter. An Analytical Study of Character Movement for Dancers, Singers, and Actors. New York: Dance Mart, 1959.
• Carney, Kay. “The Plastique Exercises: One Route to Our True Natures,” ATA Theatre News, Vol. IX, no.1.
  Grotowski.
• Chekhov, Michael. To the Actor. New York: Harper and Row, 1953.
  On the psychological gesture.
• Dennis, Anne. The Articulate Body: the Physical Training of the Actor. New York: Drama Book Publishers, 1995. 0-89676-133-9
  Rethinking the physical needs of the contemporary actor; looking at the actor’s physical training not as a series of skills, but as a skill in itself, specific to the actor.
• Garner, Stanton B., Jr. Bodied Spaces: Phenomenology and Performance in Contemporary Drama. Cornell University Press, 1994. ISBN 0801482186
• Huston, Hollis. The Actor’s Instrument: Body Theory on Stage. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1992.
• Izzo, Gary. Acting Interactive Theatre: A Handbook. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003. 0-435-07038-X
  "This practical guide from . . . Gary Izzo cuts to the quick of the fast-paced, on-the-spot improvisational nature of interactive theatre." (Heinemann blurb)
• King, Nancy. Giving Form to Feeling. New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1975. 0- 10482-57-8
• ________. A Movement Approach to Acting. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1981. 0-13-604637-1
• ________. Theatre Movement: The Actor and His Space. New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1971.
• Klein, Maxine. Time Space and Designs for Actors. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1975.
  Also includes acting improvisations.
• Kline, Peter and Nancy Meadows. The Theatre Student: Physical Movement for the Theatre. New York: Richards Rosen Press, 1971.
• Lessac, Arthur. Body Wisdom: The Use and Training of the Human Body. New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1978, 1982.
  Integrated body/voice approach for actors and non-actors, by a noted voice teacher.
• Linklater, Kristin. “Voice and Body, Soul and Movement,” ATA Theatre News, Vol. IX, no. 7.
• ________. “Animating the Actor’s Body,” American Theatre, 3(July-August 1986): 38- 39.
• Norris, Lynn. “The Importance of Warm-ups to the Rehearsal Process,” ATA Theatre News, Vol. 15, no. 4.
• Olsen, Mark. The Actor with a Thousand Faces. NY: Applause, 2000. ISBN 1-55783-306-0
  A movement-based guidebook focusing on ensemble work. Includes establishing a common movement vocabulary, games, group dynamics, use of masks, and ritual theatre.
• Pasolli, Robert. A Book on the Open Theatre. Indianapolis, IN: Bobbs-Merrill, 1976.
  Describes their physical approach. Includes many useful exercises and improvisations.
• Penrod, James. Movement for the Performing Artist. Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co., 1974.
• Pisk, Litz. The Actor and His Body. New York: Theatre Arts Books, 1976.
• Rolfe, Bari. Actions Speak Louder. Berkeley, CA: Personabooks, 1992. 0-932456-07-3
  Movement exercises for actor training.
• ________. “Towards Speech in Every Limb,” Educational Theatre Journal, 25(March 1973): 112-119.
  Review of some dozen books on movement for actors.
• Robinson, Davis Rider. The Physical Comedy Handbook. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003. 0-325-00114-6
• Rose, Mark V. The Actor and His Double: Mime and Movement for the Theatre of Cruelty. Actor Training & Research Institute Press, 1986. ISBN 0961608706
• Rubin, Lucille S., ed. Movement for the Actor. New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1980.
• Sabatine, Jean. Movement Training for the Stage and Screen: The Organic Connection Between Mind, Spirit, and Body. New York: Back Stage Books, 1995. 0-8230- 7712-8
• Sullivan, Claudia N. The Actor Moves. n. c.: McFarland and Company, Inc., 1990. 0- 89950-451-5
• Tufnell, Miranda and Chris Crickmay. Body Space Image: Notes Towards Improvisation and Performance. London: Dance Books Ltd., 1993. ISBN 1-85273-041-2
  Begins with movement and the individual experience, and then extends to include group work and the use of space, light, sound and objects, pointing towards performance.
• Turner, Craig. “Contemporary Approaches to Movement Training for Actors in the U.S.” in Theatrical Movement: A Bibliographical Anthology, Bob Fleshman, ed. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, 1986.
• Vened, Christopher. In Character: An Actor’s Workbook for Character Development. CT: Heinemann, 2000. ISBN 0325002088
  Includes section on establishing character traits in the body.
• White, Edwin C. and Margurite Battye. Acting and Stage Movement. New York: Arc Books, 1963.
  Part II is a textbook on movement.
• Wilson, John M. A Natural Philosophy of Movement Styles for Theatre Performers. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Wisconsin, 1973.
• Withey, J. A. “Form Through Movement in the Theatre,” Players Magazine II. November 1964.
  Text to stage through movement.
• Yakim, Moni with Muriel Broadman. Creating a Character: A Physical Approach to Acting. New York: Back Stage Books, 1990.
• Young, Stark. “Movement in Acting,” in Glamour. New York: Scribner’s Sons, 1925.
• Zaporah, Ruth. Action Theatre: The Improvisation of Presence. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 1995.
  Exercises and metaphors geared toward the body’s awareness of the present moment.

Audio/Visual Sources

• Mora, Dawn. Movement for the Actor. Performing Arts Instructional Video, n.d.
  Video. Call 1-800-828-0373.

last updated 25 September, 2008