STANISLAVSKI, KONSTANTIN.   Term Paper ID:19045 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Career of founder of modern theater & Method Acting. Techniques, theory, major works.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Career of founder of modern theater & Method Acting. Techniques, theory, major works. Paper Introduction: Stanislavski and His System No single person has influenced the theater more than Konstantin Stanislavski. Stasnislavski and the modern theater in Russia, as well as throughout the world, became synonymous, because of his system of "Method Acting." He was born to a family of means in Moscow on January 17, 1863, and was well educated. Early in his life, he made a choice to devote himself to the stage: "Throughout his adolescence he took part in numerous performances organized in his family's house where stage facilities were specially built by his father." Theater became his passion. He took singing, drama and ballet lessons. While pursuing his amateur career, Stanislavski used his family money to start the Society of Art and Literature in 1888. It was a school and a repertory theater. This proved to be a Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Actors or artists must become masters of self-application.Stanislavski asked them to forget they were on the stage. Rehearsals were underthe complete control of Stanislavski. New York: Theater ArtsBooks, 1979. "To Stanislavskythe very idea of an actor who does not become part of a permanent companyis inconceivable."[xix] By being involved in some permanent structure,actors were free from worries about what their next job would be or even ifthey would work again. Stanislavski said actors must express what is feltin the soul. "The poet, the actor, the painter, the dressmaker, the stagehand, serveone and the same goal expressed by the author in the very essence of hisplay."[x] Stanislavsky was a master of stage production. Nemirovich shared many ofStanislavski's views and visions of the theater despite their differentbackgrounds: "They felt that despite all the virtues of individual actors,the situation in well-established theaters, and especially the Imperialtheaters, was quite desperate, and reform of the stage could come only froma new theater."[vii] They both felt a great need for a new style oftheater and discussed ways of achieving it. He devoted hours to theresearch and understanding of acting techniques. The MAT became "a mirror of the times, reflecting in itsrepertoire the validity of the most progressive forces of Russia."[xii]The entire theater's principle was faithfulness to life. Stanislavski also made several concise statements onacting and the stage in a book titled An Actor's Handbook. Perhaps Stanislavski'sgreatest contribution to the theater was the change he inspired. The real turning point was "The Seagull," which so inspired theaudience that it gave Act One six curtain calls.[xi] The new realisticstyle contrasted greatly with the old Alexandrinsky theater, and theaudience approved. [xvii].Ibid., 17. While pursuing his amateur career, Stanislavski used his family moneyto start the Society of Art and Literature in 1888. It was a school and arepertory theater.[ii] This proved to be a tremendous stepping stone inhis career and in his knowledge of the theater. New York: Routledge, 1988.Cole, Toby. Just as withrelaxation and concentration, truth could be found through exercise. [xiv].Ibid., 117. [xvi].Stanislavski, Stanislavsky on the Art of the Stage(Boston: Faber and Faber, 198 ), 25. [xv].Konstantin Stanislavski, Building a Character, (NewYork: Tharter Arts Books, 1979), xix. This resulted inan even more realistic and effective production. Actors on Acting. Russian Theater. The entire company became one;there were "no stars." The theater opened October 14, 1898, and soon became a smashingsuccess. [vii].Slonin, 1 8. All aspects of theplay were to be unified, and Stanislavski made sure that this was the case. New York: Theater ArtsBooks, 1977. Stanislavski and His System No single person has influenced the theater more than KonstantinStanislavski. Boston: Faber and Faber, 198 .----------------------- [i].Mark Slonin, Russian Theater (new York: WorldPublishing Co., 1961), 1 4. [v].Benedetti, 55-56. Stanislavski wrote, "Wewere perfectly happy then; the future did not frighten us, we were unitedby warm friendships and in love with the idea of a new theater; it loomedin front of us as something vague but beautiful and gave enthusiasm,strength and fire. He put it best while in the beginning stages of hiswork: "theater and dramaturgy are one whole, a result of two arts--that ofthe dramatist and that of the theatrical group--will the new value, theperformance be born."[xx] Endnotes BibliographyBenedetti, Jean. Stasnislavski and the modern theater in Russia, as well asthroughout the world, became synonymous, because of his system of "MethodActing." He was born to a family of means in Moscow on January 17, 1863,and was well educated. He tooksinging, drama and ballet lessons. Within thisrealm, "our actor could only mimic and 'act a part,' pretend to enter intofeelings of the character in the play, but not live and give himself upentirely to his feelings."[xvii] The actors' creative state of mind waswhat was to come out. Theentire specter of an actor's role should become habit: "everything had tobecome a habit, which transformed everything new into something organic,into the actor's second nature."[xviii] Stanislavski strived for creative discipline and the highestdevelopment of actors' technique, but probably the most important approachto his 'system' was the permanent production ensemble. All of Stanislavsky's actions weredone "with the utmost sincerity and self-absorption."[xiv] He used theMoscow Art Theater in particular to assimilate the "Stanislavski Method," aformulation of basic creative principles for both actor and theater. In 1897, with the help of VladimirNemirovich-Danchenko, a critic, teacher and playwright of the time, theidea of the Moscow Art Theater was born. Theactors played an important role in achieving this realism. [iii].Toby Cole, Actors on Acting (New York: CrownPublishers, 197 ), 484. Such authenticity of setting and costumes was new tothe stage. The permanent company created terrific cohesionbetween the actors and all connected to the production. We worked and dreamt whole days and nights."[ix] The early rough plans smoothed out as days passed. . "As both an actor andproducer, Stanislavski began his search for a theater which would ban thespurious and artificial from the stage."[iii] He was able to overseenumerous productions and gain invaluable insight into the process of playproduction. He was a greatthinker. [vi].Ibid., 56. The Pictorial History of Russian Theater. The Stanislavsky System. It solved the problem ofrealism on the stage and supplied a reliable foot-rule for theatricalconversation."[xvi] Stanislavski strived for realism on the stage. He became a strict leader incomplete contact with his vision. New York: Theater Arts Books, 198 . Early in his life, he made a choice to devotehimself to the stage: "Throughout his adolescence he took part in numerousperformances organized in his family's house where stage facilities werespecially built by his father."[i] Theater became his passion. The casts andcrews he assembled, amateurs and professionals, were able to put on anyproduction: The list of plays acted and directed by Stanislavsky between 1888 and 1896 shows not only the great range of his apprenticeship, which goes from serious drama to light operetta, but is also a reflection of his basic duality: he was equally attracted by faithful representation of life in a scrupulous naturalistic manner and by whimsical impressionism and symbolism.[iv]The Society of Art and Literature became "the most powerful and originaltheater group in Moscow," according to one writer.[v] As a result, thew intelligentsia of Moscow wanted Stanislavski towiden his focus.[vi] Thus, the Society of Art and Literature was the basisfor the new Moscow Art Theater. New York:Crown Publishers, 1977.Moore, Sonja. Stanislavski'ssettings and method led the way for revolutionary innovations. The new company, the Moscow ArtTheater (MAT), prepared to open in the fall of 1898. Building a Character. The firstproduction, Tsar Fiodor Ioannovich, was almost ready. . After long hours, a feasible,workable plan was set--a new style of theater. He had acompletely realistic outlook on life. [xviii].Ibid., 29. Stanislavski studied allaspects of the theater. [xiii].Slonin, 118. The actors' state of mind mustchange from the old stereotyped character roles to new ones. Stanislavski. [ii].Jean Benedetti, Stanislavski (New York: Routledge,1988), 27, 3 . Ironically, he came upwith the notion that there are no conclusions: the theater and all aspectsof it are always changing. [ix].Ibid., 1 9. Theactors during the late 18 s and early 19 s were offered a new direction,not only in Russia but across the world. The entire group was beginning a newform, rebelling against the already established. An Actor's Handbook. [viii].Ibid. [xix].Ibid., 2. He transferredthe author's plays into a living entity. "Lovethe art in yourself, rather than yourself in art"[xv] may be the mostappropriate beginning to the Stanislavski Method. New York: Crown Publishers, 197 .Marshall, Herbert. He analyzed character and probed into thesubconscious, always searching for some answer. [xx].Sonja Moore, The Stanislavsky System (New York:Viking Press, 1965), 1 .----------------------- 1 [iv].Slonin, 1 5. The two assembled a group consisting of actorsfit to pursue a new and exciting venture. New York: Viking Press, 1965.Slonin, Mark. In order to getthe true meaning of their work across to the audience, actors must becomeindistinguishable from the characters. . [x].Ibid., 11 . The entireproduction process was divided between the two; all literary aspects of theproduction were assigned to Nemirovich, and the production itself washandled by Stanislavski. He had greathope for the theater. Stanislavski on the Art of the Stage. An Actor Prepares. Stanislavski's 'system' followed many of the characteristics of thetheater he co-founded. [xi].Benedetti, 83. The result was his ideals for life and the theater. "It is the way from the conscious to thesubconscious that became the pivot of his system. [xii].Herbert Marshall, The Pictorial History of RussianTheater (new York: Crown Publishers, 1977), 7 . Stanislavski was able to change the old classical theater into a newopen and realist search for truth and meaning. Stanislavski and Nemirovich established a list of plays they were toproduce, "each of which had to have its own particular scenery."[viii]Both saw the need to educate and inform the public and actors. He added that the actor must find the truth. New York: World Publishing Co., 1961.Stanislavski, Konstantin. Thechanging theater had now found its "most important, most distinctivefeature which, in the course of years, also proved to be the mostsuccessful: The rendering of emotions and psychological nuances through aspecial blending of significant detail with a new manner of acting,supported by teamwork, artistic settings, and thoroughly planned,meticulously organized production."[xiii] Many of the new ideasStanislavski and Nemirovich applied on the stage had a great influence onStanislavski and his "Method." Stanislavski spent a great deal of time meditating. Although he did not livelong enough to see all of his work published, it appeared in three mainbooks: An Actor Prepares, Building a Character, and Creating a Role.These books include all the ideas Stanislavski felt were essential to theactor and the stage. Soon he became an excellent director and actor. Stanislavski put his thoughts in writing. Stanislavski combined the actors, stage, and all that was involved ina production and made them into a single harmonious entity. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.