Active Analysis for Beginning Acting Students: A Class Blueprint

Abstract

ABSTRACT Stanislavsky’s latter practice known today as Active Analysis is a powerful tool for quickly integrating the givens of a script into an actor’s body. Learning the tool can be anxiety-inducing for beginning actors as they cannot rely on a script in hand. This essay outlines the scaffolding techniques I’ve developed to serve as stepping stones while students explore the freedoms that Active Analysis offers, curtailing anxiety and streamlining the embodiment of the role. These practices also promote bell hooks' calls for focus on the “self-actualization” of students and help create Stanislavsky’s desired “actor-creators.”