As a theatre major, I know that being an actor means being a reader. You read the room, interpret human behaviour, study a script, hone your technique, and bear emotion as intimately as a journal. Whether you are a theatre and performance major at U of T, a student with a passion for acting, or anything in between, everyone starts somewhere. Independent work could be one of the most cost-effective and straightforward ways to begin. 

With that in mind, here are four book recommendations that align with some of the most essential tools for an actor’s training.

Audition by Michael Shurtleff

American Broadway casting director and writer Michael Shurtleff’s Audition is a staple in an actor’s training. He established 12 guideposts that are now widely recommended to actors in the stage performance industry. These guideposts provide a solid foundation for acting, incorporating key elements such as relationships, humour, and opposites. 

This book serves as a theatrical acting guide, filled with short anecdotal stories, audition do’s and don’ts, and practical techniques. Its journal-style guidance — detailing what to do, how to do it, and supported by real-life examples — makes it a credible, empathetic, and invaluable logical tool for every actor. Forgive me for describing it as the ‘bible of acting,’ with its verse-like stories and 12 commandments, but it certainly earns the title at its core.

Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen

Uta Hagen, a German-American actress, author, and esteemed teacher, guides actors toward sincere performances in her textbook, Respect for Acting. 

Drawing from her extensive career, she shares valuable insights on how to achieve genuine performances, such as preparing well-developed characters and experiencing honest emotions. Hagen explores authenticity by posing nine thought-provoking questions to ask yourself about your character’s desires and needs, including the timeless question, “Who am I?” These questions help cover all the respective corners of a character, making them ideal for both a quick breakdown or a deep dive into a role.

An Actor Prepares by Konstantin Stanislavski

Russian actor, director, and producer Konstantin Stanislavski is famous for having developed an immersive acting technique that gave way to what is now referred to as ‘method acting.’ 

This technique, which Stanislavski explains in his book An Actor Prepares, is arguably the most introspective approach to acting. It involves drawing from personal life experiences to fully embody a character, placing yourself within the character’s mindset, and translating their emotions and desires as your own. 

This book is considered a classic in the acting world for its focus on the actor’s psychology and state of mind, exploring the emotional depth required for a strong performance and the techniques necessary to achieve it.

Actions: The Actors’ Thesaurus by Marina Caldarone and Maggie Lloyd-Williams

Theatre director, teacher, and writer Marina Caldarone, along with actress and writer Maggie Lloyd-Williams, created a thesaurus of action verbs for actors to attribute to their performances. 

Script breakdown is the archeology of building a scene, and this book serves as a valuable tool in that process. By assigning actions to dialogue, the actor uncovers a scene’s subtext — the unspoken drama behind the lines and understands how actions can be used to realize these unspoken objectives. The thesaurus’ action words and synonyms are meant to help actors subtly articulate what they are fighting for in each scene.

Altogether, these books offer essential wisdom from certified acting heroes. Even Marlon Brando studied Stanislavski’s acting techniques to give credence to the voice of Vito Corleone in The Godfather, embodying the belief that an actor who doesn’t dedicate time to their craft can never truly be a great actor. 

By engaging with these books and getting involved with our university’s theatre scene, such as at the Hart House theatre, any passionate student can set themselves on the path to becoming a skilled actor. These techniques implore performers to use their instrument to inspire genuine performances. 

I hope that these books help you discover a technique that works for you, like they — my long-time nightstand companions — did for me.