Sears & Switzer

 

Acting classes

FAQ's

Compliments!

Acting Fundamentals

TV commercials

Audition Weekend

Film Acting Workshops

Focus on Film [intermediate]

Scene Study in Performance

Advancing the Camera Relationship

Voice-over Weekend

Actor Resources

REGISTER

 

Some books we like to recommend...

[GO THEATREBOOKS IN TORONTO TO GET THESE!] No, you can't learn to act from a book.. [A good thing since we haven't yet finished our book about the method we've developed here at Sears & Switzer.] You'll have to take our classes to get our messages clearly but you should review some of the essential texts. 

NEW CHOICE: THEATRE STUDIES (THE BASICS), by Robert Leach, Routledge, $19.95

  • ESSENTIAL TORONTO "BIZ" BOOKS:
    • Every actor should own theatrebooks LATEST version of GETTING ORGANIZED. 
    • A critical tool for Toronto actors is The AGENTS GUIDE. 
    • Your head will be straighter after reading The ACTOR'S SURVIVAL KIT by Messaline and Newhouse. 

Craft of Acting noteworthy choices:

  • Great TORONTO book by esteemed casting director Marsha Chesley called YOU GOT THE PART! It's a SMART, fun read and very, very practical. Highly recommended for working actors anywhere but especially if you are trying to figure out Toronto!
  • How to STOP ACTING by Harold Guskin. OK A VERY HOT ACTING COACH WHO'S WORKED WITH THE BIG STARS SHARES HIS SECRETS... what's not to like! We suggest it, especially for trained performers. [It can be a bit confusing for beginners... like reading about sex before you've done it!] 
  • We like A Practical Handbook for the Actor by Melissa Bruder, based on the work of the Atlantic Theatre Company workshops a whole lot!  
  • An interesting overview of almost every way of working there is can be found in Acting Skills for Life, by Ron Cameron. [Ron includes our work on more advanced character approaches based on Jung, also published in Theatrum.] 
  • Every actor should read the BOOK BY DAVID MAMET... True & False. Thought provoking and challenging... infuriating for some acting teachers but we found it very affirming for our work at S&S!
  • Audition by Michael Shurtleff is terrific too... Sensible, actor focused, real technique. 
  • Meisner On Acting by Sanford Meisner and Dennis Longwell... not a serious substitute for an acting class on Meisner but a worthwhile read.
  • An Actor Prepares [or almost anything else by Stanislavski, despite Mr. Mamet’s comments]
  • Respect for Acting AND Challenge for the actor by Uta Hagen, pretty important sources. 
  • There's a fine text on camera technique that we're recommending often these days.... try Patrick Tucker's Secrets of Screen Acting.
  • ED HOOKS... anything he's written will lead you into new depths. A fine writer and mentor.
  • And if you are into comedy, you must read the book, "Truth in Comedy", by Del Close.
  • Do you love voice-work? Try Susan Blu's book "Word of Mouth."
  • Our friend [and Stratford Festival Alexander coach] Kelly McEvenue has written a warm. read-able and useful book on the Alexander Technique: "The Actor and the Alexander Technique" by Kelly R. McEvenue 
     
  • TELL US ABOUT A BOOK FOR ACTORS THAT YOU LOVED AND WE'LL POST IT HERE... [it's not Amazon.com but it's well-read... and anyway you should be ordering your stuff from theatrebooks!] 

 

Home ] Up ] Location ] Acting classes ] Compliments! ] REGISTER ] Search ] Contact us ] FAQ's ]

E-mail: mail@searsandswitzer.com

Your comments and suggestions are always welcomed.  

All EDITORIAL content is copyright SEARS & SWITZER PRODUCTIONS 2009 ©