The Actor Uncovered is certainly not a set of rigid rules advocating
one "method" or one singular "truth." Departing from the common
guidebook format, Michael Howard uses a unique approach to teaching
acting, reflecting on his own history and sharing his own experiences as
an actor, director, and teacher. How he writes about the process and
craft of acting is at once intensely personal and relatable by others.
Readers are invited to participate as though present in this master
teacher's classes. Each human being, and thus each actor, is unique.
Howard encourages actors to uncover their own ways of working, using
their particular abilities and personality traits. Going beyond the
craft and into human psychology and the importance of acting as a life
force, readers will see new and deeper ways to study and practice, to be
introspective, and to arrive at places of revelation about their
craft.The Actor Uncovered will have much to say to beginners, to those
who are advanced, and to professional and working actors. Howard
discusses such topics as:
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Techniques, styles, and methods in a changing society
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Relaxation, concentration, and the breath
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The relationships among actor, director, and writer
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Memory
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On camera versus on stage
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Obstacles
After more than seventy years as a professional actor, director, and
teacher, Howard shows how living creatively and invoking one's own
personality can lead to a successful career as an actor.
