13 Must Read Books For All Actors

There are certain books every actor must read at some point on their journey.

These are those books.

From modern day favorites by the stars on your favorite television shows, to classics by the pioneers of modern theatre, here are 13 Must Read Books For All Actors!

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MUST-READ BOOKS FOR ACTORS:

“An Actor’s Life” by Jenna Fischer
With amusing candor and wit, Jenna Fischer (of The Office) spells out the nuts and bolts of getting established in the profession, based on her own memorable and hilarious experiences. She tells you how to get the right headshot, what to look for in representation, and the importance of joining forces with other like-minded artists and creating your own work—invaluable advice personally acquired from her many years of struggle. She provides helpful hints on how to be gutsy and take risks, the tricks to good auditioning and callbacks, and how not to fall for certain scams (auditions in a guy's apartment are probably not legit—or at least not for the kind of part you're looking for!).
“How To Stop Acting” by Harold Guskin
Harold Guskin is an "acting doctor" whose clients include Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, James Gandolfini, Bridget Fonda, and dozens more. In How to Stop Acting, Guskin reveals the insights and techniques that have worked wonders for beginners as well as stars. Instead of yet another "method," Guskin offers a strategy based on a radically simple and refreshing idea: that the actor's work is not to "create a character" but rather to be continually, personally responsive to the text, wherever his impulse takes him, from first read-through to final performance. From this credo derives an entirely new perspective on auditioning and the challenge of developing a role and keeping it fresh, even over hundreds of performances. Drawing on examples from his clients' work and his own, Guskin presents acting as a constantly evolving exploration rather than as a progression toward a fixed goal. He also offers sound and original advice on adapting to the particular demands of television and film, playing difficult emotional scenes, tackling the Shakespearean and other great roles, and more. His book will find an eager and appreciative audience among novices and established actors alike.
“El Camino Del Artista” by Julia Cameron
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path To Higher Creativity is a 1992 self-help book by American author Julia Cameron. The book was written to help people with artistic creative recovery, which teaches techniques and exercises to assist people in gaining self-confidence in harnessing their creative talents and skills.
“Black Broadway: African Americans on the Great White Way ” by Stewart F. Lane
The African-American actors and actresses whose names have shone brightly on Broadway marquees earned their place in history not only through hard work, perseverance, and talent, but also because of the legacy left by those who came before them. Like the doors of many professions, those of the theater world were shut to minorities for decades. While the Civil War may have freed the slaves, it was not until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s that the playing field began to level. In this remarkable book, theater producer and historian Stewart F. Lane uses words and pictures to capture this tumultuous century and to highlight the rocky road that black actors have travelled to reach recognition on the Great White Way.
Sondheim’s “Finishing the Hat”
Sondheim discusses his relationship with his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II, and his collaborations with extraordinary talents such as Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Ethel Merman, Richard Rodgers, Angela Lansbury, Harold Prince and a panoply of others. The anecdotes—filled with history, pointed observations and intimate details—transport us back to a time when theater was a major pillar of American culture. Best of all, Sondheim appraises his work and dissects his lyrics, as well as those of others, offering unparalleled insights into songwriting that will be studied by fans and aspiring songwriters for years to come.
Sondheim’s “Look I Made A Hat”
As he did in the acclaimed Finishing the Hat, Sondheim richly annotates his lyrics with personal and theatre history, discussions of his collaborations, and exacting, charming dissections of his work - both the successes and the failures. Picking up where he left off in Finishing the Hat, he gives us all the lyrics, along with cutouts and early drafts, to the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sunday in the Park with George, as well as Into the Woods, Assassins, and Passion. Here too is an in-depth look at Wise Guys, subsequently transformed into Bounce, and eventually into Road Show. And we are treated to chapters on his work for television and film and his "orphan songs," culled from parodies and special occasions over the years. Filled with behind-the-scenes photographs and illustrations from original manuscripts, and with the same elegant design as the earlier book, Look, I Made A Hat will be devoured by Sondheim's passionate fans today and for years to come.
“Meisner on Acting” by Sanford Meisner
Sanford Meisner was one of the best known and beloved teachers of acting in the country. This book follows one of his acting classes for fifteen months, beginning with the most rudimentary exercises and ending with affecting and polished scenes from contemporary American plays. Written in collaboration with Dennis Longwell, it is essential reading for beginning and professional actors alike. Throughout these pages Meisner is a delight—always empathizing with his students and urging them onward, provoking emotion, laughter, and growing technical mastery from his charges.
“Respect For Acting” by Uta Hagen
For many years, Uta Hagen was asked to write a book. Finally she did, and here it is: an account of her own struggle with the techniques of acting and based on her teachings. Respect for Acting is a book for people who respect (or wish they could) the theater on both sides of the footlights, for actors and audiences who favor truth in a creative process.
“An Actor Prepares” by Stanislavski
An Actor Prepares” is a 1936 guide to acting by Konstantin Stanislavski. Konstantin Sergeievich Stanislavski (1863 – 1938) was an influential Russian theatre practitioner. He was himself a highly-esteemed character actor and directed many successful productions. However, he is most famous for his 'system' of learning to act, focusing on training, preparation, and technique. This was the first of Stanislavski's book on acting. Concentrating on preparation, it offers the aspiring actor or actress tips and instructions on how they should prepare for performances.
“Backwards and Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays” by David Ball
Considered an essential text since its publication thirty-five years ago, this guide for students and practitioners of both theater and literature complements, rather than contradicts or repeats, traditional methods of literary analysis of scripts.
“The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles” by Steven Pressfield
What keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do? Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid the roadblocks of any creative endeavor-be it starting up a dream business venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece? Bestselling novelist Steven Pressfield identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success.
“Audition” by Michael Shurtleff
The casting director for Chicago, Pippin, Becket, Gypsy, The Graduate, the Sound of Music and Jesus Christ Superstar tells you how you can find your dream role! Absolutely everything an actor needs to know to get the part is here: What to do that moment before, how to use humour; create mystery; how to develop a distinct style; and how to evaluate the place, the relationships and the competition. In fact, Audition is a necessary guide to dealing with all the "auditions" we face in life. This is the bible on the subject.
"Actors At Work" by Rosemarie Tichler
Actors at Work looks at the way some of our most respected stage and film actors today approach their calling. In a collection of interviews with a dozen artists, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Patti LuPone, and Billy Crudup, the book explores not only the impetus to perform but also key topics about the process and profession, including the way actors approach a role, what techniques they use to deal with directors and other cast members, the ways in which they use their own personal lives in their work, and their influences, idols, and insecurities. The result is a book that actors will find indispensable and fans will find irresistible.