Acting for Singers: Creating Believable Singing Characters / Edition 1

by David F. Ostwald

Overview

Written to meet the needs of thousands of students and pre-professional singers participating in production workshops and classes in opera and musical theater, Acting for Singers leads singing performers step by step from the studio or classroom through audition and rehearsals to a successful performance. Using a clear, systematic, positive approach, this practical guide explains how to analyze a script or libretto, shows how to develop a character building on material in the score, and gives the singing performer the tools to act believably. More than just a "how-to" acting book, however, Acting for Singers also addresses the problems of concentration, trust, projection, communication, and the self-doubt that often afflicts singers pursuing the goal of believable performance. Part I establishes the basic principles of acting and singing together, and teaches the reader how to improvise as a key tool to explore and develop characters. Part II teaches the singer how to analyze theatrical work for rehearsing and performing. Using concrete examples from Carmen and West Side Story, and imaginative exercises following each chapter, this text teaches all singers how to be effective singing actors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195145403
Publisher:	Oxford University Press, USA
Publication date:	07/07/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 6.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

David Ostwald has directed over 170 productions of operas and plays in academic and professional venues both here and abroad. He has specialized in teaching acting to singers, in which capacity he was on the faculty at The Juilliard School and at SUNY Purchase, where he was head of the Opera Program for twelve years. He has also taught and directed in major summer opera training programs.

Table of Contents

Introduction
PART I: Believability: The Territory and the Tools
1. The Divine Marriage: Combining Believable Acting with Expressive Singing
2. To Become or Not to Become: Using Yourself to Create a Believable Character
3. Playing in the Moment: Using Improvisation to Be Believable
4. Judgements and Trust: Improving Your Concentration
PART II: Creating Your Character
5. Neither Right nor Wrong: Making Believable Character Choices
6. Your Character's Universe: Analyzing the Dramatic Structure of Music-Theatre Pieces
7. Your Character's World: Fashioning a Theme Statement
8. Your Character's Heart's Desire: Fashioning Super-Objectives
9. Motivating Your Character's Actions: Fashioning Objectives and Acting Beats
10. Your Character's Inner Voice: Fashioning Subtext
PART III: Preparing for Performances
11. Being Believable in Any Role on Any Stage: Heightening
12. Getting the Part: Auditioning
13. Getting Good: Rehearsing
14. Delivering a Believable Character: Performing

Editorial Reviews

"[The book] has a great deal to offer to young professionals, as well as college and serious high school students and I highly recommend it to both teachers and students." —Carol Madill, Vocal Music Instructor and Fine Arts Department Head, Wyalusing Valley High School

"A fine text book...This is a well-designed systematic approach which clarifies a sequence of steps one can follow to develop convincing characters and interpretations in opera, musical theater, art songs and auditions." —Sarah Oppenheim-Beggs, Mezzo soprano, voice teacher, and choral director on Maui

"Singers and their teachers will benefit from this useful text that details the process of bringing believable characters to the stage." —Journal of Singing

From the Publisher