Complete Idiot's Guide to Acting

Who hasn't imagined acting, whether in a school or community production or even picking up stakes and moving to Hollywood to give it a go as a professional actor? The Complete Idiot's GuideA (R) to Acting is a fascinating, lighthearted look at the art and craft of acting that guides readers from the initial bite of the acting bug to honing skills, auditions, rehearsals-all the way to opening night. You'll learn how NOT to be a stage parent when your child gets a role in the camp extravaganza, how to balance theatrics with school and other activities, why singing and voice lessons are so important, what are the rules of audition etiquette, how to handle rehearsal read-throughs and how to be creative with costumes and makeup. Though this book is ideal for the amateur or hobbyist actor, it also contains information on turning pro.

Table of Contents:
I. THE ACTING BUG. 1. Lifelong Susceptibility. Mommy, They Want Me to Be in a Play. You Can Still Play Baseball. College Theatrics. A Community Theater. 2. Proud Parents. My Daughter Is the Angel Gabriel. No, He's the Front End of the Horse. She's Always Been So Shy. They Actually Did It! 3. A High School Schedule. Homework and Rehearsals. Mom, Will You Run Lines for Me? When's the Track Meet? 4. College Triumphs. Extracurricular Strengths. Making Your Mark on Campus. Gaining Poise for the Future. Just for the Fun of It. 5. A Place in Your Community. The Hospital Fund-Raiser. A Small Theater Company. Another Dimension to Life. If You Really Think I Could Do It. II. SKILLS OF THE THEATER. 6. Natural Gifts. What a Fine Voice. She Moves So Well. All Singing, All Dancing. A Sense of Timing. The Art of Self-Discipline. 7. Lessons Can't Hurt. Hold That High Note. I Didn't Know You Could Tap Dance. The Acting Class. You Can Juggle, Too? 8. Learning on Your Own. A Library Full of Plays. We Have to See That! Watching Movies a Different Way. The People on the Bus. 9. Experience Counts. Small Parts Matter. Stretching Yourself. I Hate This Part, But... Okay, I'll Do Props. 10. Looks Aren't Everything. All Kinds of Characters. Acting as Though You're Beautiful. Making the Most of Yourself. Beauty Fades. III. OH, THOSE AUDITIONS. 11. Picture and Resume. Truth in Advertising. Picture Perfect? Neatness Impresses. 12. Know What They're Looking For. You're Not That Small for Sixteen. It's a Comedy, Not a Tragedy. Can I Read the Play First? "Cold Reading" Terrors. 13. I Feel a Song Coming On. Are You Really Cher? Or Billy Joel? "Ave Maria" in River City. At Home with Your Range. One Too Many Quests. Oldies but Goodies. 14. Dressing the Part? Dressed to Kill...Your Chances. A Slob Is a Slob Is a Slob. Neat, Clean, and Natural. Exceptions to the Rule. 15. Audition Etiquette. Attitude No-Nos. It's Rough on the Director, Too. Competitors Are Also Colleagues. "Thank You for Seeing Me". 16. The Waiting Game. Why Haven't They Called? A Small but Important Role. Too Tall, Too Short. Coping with Rejection. You've Got the Lead! IV. REHEARSAL RIGORS. 17. Scheduling Nightmares. The Long and the Short of It. More Car-Pooling. Conflicting Responsibilities. 18. The Early Stages. The Reason for Read-Throughs. Blocking Is Traffic Control. Memorizing Your Lines. Legitimate Questions. "I'll Never Get This Right". 19. Cast Dynamics. Who's My Friend? "He's Just Awful". Star Trips. Backstage Gossip. 20. Taking Direction. You're Part of a Larger Picture. When to Argue. Notes, Notes, and More Notes. Good Directors and Bad Directors. 21. Making Progress. Getting "Off Book". Louder, Please. Picking Up the Pace. Ham on Wry. The Giving Actor. V. "WE OPEN NEXT THURSDAY". 22. Creative Costuming. Fitting Stitches. "Can You Provide Your Own?" "I Look Like the Goodyear Blimp". Early Requirements. Clues to Character. 23. Tech and "Techies". Be Kind to Techies. "Where's My Sword?" The Light and the Dark of It. Obstacle Courses. "What's That Chair Doing There?" 24. Dress Rehearsals. Run-Through Frustrations. Makeup Crises. The Tech Run-Through. Curtain Call Confusion. "Just Run It". 25. Opening Night. "I Feel Sick". Curtain Up! Accepting Compliments. 26. The Run of the Play. Good Reviews/Bad Reviews. Dressing Room Decorum. Warming Up. Good Audiences/Bad Audiences. VI. WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL? 27. Experience and Dependability. A Lifelong Avocation. As Good as Anyone in the Part. The Local Star. Character Credentials. 28. Getting Paid. The Community Theater Pittance. Working with Equity Guest Stars. How to Negotiate. 29. Should You Turn Pro? Making Local Television Commercials. Non-Equity Summer Theater. Lifestyle Decisions. Ninety Percent Unemployed. Are You Really Good Enough? 30. Getting a Union Card. Facts, Not Hearsay. Several Routes to Follow. Starting Over in a Different World. VII. APPENDIXES. Appendix A. Stage Directions Glossary. Appendix B. Acting School Directory. Appendix C. Play and Sheet Music Sources. Appendix D. Further Reading. Index.

About the Author :
Paul Baldwin acted at North Texas State University, in community theater, and for 15 years as a professional. During his professional career, he played such leading roles as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, King Arthur in Camelot, and the title role in Sweeny Todd. He has been a writer for the past 10 years. Among his books are The 125 Most-Asked Questions About Adoption (Morrow, 1993) and The 365 Most Important Events of the Twentieth Century (Morrow, 1999), which was a Quality Paperback Book Club selection. He and John Malone are the co-authors of How To Say Merry Christmas for Less Than $25 (Morrow, 1992). John Malone acted in numerous productions while attending Phillips Academy, Andover, and Harvard College. He has written or ghostwritten nearly 50 books, including The World War II Quiz Book (Morrow, 1991), a History Book Club selection; The 125 Most-Asked Questions About Cats (Morrow, 1992), a featured Book-of-the-Month Club selection; Predicting The Future: From Jules Verne to Bill Gates (Evans, 1997), which has been translated into several foreign languages; and The Encyclopedia of Figure Skating (Facts On File, 1998), which was endorsed by Olympic Gold Medalist and ABC sports commentator Dick Button. Several of the books he has ghostwritten have been international bestsellers.