The Complete Idiot's Guide to Acting : Expert Advice for Both Amateur and Professional Actors

You’re no idiot, of course. You’ve got tons of talent, but when it comes to bringing it centerstage you feel like you’re just winging it. You love the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd, but you’re not sure how to follow your dream. Don’t overreact! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Acting will help you hone your thespian skills and step into the limelight! In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: --Auditioning etiquette and tips on making a strong impression. --Rehearsal rigor—from read-throughs and blocking to taking stage directions and dealing with backstage gossip. --Tips on balancing theatrics and other obligations like school, work, and your family. --Tons more reasons why acting is important—from how it affects your everyday life to how it could help you get a scholarship or a promotion. Biography 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. You're no idiot, of course. You've got tons of talent, but when it comes to bringing it centerstage you feel like you're just winging it. You love the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd, but you're not sure how to follow your dream.Don't overreact!'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Acting'will help you hone your thespain skills and step into the limelight! In this'Complete Idiot's Guide', you get:-Auditioning etiquette and tips on making a strong impression. -Rehearsal rigor, from read-throughs and blocking to taking stage directions and dealing with backstage gossip.-Tips on balancing theatrics with other obligations like school, work, and your family.-Tons more reasons why acting is important, from how it affects your everyday life to how it could help get you a scholarship or a promotion. Youre no idiot, of course. Youve got tons of talent, but when it comes to bringing it centerstage you feel like youre just winging it. You love the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd, but youre not sure how to follow your dream. Dont overreact! The Complete Idiots Guide to Acting will help you hone your thespian skills and step into the limelight! In this Complete Idiots Guide, you get: --Auditioning etiquette and tips on making a strong impression. --Rehearsal rigorfrom read-throughs and blocking to taking stage directions and dealing with backstage gossip. --Tips on balancing theatrics and other obligations like school, work, and your family. --Tons more reasons why acting is importantfrom how it affects your everyday life to how it could help you get a scholarship or a promotion. Provides advice for amateur and professional actors about theater skills, auditions, rehearsals, openings, and how to become a professional, and discusses the benefits of acting for non-professionals.