Stop Acting and Live the Life
When I first meet actors at my studio, I notice one thing they have in common: a disease I call "classitis." More »

The Root of Good Acting
Personalization is the foundation upon which the house built. Step number one of my eight steps is phrased, "Who am I?"—think of that "I" as standing for identification. More »

Technology and Imagination in the Acting Process
At first it was subtle, a few students expressing their frustration at not being able to come up with a new idea in acting class. Then the dissatisfaction of some became more open. More »

The Technique of Process
What inspires you? What blocks you? What rocks you? What delights and repels you? More »

Crying on Cue
12 techniques to help you explore other ways to release your character's pent-up emotion. More »

Playing Drunk
Playing drunk is a very difficult thing to pull off. Even though you may be eager to conduct some firsthand research on this project, I'm afraid that it requires a clear head and great skill. More »

Playing Farce in the 21st Century
Have the excesses of reality TV and the distractions of the digital age upped the ante for farce, a time-honored type of comedy usually characterized by slamming doors, mistaken identities, broad characterizations, and physical mayhem? More »

'Improvising' in Scripted Comedy
I'm often asked by people who have seen "The 39 Steps"—in which I'm performing on Broadway, along with Jill Paice, Jeffery Kuhn, and Sean Mahon—how much of the show is improvised. More »

10 Top Monologues for Actors
Let's be clear: There is no such thing as a perfect list of the best monologues for actors. More »

The Top 10 Tips for Becoming a Successful Comedy Actor
In what way are you funny? What's funny about you? Being aware of what makes up your personal "funny"—finding the comedy in yourself and your everyday life—is the first step to becoming a successful comedy actor. More »

A Star is Born -- or Made
In  the years I've been writing this column, I've always assumed that acting training is an absolute necessity if you want to be an actor. More »

Gotta Be Me
Remember that old Army recruitment ad, "Be all you can be"? One of the ways to be all you can be when acting is to blend your own behavior with that of your character. More »

What Is This Thing Called Craft?
Lee Strasberg once said, "Every actor needs a craft which is commensurate with his talent." Stella Adler said, "Without craft there can be no art." More »

Thought Control
Recently I found myself thinking about…well, about thinking. What should or shouldn't be in your mind when you're acting? How do you control your thoughts? How do you not think about a pink elephant? More »

What Is Personalization?
Every role, every creative situation, every professional job—whether on stage, in front of a camera, or at a microphone—is unique and requires you to use different tools from your actor's toolbox. More »

Your Character's Soundtrack
As many actors know from experience, listening to music can help you prepare to act. Depending upon your selection, it can calm you down or pump you up. More »

The Method and the Myth
"I don't want to see or hear any of that Method crap!" How many times has an actor heard that from a director, producer, or teacher? Too many, I'll wager. More »

An Acting Smorgasbord
When you see great actors being interviewed, they're often asked, "How did you do that?" Their answers are usually vague: "It was all there in the script." You seldom get useful responses, because by the time an actor is giving great performances, the acting is often instinctive. More »

Playing Cops (and Robbers Too)
Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I played a police officer on stage. I immediately discovered why cops walk in that funny, lumbering way: It's the holster. It gets in the way of holding your arms straight down at your sides. More »

Replacing in a Role
Actors replace other actors in long-running shows in a variety of circumstances, most of them fraught in one way or another. Some actors follow the role's originator, others have to play iconic characters, and still others must tackle particularly difficult parts. More »