The Actor's Art and Craft Audiobook By William Esper, Damon Dimarco, David Mamet cover art

The Actor's Art and Craft

William Esper Teaches the Meisner Technique

Preview
The buy box is not available to display at this moment. We apologize for the inconvenience
To purchase this book, please visit this page again later. For help with any other issue, please call our 24/7 customer service

About this listen

William Esper, one of the leading acting teachers of our time, explains and extends Sanford Meisner's legendary technique, offering a clear, concrete, step-by-step approach to becoming a truly creative actor.

Esper worked closely with Meisner for 17 years and has spent decades developing his famous program for actor's training. The result is a rigorous system of exercises that builds a solid foundation of acting skills from the ground up, and that is flexible enough to be applied to any challenge an actor faces, from soap operas to Shakespeare. Co-writer Damon DiMarco, a former student of Esper's, spent over a year observing his mentor teaching first-year acting students. In this book, he recreates that experience for us, allowing us to see how the progression of exercises works in practice. The Actor's Art and Craft vividly demonstrates that good training does not constrain actors' instincts - it frees them to create characters with truthful and compelling inner lives.

©2008 William Esper and Damon Dimarco (P)2019 Random House Audio
Acting & Auditioning Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV Theater Celebrity Physical Exercise Art Techniques
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup

Critic reviews

"Utterly inspirational.... The best book on the craft of acting that I have ever read." (Mary Steenburgen)

"As far as I'm concerned, there is only way to learn the craft of acting, and that is through the Meisner technique. And there is only one person to learn that technique from, and that is William Esper." (Patricia Heaton)

"The essence of this book is like William Esper himself: kind/clear, caring/generous, passionate/graceful, brilliant/profound. Inspiring. Invaluable." (Jeff Goldblum)

Wonderful Rendering • Important Book • Brilliant Narration • Helpful Clear Notes • Simple Stories • Engaging Voice Work
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Brilliant book and a wonderful read. The audiobook reads like a stage play and a beautiful reminder of how to listen. The narrator does a great job of separating the voices!

Listening to Actors Listening

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Brilliant composition and execution! Mesmerizing and engaging voice work. Listener becomes a most fortunate fly on the wall of a deeply edifying studio workshop. Bravo! Merci!

Bravo!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Hurry and start listening NOW. Amazing book!!! So many tips I don’t know where to begin.

Too good to be true

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Great tips, practice exercises, and examples. This was my first acting book and I really enjoyed the simplicity and stories.

Thoroughly Enjoyed

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I listened to this audiobook after studying Meisner technique and reading Sanford Meisner’s amazing book many times, and I liked Esper’s teaching and involvement. It’s not as good as being there in the class room, but a nice refresher for meisner students, and a great intro for people considering studying this technique. Didn’t like the narrator at all with his fake accents and voices trying to depict the different students, this was almost unbearable to listen to, and completely not necessary. However, great book!

Great book for actors

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This is one of the best acting books I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. I have both the audio version and the text version. This book will serve me for years to come.

Game changer

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I dont reccomend on over the other when comparing to Miesners Sanford Miesner on Acting. Both should be read and both will offer you something of value that play well with one another.

Very Good Book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I love this book I wish I could meet the author and learn even more and participate in person.

The best actor is your true self

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

A staple for actors. However I do not like the wispy voice narrator. He ends his sentences like he's whispering. Like bro come on say the full sentence at a consistent volume. It was very annoying he'd start off full volume and then end on a lull like it's part lullaby. And this is a book where you don't want to miss details.

Brilliant book bad narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The finest book on the Meisner technique available. A must read for anyone who is serious about the craft of acting.

Required reading for the actor!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews