Customer Reviews

The Sanford Meisner Approach Workbook II : Emotional Freedom

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Larry Silverberg clarifies his mentor's theories and provides us with a systematic, effective approach to acting's emotional component. Gone are the exercises dealing with the actor's personal emotional trauma--no more teacher as therapist. Meisner's approach is in the "now" and works in the fertile field of the actor's imagination. With practice it works every time. Larry Silverberg has crafted a treasure.

In my opinion, Lee Strasberg's indefatigable attachment to "Emotional" or "Affective Memory", a technique that Stanisklavski later disregarded as unusable, has done more to harm the training of an actor than it did good. This misconception was the basis for "The Method". Both Sandy Meisner and Stella Adler knew that Strasberg got it wrong. This was partly the reason for the rift in The Group Theatre. Sandy knew from his experience as an actor, that using memory to re-create emotion on stage would disconnect the actor from his environment, and done night after night, would lead the poor fellow to madness or a nervous breakdown. Dustin Hoffmann's performance in "Death of a Salesman" on Broadway are living proof. While "The Method" might sometimes work for the camera, it doesn't work for the rigor demanded of the stage. Meisner's approach relies on and nurtures the actor's imagination to put him or herself into the appropriate emotional state for the imaginary circumstances of the drama. Silverberg's book is practical and essential. It is a workbook, not a textbook. It contains practical exercises, frank anecdotes and the underlying theory behind the exercises. Great work, Larry. I am certain that Sandy would be very proud of his star pupil.

I have a MFA in acting from the University of Central Florida, and I teach acting at Christian Brothers University in Memphis Tennessee. I studied with Larry Silverberg for two summers. He is as remarkable a teacher as he is a writer. Even though one might think it is extremely difficult to explain the Meisner technique in a book, Larry has accomplished that. Like many, I believe you need to study acting in a class to learn the craft, but these series of books are a rare exception. Not only do they teach the technique using a step by step process which allows the actor to really understand what s/he is doing, but they reveal the essence of the Meisner approach which is to specify a role until it has ULTIMATE MEANING for YOU!

Also, if you didn't know by now from reading the other reviews, "Meisner gave Larry and Smith & Kraus written permission to publish these books.

I encountered these books several years ago as I am a college professor and am constantly seeking out fresh ideas and approaches to acting. I had studied with a few people trained in the Mesiner technique, but always felt I was missing something. When I read the first book of the series I realized I had found something I had been seeking: a step by step approach to the Mesiner technique. Each chapter builds upon the last and I, as a student, felt that reading the books gave me practical tools I could bring to the craft of acting. As I am a union actor working primarily in Shakespeare I was surprised to find the Meisner techniques found in these books informed my performing in very interesting and valuable ways. Yes, Meisner preparation and moment to moment work made me a better Shakespearean actor. I also appreciated how much these books helped me tailor my introduction of Meisner technique in the University classroom. I enjoyed working from the books so much that I decided to study directly with the author. I contacted Larry and was thrilled to find he taught several levels of Meisner work. I have been teaching acting for 30 years and can say that Larry Silverberg is the teacher I have been looking for. His generosity in the classroom. his commitment to student growth, his laser beam attention to the work, his warmth, and his sweet sense of humor combine to create a learning environment that is as unique as it is valuable. These qualities are present in his books. Read them and listen to Larry's "voice"- he is as excited as you are to plunge into the work. This quality is alive in those books and it is evident when you work with Larry. Frankly these books are of great value to me. Now that Meisner is passed I feel that we are so lucky to have Larry Silverberg's codification of the Meisner techniques. Read them and know that they are written by someone who is grounded in sincerity and dedication to our craft. There is an informal tone to the writing throughout sections of the books- treasure those sections because they represent Larry as he is during a break, talking and exploring with his students. The books are written in the spirit of a tribal elder- Larry speaks to the reader as if he knows you because, in a way, he DOES- since actors are similar in their deep desire to get better and better at stimulating an audience with a vital performance of an author's character. He is the opposite of slick and his books read that way. He is warm, nurturing, and deeply understanding. I celebrate the day I found these books and recommend them to you with great enthusiasm.

I was lucky enough to spend a year with two of Larry Silverberg's students who now have a studio of their own. Over four sessions of 11 weeks each, we followed Larry's interpretations of Sanford Meisner's teaching in a very caring and trusting environment. I can't say enough good things about this experience. It really changed my life as an actor and as a person. I see that a reviewer here has said that you can't learn acting from a book. Well of course you can't, but that doesn't mean that great books can't be an immense help. How many have poured over Stanislavky's books and found inspiration there? And these books are wonderful. They lay out paths to follow without anxiety or fear, in a straightforward, simple and productive manner. I mentioned the atmosphere of trust in my classes; I'm sure that began with Larry. Find a teacher who knows this work, get hold of the books, and enjoy!

I have personally worked with Larry Silverberg, and before that used his books both to learn and teach the Meisner Technique. I have an MFA in Acting, work professionally as an actress, and teach acting as well, and I have tried many approaches to acting, only to keep coming back to Larry's workbooks. These books are clear, succinct, and incredibly easy to work with, and they include many examples for clarification. Larry is the most nurturing acting teacher, and I cannot recommend him highly enough.

As both a professional actor and an acting instructor I cannot recommend Larry's "The Sanford Meisner Approach Workbook" series highly enough. Having studied and applied the Meisner technique as an actor for 14 years and having taught it now for 4 I find Larry's series to be the most straightforward and accessible breakdown of Sandy's technique. I teach acting in the BFA program at Central Washington University in Ellensburg WA and we currently offer a total of 50 weeks of Meisner training over a two year period. Larry's "Workbook One" is one of the required texts in the first year and the remaining three books in the series are required in the second year. I, and my students, have found that their experience is enhanced by reading the chapters, or sessions, in the book that correspond to the work we are doing in class. I have seen their connection to their others, their art, their community and themselves strengthen and deepen as we work on this technique and the exercises together. As an actor and/or an acting teacher you cannot go wrong with The Meisner Technique and you cannot go wrong with Larry Silverberg's "The Sanford Meisner Approach" series. I highly recommend it!

Silverberg's Meisner workbook series is a jewel for acting teachers and students alike! Filled with a step-by-step approach and essential exercises that allow actors to genuinely understand what it means to "live truthfully under imaginary circumstances" onstage, Silverberg's books are direct and practical, yet also astoundingly inspirational. As a university acting professor, the artistic growth that I have witnessed in my students as a result of this material is phenomenal. Do yourself a favor and read this series. I cannot recommend this work highly enough!

I have been a professional actor for 30 years. About fifteen years ago I was verylucky. I picked up Larry Siverberg's first book on the Sanford Meisner approach. It changed my life as an actor, and as a teacher. I know of no finer book on acting, and I have read a lot of them. It is the clearest, the most step by step, and the most inspirational book on true acting that has ever been written. This also holds for the other three books in his series. Did reading his book make me a better actor over night? Of course not. And Larry Silverberg never said that it would. Let me repeat that - he never said that it would! So what did it do? It opened a path that I could begin to follow - a long and very difficult path, but a wonderous and life changing journey. It showed me where my training was lacking, and what real actor training could be. It inspired me and gave me a map to use to begin exploring with fellow actors the craft of acting. And it lead me to seek out new teachers. I am a better actor because of this book.

I have used Larry Silverber's books in many university acting and directing classes. When I started using his first volume, teaching became fun and exciting again. I have seen his approach work with so many students, and it is miraculous. I can not recomend his books highly enough as either an introduction to what true acting can be, or as the beginning of a wonderful journey.

I had studied a lot of techniques but Meisner. One day at the book store I decided to buy this book to start learning Meisner and when I finished the first one I ordered the rest right away. The technique is explained very clear. It is helpful for me as a teacher. I don't know how can he simplify this complicated exercises into something very concrete. It is a REAL workbook!