William Esper Libri

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 seventeen 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.

William Esper, one of the most celebrated acting teachers of our time, takes us through his step-by-step approach to the central challenge of advanced acting work: creating and playing a character. Esper’s first book, The Actor’s Art and Craft, earned praise for describing the basics taught in his famous first-year acting class. The Actor’s Guide to Creating a Character continues the journey. In these pages, co-author Damon DiMarco vividly re-creates Esper’s second-year course, again through the experiences of a fictional class. Esper’s training builds on Sanford Meisner’s legendary exercises, a world-renowned technique that Esper further developed through his long association with Meisner and the decades he has spent training a host of distinguished actors. His approach is flexible enough to apply to any role, helping actors to create characters with truthful and compelling inner lives.

The story unfolds through a grandfather's nostalgic recollections of his childhood on a farm, where he shares enchanting tales of adventures with his friends, including talking animals. These whimsical experiences highlight the bond between humans and animals, as well as the magic of rural life. Through his memories, the narrative captures the innocence and wonder of youth, inviting readers to explore a world where imagination knows no bounds.

Sanford Meisner und William Esper gehören zu den bekanntesten Schauspiellehrern weltweit. In seinem Buch stellt Esper die Grundlagen des Meisner-Trainings vor und beschäftigt sich mit dem Wesen der Kunst als Handwerk. Wie jede Kunst verlangt auch das Schauspiel, dass der Künstler seine Individualität und Persönlichkeit einbringt, sich »im Moment« öffnet und Lebendigkeit erzeugt. Dies schafft die Meisner-Technik wie keine andere Schauspieltechnik. »Ich habe mein Leben damit verbracht, mit Schauspielern zu arbeiten. Dazu braucht man nur einige wesentliche Werkzeuge, die zu beherrschen die herausfordernde Aufgabe eines Lebens ist: geduldig sein, konkret sein, prägnant sein, ermutigen, vorschlagen, loben, zuhören. Zum ersten Mal habe ich diese Werkzeuge durch Bill Esper kennengelernt, und ich bin ihm sehr dankbar dafür.« David Mamet