bad it's bad.

You know it (or do you?), you love it (but should you?), it's Konstantin Stanislavski's major text An Actor Prepares (not the original title in Russian). Dan and Patrick had a grand old time snuffling through this pile of dirt for a couple of juicy informational truffles, and we're here to let you know whether or not this book belongs on your Actors Bookshelf.

Some highlights from our conversation:

• The importance of the Objective and Super Objective in Stanislavski's System, and how those terms have done a major disservice to generations of modern actors,
• The ways systemic patriarchy, misogyny, and racism permeate the book in ways that instantly set it at a distance from the reader,
• Stanislavski was not good at writing about his own ideas

Rave reviews from your hosts

• "Yeah dude, it's a fascinating read." ~ Daniel A Stevens
• "It's an important book, even if it's not a good book." ~ Patrick Harvey

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We're on Instagram! @TheActorsBookshelf

Follow The Actors Bookshelf on Twitter @actorsbookshelf and Bluesky @theactorsbookshelf

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Questions? Comments? Email us at actorsbookshelfpod@gmail.com

After two weeks....

Two hosts...

Cover two chapters...

To finish Act Two of The Method...

Over two hours...

This is the jumping-off point of the beginning of the Actors Studio and then a cheeky whole chapter on Marlon Brando (let's go Brando!). Let's go!

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We're on Instagram! @TheActorsBookshelf

Follow The Actors Bookshelf on Twitter @actorsbookshelf and Bluesky @theactorsbookshelf

Follow Patrick on Instagram @dfwpadraig

Follow Dan on Instagram @the.other.dan.stevens

Questions? Comments? Email us at actorsbookshelfpod@gmail.com

A day late, but no dollars to be short! In this episode, the Group Goes West. Turns out the life of a...... .person of the evening....... ain't too bad!

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We're on Instagram! @TheActorsBookshelf

Follow The Actors Bookshelf on Twitter @actorsbookshelf and Bluesky @theactorsbookshelf

Follow Patrick on Instagram @dfwpadraig

Follow Dan on Instagram @the.other.dan.stevens

Questions? Comments? Email us at actorsbookshelfpod@gmail.com

Stella meets Stan. (Not Kowalski. Not Laurel). More confusion and discord in the Group. Clifford Odets has his first success, despite Lee's best efforts. Plus we caught up our chapters with our episode numbers! Go on, give us a listen.

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We're on Instagram! @TheActorsBookshelf

Follow The Actors Bookshelf on Twitter @actorsbookshelf and Bluesky @theactorsbookshelf

Follow Patrick on Instagram @dfwpadraig

Follow Dan on Instagram @the.other.dan.stevens

Questions? Comments? Email us at actorsbookshelfpod@gmail.com

Hey lookit we both have theatre jobs we're doing the thing guysssssss! This is a special bonus episode that we recorded on our AEA days off (while we probably should have been on vocal rest) to talk about the magic of making theatre in the waning days of our fading republic, the foibles and vicissitudes of putting the thing together, and the reality of being dumb fleshy sacks of meat and electrical impulses tripping the light fantastic with a crowd of strangers sitting in darkened communion together.

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We're on Instagram! @TheActorsBookshelf

Follow The Actors Bookshelf on Twitter @actorsbookshelf and Bluesky @theactorsbookshelf

Follow Patrick on Instagram @dfwpadraig

Follow Dan on Instagram @the.other.dan.stevens

Questions? Comments? Email us at actorsbookshelfpod@gmail.com

The Group Theatre hits it big, egos clash, and worlds collide on the other side of the world.

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We're on Instagram! @TheActorsBookshelf

Follow The Actors Bookshelf on Twitter @actorsbookshelf and Bluesky @theactorsbookshelf

Follow Patrick on Instagram @dfwpadraig

Follow Dan on Instagram @the.other.dan.stevens

Questions? Comments? Email us at actorsbookshelfpod@gmail.com

It turns out being booked and blessed also involves being busy. But here we are, bestowing another beloved binstallment of The Bactors Bookshelf benevolently! We get the early days of the Group Theatre, the early members, their successes and foibles, and some of their first productions.

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We're on Instagram! @TheActorsBookshelf

Follow The Actors Bookshelf on Twitter @actorsbookshelf and Bluesky @theactorsbookshelf

Follow Patrick on Instagram @dfwpadraig

Follow Dan on Instagram @the.other.dan.stevens

Questions? Comments? Email us at actorsbookshelfpod@gmail.com

Where Michael Stipe sings "I Thought That I Heard You Acting."

The Boleslavsky Talks! The American Theatre Lab! We meet Adler! We meet Strasberg! It's happening here folks! Featuring a special appearance from Amara the funnier ginger.

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We're on Instagram! @TheActorsBookshelf

Follow The Actors Bookshelf on Twitter @actorsbookshelf and Bluesky @theactorsbookshelf

Follow Patrick on Instagram @dfwpadraig

Follow Dan on Instagram @the.other.dan.stevens

Questions? Comments? Email us at actorsbookshelfpod@gmail.com