7 Basic Facts About Konstantin Stanislavski

By Webmaster

  • 7 Basic Facts About Konstantin Stanislavski

    The father of modern acting

    (By Jim Webb)


    Konstantin Stanislavski was the most influential person in the history of modern acting theory. His experiences as an actor, teacher and stage director drove him to search for a system of techniques an actor could use to consistently deliver truthful performances.

  • His work planted the seeds upon which nearly all major modern acting techniques and systems are based. He truly is the father of modern acting in the U.S. and around the world!


    Konstantin Stanislavski: “There are no small parts, only small actors.”


    Though he died nearly a century ago, his work lived on in the performances of some of our greatest actors. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Dean, Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep – you name it! They all have been influenced, either directly or indirectly by the work of Stanislavski.

    Here are seven basic facts about the great teacher:

  • #1: Stanislavski is the father of most modern acting techniques

    Whether you are “Meisner” or “Method” or draw influence from the teachings of Stella Adler, Uta Hagen or others, you are likely studying an offshoot of Stanislavski’s work. Nearly all the influential acting teachers of the 20th Century drew inspiration from the work of Konstantin Stanislavski. In fact, many of them trained under him directly.


    There are no small parts, only small actors.

    (Konstantin Stanislavski)


    Popular acting techniques like:

    *Relaxation
    *Private Moment Exercise
    *The Repetition Exercise
    *Sense Memory
    *Animal Exercises
    *The Magic If
    *The Substitution Technique

    were all inspired directly, or indirectly, by Stanislavski’s ideas.

    #2: Stanislavski was not his birth name

    Konstantin Stanislavski was born Konstantin Sergeievich Alekseiev. The name “Stanislavski” was actually a stage name that he derived from a retired Polish actor, in order to save his family name from embarrassment, as he performed in risqué or hastily thrown-together theater productions. By day, he worked in his family’s business as Konstantin Alekseiev. At night, he would perform under his stage name, Konstantin Stanislavski. The name stuck, and he would continue to use and perform under the name, even after he rose to prominence.

    #3: He was a born actor

    He began performing in plays at age 7. He created his own circus, “Konstanzo Alekseyev’s Circus” and later a puppet theater. At the age of 14, his father, a wealthy businessman, turned a wing of their home into a theater for Stanislavski to perform his plays.

  • #4: Stanislavski was a drama school drop-out

    The father of most modern acting techniques was, of all things, a drama school drop-out. At age 21, he dropped out of the Imperial Dramatic School of Moscow, because he was disenchanted with the techniques he was being taught and felt they deprived him of his own individuality.


    When an actor is completely absorbed by some profoundly moving objective so that he throws his whole being passionately into its execution, he reaches a state we call inspiration.
    (Konstantin Stanislavski)


    He also believed that the techniques being taught only addressed external methods of acting and only focused on the final result, instead of focusing on methods that addressed the actor’s inner soul, as well as techniques and steps an actor could use to achieve that final result.

    #5: Stanislavski created a “system”

    One of the things that set Stanislavski apart from other teachers was his relentless desire to consistently deliver “truth” in his acting performances. That drive for consistency and truth led him to create what became known as the “Stanislavski System”, or, simply, “the system”.


    To become someone else… What happiness! This condition is paradise for the actor!

    (Konstantin Stanislavski)


    His system, a collection of acting techniques, was designed to move actors beyond physical and vocal training as a sole focus. He believed actors should also dive into the inner motives of their character to justify physical and vocal actions. He wanted to remove what he called “blocks” and master the true nature of acting.

  • #6: Stanislavski helped found the world-renown Moscow Art Theater (MAT)


    Fed-up with the state of Russian theater – its theatricality, artificiality, staging and décor – Stanislavski, along with business partner, Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, began one of the most influential theaters of the 20th Century. The Moscow Art Theater (MAT) pioneered innovations in theater that became world renown, such as the use of more realistic sets and background and offstage sounds.

    #7: Stanislavski authored a manual for actors

    Later in his career, Stanislavski sought to bring his collection of ideas on the craft of acting into a manual called, An Actor’s Work. Written in the form of a fictional student’s diary, the manual had to be broken down into three volumes. One volume, An Actor Prepares, focuses on the inner life of the character. The second volume, Building a Character, focuses on outer characterizations that flow from the character’s inner life. The final volume, Creating a Role, focused mainly on the application of his techniques into the rehearsal process.


    You Might Also Like:
    15 Brilliant Quotes by Konstantin Stanislavski
    5 Basic Facts about Lee Strasberg


     

    Recommended Posts

  • Ad

  • What to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up on Acting

    What to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up on Acting Before you throw in the towel, consider these strategies (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Engin Akyurt | Pexels) Embarking on a career in…

    ACTOR STORY | 4 Auditions. Zero Callbacks!

    ACTOR STORY 4 Auditions. Zero Callbacks! But I’m not complaining! (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Mart Production | Pexels) I went for two weeks without a single audition. And then, wham! I get a…

    25 Inspirational Quotes by Denzel Washington

    25 Inspirational Quotes by Denzel Washington “If you don’t fail, you’re not even trying.”  ~Denzel Washington (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Denzel Washington in Fences) On failure… “Fail big! Today’s the beginning of the…

    Ryan Gosling Describes the Impossible Gauntlet That Every Actor Must Survive

    Ryan Gosling Describes the Impossible Gauntlet That Every Actor Must Survive ‘The percentage of actors achieving that dream is never.’ ~Ryan Gosling (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Ryan Gosling) Ryan Gosling may be a…

    What Are the Qualities of a Good Actor?

    What Are the Qualities of a Good Actor? What makes one actor better than another actor? (By Javier Guerra) (Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada) What makes one actor better than another…

  • Ad

  • 1001 Reasons Why Acting is So Damn Depressing! | Part 1: Auditions

    1001 Reasons Why Acting is So Damn Depressing! Part 1: Auditions (By AM Staff) (Photo: Gerd Altmann | Pexels) There’s 100 people competing in this job interview known as an audition. 100 FRIGGIN’ PEOPLE!…

    QUESTION: Can I get an agent without a reel?

    QUESTION: Can I get an agent without a reel? (By AM Staff) ANSWER: Yes, it’s possible. But you’d be better off pursuing a reel before pursuing an agent! If you’re a beginning actor,…

    Three Different Scenes for a Self-Tape! 

    Three Different Scenes for a Self-Tape! Is that asking for too much? (By Javier Guerra) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) An actor friend of mine received a breakdown for an audition recently. The…

  • Ad

  • 8 Subtle Ways to Stand Out in an Audition

    8 Subtle Ways to Stand Out in an Audition You can’t look like you’re trying to stand out, while you’re trying to stand out (By Javier Guerra) (Photo: Shvets Production | Pexels) Standing…

    ACTOR STORY | “It’s About Nothing!” 

    ACTOR STORY “It’s About Nothing!” How Jason Alexander landed the role of George Costanza on ‘Seinfeld’ (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Jason Alexander) Jason Alexander once had a self-tape that he thought was going to…

    EDITORIAL | Actors Have Far More Power Than They Think 

    EDITORIAL Actors Have Far More Power Than They Think See yourself as a brand, not just as an actor (By AM Staff) (Photo: Juan Mendez | Pexels) One of the reasons actors become…

    The Audition Checklist 

    The Audition Checklist Are you fully prepared for your next audition? (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Pixabay | Pexels) Are you fully prepared for your next audition? Are you sure you haven’t forgotten anything…

    5 Ways Actors Fail 

    5 Ways Actors Fail Avoid these 5 key mistakes (By Kesha Tyler) (Photo: Mike van Schoonderwalt) Do actors fail because a casting director chose a different actor for a major role? Do they…

  • Ad

  • 3 Things I Love About Self-Tapes & Virtual Auditions 

    3 Things I Love About Self-Tapes & Virtual Auditions It’s the new way of doing the old business of auditioning  (By Javier Guerra) (Photo: Anete Lusina | Pexels) So, I used to own…

    5 Great Audition Tips

    5 Great Audition Tips  These 5 are the most consistent, no matter which type of audition you do (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) Here are 5 general audition tips to keep…

    ACTING TECHNIQUE | Dreamwork 

    ACTING TECHNIQUE  Dreamwork  Using your dreams to develop your characters  (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Pixabay | Pexels) You already know the importance of getting a good night’s rest. It affects your health. It…

  • Ad

  • ACTING TECHNIQUE | Build Chemistry Through Compliments 

    ACTING TECHNIQUE  Build Chemistry Through Compliments  Compliments work in the real world and in the world of make-believe  (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Leah Kelley | Pexels) One simple way to build chemistry with…

    Auditions vs. Callbacks: What’s the Difference? 

    Auditions vs. Callbacks: What’s the Difference?  (By Jim Webb)  (Photo: Jon Tyson/Unsplash) What’s the difference between an audition vs. a callback? If you’re an experienced actor, you already know the answer. But let’s…

    ACTING TECHNIQUE | Remember Your ABCs

    ACTING TECHNIQUE Remember Your ABCs: Always Be in Character! (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Sigmund | Unsplash) If you’ve ever seen David Mamet’s 1992 film, Glengarry Glen Ross, you’ll recall the famous acronym that…

    How to Act Realistically 

    How to Act Realistically  10 things you can do to not look like you’re acting  (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Ron Lach | Pexels) Acting is easy. Acting realistically is also easy. The only…

    What Are the 5 W’s of Acting?

    What Are the 5 W’s of Acting?  Defining your character’s given circumstances  (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) Who are you? What do you want in life and why do you want…

  • Ad