Why Do Actors Need Advanced Consciousness Training or A.C.T.?
Kevin Neil Page
May 20, 2018 DOI: 10.4324/9781315145594-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that attention training through meditation and mindfulness can be applied to actor training, that this activity follows the injunctions of experimental science, and that meditation training should be included in formal actor training programs, with support drawn from acting theoreticians such as Phillip B. Zarrilli. |
Abstract
Chapter 4 introduces the field of consciousness studies and training, which includes exercising the attention function with such practices as meditation (concentration on a single object) and mindfulness (attention paid to the whole field of awareness). We then apply the concept of training the attention function to actor training as described in earlier chapters and look at how this activity follows the injunctions of experimental science. We also explore the concept of ordinary and altered states of consciousness and how they might relate to the act of performance. Finally, we make the case for the benefits of meditation training in a formal actor training program with support from such notable acting theoreticians as Phillip B. Zarrilli.