Respect for Acting

The latest edition of a celebrated and bestselling acting resource

“I held onto this book for dear life throughout my twenties, and still thumb through it when I need a tune-up. If I lose my car keys and I’m frantically turning my house upside down trying to find them, I look up at the heavens and hope Uta’s having a good laugh.”
—AMANDA PEET

“Uta Hagen changed my life. She changed the lives of thousands and thousands of other people as well. To have Uta’s books, and to be able to look through them at the drop of a hat, keeps me going and keeps me inspired to keep going.”
—AUSTIN PENDLETON

“I read Respect for Acting frequently. As a remembrance of my time with Uta and to keep myself challenged and humble. It should be utilized by every acting student and professional.”
—VICTOR SLEZAK

“I was extraordinarily privileged to work with Uta Hagen in Circle in the Square’s production of George Bernard Shaw’s play You Never Can Tell. Her book, Respect for Acting, is a must-read for any actor at any age. She was committed to revealing the truth and we are the beneficiaries of her brilliant observations.”
—VICTOR GARBER

The classic book on acting, in an attractive updated edition

Since its original publication in 1973, Uta Hagen's Respect for Acting has remained a durable classic and a must-read for all students of acting. As an acting instructor at the Herbert Berghof Studio, Hagen helped to develop the talents of world-class actors like Robert DeNiro, Matthew Broderick, Gene Wilder, Amanda Peet, Austin Pendleton, Whoopi Goldberg, and more. In this book, Hagen offers an indispensable account of the techniques that professionals use to elevate their acting to an art form. This updated edition illuminates Hagen's original text with a new foreword written by Katie Finneran, retaining the David Hyde Pierce foreword, along with added background on HB Studio—one of the original New York performing arts training and practice spaces—and an excerpt from Hagen's autobiography SOURCES.

In working through this book, actors will learn physical, verbal, and emotional practice that empower them to connect their own self-concept to the characters they play. Specific, detailed exercises help actors learn to address a range of problems actors face, like maintaining immediacy and relevance, and developing the dimensions of a role over a long performance run. Respect for Acting is a book for actors and audiences who understand the need for truth in the creative process.

• Discover the acting book that has shaped professional theater performances for decades
• Learn the history and background of Herbert Berghof Studio, one of New York's foremost acting schools
• Practice the craft of acting with concrete exercises and instruction on technique
• Delve into the deep questions that arise when actors truly inhabit the lives of their characters

Actors at all levels of their craft will love this stunning updated version of the essential Respect for Acting.