Changing Circumstances : An Acting Manual with 24 Scenes

One scene. Two characters. Three situations. How can the same dialogue work for all three? How can strangers in a waiting room, rivals in an office, and lovers in a farewell embrace all find behavior in identical lines?

It is a matter of circumstance. A multiplicity of meaning. Beginning with a fresh view of the basic principles of Stanislavski's system, Changing Circumstances builds actors' versatility by altering the plots of eight original two-character scenes - but not the lines.

Each scene is performed in three distinctly different ways, allowing for twenty-four emotionally charged dramas.

Preceding each script is a complete description of the three sets of circumstances as well as each character's objective, problem, and possible actions.

One scene. Two characters. Three situations. A multiplicity of circumstances and meaning. Enough to nourish the novice or veteran's interpretative talent.

This is one acting text that is truly unique in its approach to the world's most respected acting method.