About the Book:

Do you know a teen that's been bitten by the acting bug? Here's just the book they need! Acting for Young Actors, aimed at teens and tweens, lets kids hone their skills and develop their craft.

If you want to learn about both the craft and the business of acting, this is the book for you! Unlike many books about acting, Acting for Young Actors aims to cover not one but all aspects of a stage- or film-acting career. It begins with the five W's: "WHO am I?" talks about searching the script for clues about your character; "WHAT do I want?" goes over the basic tools of shaping a performance; "Why do I want what I want?" covers how to personalize, or "pack an emotional suitcase" that's specific and meaningful; and "WHERE am I? WHEN does this event take place?" delves into script analysis. The book explores each of these questions, using helpful exercises to allow you to work through problems of character identity and motivation. And goes on to explore all kinds of questions actors ask themselves every time they play a part. Using scenes from plays, musicals, television, and movies, authors Mary Lou Belli (an Emmy-winning TV director and former actor) and Dinah Lenney (an actor, writer, and acting teacher) show you how to approach each and every role. They include comprehensive chapters on everything from audition to rehearsal to improvisation, including vocabulary and providing exercises to help you hone your skills. An invaluable resource packed with practical tips from professionals, Acting for Young Actors is a must-have – whether you decide to pursue acting for money or for fun.

What people say:

"The book should be required reading for every actor before they even get to LA. I want to leave copies of it in my waiting room." — G. Charles Wright, casting director

"A must for any young actor! An unbeatable resource packed with great advice." — Mryl A. Schreibman, Professor at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television

"The 11 chapters address virtually every question an aspiring youngster might have before making career-related decisions." — Backstage

About the Author:

Mary Lou Belli has been directing television for over 30 years in many genres from sitcoms to procedurals to documentaries. She is a two-time Emmy Award-winning director, producer, and writer. Known for her work in children's programming, she has coached or directed teen actors on many sit-coms. She was on the directing faculty of USC's School of Cinematic Arts for a decade.

Dinah Lenney teaches and coaches actors privately and works as an adjunct professor in the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. She directs summer acting programs at Pepperdine University and at UCSD. She continues to act in theatre, film, and television, and played Nurse Shirley on NBC's long-running series ER since the first season.