About the Book:

ACT: The Modern Actor's Handbook is the result of 30 years of one of North America's most renowned acting teachers coaching some of the world's most talented screen actors.

They say that behind every good actor is a good acting coach. If you've ever wondered where accomplished actors go when they need help with their television and film roles, look no more. David Rotenberg is the founder and artistic director of the internationally known studio The Professional Actors Lab in Toronto. No ordinary teacher, but a master acting coach and mentor to professional performers, some auditioning for roles, others working on them. He has taught such actors as Rachel McAdams, Tatiana Maslany, Scott Speedman, Sarah Gadon, Ennis Esmer, Patrick Adams, David Hirsh, Jonas Chernick, Shawn Doyle, Rachel Crawford, and Amanda Tapping to name but a few.

ACT: The Modern Actor's Handbook is a lively, conversational tour through the concepts at the heart of the methods used by master teacher David Rotenberg: states of being, primaries and secondaries, images that you elaborate up or distill down, modifiers, actions and beats, and more. This kind of acting is about selecting and not about pretending, and the obligation of a modern actor is to be compelling. Although his specific techniques loosely draw on the great acting teachers like Uta Hagen and Sanford Meisner back to Stanislavski, he teaches new techniques suited to the current realities of shooting that leave the director with little time to actually work with an actor. This handy, pocket-sized book gets right to the point. When you're in need of a master acting coach's direction and guidance in order to find that key into a scene, to prepare for an audition, or to find that right technique to make the art come alive again, this book is a lifesaver.

What people say:

"Simply put, I don't think I would've found my voice as an actor without David. Finding his class when I did was one of the luckiest moments of my career." — Scott Speedman, actor

"I owe my career to David Rotenberg. Over the 20 years he's been my teacher and coach, he's empowered me to develop my own voice within the framework of his techniques." — Ennis Esmer, actor

"If you find yourself, from time to time, in that very lonely place where the cylinders won't fire, ACT has the roadmap for the most crucial task of an actor: getting present." — Shawn Doyle, actor

"David Rotenberg has single-handedly had the most profoundly positive impact on the course of my career and my love of acting." — Demore Barnes, actor

"The expanse of his character development and insight on storytelling is invaluable. He provides terminology and structure for things I intuitively feel that give solid guideposts when lifting a character off the page. David explores the musicality, status and relationship, primary/secondary states, Drone Notes, time, environment, and backstory to add depth and truth that is both relatable and captivating." — Erin Karpluk, actor

"This is the legacy [David is] gifting to the world and to generations of future actors. I found it to be a riveting read, one that I know I'll return to many, many times. [His] keen ability to articulate these ideas in a concise, practical, and straightforward manner is truly impressive." — Jonas Chernick, actor

"When I am looking for an acting coach for my clients, I always know that I can trust David Rotenberg to help them bring out their very best performance. With his direction and guidance, they are able to find their voice and bring depth and layers to their performance. Often helping them to win the job." — Jennifer Goldhar, agent

About the Author:

David Charles Rotenberg is a Canadian author and educator who has been a master acting teacher for more than 30 years. He has directed on Broadway, in major regional theatres, for television, and has an MFA in directing from the Yale School of Drama. He is Professor Emeritus of theatre studies at York University, where he taught graduate students for over 25 years. He also taught at the National Theatre School of Canada, the Shanghai Theatre Academy, the University of Cape Town, and Princeton. He is the author of 11 novels and directed the first Canadian play in the People's Republic of China – in Mandarin.