The Singing and Acting Handbook: Games and Exercises for the Performer

by Burgess; Thomas De Mallet

• ISBN13: 9780415166584
• ISBN10: 0415166586
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 1999-12-22
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book directly addresses all performers who sing and act, whether in opera, musical theatre or music-theatre. By looking beyond the separate acts of singing and acting the performer builds up a greater awareness of how the two interrelate to form a single powerful expression. Using games, exercises and discussion, this book takes a stimulating approach to the demands made upon today's performers, and will equip both the experienced professional and the student to take full advantage of rehearsal and performance. With advice on approaches to learning music, interpreting scores, and building characters, it provides a long-awaited innovative resource for performers, directors, workshop leaders and teachers.

Author Biography

Thomas de Mallet Burgess works internationally as a freelance director and workshop leader in opera, musicals and spoken theatre Nicholas Skilbeck works internationally as a musical director, composer, vocal coach and pianist

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xv
Part One Introduction	1	(24)
Singing and acting in performance	3	(22)
Introduction	3	(1)
Music and Drama	4	(1)
The Structure of Sung Theatre	5	(2)
The Past, the Present and the Challenge of Terminology	7	(6)
The Performer	13	(1)
The Fundamental Disciplines	14	(2)
The Indivisible Expression	16	(1)
Using the Exercises	17	(1)
The Workshop Process	18	(1)
The Leader and the Workshop Process	19	(6)
Part Two The Exercises	25	(164)
The fundamental disciplines	27	(54)
Preparing the Ground	27	(1)
Relaxation	28	(1)
Exercise 1	29	(3)
Dissociation	32	(1)
Exercise 2	33	(1)
Visualisation	34	(1)
Exercises 3-4	34	(4)
Warming-up	38	(1)
Exercises 5-6	38	(4)
Energising	42	(1)
Exercises 7-14	43	(8)
Concentration	51	(1)
Exercises 15-23	51	(7)
Awareness	58	(1)
Exercises 24-39	59	(13)
Imagination and Spontaneity	72	(1)
Exercises 40-47	73	(8)
Rhythm, pulse and time	81	(29)
Rhythm and Time	81	(1)
Exercise 48	82	(1)
Pulse	82	(1)
Exercises 49-60	83	(11)
Musical Structure	94	(2)
Exercises 61-64	96	(4)
Sustaining a Moment	100	(1)
Exercises 65-69	101	(6)
Using Rhythm and Pulse to Create Emotion	107	(3)
Music, text and the score	110	(36)
Approaching the Score	111	(1)
Learning the Score	112	(2)
Interpreting the Score	114	(4)
Exercise 70	118	(1)
The Relationship between Text and Music	119	(2)
Exercises 71-75	121	(4)
Exploring the Sound and Word Association	125	(2)
Exercises 76-79	127	(3)
Being Present	130	(3)
Exercises 80-86	133	(5)
Dialogue, Recitative and Heightened Text	138	(3)
Exercises 87-92	141	(5)
Character, emotion and sound	146	(39)
Character	147	(3)
Music and Character	150	(2)
Exercises 93-99	152	(5)
Acting in Sung Theatre	157	(3)
Exercises 100-101	160	(3)
Gesture	163	(1)
Exercises 102-106	164	(5)
Eye Language and Focus	169	(1)
Exercises 107-108	170	(1)
Emotion	171	(3)
Exercises 109-119	174	(11)
Conclusion	185	(4)
Appendix: Figures 1-28	189	(11)
Bibliography	200	(2)
Index of games and exercises by title and destination	202