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Book Testimonials

 

"Larry has stuffed himself into his books as if his like depended on it - just as he asks you to do in your acting exercises. He has condensed himself down to the size of a pocket so he can be your portable friend. He has stalked you rudely down the boundaries of your court, correcting your serve and your rally, blowing his whistle at fouls, getting in your face, urging you to keep on doing the work. Oh! if you heed him, you will recreate yourself in a way you never thought possible, in a way on which you will always be able to rely, in a way that cannot accommodate that hollow feeling of fraudulence, ever again."
-STEWART STERN
 Emmy Award Winning Screenwriter
 (Rebel Without A Cause, Sybil, The Ugly American)

"Before directing Larry Silverberg in American Buffalo, I read his Meisner textbooks. They made me feel I knew him and that we would become friends. When Larry writes, it is as if he is talking directly to you. You feel in personal touch with his enthusiasm, his positiveness, his passion and his insight. Take it from me, it is a good feeling."
 -APRIL SHAWHAN
 Award winning Broadway actress / director / acting teacher

"Dear Larry, I have to write you to express my "shock" after having read your book on the Meisner Approach. With the exception of Stanislavsky, never have I been so inspired! I was absolutely enthralled. Your work rekindled the excitement and emotion I felt that first day I decided to take the plunge into acting. I thank you for writing a book that celebrates the magic and the possibilities in the wonderful art of acting."
 -DAVID SCOTTI

"Dear Larry, I find your books to be fascinating, compelling and so accessible to anyone unfamiliar with the Meisner Approach to acting. What strikes me the most about it though, is the love which is woven into your attitude toward the acting student and his work. I will definitely be using your texts as my primary source for my acting classes here at Texas Tech."
 -LOUISE T. MALLORY
 Texas Tech University

"Dear Larry, as a fervent student of Sanford Meisner's approach, I cannot adequately express how thankful I am for your books. No other author has captured the day-to-day essence of Sandy's teachings. Your books are a wonderful outline for the beginning artist, as well as the seasoned professional, to follow. Not only are your books concise and informative, but you have managed to also capture the energy and spirited drive one gets from participating in a Meisner class. Along with Sandy, I will always consider you as one of my mentors. You have allowed me to focus and gain confidence in my own work and in my teaching."
 -GARY POTVIN
 Talent Pool Casting
 Providence, Rhode Island

"Dear Larry, I am working at a summer stock in Florida this summer and I found a number of actors here to work on the exercises in your books with me. I can only say that my work now feels so much more genuine and potent. Others are telling me that my acting is so much better and I watch with great satisfaction as I see the growth in the work of the actors who are being exposed to this technique for the first time. Please accept my heartfelt thanks for putting forth this approach in such a clear and inspired fashion. It is a blessing to all of us who are striving to grow."
 -JASON HEWITT

"Silverberg, who was a student of the master teacher, presents a workbook for actors that will prove useful, regardless of how familiar the reader is with Meisner's methods. Silverberg's writing is concise and insightful throughout and makes the technique accessible to any committed student."
 -LIBRARY JOURNAL

"For serious theatre students, Silverberg's book could be highly influential in laying a foundation for their acting careers."
 -VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES

"Acting coach Larry Silverberg takes two monologues--one for a man, one for a woman--from John Patrick Shanley's Savage in Limbo, and proceeds for 147 pages to dissect every word, every possible layer of meaning, every possible angle of approach, to show how a master actor would interpret the speeches at an audition. Silverberg supplies so many techniques for climbing inside the brief texts that any actor with the presence of mind to recall a tenth of them in the heat of a real-life audition would have the basis for ample calm confidence. This is a really useful guide for absorbing text quickly--whether for performer or audience."
 -AMAZON.COM

"Loving to Audition is a valuable, adventurous, and enthusiastic entree into the little defined world of auditioning."
 -ALLAN MILLER

"Silverberg, himself a graduate of Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater, outlines a 15-week program of exercises designed by Meisner to help actors approach each performance with the playful spontaneity and excitement of an opening night. Despite the book's subtitle, this is no mere actor's workbook; rather, it is an ongoing discussion, periodically interrupted by acting exercises, of the great acting teacher's philosophy and world view. Which means that those with more interest in Meisner and his place in the history of American acting will find the book at least as fascinating as will actors hoping to master Meisner's particular take on Stanislavsky-style naturalism."
 -JACK HELBIG
 Booklist

"In this extraordinary new book, Silverberg demystifies the emotional demands of acting and leads the actor through a process aimed at tapping into and deepening the emotional instrument. Not only will actors gain insight into the realm of the emotions, they will see very clearly the traps most actors fall into when it comes to "being emotional." A healthier and more effective way of working is taught - a way of working which brings the actor's powerful and unique creativity to every part."

"In this exciting next step of the Meisner technique, Silverberg guides you through a specific and step-by-step method of bringing a vivid authenticity to the roles you play. As you work through the lessons, you will have a vital experience of avoiding the clichés of performing your preconceived notions of the character. Through this approach, you will experience a new sense of passion and gusto, and you will savor this most demanding process of bringing the character to life."