| In 1907 a new form of actor training began | | | | Stanislavski's idea that was known as "the |
| developing by Konstantin Stanislavski, artistic | | | | method" became popular with the Group Theater |
| director for the Moscow Art Theater in Russia. | | | | in the 1930s and the Actor's Studio two decades |
| Stanislavski was already well known internationally | | | | later. The Method was the postwar foundation for |
| as an actor and director and he searched for a | | | | the motion-picture acting in Hollywood. Directors |
| training system that would awaken a performers | | | | of the alternative American theater in the 1960s, |
| emotions. To achieve the creative state of mind | | | | especially the ones who were influenced by |
| in an actor was his ultimate goal. He thought the | | | | Artaud and Polish director Jerzy Grotowski, |
| performer's past emotional experiences could be | | | | explored innovative acting techniques that gave |
| relived on stage. He based his thoughts from | | | | emphasize to external and super physical qualities |
| preparing great actors and the knowledge of | | | | of the performer. In the late 1990s many |
| yoga. Stanislavski taught the Moscow Art players | | | | American acting teachers borrowed Asian theater |
| through physical exercises with emphasize on | | | | and modern dance traditions.An American director |
| relaxation, concentration and belief. Stanislavski | | | | and actor, Lee Strasberg (1901-1982) was the |
| believed that stimulation through the five senses, | | | | leading teacher of Stanislavski's acting technique |
| one could reawaken and control these memories | | | | known as "the method." Born in Budzanow, |
| only indirectly.Continuous revisions were made | | | | Austria-Hungary, Strasberg came to the United |
| over several decades and many variations of | | | | States in 1909 and became a naturalized citizen in |
| Stanislavski system became the touchstone of | | | | 1936. Strasberg helped to found the Group |
| 20th century actor training. Attention to truthful | | | | Theater in 1931; he directed many of its |
| emotional awakening in an actor through facial | | | | Broadway plays and productions.Strasberg |
| detail made it a great technique for television and | | | | became an artistic director of the Actors Studio in |
| naturalistic films. Experimental and traditional | | | | 1951 and the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute was |
| directors however, sparked counter theories and | | | | founded in 1969. Strasberg was responsible for |
| opposing approaches to Stanislavski | | | | the training of may leading American actors using |
| teachings.Vsevolod Meyerhold and Mikhail | | | | the American exponent of the Method, an |
| Chekhov, both students of Stanislavski in Russia, | | | | emotion-oriented acting technique. The American |
| created actor-training that ignored the | | | | exponent of the Method was based on the |
| psychological stimulation and was more geared to | | | | teachings of the Russian actor and director |
| physical and imagination. In the 1930s German | | | | Konstantin Stanislavski.Some of his students |
| playwright Bertoit Brecht and French theorist | | | | included: Anne Bancroft, Maureen Stapleton, |
| Antonin Artaud, Avantgarde theater practitioners, | | | | Sidney Poitier, Marlon Brando and Dustin Hoffman. |
| also challenged Stanislavski. They believed his | | | | Even though his students had much success, |
| training was overly realistic and internalized. In | | | | some members of the acting community often |
| countries such as France and England, where | | | | criticized him because of his approach; which was |
| theatrical traditions were firmly planted, ignored | | | | regarded as undisciplined. Strasberg made his |
| Stanislavski's clarion call.Stanislavski had his | | | | debut as an actor in "The Godfather Part II" in |
| greatest success in the United States. | | | | 1974. |