Stella Adler

The Art of Acting

By: Howard Kissel

Narrated by: Bonnie Agan

Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Stella Adler was one of the 20th Century's greatest figures. She is arguably the most important teacher of acting in American history. Over her long career, both in New York and Hollywood, she offered her vast acting knowledge to generations of actors, including Marlon Brando, Warren Beatty, and Robert De Niro. The great voice finally ended in the early 1990s. But, her decades of experience and teaching have been brilliantly captured and encapsulated by Howard Kissel, in the 22 lessons you'll hear in this audiobook.

This brand-new audio edition of The Art of Acting is vibrantly narrated by Bonnie Agan.

©2000 Applause Books (P)2022 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

Illuminating insights, delivered as an urgent scold

I love this work but find myself unable to finish it after numerous attempts. The material itself is didactic, and the narrator doubles down on that quality to deliver it with elaborate urgency in every single word, and a tone that says the audience is a slow learner and teacher is losing patience. She’s a good reader, but I think there are ways to bring this text to life without overemphasizing every first syllable and overlaying a pitying tone. In audiobooks, the narrator is nearly as important as the material. I can tolerate one I don’t love, but if anyone talked to me this way in real life I’d go to some lengths to avoid them.

Highly recommended

Loved the personality in this book, as it was both written and narrated! Felt like I was in Stella Adler’s classroom and puts the art in perspective beautifully. I will be listening to this over and over again.

Life changing.

This book is a the best possible tool an inspiring actor can have. It will make you perceive things differently and allow you to be in tune with the world of Theater. This book has so much information in it I'm going to have to listen to it multiple times. Stella Addler greatly influenced the stage and her presence was staggering. This is a MUST. The amount of detail on what to do and how to do it will most definitely improve your abilities. If I ever become a well known actor I will have this book to thank for it.

Highly recommended

Not just about acting by understanding many aspects of life-philosophy-psychology-nature of true wisdom of acting!!!

Genius 🤌🏾

Stella Adler is a genius and an underrated expert in the field of acting. What people fail to realize is that of all the great influential acting teachers did NOT have was training with the man who revolutionized Western Acting, Stanislavski himself. Stella did. Her father was a great actor and she was literally trained since birth to see things with an "Actor's Eye." Her husband and mentor was the man who taught Uta Hagen everything she based her books and lessons on. No one else had anywhere near this level of knowledge and experience and what Stella Adler teaches is much deeper than a simple technique. It is a mindset. a way of seeing the world, your craft, and yourself. If you pay close attention you'll realize that underneath it all she is teaching you how to BE an actor.

The Narrator did a great job. I felt like it was really her talking to me lol.

A non actor reads an acting Bible??

Buy the hard copy skip this audiobook.
As a professional actor, I consider Stella Adler’s book an essential, multiple-read necessity. I enjoyed Isaac Butler’s THE METHOD: so much, I thought I’d listen tHis, my old favorite.
Within the first 5 minutes, this richly toned voice mispronounced the FOUNDER of 20th century acting CONSTANTIN Stanislavsky, and the classic lead in Three Musketeers, DARTAGNAN.
How on earth can a producer allow this narrator to read this enormously important book???

Offensively past its prime

Arrogant, entitled, impractical piece of history. Obviously written from a place of privilege. I was extremely offended by her attack of the middle class and the way she mocks and belittles her students. if this is what acting is, let me be a hack. If I taught like this, I would rightfully be fired.