A Challenge for the Actor
Uta Hagen's refined and evolved approach to acting technique
Overview
A Challenge for the Actor represents Uta Hagen's evolved thinking on acting technique, refining and expanding on concepts introduced in Respect for Acting. She moved away from substitution toward what she called transference, a more sophisticated approach to connecting personal experience with character.
The book presents updated exercises and a deeper exploration of the actor's process, informed by additional decades of teaching at the HB Studio. Hagen's writing remains sharp, demanding, and deeply insightful.
How It Works
Best for actors who have already read Respect for Acting and want to continue studying Hagen's approach. It is also valuable for acting teachers who want to understand the evolution of her method.
Available in paperback and digital formats, typically priced between $15-18. Often read in conjunction with Respect for Acting for a complete understanding of Hagen's technique.
Who Uses It
Recommended for actors committed to the depth and rigor that Hagen demands. Her continued refinement of her approach demonstrates the kind of lifelong artistic growth every actor should aspire to. The fact that one of the most accomplished actresses of the 20th century continued to question, refine, and improve her teaching methodology well into her later career provides a powerful model of the kind of artistic humility and intellectual curiosity that sustains creative growth over a lifetime. A Challenge for the Actor represents not just an updated technique but a matured artistic philosophy, reflecting decades of additional teaching experience and observation of how actors develop — and struggle — in their work. For actors who found Respect for Acting transformative, this follow-up provides the evolved perspective of a master teacher who never stopped learning and growing.
Pricing & Plans
A Challenge for the Actor is available in paperback and digital formats from most major booksellers, typically priced between $15-18. E-book editions are available on major digital platforms. The book is frequently purchased and studied alongside Respect for Acting, and together the two volumes provide the complete arc of Hagen's teaching philosophy from its early formulation to its mature expression. The book is a standard text in many acting programs, particularly those that emphasize Hagen's approach, and is available through university bookstores and theater bookshops. Used copies are available through secondhand sellers for actors seeking to minimize costs.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
A Challenge for the Actor's greatest strength is its refined concept of transference, which represents Hagen's evolution beyond the substitution technique described in Respect for Acting. Where substitution asks actors to replace the character's experiences with their own, transference encourages a more sophisticated process of imaginatively connecting to the character's circumstances while maintaining the actor's own emotional responsiveness — a distinction that reduces the risk of playing yourself rather than the character. The updated exercises reflect decades of refinement, incorporating lessons learned from observing thousands of students work through the material. Hagen's expanded treatment of given circumstances, physical action, and the actor's relationship to objects and environment demonstrates how her thinking deepened over time, providing more nuanced tools for creating specific, truthful performances. The book also addresses the actor's responsibility to the text and the playwright with greater emphasis than the first book, reflecting Hagen's mature view that serving the material is the actor's highest obligation.
What Could Be Better
A Challenge for the Actor assumes familiarity with the concepts and exercises from Respect for Acting, making it less accessible as a standalone text for actors who have not studied the earlier work. The distinction between substitution and transference, while conceptually important, can be difficult to grasp without the guidance of a teacher who has studied both books and understands the practical implications of the difference. The book's demanding tone, inherited from Respect for Acting, can feel intimidating or exclusionary to actors who are not accustomed to Hagen's exacting standards. Some practitioners argue that the differences between the two books are more semantic than substantive and that the practical application of the techniques is more similar than Hagen's theoretical framework suggests. The book's focus on theater performance, while fundamental to Hagen's artistic identity, may require adaptation for actors whose primary work is in film and television.
Our Recommendation
Actors who have studied and worked with Respect for Acting should read A Challenge for the Actor to understand how Hagen's thinking evolved and to access the refined exercises and concepts that represent her mature teaching. The book is also valuable for acting teachers who want to understand the full trajectory of Hagen's pedagogical development and incorporate her evolved thinking into their own teaching. If you have not yet read Respect for Acting, start there before attempting this volume, as the concepts build progressively. The combination of both books provides the most complete understanding of Hagen's approach and demonstrates the kind of lifelong artistic growth that every serious actor should aspire to in their own practice.
Pro Tips
Study the concept of transference carefully and practice applying it to your current work, noting how it differs from and improves upon the substitution technique — the evolution from replacing the character's experience with your own to imaginatively connecting your emotional capacity to the character's circumstances represents a significant refinement that produces richer, more nuanced performances. Compare the exercises in this book with their earlier versions in Respect for Acting, observing what Hagen changed and considering why those changes might improve the learning process. Practice the updated exercises under the guidance of a teacher trained in Hagen's approach if possible, as the subtle refinements benefit from experienced guidance that helps you understand the practical implications of theoretical changes. Apply Hagen's mature emphasis on serving the text and the playwright to your audition preparation and performance work, asking yourself in every role whether your choices illuminate the material or impose your own agenda upon it. Let Hagen's example of lifelong artistic refinement inspire your own commitment to continued growth — if one of the greatest actors and teachers of the 20th century continued to question and improve her approach throughout her career, no actor should consider their technique complete or beyond improvement.