Acting: The First Six Lessons

Acting: The First Six Lessons by Richard Boleslavsky is the foundational text that introduced the principles of the Stanislavski system to American actors and established the conceptual framework for virtually all subsequent American acting training. Published in 1933, the book is the work of a man who had been a member of the Moscow Art Theatre under Stanislavski and who emigrated to New York in the 1920s, founding the American Laboratory Theatre where he trained the generation of artists who would transform American acting. Boleslavsky's students at the American Laboratory Theatre included Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, and Harold Clurman, who went on to found the Group Theatre and to develop the various branches of what became known as Method Acting.

The book is structured as a series of six dialogues between a wise, experienced teacher (called 'The Creature') and an eager, questioning young student, covering the fundamental elements of acting: Concentration, Memory of Emotion, Dramatic Action, Characterization, Observation, and Rhythm. The dialogue format gives the book a warmth and accessibility that distinguishes it from more academic treatments of acting theory, and the conversational tone allows complex ideas to be introduced gradually through questions, examples, and stories rather than presented as dry theoretical propositions. Each lesson builds naturally on the previous ones, creating a cumulative understanding that mirrors the progressive nature of actor training itself.

The lesson on Concentration establishes the foundational skill upon which all other acting abilities depend — the ability to focus attention completely on the task at hand, shutting out distractions and self-consciousness. Boleslavsky's treatment of concentration anticipates many later developments in mindfulness and attentional training by decades, and his practical approach to developing this faculty through graduated exercises remains as relevant today as it was nearly a century ago. The lesson on Memory of Emotion introduces the concept that became the most famous — and most controversial — element of the Stanislavski system as transmitted to America, the idea that actors can access authentic emotional responses by recalling personal experiences that parallel those of the character.

The lesson on Dramatic Action addresses the core principle that acting is fundamentally about doing — pursuing objectives, overcoming obstacles, and engaging in the dynamic exchange of action and reaction that constitutes dramatic conflict. This emphasis on action over emotion, while seemingly at odds with the Memory of Emotion lesson, reflects Stanislavski's own evolving understanding that physical action and emotional truth are interconnected rather than sequential. The lessons on Characterization, Observation, and Rhythm round out the fundamental toolkit, covering how actors transform themselves physically and psychologically, how they gather material from life to enrich their creative work, and how they develop sensitivity to the temporal and dynamic patterns that give performances shape and vitality.

The historical significance of Acting: The First Six Lessons is difficult to overstate — it was the channel through which the Stanislavski system first reached American actors in a systematic written form, and it directly shaped the thinking of the individuals who would dominate American acting training for the next fifty years. When Strasberg developed his approach to emotional memory work at the Group Theatre and later at the Actors Studio, he was building on foundations laid by Boleslavsky in these pages. When Adler departed from Strasberg's emphasis on personal emotional memory in favor of imagination and given circumstances, she was engaging in a dialogue that originated in Boleslavsky's formulation of these principles. The book is thus not merely a historical document but the genetic code of American acting.

Acting: The First Six Lessons is available in multiple editions from various publishers, typically priced between $8 and $14 for a new paperback copy. Used copies are abundantly available for under $5, as the book has been in print for over ninety years and has been assigned in countless acting programs. Digital editions are available for Kindle and other e-readers at very low prices. The book is quite slim — roughly 120 pages — and can be read in a single sitting, making it one of the most accessible and affordable introductions to the foundations of modern acting technique. At this price point, it is an essential addition to every actor's library.

Every serious actor should read Acting: The First Six Lessons — it is the foundation upon which the entire edifice of American acting training was built, and understanding it provides essential context for evaluating the various approaches and methodologies that followed. The book is particularly valuable for actors beginning their training who want to understand the origins of the techniques they will encounter in classes and workshops. It is equally valuable for experienced actors who want to reconnect with the fundamental principles that underlie their craft. After reading Boleslavsky, you will be better prepared to understand the differences between Strasberg, Adler, Meisner, and other teachers who built upon, modified, or reacted against the framework established in these pages.

Read the book as both a practical guide and a historical document, understanding that the principles it establishes are the roots from which virtually all subsequent American acting training has grown. Practice the concentration exercises from the first lesson as a daily warm-up, as the ability to focus attention completely remains the most fundamental skill an actor can develop. After reading the Memory of Emotion lesson, explore how different teachers — Strasberg, Adler, Meisner — interpreted and modified Boleslavsky's formulation, which will deepen your understanding of the philosophical debates that have shaped acting training for nearly a century. Apply the Observation lesson to your daily life, consciously developing the habit of watching, listening, and recording human behavior with the artist's eye that Boleslavsky describes. Share the book with fellow actors and discuss how the six lessons relate to your own training experiences, as the dialogue format naturally invites conversation and debate.