Building a Character

Building a Character is the second book in Stanislavski's trilogy, focusing on the external techniques of acting including voice, movement, tempo-rhythm, and physical characterization. It complements the internal work explored in An Actor Prepares.

Stanislavski continues using the fictional classroom format, guiding readers through exercises in physicality, speech, and the integration of external technique with internal truth. The book bridges the gap between inner feeling and outer expression.

Important reading for actors who have studied the internal aspects of technique and want to develop stronger physical and vocal skills. It provides the other half of Stanislavski's complete system.

Available in paperback and digital formats from most booksellers, typically priced between $12-15. Often purchased alongside An Actor Prepares and Creating a Role as a complete set.

Recommended as the essential follow-up to An Actor Prepares. Actors who only study the internal side of technique miss half of what Stanislavski intended, and this book fills that crucial gap. The historical separation of Stanislavski's work into multiple volumes — dictated by publishing decisions rather than artistic intent — has unfortunately led generations of actors to study the internal work in isolation, creating a distorted understanding of a system that Stanislavski always conceived as integrating inner and outer technique into a unified whole. Building a Character corrects this imbalance by providing the physical, vocal, and external tools that transform internal truth into visible, audible performance. For actors who have studied emotional truth and psychological motivation but struggle with physical expression, vocal variety, and the external dimensions of characterization, this book provides the missing half of their technique.

Building a Character is available in paperback and digital formats from most major booksellers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores, typically priced between $12-15. E-book editions are available on Kindle, Kobo, and other digital platforms. The book is frequently purchased together with An Actor Prepares and Creating a Role as a complete set, and some publishers offer boxed editions of the trilogy at modest discounts. As with An Actor Prepares, translation quality varies, and the same guidelines apply — seek out well-reviewed modern translations for the most accurate representation of Stanislavski's ideas. Used copies are widely available through secondhand sellers, making the complete trilogy accessible even to actors on tight budgets.

Actors who have studied the internal dimensions of technique through An Actor Prepares or through training in approaches descended from Stanislavski should read Building a Character to develop the external skills that complete their technical foundation. The book is particularly valuable for actors who have been told they are emotionally truthful but physically unexpressive, or who struggle with vocal variety, physical characterization, and the external dimensions of performance. Study Building a Character alongside contemporary voice and movement training programs rather than in isolation, as modern practitioners have refined and expanded Stanislavski's external technique work significantly. If you have not yet read An Actor Prepares, start there first, as Building a Character assumes familiarity with the internal technique concepts established in the first volume.

Read Building a Character with a commitment to physical practice — after each chapter, spend time exploring the concepts through your own voice and body, experimenting with the physical exercises and vocal work Stanislavski describes rather than treating the book as purely intellectual content. Supplement Stanislavski's physical characterization work with contemporary movement training such as Alexander Technique, Laban Movement Analysis, or viewpoints, as these modern approaches provide refined frameworks for the physical expression that Stanislavski pioneered. Practice the vocal exercises in a space where you can work at full volume and physical commitment, as the voice and speech work described requires the same dedicated practice environment that instrumental musicians use for their daily training. Apply the tempo-rhythm concepts to your current scene work, experimenting with how changes in pace, energy, and rhythm transform the quality and emotional impact of your performance. Use the book's framework for physical characterization when building new roles — starting with questions about how your character moves, stands, gestures, and occupies space — as these external choices create the visible foundation upon which internal truth becomes communicable to an audience.