Letters to a Young Actor (Art of Mentoring

by Robert Brustein

The founder and director of the Yale Repertory Theater, as well as Harvard's American Repertory Theater, and the drama critic for The New Republic for going on thirty years, Robert Brustein is a living legend in theatrical circles. In Letters to a Young Actor, he not only seeks to inspire the multitudes of struggling dramatists out pounding the pavement, but also to reinvigorate the very state of the art of acting itself. Brustein is a man of strong opinions and formidable intellect. Stocked with a wealth of stories about the now rich and famous (he has at various points in his career cultivated such talent as actors Meryl Streep, Marisa Tomei, Cherry Jones, Debra Winger, Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Walken, Tony Shalhoub, Henry Winkler, Christopher Lloyd, Claire Bloom, and many, many more), he brings both passion and a peerless authority to his subject. His telling anecdotes from decades of experience help explain how and why those who made it big are the successes they are today-and what struggles they faced along the way. From why Method acting is not the answer, to the critical importance of paying attention in English Lit. classes, Brustein's advice is clear, persuasive, and inspiring.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theatre, Drama

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2005

About the author

Robert Brustein was an American theatrical critic, producer, playwright, writer, and educator.

Reviews

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is geared mainly towards young stage actors. While not outwardly critical it's also not very complimentary towards film/tv and musical theatre, treating them as pesky but tolerable nuisance. That irked me a lot because I studied musical theatre but stayed in LA to go into the film industry. But whatever.

If you're looking for a book about how to act, this isn't it. If you're looking for a book that will help you prepare for your career this is okay, but there are better ones out there. But if you want a book telling you what's out there and what to expect, than this is it.

Most of what was in this book was not new to me. It would have been more fitting a read while I looked for schools, not after I graduated. It did introduce me to some actors and directors I hadn't heard of before, though. Something I can now investigate and learn more about.

By the end of the book I was pretty bored. Brustein started off really strong, everything he talked about was followed by an example or story. After halfway through though it almost seemed like he was beginning to struggle. The stories he had peppered throughout the beginning became few and far between.

All in all? Okay. Nothing new for me though. If Brustein wrote a book addressing the various techniques of different artists he's encountered, I woul be very interested.

[Jon Clausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brustein always reads a bit snobbish, but he has the chops and the experience to back that up.

He doesn't spend much time on technique or "method" but his book discusses what so many others fail to address: living life as an actor - both professionally and non-profit.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hrmmm... a very nice book, and Robert Brustein comes off as a great guy to work for. But ultimately, his "practical" advice is mostly delivered with fairly rose colored glasses on. The resident regional acting company system doesn't really exist much of anywhere anymore, so it all must be taken with a grain of salt. What if the system of employing actors in theatre was really the ideal he describes? Then this book would probably be full of great advice. Except for the part about how everyone needs to go get an MFA.

[Jesse Stoddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective and some good advice for aspiring actors. Admittedly, I am not a “young actor,” but I read it anyway. There are some parts that seemed a bit overly biased towards academia and non-profit theater and a bit harsh toward the world of profit theater and film, but an interesting perspective nonetheless.

[Fawad Khan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A universal guide only if your Universe is as big or as small as the United States of America. However, there are some interesting points that could be useful to actors from around the world. The book is actually addressing American Actors.

[Camila Rolon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of insight from someone with the experience to back it up. Brustein can come off a little snobby but great information nevertheless.

[Cayne Kitagawa · Rating 2 out of 5]

My goodness does this man like to name drop.