Who is Konstantin Stanislavsky?

Answer 1

Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky (Russian: Константин Сергеевич Станиславский) (January 17 [O.S. 5 January] 1863 – August 7, 1938), was a director and acting innovator, responsible for a great deal of the acting technique used during the 20th century, all over the world.

Stanislavsky was born Konstantin Sergeyevich Alexeyev in Moscow to a wealthy family in 1863. He came from a prosperous Russian family who manufactured gold and silver braiding for military decorations and uniforms. Marie Varley, his grandmother, was a touring French actress and the only member of his family from an artistic background. Stanislavsky had eight siblings, who joined the young boy in creating elaborate theatricals on birthdays and holidays. The family created its own amateur theatre and Stanislavsky frequently acted in these miniature shows, usually meant for birthdays or holidays. At eight years old, Stanislavsky became interested in the circus, and often directed and starred in his own imaginary circuses. Another passion for the young Stanislavsky was puppetry, where he put on scenes from The Corsair and The Stone Guest. With puppetry, he learned to hone in on his love of detail--a quality Stanislavsky would incorporate in his directing later on in life with the Moscow Art Theatre. At fourteen, Stanislavsky started what would be numbers of notebooks filled with observations, aphorisms and problems. As a blossoming actor, Stanislavsky would dress as a tramp and go down to railroad yards, or disguise himself as a gypsy. Konstantin took a firm decision, despite the opposition of his father, to study theatre.


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Answer 2

Most importantly he founded The Moscow Art Theatre in 1898 with Nemorvich Danchenko. He was the "father" of modern acting, replacing the artificial style of the 19th Century with realistic acting. His books were the inspiration for several famous theatre people to start The Group Theatre in the 1930's in the USA. It was an attempt at communist-style socialism in creating art. Misinterpretations of his writings caused Lee Strasberg to create Method acting which was the most famous way of training actors in the 20th Century but is now passe'.

Answer 3

See above.

Stanislavski created an innovative method of interpreting a character that eschewed "theatrics" and concentrated on a character's reason for his/her reactions. It made stage acting much more realistic to the audience.

Unfortunately, a man named Lee Strasburg took ahold of this simple idea and ran with it. The result? brilliant actors such as Duvall, DeNiro and Hoffman, who UNDERSTOOD, and countless sneering (inevitably black-clad), whining, talentless poseurs.

The Method is a tool. Nothing more. Use it.

I may have given just a bit of editorializing. Sorry

Answer 4

Father of "Method Acting".

Answer 5

He is Michael Chekhov.