Question and Answer Session

Recorded during a symposium on the Moscow Art Theatre, held at the United Nations Plaza, speakers focus on the psychological effect when practicing Konstantin Stanislavski's method of acting. According to an October 26th, 1964 article in the New York Times, the speakers visiting from the Soviet Union are:

Victor Manyukov, Theater Director and Teacher
Vladimir Prokofyev, Historian and Theoretician
Angelina Stepanova, Actress
Vasily Toporkov, Actor

In this recording, an unidentified speaker asks questions gathered from the audience on the average time it takes to produce and rehearse a play, Stanislavski's use of mathematical terminology in his work and the use of his techniques in other forms of performance like opera and ballet. They devote a significant portion of the discussion to the psychological effect of his method on an actor. How to use emotion memory to react in truthful ways without fully succumbing to the psychology of the character.

Translations by Tanya Derugeen and Ross Levroff.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 151754
Municipal archives id: T1574