Carroll College Associate Professor of Theatre and Director of Theatrical Production, Kim Shire, has added a new title to her list of accomplishments - textbook author. Her book, A Beginner’s Guide to Acting Methods: Understanding Practitioners and their Legacies, was published in June and is already being recognized as an accessible introduction to the great theatre practitioners who have shaped modern acting.
Shire began the project after a student jokingly suggested she should “stop complaining about not being able to find a textbook” and write one herself. She drafted a few chapters before taking her sabbatical in the spring of 2023, completing the remainder of the book during that sabbatical and the following summer.
The book brings together the teachings of 20 influential practitioners, including Konstantin Stanislavski, Bertolt Brecht, Viola Spolin, Augusto Boal, Tadashi Suzuki, Anne Bogart, and many others. Each chapter offers biographical context, a clear explanation of the practitioner’s method, and tools for deeper study, along with journal prompts, discussion questions, and three to six hours’ worth of classroom activities for instructors.
By demystifying concepts such as “biomechanics,” “active analysis,” “grounding,” and “viewpoints,” Shire’s guide makes complex ideas approachable for novice actors while providing a structured resource for educators. “I wanted to create a single volume that would help students understand the legacy of these great teachers and encourage them to explore the methods that resonate most with their own work,” Shire said.
With this publication, Shire not only fills a gap she once found frustrating as an instructor but also creates a resource that will help shape the next generation of performers.
A Beginner’s Guide to Acting Methods: Understanding Practitioners and their Legacies can be found on Amazon and Bloomsbury.