Wayne's Book List

Okay, I recently spoke with Canaan, and he suggested that I put together a list of books that I'd recommend on my website. So... Here it is. I will continue to update this list.

Here is my rating guide:

(No Rating = I haven't read the book)
* Neutral
** Not Bad
*** Recommend
**** Must Read

Books on Business of Acting

Acting -- Make It Your Business: How to Avoid Mistakes and Achieve Success as a Working Actorby Paul Russell **** (Applies to NY & LA, but more on NY market)

Acting Is Everything: An Actor's Guidebook for a Successful Career in Los Angeles, Expanded Goldby Judy Kerr. *** (Applies to LA market)

Self-Management for Actors: Getting Down to (Show) Businessby Bonnie Gillespie **** (Applies to LA market)

The Organic Actor: Insider's Secrets to Auditioning for Film and Televisionby Lori Wyman * (Applies to FL, or smaller Acting markets)

Acting As a Business, Third Edition: Strategies for Successby Brian O'Neil *** (Applies to both NY & LA, and other areas)

So You Want To Be In Show Business: A Hollywood Agent Shares The Secrets Of Getting Ahead Without Getting Ripped Offby Steve Stevens * (Applies to LA)

How to be a Working Actor, 5th Edition: The Insider's Guide to Finding Jobs in Theater, Film, & Television (How to Be a Working Actor: The Insider's Guide to Finding Jobs)by Mari Lyn Henry, Lynne Rogers, and Joe Mantegna. ** (Applies more on NY market)

Acting Professionally: Raw Facts About Careers in Actingby James Calleri

An Agent Tells Allby Tony Martinez ****

How to Agent Your Agentby Nancy Rainford ****

Ask an Agent: Everything Actors Need to Know about Agentsby Margaret Emory ***

The Los Angeles Agent Book: How to Get the Agent You Need for the Career You Wantby K Callan

The New York Agent Book: How to Get the Agent You Need for the Career You Wantby K Callan

How to Sell Yourself as an Actor: from New York to Los Angeles (and everywhere in between!)by K Callan

So...You're An Actor?! PROVE IT!: Branding and Marketing for Today's Aspiring Actorby Canaan Robinson

Technique Books

Audition: Everything an Actor Needs to Know to Get the Partby Michael Shurtleff ****

No Acting Pleaseby Eric Morris

A Challenge For The Actorby Uta Hagen ****

The Intent to Live: Achieving Your True Potential as an Actorby Larry Moss

The Power of the Actorby Ivana Chubbuck ***

Sanford Meisner on Actingby Sanford Meisner

On the Technique of Actingby Michael Chekhov

Acting for the Camera: Revised Editionby Tony Barr ***

The Eight Characters of Comedy: A Guide to Sitcom Acting And Writingby Scott Sedita ***

The Monologue Audition: A Practical Guide for Actorsby Karen Kohlhaas

The Art of Auditioning: Techniques for Televisionby Rob Decina **

Truth: Personas, Needs, and Flaws in The Art of Building Actors and Creating Charactersby Susan Batson *

Stella Adler - The Art of Acting: preface by Marlon Brando compiled and edited by Howard Kissel (Applause Acting Series)by Stella Adler

The Actor's Art and Craft: William Esper Teaches the Meisner Techniqueby William Esper

Transformational Acting: A Step Beyondby Sande Shurin **

How Not to Audition: Avoiding the Common Mistakes Most Actors Makeby Ellie Kanner and Denny Martin Flinn

How to Audition for TV Commercials: From the Ad Agency Point of Viewby W. Jenkins

How to Get the Part... Without Falling Apart!: Featuring the Haber Phrase Technique for Actorsby Margie Haber ****

Acting: Advanced Techniques for the Actor, Director, and Teacherby Terry Schreiber

A Practical Handbook for the Actorby Melissa Bruder, Lee Michael Cohn, Madeleine Olnek, and Nathaniel Pollack **

The Actor's Menu: A Character Preparation Handbook by Bill Howey

THE LYNDON TECHNIQUE: The 15 Guideline Map To Booking Handbookby Amy Lyndon and Thomas Garner **

An Actor's Companion : 99 Bits of Craftby Seth Barrish ***

Acting Out: Your Personal Coach to a Money-Making Career in Television Commercialsby Stuart Stone and Dennis Bailey

The Science & Art of Commercial Actingby John Howard Swain

Acting in Television Commercials for Fun and Profit, 4th Edition: Fully Updated 4th Editionby Squire Fridell

For Child/Youth Actors & Showbiz Parents

Stage Mom 101 : How to Give Your Child the Opportunity to Work in Showbizby Marie Hopkins

Raising a Star: The Parent's Guide to Helping Kids Break into Theater, Film, Television, or Musicby Nancy Carson and Jacqueline Shannon

Acting for Young Actors: The Ultimate Teen Guideby Mary Lou Belli

Acting Up! How to get your kidz in the biz!by Lucia Forte

Others FUN but Imformative Reads

An Actor Prepares to Work in New York City: How to Master the Business of The Businessby Craig Wroe

An Actor Prepares...To Live in New York City: How to Live Like a Star Before You Become Oneby Craig Wroe

I'm Here, Now What?! An Artist's Survival Guide for NYC!by Amy Harrell

Business of Acting: Reading Suggestions

Hello guys, for those of you who are interested in the show business, or already in show business... but don't know and where to start... Well, here are some books that I strongly recommend you to read.

There are things that you will never learn at Acting School. You can be the greatest actor in the entire workd, but never made it a leading role in a Hollywood Feature. Why? Because other than Talent and Skills.... A successful actor should also know how to navigate through the Show Business. Do the Do's and avoid the Don'ts.

General Books on how to start, maintain, and be successful with your Acting career:

Acting as a Business by Brian O'Neil

An Agent Tells All by Tony Martinez

Self-Management for Actors by Bonnie Gillespie

For those of you are out in Los Angeles, or planning to start an Acting career in Hollywood, then this book is a MUST read:

Acting is Everything by Judy Kerr

For Talents who are new to New York, or just started out your career in the big apple... These two books will help you from becoming a starving actor:

How to Live Like a Star Before You Become One by Craig Wroe

How to Master the Business of The Business by Craig Wroe

Acting Schools & Workshops in New York

I have been asked for recommendations for good Acting Schools / Studios in New York. But the fact is, I cannot tell wither or not if a school is GOOD... The techniques taught may have varies result for actors. Some Actors clicks with a particular approach, while others just couldn't get into it.

Acting Schools/Studios:

William Esper Studio
Herbert Berghof Studio
Atlantic Acting School
Stella Adler Acting Studio
Lee Strasberg Institute
Maggie Flanigan Studio
The Neighborhood Playhouse
Ron Stetson Studio
The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Weist-Baron Studio
The Julliard School
The Acting Studio Inc.
T. Schreiber Studio
Robert Patterson Studio
Michael Howard Studios
Robert X. Modica Acting Studio
The Studio New York
Playwrights Horizons Theater School
Jim Bonney Acting Studio
Circle in the Square Theatre School
Ted Bardy Acting Studio
International Theatre New York
Primary Stages Acting School
Anthony Abeson Workshop
Bob McAndrew Workshop
Deena Levy Theatre Studio
Matthew Corozine Studio
Larry Singer Studio
Gene Frankel Theatre & Film Workshop
Glenn Alterman Studio
Bruce Ornstein Acting Workshop
Greg Seel: Alexander Technique and More
Kimball Studio
Catherine Gaffigan Studio
Maggie Reed Workshops
Ward Acting Studio
Joanna Beckson Studios
Acting on Impulse
LAByrinth Theater Company
The Acting Factory - NYC
The Actors Theatre Workshop
Charles Tuthill - Acting Coach
The Art of the Audition
Anania Studio
Acting International Workshop
Stonestreet Studios
A Class Act NYC
ACTeen (Kids/Teen)
ACT (Kids/Teen)
SOCAPA Summer Camps & Programs for Teens

Acting Schools/Studios for Working Actors:

Black Nexxus Inc
Sally Johnson Studio
The Barrow Group
Caymichael Patten Studio

Improv School / Training:

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
Magnet Theater
The Peoples Improv Theater
Chicago City Limits
National Comedy Theatre
Gotham City Improv

Stand Up Comedy:

Manhattan Comedy School
Comic Strip Comedy Club
Carolines School of Comedy
Stand Up NY

Modern/Other/Mixed Technique Acting Teachers:

MTB Studio
Sande Shurin Studio
Penny Templeton Studio
Turturro Acting Studio
RE-Acting with David Vadim
Bova Actor's Workshop
Acting with Carol Fox Prescott
John Dapolito Workshop
Tom Todoroff Studio
Tim Phillips Studio
Australian Institute of Dramatic Arts

Of course there are other schools in New York, but the ones that I listed above are either 1) I have worked with Actors who studied there and had good experience working with them; 2) Well Known in the Industry; or 3) Great Reviews from local papers and fellow actors.

Commercial Workshops

Brooke & Mary Commercial Workshops
David Cady Commercial Acting Course
David Bellantoni Commercial Workshops
On-Camera Acting & Career Counseling with Erica Palgon
Commercial Workshops @ Downstairs/Hungry Man Casting
Media Image Coaching with Patricia Stark
Commercial Print Modeling Workshop

Acting Coach / Unique Classes

Bob Krakower
Kimberly Graham Master Class
Michal Zecher Acting Coach
Matt Newton Acting Coach
Daryl Eisenberg Master Class
Capes Coaching
Master Class with George DiCenzo
The Art of the Audition
Southgate Productions
Coaching with Roz
Acting on Film with Peter Kelly
Private Coaching with David Caparelliotis (MelCap Casting /Manhattan Theatre Club)
Private Coaching with Lina Todd (Lina Todd Casting)
John Howard Swain Acting Workshops
The Next Step Audition Workshop
On-Camera Audition Workshop with Geoffrey Soffer
Coaching with Jen Rudin
MaxTheatrix
Voice & Speech for Actors with Shane Ann Younts
Amy Stoller, Accent & Dialect Coach
Acting Heart NYC
New York Reality TV School
36th Street Studio

And Don't forget the Seminars!

Yes. If you have enough budget, and want get a chance to meet and audition in front of Talent Agents, Managers and Casting Directors, then you might want to invest in Seminars. (And Workshops taught by Casting Directors)

Even though Mass Mailing can be effective, but there's nothing more effective than meeting the Agent/Director/Manager face to face. When you submit your headshot/resume & cover letter via the big envelope, more chance is that it will be picked up by the Mail room first. Depends on the size of the agency, either the Mail room personal will open the submission, and do the first 'process of elimination.' What was left, will be delivered to the desk. Pretty much all the Agents/Manager would agree that they open ALL mails that went to their desk, they will open/review them in the most time efficient way... And that was that. You don't know if you will ever get a call from them...

Here are some of the well known facilities that hosts Seminars and Workshops taught by Industry People:


The Network Studio East$$
Showcase New York$$
Actors Technique$$
In the Room NYC$$
Breakthrough Studios$$ (Requires Phone Interview)
Paul Russell Casting Workshop$$
Actors Alliance Studio$$ (Requires Audition & Annual Membership Fee)
One on One Production$$$ (Requires Audition & 1-time Membership Fee)
The Network NYC$$$
Actors Connection$$$
TVI Actors Studio$$$ (Requires Audition & optional Annual Membership Fee)
Scott Powers Studios$$$$
The Actor's Green Room $$$$
The Actor's Market???
Donelli Workshops???
ClubModel USA???
The Wright Way Master Classes???
TruOnline$$$(Annual Membership Fee)


Marketing / Business of Acting

Act Outside the Box
Paul Russell: Access to Agents
The Actor's Enterprise


Acting Career Consultation

Intuitive Career Guidance with Pamela

Showcase

The Actor's Project NYC