The best book for training actors
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Stanislavsky's classic lessons for actors that all the best acting teachers teach or have adapted. It doesn't get any better than this.
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CASTING REVEALED:
Book Review by Gabriell DeBear Paye.

"Casting Revealed" got me wrapped up in the excitement of casting and movie making while providing a much clearer idea of what is entailed!

It is a practical guide not only for directors but also useful for actors and screenwriters with lots of quotes and examples. Directors will realize that casting is perhaps the most essential element in making a successful movie. Actors will learn what casting directors are looking for (such as having a pleasant personality so others will enjoy working with them) and some specifics such as how to present themselves (resumes, head shots, demo reels, etc.). Great examples of marketing materials are shown in the book. As a screenwriter I initially didn't think that it would be relevant to what I'm doing, but as I read it, I realized that it's important for me to develop roles that will attract great talent and to know the entire process.

The book points out that (after a good screenplay) the selection and quality of the actors are of paramount importance to making a great movie. They will make or break it. In the words of Alfred Hitchcok (quoted in the book), "Seventy-five percent of directing is casting." And this is not only true of individual actors, but of how good the chemistry between actors is so that the whole movie will shine.

The author provides a step by step guide on how to do casting from how to select actors for parts, set up timelines, casting meetings and callbacks, and finally contracts (for both union and non union actors). It tells what to look for during an audition and giving actors chances to ad lib, do scenes over and why it is important to not to make rash decisions. This is an indispensable guide for anyone who wants to direct movies.

It's full of suggestions that actors will really appreciate. For example, it suggests that you don't keep actors waiting and let actors know where they stand on a timely basis. If only all directors followed this directive!  The book talks about the pros and cons of hiring experienced SAG (Screen Actors Guild) actors vs. lesser known non union ones that will help directors make wise decisions based on your budget and time constraints.  The ending provides a useful list of applicable websites, contact information and terminology to get you started.
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Elizabeth's no nonsense breakdown of how to audition for acting programs would have been a DREAM to have when I was going through school.  She is both kind and firm in her explanations.  She's included everything from the traditional what to wear and how to find a monologue, but also how to create positive and sustainable audition habits (like rewarding yourself!)  I love that she subtly (and not so subtly) introduces mindfulness and somatic recognition-how to be present!  It was nice to read all the interviews of both undergraduate and graduate professors and directors, and to see how casual and REAL these people are.  They humanize these larger than life figures in a young actor's life.  Bonus:  a section dedicated to PARENTS on how to support their actors AND how to deal with any fears of omigoshmychildwantstobeanactor

I teach theatre to high school women and will definitely be recommending it, and lending it, to them
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I've had the pleasure of not only auditioning for a project that Jen Rudin was casting, but she has also helped coach me for auditions. Her insight and understanding of what actors need in order to connect to with material is by far some of the best in the industry. So, when I saw she had written a book, it was a no-brainer to pick it up! This book is excellent for anyone starting out in the industry; I even think it's great for veterans in the game who sometimes need a reminder of the basics for the casting room especially when you get consumed with distractions after going to countless auditions. If you're looking for some magic book that will make you a super star, this is NOT that book (well, no book is). But, this book certainly makes the process easier so when you step into the room, you know what's going on and are comfortable being there. A great, easy read! Thanks, Jen!
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I agree... Sandford Meisner is by far one of the best kept secrets in acting. I stuided the Meisner Technique approach to acting with the wonderful Rachael Adler and it has absolutely changed me. Not just my acting but my life as well. This is a MUST HAVE for ANY actor. Whether this technique is right for you or not, the information you will get from this book will most defenitely help you understand what makes good acting.
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Michael Wright's book offers you a jillion different exercises to stoke your creative furnace.  It is a manual that I use for my intermediate-level playwrights to work their playwriting chops.  He breaks down the  playwriting exercises or "etudes" into several areas including  Technique Etudes, Character Etudes, Plot Etudes, Etudes for Structure,  Collaboration Etudes, and Unblocking Etudes.  Most importantly however, his  guiding principal is based on theatricality or "why must this story be  told on the stage?"  In the field of American playwriting, so many  manuals on this process focus on realistic technique.  Michael's book is  one of the first that addresses ways to stretch your technique in new  directions.
I've put Michael's ideas to work in my classes and more  importantly in my own work as a playwright, and it has had profound effects  on the quality and output of my writing.  He makes you look at your  characters, plot, and structure in so many different ways.  My writing has  become richer, more theatrical, and more inventive having experimented with  etudes such as the "Age Exploration,"  "Imperatives  Only," "Spoken Subtext," or "Secret Past."
If  you're serious about playwriting, and want to really challenge yourself as  a writer, buy this book, do the etudes, and watch your work take flight.  You need to workout constantly as a writer, and Michael's book provides the  way to do this.
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SO EASY SO HELPFUL ! Helped me with my auditions a lotttt. I was able to read the material and immediately implement the author's advice. I would highly recommend this book and have to all my actor friends.
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I LOVED this book!  We actors all know what it's like to not prepare the way we need to for an audition.  In reading Margie's book, I realized it's not just fear (masked as paralysis or  procrastination) that keeps us from preparing.  It's cause we aren't sure what questions to ask -- questions that will REALLY stimulate and plug us in when we only have 10 minutes, an hour, a day -- at any rate, not 4 nice, long weeks of rehearsal -- to bring life to the role.  Just by reading this, I felt like I had taken a course.  For seasoned actors as much, if not more, than for beginners.  A handbook of what we could all stand to be reminded of.  This book has made auditioning FUN again.
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This book is a fantastic investment for anyone with any interest in acting.  Whether you're an experienced actor or one just starting out, this is a GREAT book--so good, after just one chapter of it, I felt like I had been taking acting classes for years.  Written with young adults in mind, this book shows what it means to act and all the things you need to know to become a good actor in a way that is both simple and sophisticated, so it's appropriate for any age.  It's a book that you can easily pick up and just read a part of when you need help (but it is fun to read all the way through!)  I've learned so much from this book and I can't wait to put it all to use!
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This is a definite must have and a staple for the SERIOUS actor who plans to make this career choice a successful one. Until you've been in this industry for a long time and have firm hold and understanding of this business, you need to be guided in the right direction. While anything worth while takes time and hard work, it also takes $$$$ and that's one thing a beginning actor may not have much. Erica (Hoo),gives it to you straight from the hip in a no non-sense, realistic way because unlike a lot of her colleagues she's not out for self-promotion or recommending classes, talent agents or managers that don't have the actor's best interest at heart. This book literally guides you on not only how to groom yourself to becoming a successful actor, but how to manage your career as YOUR BUSINESS. Everything from how to introduce yourself and stand out to key players in the industry without boardering on the obsessed or overbearing to how manage your finances, file taxes (without potentially getting to know the more well known actors because you're sharing the same jail cell), etc.

That aside, (and from a more personal note), if you contact her Erica, despite being very busy managing her own career, is extremely helpful with any questions you have that may or may not have been covered in her book. And she doesn't just give you the one or two word answers just to kind of pacify you or blow you off. She really gives you helpful detailed answers and options.

Some may not agree with everything Erica has to say or suggest in this book, but you can't please everyone and everybody may not like to face the facts or the truth when it's been presented to them. There is a reason why she uses a pen name(Erica Hoo) as a oppose to her actual name, because the things she writes about can be somewhat compared to a magician revealing the secrets behind the tricks/illusions. Erica has been on both sides of the table when it comes to this industry and has gone through the bumps and the bruises so she knows of what she speaks, so whay not learn through the experience of others. All that being said, get this book!!!!! You will not regret it, I promise you.
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Directing Actors is an excellent book. I learned quite a bit. I highly recommend it to all types of directors or aspiring directors. A lot of the methodology can be applied to other leadership positions as well. Aside from film specific lessons, it gets into the psychology of working and directing people in general.
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As a long-time practitioner and teacher of Permanent Cosmetics and para-medical tattooing, I have had many different types of training. I have accumulated knowledge along the 15 year (to date) span of my career from a variety of training programs, continuing education,and industry groups that provide advanced education.
What I know to be true is there is no ONE book or classroom that can teach a person everything they need to know about how to properly, safely and successfully perform permanent cosmetic services.  It is an accumulation of good training, good educational materials, hands-on practice and continuing education to stay abreast of new industry developments. We learn differently as we evolve in experience.
That being said, the Permanent Cosmetics Fundamentals book is certainly THE MOST comprehensive and well written book of it's kind.  It covers all of the basic foundational principles one needs to thoroughly understand before ever starting to perform procedures, and to introduce the student to the proper principles of this art.  I use the book and the workbook for my student apprentices along with hand-on practicals.  For anyone who is learning, who has already taken some basic training and needs more detailed and accurate information; or, you didn't feel you really grasped the concepts of your primary training and you are struggling with your procedures; or for anyone who needs a fabulous teaching resource - THIS IS THE BOOK!!!! It is rock-solid in the accurate, true and safe principals that are the foundation for any Permanent Cosmetic technician.  I couldn't teach without it! It is my go-to reference source.
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This is one of the most comprehensive and thorough guides to Acting out there.  It covers all the bases from inner voice, to auditions, to the making of a film and the performers role.  By following the essentials in this guidebook, any aspiring craftsman in the performing arts will excel in their field. They will thoroughly understand how their body is the instrument of the performance and develop the skills to step into each characters skin.  Highly recommended.
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BUY THIS BOOK.  YOU WILL BE HAPPY YOU DID.
If you are involved with film or television production, you MUST read this book.

I have been studying acting and directing for over two years now and this book is such a solid, thorough explanation of how actors work and how best to communicate with them as a director.  Chapter by chapter I can recall how we touched on this or that in class or in my other studies and it has amounted to quite an impressive collection of technique, advice, anecdotes and examples, indeed.

There is virtually no filler.  Any examples given serve the case-in-point directly.  Some pitfalls are addressed in most areas and explanations are given as to why they occur and why and how they are best avoided. Writers can even benefit from this book by understanding how theirs scripts are broken down, analyzed, and delivered and how a stumble in acting may truly fall back on the words on the page.

This book will equip you with a knowledge of most ubiquitous technique and terminology such that you can fashion your own approach to each new role as either an actor or as a director who will help your actors deliver the best they can.
Five Stars, hands-down.

I am seriously considering purchasing a backup copy, this book is THAT GOOD.
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The Audition Bible is a MASTERPIECE of the highest order and I am bereft that I didn't have it in my hands when I was an Actress.  It's beautifully written and answers every question an Actor should know -- and then some - with some valuable "Secrets" that can give you a leg UP on the competition. It is indeed the definitive Bible for the Audition process and most importantly, it prepares the Actor mentally, which is where most Actors shoot themselves in the foot.  It literally demystifies the Audition process and gives awesome advice how to present oneself the most authentically and powerfully during an audition.  BRAVO!  It's a MUST READ for every actor!
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One of the single best casting books.  The illustrations alone were 5 star: clear, concise, extremely helpful.  Joan is one of the best teachers.  This book is a must have for your fly casting/fishing reference library.
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If you are an actor, you must read this book.  Most actors place the control of their careers in the hands of  a few people from which they hope to recieve their "big break" .  Ms. Lerman outlines the method that should be used to empower yourself by taking a proactive approach to your own career.  The "Twelve Step Plan to Becoming an Actor in L.A." should be required reading in all acting classes, as important as any book used to teach acting technique. This is true whether you live in L.A., New York, or any city in between.