Overview
In the Studio with Joyce Piven takes you directly inside the creative
process of the renowned Piven Workshop led by Joyce and Byrne Piven.
The Piven Theatre Workshop in Chicago has nurtured theatre artists
celebrated in the US, Ireland and Britain including Joan Cusack, John
Cusack, Jeremy Piven, Aidan Quinn, Sarah Ruhl, Lili Taylor and Kate
Walsh. Co-authors Joyce Piven and Susan Applebaum describe the Workshop
techniques (developed and refined over forty years of theatrical
training) as a virtual fly-on-the-wall experience, taking the reader
inside the director's studio, classroom, and green room. Part
One introduces the central principles of game work and the concept of
'encounter' - finding the emotional experience at the heart of a set of
given circumstances - and ends with a chapter on the role of story
theatre as a bridge between games and play text. Part Two takes you
into the classroom with Joyce Piven through fully-detailed transcripts
of physical and vocal workshops on play, agreement, specificity,
transformation and story theatre, accompanied by explanations and tips
for teaching. The book ends with an alphabetical appendix of games
taught by Byrne and Joyce Piven based on their work with Paul Sills and
Viola Spolin, Etienne Decroux, Uta Hagen and Mira Rostova. A
highly regarded guide and resource for actors, teachers, and directors,
for anyone interested in the creative process of acting and actor
training.