“There is no art that does not demand virtuosity”

MICHAEL CHEKHOV, nephew of the playwright Anton Chekhov, was one of Russia’s greatest actors. Throughout his life he searched for an “Objective Technique” for the actor. Towards the end of his life he published the fruits of his labor in his book “To The Actor.”

Today most approaches to acting stem from the pioneering work of the Russian Director and Actor Constantin Stanislavsky whose earlier work found its way to the West as what became known as the "Method". Stanislavsky's research, however, continued throughout his life and he eventually moved beyond his original ideas.

Stanislavsky, Vachtangov, Meyerhold and Michael Chekhov collaborated at the Moscow Art Theatre in search of principles that would lead to inspired acting. This investigation led Michael Chekhov to develop his psychophysical acting technique, incorporating imagination and body as well as intellect. Today the work of Michael Chekhov is known and practiced world wide.

Material on the Michael Chekhov Technique