Chris Harwood talks with Tom Isbell, UMD Professor of Theatre, about character-building. There is a broad palette of techniques an actor can use to portray the roles they play, from the intensity of Method or Meisner to the approach suggested by Mamet, who Tom paraphrases: "Figure out what you want from the other character in the scene and just memorize your lines."
Though many available methods are worthy tools, not all will work for every character or style of play. Listen to see if Chris and Tom can condense what should take years of study into a six-minute master class.