A Comparative Study of Sanford Meisner's Acting Technique and Terry Schreiber's Approach to Character Creation and Development: An Analysis, Critique of Concepts, and Practical Methodology



Abstract

Acting techniques serve as vital tools in enhancing actors' abilities to create and develop characters. Sanford Meisner and Terry Schreiber, through their unique approaches, have each explored how actors engage with dramatic characters. Meisner’s technique enables actors to achieve truthful presence on stage by eliminating intellectual interference. In contrast, Schreiber places strong emphasis on analyzing deep psychological layers to uncover a character’s hidden motivations, enabling the actor to maintain a dynamic relationship with the text. This study separately analyzes Meisner’s exercises—such as repetition and moment-to-moment responsiveness—and Schreiber’s practice designs that foster an actor’s interactive engagement with the text for character analysis. It then compares the two approaches. The aim of this research is to conduct a comparative examination of Sanford Meisner’s acting technique and Terry Schreiber’s approach to character creation and development, thereby enriching acting pedagogy through a deeper understanding of effective character-building strategies. This is an analytical-comparative study that uses a library-based method for data collection. Data analysis is qualitative in nature, and non-random sampling has been employed for selecting participants. The findings suggest that although both methods aim to achieve realism and authenticity in performance, and differ fundamentally in their methodologies and philosophies, they can be complementary. Integrating Meisner’s spontaneous, stimulus-driven responses with Schreiber’s deep psychological analysis offers a comprehensive framework for understanding, creating, and developing believable characters.

Keywords: Acting techniques, character creation and development, Sanford Meisner, Terry Schreiber.

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