Michael Chekhov

Michael Chekhov (1891-1955) - nephew of famed playwright Anton Chekhov - was a Russian-born actor, director, and teacher. He was a company member of the Moscow Art Theatre, and Stanislavski considered Chekhov to be his “most brilliant pupil” (despite Chekhov’s belief that Stanislavski’s system led to an overly naturalistic acting style).

Chekhov’s innovative and experimental directing style provoked severe criticism from the Communist regime, and he fled Russia in 1928, eventually settling in the United States. He taught at the Group Theater and the Actors Studio in New York before moving to Los Angeles in 1942, deeply influencing many actors who would go on to have incredibly successful careers on stage and screen. He was also respected very highly by his contemporaries - the great teachers Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, and Sanford Meisner - despite the fact that his technique was overshadowed by their own divergent teaching methods.

Breaking away from his American peers (and, indeed, from Stanislavski himself), Chekhov was interested in finding ways to access the sub-conscious through indirect (non-analytical) means. His approach drew on Carl Jung’s theories of psychological archetypes, as well as on Stanislavski’s psycho-physical methods (Chekhov himself employed the study of movement dynamics as a means of drawing out a character’s inner life - a technique which he called “psychological gesture.”) His book On the Technique of Acting, published in 1942, is still respected as one of the most important texts in the history of acting theory.

The New York-based Michael Chekhov Association (MICHA) offers workshops for actors and directors, and maintains a network of resources for Chekhov enthusiasts. A full range of private coaching, workshops, short courses, and foundation training is also offered by the Michael Chekhov Acting Studio in New York, and at the Michael Chekhov Studio and the Michael Chekhov Connection in Los Angeles. Similar training is available in Europe at the Michael Chekhov Centre UK.

The Michael Chekhov Association (MICHA)
http://www.michaelchekhov.org
P.O. Box 20168
New York, NY 10014
Phone: (202) 841-5141
E-mail: info@michaelchekhov.org

The Michael Chekhov Acting Studio
http://www.michaelchekhovactingstudio.com
138 West 15^th Street, 1^st Floor
New York, NY 10011

Contact: Lenard Petit, Artistic Director
Phone: (646) 385-2876
E-mail: lenardmcas@yahoo.com

The Michael Chekhov Studio
http://www.themichaelchekhovstudio.org
11840-1/2 Magnolia Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 91607
E-mail: mail@themichaelchekhovstudio.org

The Michael Chekhov Connection
http://www.chekhov.net
Phone: (818) 761-5404
E-mail: info@chekhov.net <mailto:info@chekhov.net

The Michael Chekhov Centre UK
http://www.michaelchekhov.org.uk
Phone: (+44) 208-696-7372
Fax: (+44) 208-677-8157
E-mail: info@michaelchekhovstudio.org.uk

Notable students of Michael Chekhov Technique:
Ingrid Bergman, Lloyd Bridges, Yul Brynner, Jack Colvin, Gary Cooper, Jeff Corey, Clint Eastwood, Anthony Hopkins, Elia Kazan, Joanna Merlin, Marilyn Monroe, Patricia Neal, Jack Nicholson, Jack Palance, Mala Powers, Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Beatrice Straight

Further reading:
Chamberlain, Franc
Michael Chekhov

Chekhov, Michael
On The Technique of Acting
(also called To the Actor)

Chekhov, Michael
The Path of the Actor
(translated by Andrei Kirillov and Bella Merlin)

Chekhov, Michael with Deirdre Hurst du Prey
Lessons for the Professional Actor

Chekhov, Michael with Mala Powers
Michael Chekhov on Theatre and the Art of Acting

Sonenberg, Janet
Dreamwork for Actors

Note
The following are common misspellings of Michael Chekhov's name: Michel, Micheal, Michale, Mike, Shekhov, Mikey Chekhov, Chekhoff