Editing Konstantin Stanislavski (section)

==Family background and early influences==
[[File:Glikeriya Fedotova in 1887 cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Glikeriya Fedotova]], a student of [[Mikhail Shchepkin|Shchepkin]], encouraged Stanislavski to reject [[Artistic inspiration|inspiration]], embrace training and observation, and to "look your partner straight in the eyes, read his thoughts in his eyes, and reply to him in accordance with the expression of his eyes and face."<ref>[[Glikeriya Fedotova|Fedotova]], quoted by Magarshack (1950, 52); see also Benedetti (1989, 20; 2005, 109) and Golub (1998b, 985).</ref>]]

Stanislavski had a privileged youth, growing up in one of the richest families in Russia, the Alekseyevs.<ref>Benedetti (199), Carnicke (2000, 11), Magarshack (1950, 1), and Leach (2004, 6).</ref> He was born Konstantin Sergeyevich Alekseyev—he adopted the stage name "Stanislavski" in 1884 to keep his performance activities secret from his parents.<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 21, 24) and Carnicke (2000, 11). The prospect of becoming a professional actor was [[taboo]] for someone of his social class; actors had an even lower [[social status]] in Russia than in the rest of Europe, having only recently been [[Russian serfdom|serfs]] and the [[property]] of the [[nobility]].</ref> Up until the [[October Revolution|communist revolution]] in 1917, Stanislavski often used his inherited wealth to fund his experiments in acting and directing.<ref>Braun (1982, 59) and Carnicke (2000, 11).</ref> His family's discouragement meant that he appeared only as an [[Amateur theatre|amateur]] until he was thirty three.<ref>Carnicke (2000, 11).</ref>

As a child, Stanislavski was interested in the [[circus]], the ballet, and [[puppetry]].<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 6–11) and Magarshack (1950, 9–11, 27–28).</ref> Later, his family's two private theatres provided a forum for his theatrical impulses.<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 13, 18), Carnicke (2000, 11), Gordon (2006, 40), and Magarshack (1950, 31–32, 77).</ref> After his debut performance at one in 1877, he started what would become a lifelong series of notebooks filled with critical observations on his acting, aphorisms, and problems—it was from this habit of self-analysis and critique that [[Stanislavski's system]] later emerged.<ref>Benedetti (1989, 2), (1999a, 14), and (2005, 109), Gordon (2006, 40), and Magarshack (1950, 21–22).</ref> Stanislavski chose not to attend university, preferring to work in the family business.<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 18) and Magarshack (1950, 26).</ref>

Increasingly interested in "experiencing the role", Stanislavski experimented with maintaining a [[characterization]] in real life.<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 18–19) and Magarshack (1950, 25, 33–34). He would disguise himself as a [[tramp]] or drunk and visit the railway station, or as a fortune-telling [[Romani people|gypsy]]. As Benedetti explains, however, Stanislavski soon abandoned the technique of maintaining a characterisation in real life; it does not form a part of his system.</ref> In 1884, he began vocal training under [[Fyodor Petrovich Komissarzhevsky|Fyodor Komissarzhevsky]], with whom he also explored the coordination of body and voice.<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 19–20), Magarshack (1950, 49–50), and Whyman (2008, 139).</ref> A year later, Stanislavski briefly studied at the Moscow Theatre School but, disappointed with its approach, he left after little more than two weeks.<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 21). Students were encouraged to mimic the theatrical tricks and conventions of their tutors.</ref> Instead, he devoted particular attention to the performances of the [[Maly Theatre (Moscow)|Maly Theatre]], the home of Russian [[Realism (theatre)|psychological realism]] (as developed in the [[Nineteenth-century theatre|19th century]] by [[Alexander Pushkin]], [[Nikolai Gogol]] and [[Mikhail Shchepkin]]).<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 14–17) and (2005, 100).</ref>

Shchepkin's legacy included a disciplined, [[Ensemble cast|ensemble]] approach, extensive rehearsals, and the use of careful observation, self-knowledge, imagination, and emotion as the cornerstones of the craft.<ref>Golub (1998b, 985).</ref> Stanislavski called the Maly his "university".<ref>Benedetti (1989, 2).</ref> One of Shchepkin's students, [[Glikeriya Fedotova]], taught Stanislavski; she instilled in him the rejection of [[Artistic inspiration|inspiration]] as the basis of the actor's art, stressed the importance of training and discipline, and encouraged the practice of responsive interaction with other actors that Stanislavski came to call "communication".<ref>Golub (1998b, 985), Benedetti (1989, 20) and (2005, 109), and Magarshack (1950, 51–52). For more on [[Glikeriya Fedotova|Fedotova]], see Schuler (1996, 64–88). The development of a responsive interaction between actors was a significant innovation of the conventions of theatrical performance at the time; as Benedetti explains: "Leading actors would simply plant themselves downstage centre, by the [[Prompter (theatre)|prompter's]] box, wait to be fed the lines and then deliver them straight at the audience in a ringing voice, giving a fine display of passion and 'temperament'. Everyone, in fact, spoke their lines out front. Direct communication with other actors was minimal. Furniture was so arranged as to allow the actors to face front" (1989, 5). Fedotova encouraged Stanislavski to "look your partner straight in the eyes, read his thoughts in his eyes, and reply to him in accordance with the expression of his eyes and face"; quoted by Magarshack (1950, 52). Stanislavski's term "communication" ({{langx|ru-latn|obshchenie}}) was translated as "communion" in ''[[An Actor Prepares]]''.</ref> As well as the artists of the Maly, performances given by foreign stars influenced Stanislavski.<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 17) and Gordon (2006, 41).</ref> The effortless, emotive, and clear playing of the Italian [[Ernesto Rossi (actor)|Ernesto Rossi]], who performed major [[Shakespearean tragedy|Shakespearean tragic]] [[protagonist]]s in Moscow in 1877, particularly impressed him.<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 17).</ref> So too did [[Tommaso Salvini]]'s 1882 performance of [[Othello (character)|Othello]].<ref>Benedetti (1999a, 18), Gordon (2006, 41), and Milling and Ley (2001, 5).</ref>