Editing Edward Norton (section)

===1991–1994: Career beginnings===
After five months in Japan, Norton moved to New York City, where he supported himself working odd jobs.<ref name="NYTimesProfile"/><ref name="Vogue_interview"/> He took six months researching different acting techniques, focusing on [[method acting]]. He later took lessons from acting coach [[Terry Schreiber]] after discovering he was looking for a Japanese translator to help direct a play in Tokyo.{{Sfn|Schreiber|Barber|2005|p=viii}} Norton described him as a great teacher who encouraged students to become "multilingual actors" with different techniques for versatile roles.{{Sfn|Schreiber|Barber|2005|p=ix}}

Norton also wrote scripts for plays at the [[Signature Theatre Company (New York City)|Signature Theatre Company]] and starred in [[off-Broadway]] theater. His performance in [[Brian Friel]]'s ''[[Lovers (play)|Lovers]]'' brought him to the attention of playwright [[Edward Albee]], whose one-act plays Norton enjoyed.<ref name="Carbondale">{{Cite news|url=http://www.carbondaletimes.com/news/20161208/edward-norton-really-really-likes-to-talk-about-acting|title=Edward Norton really, really likes to talk about acting|first=Ed|last=Symkus|work=Carbondale Times|date=August 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401203426/http://www.carbondaletimes.com/news/20161208/edward-norton-really-really-likes-to-talk-about-acting|url-status=live|archive-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref> In 1994, Norton auditioned for Albee's ''[[Finding the Sun]]'' but did not get the part. Albee found a new role for him instead and had Norton read for ''Fragments''.<ref name="NYTP2">{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527064033/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/19/movies/he-s-hot-but-cool-to-lure-of-fame.html?pagewanted=2|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/19/movies/he-s-hot-but-cool-to-lure-of-fame.html?pagewanted=2|title=He's Hot But Cool To Lure Of Fame (Page 2)|work=The New York Times|date=January 19, 1997|archive-date=May 27, 2015|first=Phoebe|last=Hoban}}</ref> The playwright was impressed with Norton's rehearsal performance and cast him for its world premiere.<ref name="Yahoobio"/> Albee remarked that Norton was a rare actor "who really knocked me out".<ref name="NYTP2"/> Norton recalled that he was inspired by [[Al Pacino]], who also began his career in theater while struggling to establish himself in New York.<ref name="Vogue_interview"/>