Writing
Paul Austin’s newest work “Spontaneous Behavior, the Art and Craft of Acting,” published by Turning Plow Press, is now available. His collection “Notes on Hard Times” was published by Village Books Press. His work has appeared in such publications as This Land, Sugar Mule, Oklahoma Review, More Monologues by Men, and Newport Review. His poems have also been included in Speak Your Mind, the 2019 anthology of Woody Guthrie Poets Bull Buffalo and Indian Paintbrush, an anthology of Oklahoma poetry, Behind the mask: Haiku in the Time of Covid-19, Jerry Jazz Musician, and LEVEL Land: poems for and about the I-35 corridor. Late Night Conspiracies, a collection of his writings was performed with jazz ensemble at New York’s Ensemble Studio Theatre. He has written for and about the theatre in essays, poetry and plays. “Spontaneous Behavior, the Art and Craft of Acting” will be published in 2022 by Turning Plow Press.
“Spontaneous Behavior, the Art and Craft of Acting” is available for pre-order online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, other online sellers, and will be in bookstores starting on June 30, 2022. Pre-orders can also be purchased from the author for $22 (including shipping) using the contact form.
“Notes on Hard Times” is available at Amazon or directly from the author for $12 using the contact form.
Praise for Spontaneous Behavior
“Paul Austin has spent a lifetime as an actor, director, playwright, and teacher delving deeply into the act and art of theatre. This practical and well-crafted book is something only he could have written. It resonates with his passion for, curiosity about, and commitment to discovering how an actor can fulfill all of the potential inherent in their character and the play. To encourage actors in this demanding quest he first explores the primal sources of human behavior. He then offers a unique and comprehensive series of exercises to inspire actors toward meeting the exhilarating challenge of becoming “more of themselves by becoming somebody else.”
—William Carden, Artistic Director, Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York
“Spontaneous Behavior is an actor’s compendium, an exploration of the primal connections between performer and character; it’s a trove of philosophy, method, and practice that delves into the primal needs of human behavior. Paul Austin’s detailed examination of iconic stage characters like Chekhov’s Masha, Williams’s Tom Wingfield, Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Gertrude, and other characters, reveals the effectiveness of his methods. The workbook lessons delve into the craft of acting. They provide a comprehensive way to practice body, mind, and feeling to help an actor develop and codify their approach to their task so that, within their own the neutral creative space, they will find common ground between themselves and the characters they are playing. If you are an experienced professional or new to this strange and enchanting endeavor, read on. You might discover a way that will allow you to always find your center, to create that quiet space.”
—Zach Grenier, actor; Tony Award nominee, 33 Variations (Broadway); Deadwood; Fight Club; The Good Fight (television)
“Paul Austin has written a book like no other acting book. It’s more than a detailed guide on how to build a character from text analysis to physical work on the body, gesture, and breathing. The approach to scenes is so vibrant and alive with possibilities for an actor that the exercises fly off the page. It’s not only a valuable tool for audition, rehearsal, and performance, it’s an exciting read that reawakens the wonder and mystery that is the art and craft of acting.”
—James DeMarse, actor/writer; Drama Desk Award, Orphans Home Cycle; Artistic Director, 42nd St Workshop Theater
“Both practical and inspiring, this book scintillates with respect for acting, and the integrity and unique persona of the actor. The exercises in the workbook section, have shown me how to accommodate any direction thrown my way, in whatever medium I happen to be working in.”
—Karen Young, actor; A Lie of the Mind (Broadway); Heading South (film); The Sopranos (television)
“Plundered from a lifetime of dedication to and love for the theater, Paul Austin has created a rigorous blueprint for delving into text, exploring and building character and craft, and creating the world of the play. Spontaneous Behavior is a guide to limitless artistic exploration, and is an invaluable tool for every committed actor, be they beginner, journeyman, or master craftsman.”
—Julia Brothers, award-winning New York-based actor/writer; Broadway, regional theatre, standup comedy in NY and LA
Praise for Notes on Hard Times
“How rare to open a book of poems and to turn down the page corners for every other poem, as if to say, “I like this one, too.” Writing about jazz, politics, love and the solitary figure of “isolato” (as D.H. Lawrence calls him), Austin is always, clear, forceful, and insightful.”
—Stephanie Rauschenbush, American Book Review
“It is the poet’s job to record “hard times” to help negotiate our “imperfect Eden.” Paul Austin gladly, and worthily, takes up this burden.”
—Ken Hada, author, Bring an Extry Mule
“These pieces … grit their teeth to hold on to what good is left… and tear into the flesh of all that’s got to go. They sing the blues of what is killing us… while blowing the jazz of “But we ain’t dead yet.”
—Nathan Brown, Poet Laureate of Oklahoma
“These poems… battle for social justice, express outrage against hypocrisies and home-grown terror to celebrate grace, love, and music as antidotes to the horrors and crimes of “those who govern.”
—Barry Wallenstein, author, Drastic Dislocations: New and Selected Poems
“… poetry without pretense, with power and purpose—and, man, does it project!”
—Mikhail Horowitz, author, Rafting Toward the AfterLife
Plays
Full Length
Artificial Light
The New York art world, 1975. A father’s attempt to repress his Holocaust past is threatened by his painter son’s need to know the truth.
Gossip and Governance
A comedy about the making of a “fake news” scandal.
On the Brink
A comedy about a phony threat of war to bring down a sitting president.
The Harvey White Chronicles
Five interrelated one act plays about a young man who can’t find his way after 9-11
One Act
Mr. Schimbler and the Polltaker
Not. One. Word. More.
No Correspondence
Short Stories
Audition
The Trip to Bellows Falls
The Queen’s Man