Alan Arkin

Elaine May

Short Plays, Comedy Charatcers: 2 male, 2 female 3 interior sets Consists of The Way of All Fish, Virtual Reality and In and Out of the Light, three short plays about the collision of wills that were an Off Broadway comedy sensation starring the authors. "Classic comedies ... with subversive details that keep catching you off guard.... The evening ... percolates with actorly inventiveness and a willingness to pursue a warped logic step by ste

Three One-act Plays

Power Plays

Alan Arkin knew he was going to be an actor from the age of five: "Every film I saw, every play, every piece of music fed an unquenchable need to turn myself into something other than what I was." An Improvised Life is the Oscar winner's wise and unpretentious recollection of the process--artistic and personal--of becoming an actor, and a revealing look into the creative mind of one of the best practitioners on stage or screen. In a manner that is direct, down-to-earth, accessible, and articulate, Arkin reveals insights not only about himself (and his audience and students), but also truths for the rest of us about work, relationships, and sense of self.

A Memoir

An Improvised Life

Alan Arkin, one of the most beloved and accomplished actors of our time, reveals a side of himself not often shown on stage or screen. Like many teenagers, 16-year-old Alan Arkin had it all figured out. Then came young adulthood, and with it a wave of doubt so strong it caused him to question everything he thought he knew about himself and the world. Ever skeptical and full of questions, Arkin embarked on a spiritual journey to find something—anything—to believe in. An existential crisis in his 30s led him to the study of Eastern philosophy. Soon he began opening himself to the possibility that there was more to life than what he had simply seen, heard, or been taught. In this "mini-memoir," the 84-year-old actor shares his powerful spiritual experiences, from his brush with reincarnation to the benefits of meditation. In a gruff, earthy voice that sounds more suited to a New York cabbie than a spiritual guide, he shows us that wisdom can come from the most unexpected places and teachers. Out of My Mind is a candid, relatable, and delightfully irreverent take on how one man went searching for meaning and ended up discovering himself.

(Not Quite a Memoir)

Out of My Mind

Trumpet Club, Inc

A young lemming is haunted by doubts about the purpose of the great march westward to the sea.

The Lemming Condition

Disenchanted with his personal and professional success, Arkin embarked on a journey to self-discovery that included analysis and marijuana until he studied yoga and meditation and underwent profound changes

First Steps on a Path of Enlightenment

Halfway Through the Door

An Actor's Journey Toward the Self

Relates the startling effects of Beethoven's music on the Kennedys' new cow.

Cassie Loves Beethoven

The wonderful story of Bubber the Lemming that teaches everyone something about conformity and individual values

Alan Arkin

Books

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