One scene. Two characters. Three situations. How can the same dialogue work for all three? How can strangers in a waiting room, rivals in an office, and lovers in a farewell embrace all find behavior in identical lines? It is a matter of circumstance. A multiplicity of meaning.

Beginning with a fresh view of the basic principles of Stanislavski’s system, Changing Circumstances builds actors’ versatility by altering the plots of eight original two-character scenes—but not the lines. Each scene is performed in three distinctly different ways, allowing for twenty-four emotionally charged dramas. Preceding each script is a complete description of the three sets of circumstances as well as each character’s objective, problem, and possible actions.