Verb Work:
Bringing Characters to Life Through Action
Have you ever heard of verb work for acting?
Stanislavski—the grandfather of modern acting—was one of the first to explore the idea of playing verbs. When he began training actors (after already establishing himself as a successful actor, director, and founder of the Moscow Art Theatre), his early focus was on emotional recall. Actors were encouraged to trigger real feelings by drawing on memories from their own lives.
But over time, he realized the limitations of that method. Actors would “run dry,” unable to consistently summon the necessary emotions. Some became emotionally exhausted or unwell, while others resorted to forcing feelings, resulting in fake, unbelievable performances.
So he took a different tack.
Stanislavski discovered that when actors focused on physical actions, authentic emotional responses emerged spontaneously—not just for the actor, but for their scene partners and the audience. Surprisingly, when actors began playing actions, the emotions often followed effortlessly.
But what exactly are these “physical actions”? Is it the blocking of the scene? The character making a bed, sipping tea, or playing cards?
Nope. Not quite.
He was referring to psycho-physical action: choices rooted in the character’s intention (psycho) that manifest through physical behavior (physical). In every scene, the character wants something. There’s always an obstacle in the way. To overcome it, they have to do something—they must take action to affect the other person in the scene.
They might try to convince, beg, threaten, soothe, inspire, charm… These are all behaviors—tactics, really—that actors can use to pursue their objectives. And those tactics? They’re verbs.
Stanislavski found that when actors chose clear, playable verbs, their performances became truthful, dynamic, and emotionally resonant.
And the rest is history.
Well, sort of.
Over time, the power of verb play has faded into the background. Some forgot about it. Others didn’t quite understand how to use it. And many actors reverted to simply trying to feel the character’s emotions—which rarely leads to consistent or compelling performances.
That’s where we come in.
At Actors In Action Conservatory [hyper link this], the Liechty Acting Technique is rooted in behavior-based work. Yes, we incorporate emotional exploration, voice, movement, scene study, and personalization—but it all starts with mastering the art of playing the verb.
In fact, our AIAC Handbook includes a 12-page verb list. From simple ones like to poke, to hug, or to lead, to more layered and nuanced choices like to skewer, to seduce, or to allure. Each verb evokes a different tone, triggers different emotional responses, and adds color and depth to your performance.
Let’s look at an example:
George: Hi, Gina! Great to see you.
Gina: Oh, George. I didn’t see you there.
George: You’re looking great.
Gina: Thanks.
George: Care for a stroll?
Now, let’s say you’re playing George. You might interpret the lines through the lens of these verbs:
(to greet, to admire, to invite)
Try it!
George (to greet): Hi, Gina! Great to see you.
George (to admire): You’re looking great.
George (to invite): Care for a stroll?
Now change it up. Try a completely different tone by swapping the verbs:
- Sinister: to trap, to sniff, to lure
- Cruel: to halt, to belittle, to banish
- Regal: to hail, to laud, to escort
- Silly: to tickle, to amuse, to waltz
- Depressed: to dampen, to diminish, to burden
- Happy: to excite, to acclaim, to whisk
See how dramatically those small shifts transform the scene?
That’s the power of playing verbs.
Not only is it an incredibly effective technique—it’s also fun. And once you get the hang of it, it starts to feel effortless and genuine.
So how do you start?
We recommend beginning with breaking your scene or monologue into three beats: beginning, middle, and end. Assign one verb to each beat. Once you’re comfortable, you can “deep verb” your work—choosing a different verb for each line or slight shift in the scene.
Want to master the art of verb play?
Visit our website: www.actorsinactionconservatory.com
We offer in-person, online, and hybrid training options.
And for a deeper dive into behavior-based acting, check out our video: “What Acting Is”.
Your acting is about to level up.
Now go play some verbs.