• Contents 
• List of Exercises
• List of Illustrations
• Acknowledgments
• Prologue
• PART I: 
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. 
• The Ubiquitous Mask
• Origins
• The Five Major Functions of Masks
• Masks and Faces
• Masks and Time
• Masks and Power
• Masks and Trance
• 2. 
• Masks in Western Theatre
• Egyptian and Near Eastern Sources of Western Theatre
• Masks in the Ancient Greek and Roman Theatre
• Masks and the Drama of the Christian Church
• Masks in the Renaissance Theatre
• Masks in the Modern Western Theatre at the Turn of the Century
• Masks from the Turn of the Century through World War I
• Masks in the Interwar Period
• Masks in the Theatre after World War II
• 3. 
• Mask Improvisation: An Introduction
• A Brief History of Mask Improvisation Training
• The Benefits of Mask Improvisation Training
• How to Use This Text: Instructions for the Teacher
• Establishing the Working Atmosphere
• The Learning Objectives
• Workshop Requirements
• Assessment
• Supplemental Texts
• 4. 
• Getting Started
• A Note on Warm-ups
• Basic Terminology and Techniques
• Terminology and Techniques in Action
• “Getting to Know You”: Beginning Exercises
• 5. 
• The Lesson of the Mask
• Introduction
• Lessons from “The Plunge!” Exercise
• Lesson 1: 
• Acknowledging Psychophysical Release
• Lesson 2: 
• Acknowledging the Cast of Characters Within
• Lesson 3: 
• Recognizing Dual Consciousness
• Lesson 4: 
• Living in and through the Image of the Mask
• Lesson 5: 
• Recognizing the Presence of the Critical Voice
• Lesson 6: 
• Dealing with Issues of Control
• Some Additional Comments
• 6. 
• Masks and Countermasks
• Masks
• Countermasks
• Ground Rules for Mask Improvisation
• Objectives
• Carrying the Mask
• Basic Procedures
• Different Routes through the Training
• PART II: 
• THE NEUTRAL MASK
• 7. 
• The Concept of Neutral
• Introduction
• Understanding Neutral: Part I
• Interface: Individual Movement Analysis
• Understanding Neutral: Part II
• The Neutral Body
• Exercises in Moving toward Neutral
• Understanding Neutral: Part III
• The Neutral Body in Movement: Additional Qualities
• The Neutral Mind
• 8. 
• The Neutral Mask Identifications
• Introduction
• Imaging/Visualization Exercises
• General Instructions
• The Transforming Imagination
• Being versus Imitating/Illustrating
• General Guidelines for Identification Exercises
• The Four Elements
• Movement Study
• The Four Elements Continued: Extension Exercises
• Transfers to Nonmasked Improvisations
• 9. 
• Continuing Identification Exercises
• Introduction
• Identification with the World of Nature: Part I
• Identification with the World of Nature: Part II
• Identification with the World of Nature: Part III
• Final Neutral Mask Identification Exercises
• PART III: 
• THE CHARACTER MASKS
• 10. 
• The Beginning Character Masks
• Introduction
• The Beginning Character Masks
• Beginning Character Mask Exercises
• Investigating the State of Being and Pattern of Behavior
• Age
• Reconsideration of What Constitutes a Mask
• Evaluation
• 11. 
• The Countermask
• Introduction
• Uncovering the Countermask
• Application of Mask/Countermask
• Facets of the Countermask
• The Paradox of Mask/Countermask
• Conclusion
• 12. 
• The Life Masks
• Introduction
• Beginning Life Mask Improvisations
• Life Masks and Counter-Life Masks
• Beginning Life History Investigations
• Life History Lessons: Extended Improvisations
• Life Mask Transfer Exercises
• 13. 
• The Totem Masks
• Introduction
• Exploring the Animal in the Totem Mask
• Assigning the Animal Masks
• Discovering the Human in the Totem Mask
• Verbalizing: Freeing the Character to Speak
• Totem Mask Transfer Exercises
• Progress Report: Evaluation
• 14. 
• The Found Object Masks
• Introduction
• Found Object Exercises
• 15. 
• The Complex Character Masks
• Introduction
• Two Approaches to Complex Character Mask Improvisations
• Selecting and Assigning the Complex Character Masks
• Roles and Functions of the Observer-Teacher
• Finding and Developing the Vocabulary of the Mask I: The Complex Mask
• Finding and Developing the Vocabulary of the Mask II: The Complex Countermask
• Extending the Characterization
• Confirming the Complex Mask Characterization
• Final Projects: Solo Performances of Multiple Characters
• PART IV: 
• THE APPLICATION OF MASK IMPROVISATION TRAINING
• 16. 
• Masks and Faces
• Introduction
• Lessons Learned from Mask Improvisation Training
• Starting from Zero: Lessons from the Neutral Mask
• Applying the Concept of Neutral
• The Neutral Mask in Rehearsal
• The Character as Mask: Lessons from the Character Masks
• Reconstructing the Mask of the Character from the Text
• Visualizing the Imaginary Body
• Finding the Vocabulary of the Character's Mask: Self-Study
• Discovering the Character as Other
• Finding the Vocabulary of the Character's Mask: Rehearsal
• Finding the Vocabulary of the Character's Mask: Mask and Countermask
• Capstone Exercises
• Reflections on the Process of Acting
• Outside or Inside? Two Approaches to Characterization
• Masks and Faces: The Transformative Actor
• 17. 
• Mask Theatre
• Introduction
• Why Mask Theatre?
• Half Masks or Full-Face Masks?
• The Masked and the Unmasked
• Mask Theatre's Demands
• Mask Theatre and the Production Team
• Masks in Casting, Rehearsal, and Performance
• Finding and Incorporating the Vocabulary of the Mask
• The Basic Vocabulary
• Vocabulary Areas
• Applying the Neutraland Character Mask Improvisations to Mask Theatre
• Traditional Western Mask Theatre Forms
• The Mask of Theatre
• APPENDICES
• Appendix A: 
• Mask Design and Construction
• Appendix B: 
• Mask Templates
• Appendix C: 
• Forms and Handouts
• Notes
• Bibliography

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