The Eight Characters of Comedy: Guide to Sitcom Acting &Writing

This Second Edition to THE EIGHT CHARACTERS OF COMEDY breaks down the evolution of the SITCOM through the early 2010s and is full of helpful information for actors auditioning for sitcoms and writers developing them. But you don't have to be in the biz to enjoy this book. Scott does an excellent job of articulating the nuances of each character and helping us understand what it is about them that makes us love them so much.

Although a book about comedy may have the potential to be hilarious, there's the fear that the humor will be subsumed by the analysis, and it'll be more like a textbook than a jokebook. But, in this case, fear not, 'cuz this is - well, both. The book provides an interesting analysis of how jokes are executed, both in writing and delivery, then provides entertaining examples.And the book also (as the title indicates) goes into the basic archetypes of sitcom characters, providing interesting insight on how they're used, and played off of one another, and then providing examples of each type from famous sitcoms through history.Even beyond this, one observation that I found especially interesting (upon my second reading) is the concept of one type of archetypal character playing in a different archetype's storyline - say, a "logical smart one" playing in a "lovable loser" storyline, for an episode, or even a story arc that may last several episodes.So, yeah - big fan. And, again, useful for not only comedy actors, but, also, comedy writers.

It was so fun to look at my favorite characters from television from the lens of a comedic writer. I felt like as an actor, it helped me get inside the brain of these characters and feel closer to them when breaking down scripts!

I am lucky to live in Los Angeles because I get to take classes at Scott Sedita Acting Studios. Scott and Tony teach you the techniques to find what makes a character funny. And then you get to practice each of the eight character types. Wherever you live, buy this book if you want to be a comedy actor or writer. It will show you what makes characters funny and how to be them onstage or create them on paper. Plus, this is a fun and funny read! Scott will make you laugh as he opens your mind to what makes the great characters of TV sitcoms our favorite characters.

This is such a great book for both actors and writers! I've learned a lot about the different kinds of characters I've seen in all of my favorite sitcoms and why they work so well together. Scott really knows what he's talking about and I couldn't recommend his book enough!

Scott Sedita's book is a must if you're interested in working smarter not harder in understanding the nuts and bolts to sitcom comedy acting! Scott breaks down the nuts and bolts of comedy from understanding sitcom script analysis/ writing, character breakdowns (and character references) to make it easier to identify what works in a sitcom scene as a character! Definitely a core tool to have in any actors toolkit!

This book is brilliant! A must read for all comedy writers and actors...

If you're navigating your place in the entertainment industry, this book is an absolute gem. It has brought a newfound clarity to my understanding of my casting in comedy and, more importantly a perfect text book to go along with Scott Sedita Classes!

Bíblia de comédia e de sitcom. Obrigatório para roteiristas

This book Is Gold!

Se ha convertido en uno de mis libros favoritos, llego rápido, en excelente estado. Recomiendo 100%

Nunca lo guardo demasiado lejos. Es uno de mis libros de cabecera, genial explicación con ejemplos de los distintos tipos de personaje cómicos.

A big help in delineating characters and also in writing comic dialogue.