Actor Rafael (U. of San Francisco and Academy of Art U.) declines to choose between the currently competing approaches to acting, in favor of explaining what it is they are all trying to accomplish: to share a compelling story with an audience. He discusses storytelling and character, story structure, class exercises, telling classical and new stories. A chapter also profiles 18 people and institutions representing acting theories besides the few he incorporates. There is no index. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)