Introduction: The Stanislavsky debate -- Stanislavsky's early years and the Moscow art theatre -- Leopold Sulerzhitsky, the system, and the first studio -- First studio exercises (1911-1923) -- Evgeni Vakhtangov's reformulations of the system -- Vakhtangov's exercises (1919-1922) -- Michael Chekhov's rebellion: the Russian years -- Michael Chekhov's Russian exercises (1919-1928) -- Michael Chekhov in exile -- The Chekhov technique exercises (1937-1952) -- Stanislavsky's analytical period: the table work -- Stanislavsky's work on action and "physical actions" -- Stanislavsky's exercises: the final period (1929-1938).