The Textbook of Stage Combat is a comprehensive online handbook for theatre professionals. It explores the art and safety of stage violence — from unarmed fights to swords, daggers, and historical weapons — with guidance for actors, directors, and teachers. Unlike military history or prop catalogs, this textbook is designed for the stage, helping performers ground themselves in character through the safe and truthful portrayal of combat.
This section is a work-in-progress. I have already uploaded the book that I published back in 2009. (All rights reserved, of course.)
Once I have that in, I’ll try to arrange it so that it’s a little easier to read. I’ll update the menu on the right as I go along. After that, I’ll start to include some images as needed.
During all of that, I’ll also be going through the long process of updating sections. Wish me luck, and thank you in advance for your patience.
Note: The text employs alternating he/she pronouns for grammatical precision and balance. Singular “they” is fully accepted elsewhere, but in technical and instructional writing, alternating forms maintain clarity when multiple roles or specific individuals are critical to understanding.
