Imagination as "internal vision screen" in the creative process of the work of the actor on the role

The relevance of this study is due to the fact that the concept of imagination, which is much talked about in psychology, remains incomplete outside of theatrical discourse, actor's and director's understanding of this category. Imagination is not a spontaneous, automatically developing process, but an in-depth process based primarily on the intellectual capabilities of the actor through the manifestation of his analytical abilities, which are directly related to the degree of development of his imagination, which determines the professional quality of the actor. The algorithm of the work of the imagination, its phased development is investigated. Examples are given from the pedagogical experience of the author of the article on activating the imagination of students - trainings and tasks that develop figurative thinking and, as a result, acting skills. An integral part of learning is tasks for the memory of physical actions, where the subject is imaginary, and actions with it are real. The problems of interaction between the actor and the spectator in the performances of the puppet theater are touched upon: the role of imagination control in theatrical activity. Lack of imagination or thoughtless departure from it leads to a negative result: instead of "co-creation", immersion in the picture created by the actor, repulsive feelings awaken in the viewer. Imagination has a special role in theater as a "three-dimensional art".