Lily Mercer Actor/writer

We start with who you are.  Acting isn't about being someone else, it's about being who you are, then adding elements of the role you are playing.  The core of who you are informs the character.  

I completed a two year program in acting at the Playwrights Horizons Professional School, an artist conservatory in New York.  I also have an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU/Tisch in film and TV screenwriting. I was very fortunate to make my living as an actor for several years before moving to Virginia. 

My fee for a one hour private session is $35. I like to meet once a week.

I became a teachers assistant in high school, then got a teaching certificate in college. I have taught acting, improvisation, and screenwriting at three universities.

All types - every age from Kindergarten, where I led 100 five year olds to put on a play about fairy tales, to college. I also have experience directing at elementary schools, univerisites and professionallly. 

Now that I am teaching privately, I love it when I see a student light up and say, "I get it."  Recently I have had two students who found it hard to tap into emotions, and that is one thing I like to help students do.  So to see that happen for these two people was especially rewarding.

Make sure you state clearly what you are looking for.  If you just want to come once a week for fun, say that.  That is totally accpetiblie. But normally, when you study with me, I will ask you to learn monologues and even read plays, so if you don't want to do that, let me know up front.

What are my goals as an actor? Do I want to work professionally, or do I want to have this as a hobby.