About
Voted Sacramento's Outstanding Training Resource for Actors.
Classes at the Mosaic Acting Academy come from what I've learned from more than fifty years as a professional actor in Movies, Television, Theatre, and Commercials, as well as from the several years I spent teaching Acting and Directing at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Most classes are limited to twelve students, high school age and above. I very rarely hold classes for kids younger than 13, unless it is for a specific audition. The classes are very "hands on," and every student works in every class. You learn to act by acting, not reading about it! It's also a lot more fun!
I never had any mentors and I always said if I ever gained any knowledge I wanted to share it with others. What I teach comes from my experience working with top-quality directors and A list actors in over 50 movies and TV shows plus many theater plays.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Acting is not a solo activity, so most of my teaching is done in a studio atmosphere with a group of students. Most of my one-on-one coaching is pretty specific, such as working on an audition piece with a student.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Most of what I teach comes out of working on more than 50 movies and TV shows plus more than a dozen stage plays. I've worked with top directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Tim Burton, and many more along with A-list stars like Johnny Depp, Dustin Hoffman, Michelle Pfeiffer and others. I also taught at the university level for several years.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Tuition for my classes varies from class to class depending on the length and content. For example my IMPROV class (Which has been running for over 19 years!) is only 10 bucks, while my "A Challenge for the Actor" class, which is 10 weeks long, Is $400.
How did you get started teaching?
As I gathered more experience other actors just started asking me questions about the business and about the techniques of acting. It was just a logical progression from there.
What types of students have you worked with?
All kinds, from beginners through very experienced actors. I've also worked as an on-set coach on movies and TV shows such as the BBC's International Emmy Award nominated mini-series "The 7 Wonders of the Industrial World."
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
In November of 2015 I was presented a lifetime achievement award at the Equality International Film Festival as well as a proclamation from the City of Sacramento.
I'll be receiving another on April 30, 2017 at the Sacramento International Film Festival.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Look them up on IMDb. It will tell you what they really done.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What are your goals? What kind of commitment are you willing to make? Do you want to be an actor, or you just want to be a "Star"?