About
For the last ten years in working as professional actor I have developed a system of teaching acting, coaching auditions and developing response in young actors. I have recently had the pleasure of using this system to great results as a professor in the BFA program at The Univeristy of Connecticut and the theatre department of Connecticut College. I especially enjoy mentoring and coaching students who are starting out in this business, who take it seriously and are not afraid to take risks!
The moments when the student I am working with and I discover something completely unexpected that unlocks a text, a character or a story. Seeing that light and excitement come into a student's eyes is brilliant, and makes the process something I look forward to. It's not work. It's collobartive exploration, which makes for a really fun time.
Highlights
Reviews
April L.
Thalia E.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I work with the student to identify what they are interested in pursuing in the business. Depending on what their interests, I will then tailor a progression of exercises, texts and goals in order to strengthen their acting. I really enjoy making it about what the student wants and needs, and work with a certain flexibility to that end. No person's acting career is the same as anyone else's, so why should their training not reflect a unique approach as well?
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
2 years teaching acting at Connecticut College and University of Connecticut
MFA in Acting - Northern Illinois University
Studied at Moscow Art Theatre, Russia
Studied at National Theater Institute, CT
Studied at Second City, Chicago
Trained with SITI Company
Trained with the Wooster Group
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My rate is $1.00 per minute, with a preference for hour long sessions for a total of $60.00 per hour. I am flexible on the timing, however, and am happy to accommodate 30 minute or 45 minute sessions.
Payments accepted over Venmo.
How did you get started teaching?
I began teaching acting in East Lyme in 2009. At that point I had been hired to work with high school students from that area in an after-school program that taught acting technique that was geared to social change. It was there that I found a real passion for teaching acting that I then took with me to an acting for non-majors class that I taught in grad-school. I have since taught at the National Theater Institute in Waterford, CT; elementary schools in Queens, NY; Connecticut College in New London, CT; and The University of Conecticut BFA program in Storrs, CT.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students as young as five, to high school students, to college students, to students who are well into their adulthood.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
In this time of distancing, I have (like so many others) had to use Zoom as a means of teaching classes and meeting with my students. Even though this wasn't ideal, I was able to develop a system of working scenes with my students that culminated in a presentation that was shared with the UConn community. It was a pleasure to see them working, listening and connecting with each other across the virtual space and gave me hope that there is much we can do for acting even without being physically present with one another.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Be wary of a teacher who says they have all the answers, that their way is the only way and that their method is garauteed for success. An acting teacher should be someone who listens as well as teaches in order to fully meet a student's needs. No one has all of the answers and we, as teachers, should be ready to say "I don't know" and work with the student to find a solution. This is a collaborative craft, it's training should be the same.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What do you want to achieve in this business? Are you interested in Broadway, television, social change, etc.? There are many ways to use acting and I would suggest contemplation on what stories you're interested in telling before reaching out to a coach.