Vibrant Heart Theatre Company
About
Acting is both a serious, learnable craft and a means to connect with your most authentic self through allegory. It can spark your creativity and earn you a living. It can also heal your heart and cultivate meaningful friendships.
In my teaching, I focus on distinct fundamentals that you can use across your work; not just suggestions of "what I would have done" in your scene.
My method gives priority to mindfulness, empathy, and understanding of story. You will learn how to respond intuitively to the moment, connect with your scene partners, analyze a script, develop a character, and improvise.
I've been teaching acting and improv for four years to students of all ages. Some of my training includes:
• Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles, CA) David Harris — Improv 101 & Improv 201
• The Hideout Theatre (Austin, TX) Multiple Instructors — Advanced Narrative Improv Intensive & Dramatic Improv Workshop
• Chicago Improv Festival (Chicago, IL) Susan Messing & Jill Bernard — Curing Ambiguity (Improv Specificity Workshop) & Truth and Beauty (Improv & Acting Workshop)
• 321 Improv Festival (St. Petersburg, FL) T.J. Mannix — Creating Successful Solo Shows
• Open Heart Theatre | Alex Fradera — Trance Mask Workshop
• Coldtowne Conservatory (Austin) Dave Buckman — Advanced Improv Bootcamp
• San Antonio Film Academy | Brad Milne — Adult Acting Intensive & Private Acting Lessons
Photos and videos
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
It's important for me to learn about your goals, boundaries, and experience so that I can competently develop lesson plans for our work together. Generally, I like to arrange a short phone conversation before our first session to discuss this. If a client is uncomfortable with this for any reason, I can adapt and make our first lesson more exploratory.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
• Upright Citizens Brigade (Los Angeles, CA) David Harris — Improv 101 & Improv 201
• The Hideout Theatre (Austin, TX) Multiple Instructors — Advanced Narrative Improv Intensive & Dramatic Improv Workshop
• Chicago Improv Festival (Chicago, IL) Susan Messing & Jill Bernard — Curing Ambiguity (Improv Specificity Workshop) & Truth and Beauty (Improv & Acting Workshop)
• 321 Improv Festival (St. Petersburg, FL) T.J. Mannix — Creating Successful Solo Shows
• Open Heart Theatre | Alex Fradera — Trance Mask Workshop
• Coldtowne Conservatory (Austin) Dave Buckman — Advanced Improv Bootcamp
• San Antonio Film Academy | Brad Milne — Adult Acting Intensive & Private Acting Lessons
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Longer lessons allow me to delve deeper into concepts and really helps me with travel, so I often reward that with a discount.
What types of students have you worked with?
Quite varied. Young, old, experienced, true beginners, shy, bombastic, etc. The only criteria I really care about when it comes to clients is that they really want to try and they take the challenge seriously.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I helped a young teenage boy with social anxiety tape an audition for an upcoming major film. It was inspiring! His anxiety is often a difficult hurdle for him and you could tell this time was no exception, but he was so passionate for his chance that he worked through it. We spent hours filming takes and coaching his performance. In the end, we walked away with something we were both so proud of.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Look for someone really interested in hearing your challenges and goals, then customizes their approach accordingly. A good way to gauge this is to speak with them before your first session and talk to them about why you're hiring a professional. Then, ask them about what fundamentals they might work on with you. If their answer is detailed and passionate, you've got a good candidate! If they can't answer or say something vague, you might be disappointed with the training they can offer.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Goals and boundaries. What outcomes will signal success in your acting journey? Examples might be getting an agent, booking a commercial, landing a lead role in a film or play, or even just overcoming anxiety and attending your first audition! Boundaries are important too and getting clear on them will ensure that your teacher can keep you safe and comfortable. Examples might include emotional triggers, physical limitations, injuries, adult language, or just any kind of content you don't feel comfortable exploring in a scene.