Lessons With Benjamin Callan
About
I help people perform with confidence when it matters most—whether that’s public speaking, auditions, presentations, or stepping into something new in life.
I’m a Live Performance Coach with over 30 years of experience in music, theater, and live production. I spent 25 years performing on stage multiple nights a week and have worked in hundreds of productions as a singer, actor, director, and producer.
My background in voice, acting, and music gives me a unique approach: I use your voice as the fastest way to build confidence, presence, and control under pressure.
Most people don’t have a confidence problem—they have an energy control problem. I teach you how to access that energy, control it, and use it instead of freezing, blanking out, or getting overwhelmed.
In our sessions, you’ll learn how to:
• use your voice with confidence and control
• overcome stage fright and performance anxiety
• speak clearly and naturally in front of others
• stay present and focused under pressure
This is not traditional “lessons”—this is real-world performance coaching that helps you in speaking, performing, and everyday life.
I studied acting and music at Santa Fe University of Art & Design, am a licensed teacher in theater and music, and have worked with industry professionals throughout my career. I’ve released multiple recordings and own a recording production studio.
If you have something important coming up and want to feel confident and prepared, reach out—I’d be glad to help.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I tailor my lessons to the needs of the student. For music, I like to get the student playing right away, since actually playing a song is the fun part. For acting, I like to start my lessons for new students with the audition process. How to present yourself well if public speaking is your interest, and then begin working on a specific performance to increse you skill level.
Whether you want to increase your audition quality or increase your overall performance skill level, I'm your teacher!!!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have degees in both music and acting from Santa Fe University of Art and Design. I also studied world music, composition, creative writing, and both digital and analog recording production. I am a recently certified high school theatre and music teacher, with over 25 years of professional, nightly, onstage performance experience and countless live and studio recordings. I also have a degree in music production and technology, and own a recording production company, which has produced hundreds of CD's and live shows.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
$75/hour introductory lesson
$75/hour regular rate
How did you get started teaching?
After a 25 year, successful performance carreer, I decided it was time to come home and spend time with my family here in the Dallas area. I went to school and added a teaching certificate to my degrees, taught as a theatre director at a high school in Dallas for one year, and decided I could do the most good teaching privately. I actually find teaching as rewarding as being on stage.
What types of students have you worked with?
Adults, teenagers, and kids of all ages. Most with proffessional aspirations, but many others pursuing performance as a hobby as well. I'm currently working with 2 autistic students. I have students in Acting, Voice, Piano, Music, Composition, Recording Production, and Public Speaking, like debate, mock trial, wedding toasts, & corporate presentations....
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
-I just went and saw 4 of my students in their high school production of Grease, I've never been so proud.July 30, 2019....
-Today I was more proud! I finished my week long musical thetre workshop with David Geist, I met and hung out for a while with the legendary Betty Buckley, & I pulled off a showcase performance with my students that I could not be more proud of ever!
-Just had one of my freshman students cast as a lead in UIL over the seniors she was up against.They advancedand she got a best actress acknowledgement, too bad COVID ruined UIL this year, or she'd have won state!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Make certain your teacher inspires you, that's the most important part of it all. You can work with the coach every week, but how they inspire you to work on your own inbetween lessons is what's most important.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What they want to accomplish, what is their motivation, and how offten they want to work with their coach, based on their budget and desire. Set goals to accomplish, and then accomplish them!