Acting Class Blog Posts

An important innovator of 20th century theater, Viola Spolin is often called the “mother of modern improvisation.” She authored the bestselling book “Improvisation for the Theater,” which has been referred to as the Bible of improvisational theater. Spolin created directorial… Read More

Actors are often told to make “strong choices” to elevate their performances. But what exactly does that mean? Award-winning acting coach Kimberly Jentzen, founder of The Jentzen Technique based in Los Angeles and author of the book “Acting with Impact,”… Read More

Hopefully when in the midst of a performance, you’re riding your character’s varying waves of emotions, moment by moment in a deep and genuine manner. If so, when your character is called to chuckle, giggle, yuk, crack up, or be… Read More

Award-winning casting director Sarah Finn has cast over a hundred feature films in every genre. She’s most recognized for casting the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting in 2006 with “Iron Man.” In addition to a steady flow of superhero blockbusters… Read More

The highly sought-after acting coach Howard Fine is famous for his keen insights and practical approach to the craft of acting. Over the past three decades, the Los Angeles-based instructor has led a bounty of actors to international acclaim, including… Read More

People are complicated. They can feel a wide range of emotions at once while still managing to get through their day. This is what actors seek to explore and express in their dynamic characters. When done well, a compelling performance… Read More

Ethan Hawke, Peter Dinklage, Winona Ryder, Sam Rockwell, Natasha Lyonne and many more. In 2014, playwright-novelist-actor Eric Bogosian published a book titled “100 (monologues),” featuring a collection of monologues he had originally performed as part of his six off-Broadway solo… Read More

Sanford Meisner, one of the most respected and influential acting instructors of the 20th century, once described acting as “living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.” The legendary drama teacher developed a system of exercises called the Meisner Technique that he taught… Read More

Actors put themselves on the line each and every audition. Projecting confidence during this courageous act not only helps the performer feel positively during the experience, but it conveys to the casting executives that the actor is competent and likely… Read More

World-famous acting coach Margie Haber teaches actors to connect with their personal power and become creators. One aspect of her work is to help performers find their personal It factor. She’s taught and trained countless actors at her Margie Haber… Read More

It’s an actor’s job to take scripted material and bring life to a character. That includes memorizing the dialogue and understanding the plot line. But that’s only half the work. An actor must also be able to search for deeper… Read More

The father of individual psychology, Alfred Adler, once described empathy as “seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.” Doesn’t that sound like the job description of an actor?… Read More

You never know who your next scene partner will be, whether it be in a commercial, film, television show, the theater, or in class. But no matter who you work with next, you’ll be expected to communicate effectively, collaborate artistically,… Read More

Brad Heller is a Los Angeles-based acting coach who has run The Heller Approach Professional Acting Studio since 1995. Brad is the founder of The Heller Approach, which teaches scene analysis, scene study, cold reading, audition technique, improv techniques, and… Read More

The “Actor’s Foundry” webinar led by master teacher Matthew Harrison delves into the topic of stillness in acting. Stillness, in this context, goes beyond simply not moving while in frame, but is more so defined as internalizing the character’s emotions… Read More