THE ACTORS GROUP
The Actors Group schedules workshops with various industry professionals, such as casting directors, managers, agents, producers, screenwriters, etc., designed to afford actors seeking to expand their careers the opportunity to expose their talent to a wide range of professional individuals. Classes range from those conducted in the relaxed atmosphere of the Group's "Green Room" to performances in its theatre. (818) 506-4500.
ACTORS SHOWCASE COMPANY
This is a monthly prepared-scene industry showcase. It was founded by actors who were fed up with the cold-reading workshops and wanted an environment in which to present prepared scene work in a real theatre. Showcases are one to two times per month, and at least eight pre-announced agents, managers, producers, and directors are present and critique at each event. Instructors assist in finding material, and they team members with scene partners. Auditions are required. Actors pay per event. (323) 650-1294.
AIA ACTOR'S STUDIO
Established in 1989, this networking studio offers a variety of training and networking opportunities for actors of all levels, including workshops with prominent casting directors, theatrical and commercial agent showcases, and cold reading and scene study classes. Other classes include sitcom technique taught by professionals from major studios and networks. Other opportunities include celebrity guest evenings and special screenings. Guests have included master-class teacher Jason Alexander, as well as Kevin Costner, Michael Bay, Robert Forster, Wes Craven, Billy Bob Thornton, and many others. (818) 563-4142.
KATHY ANDERSON
Independent film director and casting director Kathy Anderson offers an on-camera screenplay cold reading workshop in Hollywood. Her directing approach is to teach actors to find their own personal style in interpreting material. She teaches along with Linda Berry, who also does one-on-one training for beginning and intermediate actors, which includes monologue work, on-camera cold reading, and scene study. Anderson studied acting in New York at Circle in the Square and performed off-Off-Broadway, in commercials, and in soap operas. (310) 410-1836.
ANGELA ELLEN CAMPOLLA ACTING WORKSHOP
Campolla has been an acting coach since 1983, and a casting associate (Beggars and Choosers, Miracle on the Mountain, The Mole, and others) since '97. She has coached actors for film, TV, stage, on-set, and in the classroom—and privately. Currently she teaches ongoing scene-study/ improv and audition workshops, drawing on her casting experience to provide unique insight into the audition process. (818) 761-4098.
LORI COBE-ROSS, CSA
Casting director Cobe-Ross (PBS series On Common Ground) offers an ongoing class for adults covering cold reading and audition technique. The class, offered in Brentwood, covers all genres, including soaps, drama, comedy, etc. (562) 938-9088.
MARKI COSTELLO
Casting director and personal manager Costello, co-owner of Creative Management Entertainment Group, has been teaching audition technique for eight years. She studied with Joanne Baron, D.W. Brown, and Sanford Meisner, among others, but she offers students this caveat: "You can study for 50 years, but it doesn't do you any good unless you know how to audition." Costello offers three-hour classes on theatrical audition techniques, which, she emphasized, "show you what you need to do and where you need to be to receive a callback." She also teaches an MTV-style host seminar. Classes meet once a week. Students can pay on a month-to-month basis. An audition is required. (323) 850-7668.
GIOVANNI CUAREZ
Cuarez has seen the industry through many angles: as an actor, producer, writer, and director. He also worked in network television for nearly five years at Paramount. He currently works as a casting director. He offers classes in cold reading, scene study, on-camera technique, character study, and script analysis breakdown. He also does private coaching. (213) 530-5790.
THE DIRECTOR'S WORKSHOP
Under the auspices of his program to train directors, veteran feature director David Schmoeller offers an ongoing scene study showcase, in which guest directors ranging from feature film names like Paul Mazursky and Joel Schumacher to independents and episodic directors come in on a Saturday and work with actors on prepared scenes. Said Schmoeller, "It's like an acting class because it's scene study, but it's with working directors rather than with a teacher." The workshop has been offered for six years and is currently taught at the Hollywood Court Theatre; the class runs in monthly cycles and is limited to 14 students. Work as an "alternate" is required for full admission. www.directorsworkshop.com. (323) 654-0748.
HARRIET GREENSPAN
A casting director on both coasts for the past 20 years, Greenspan is now focusing on producing feature films. Her casting resumé includes several movies, MOWs, and most recently the Spelling soap Sunset Beach. Armed with this valuable experience and background, she's also been privately coaching actors for years, focusing on the audition process, as well as character interpretation and role preparation. One-time or ongoing coaching available. (818) 907-6050.
KAREN HENDEL
Hendel is a casting director for HBO, CBS, and NBC. She also does coaching for individuals and offers acting classes in the realities of the business and how to audition. (323) 464-8700.
MARGARET HOWELL'S LIAISON COLD READING SHOWCASES
Offered in N. Hollywood, this showcase invites casting directors from various kinds of media, from sitcoms to feature films, to watch and give feedback to actors about their cold reading and audition skills. An audition is required. The cost is $25 per session or $100 for five. (818) 705-0973.
STEPHANIE LLOYD ON CAMERA WORKSHOP
Lloyd's workshop offers a variety of classes for all ages. Casting director Richard DeLancy teaches the acting workshop for TV and film, as well as scene study, cold reading, and improvisation. A commercial workshop as well as private coaching, career consultation, and industry showcases are also offered. Alumni include Shannen Doherty, Natasha Gregson-Wagner, and Vicellous Shannon. (949) 497-8274.
BEVERLY LONG
Long has worked in casting since the mid-'70s, and has worked as an actress, agent, and teacher. Probably best known for her work with James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause, and for her recurring role on Father Knows Best, she strongly believes in "being there for those she cares about." Classes are small and everyone works on-camera two to three times each week. (818) 754-6222.
ORANGE COUNTY PROFESSIONAL ACTORS' WORKSHOP
Elizabeth Kent and Bob Edmiston teach an ongoing class designed to prepare the actor to compete on a professional level. The class covers all aspects of the acting process, including cold reading, scene study, emotional instrumental work, commercials, comedy, and improvisation, as well as career development. The industry showcases held every other week, they say, have been instrumental in getting their students work in film and television, and agent representation. Edmiston has been in the industry for 45 years as a casting director and owner of First Artists Agency. Kent has worked in the industry for 25 years as an actress, casting director, and associate agent. Children's classes are now available, as well. (949) 675-3272.
REEL PROS
This school offers a variety of workshops and labs for children and adults. For adults, there's an ongoing audition lab and an improvisational lab. Reel Pros also holds casting director workshops with producers, directors, and casting directors that are open by audition only, and proactive workshops taught by casting directors, 16 people per class, no audition required. Students read on-camera one-on-one with the casting director. The kids' program, under the name Reel Pros 2, is geared toward professionals under 18 and offers a variety of CD workshops, and improv and acting labs. Improv audition labs for kids are taught by Jo McGinley; Bob Morrisey leads the audition labs for adults. 13437 Ventura Blvd. Ste. 220, Sherman Oaks. (818) 788-4133 (kids' school, x 2).
DALE REHFELD
Rehfeld combines intensive cold reading classes with a hands-on showcase in an effort to create "a supportive, intimate workshop setting." Invited guests include casting directors and producers from ER, Roswell, Felicity, Will & Grace, MTV, Buffy, The Practice, and films. Rehfeld said she comes "highly recommended" by casting director Kerry Barden, whose credits include Boys Don't Cry, Shakespeare in Love, and Chocolat. She also has a Pros and Kids youth division for children and teens. Private coaching is available. (323) 782-8537.
MARK SIKES
Casting director Sikes (L.A. Heat, Road Ends) has taught his ongoing on-camera audition technique/cold reading class for five years now, striving to "help actors make strong, confident audition choices and to pinpoint problem areas for us to focus on." Classes are sold in four-week increments and limited to 10 students, with industry nights every week. No audition is required; free auditing is allowed. Private coaching is also available. (310) 652-9599.
TAKE ONE STUDIOS
This is a networking and training center that offers seminars, workshops, and on-camera classes. It works to provide an opportunity for actors to "meet and show their work to casting directors, producers, directors, and agents." (310) 657-6139.
TVI ACTORS STUDIO
Founded in 1986, TVI Actors Studio is one of the nation's largest resource centers for actors, offering dramatic instruction, entertainment industry networking, professional career consultation, and marketing support for actors. With full-service centers in Los Angeles and New York, weekend programs conducted in many U.S. cities and now also in London, Vancouver, and Toronto, TVI strives to set the standard for merging traditional actor training with the realities of the business. Classes, taught by a faculty of 35 working industry professionals, cover cold-reading technique, acting in feature films, sitcoms, improv, primetime and daytime TV, voiceovers, and commercials. In addition to a regular schedule of extended ongoing classes, TVI also offers $12 one-night casting director workshops for members. A range of free member benefits—including use of studio space with cameras and lights, computer workstations with Internet access, and TVI's Workspace, an in-house theatre company—is designed to refine the actor's craft, give the actor a defined career strategy, and maximize potential in the marketplace. 14429 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 118, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. www.tvistudios.com. (818) 784-6500 or (800) 884-2772, x 1.
PETER WISE, CSA
Wise, a casting director who's also an Emmy-nominated actor (he cast Smokey Joe's Café on Broadway and major productions of Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Sisterella), offers ongoing commercial and legit theatre classes. There is no auditing, and an interview is required. He also offers private coaching. (818) 343-8936.