Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why should I take a scene study workshop?

In scene study workshops actors develop a personal menu by working on character stories. Your menu is made up of the elements, the ingredients that you use to reinvent a character.

Scene study workshops are a safe place to test these elements. You may have qualities that you don’t bring to a character because they are quirky or even embarrassing. However, these qualities may be what your characters need to really bring them to life. Every actor must discover their range through trial and error in a supportive, challenging environment. That place is the Actor’s Menu Workshop.

On what days and what times do the classes meet?

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 7 pm-11pm and on Saturday afternoons from 2pm to 5pm. Each class meets once a week in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. The workshop is on-going.

How many actors do you have in each workshop?

No more than 14 actors will be in a class, to allow each actor a chance to work every class.

How often do we get to work?

Every actor works every class, because we can do seven scenes a night. You learn acting through doing, not watching. Workshops are for working first and networking a distant second.

Do we pick our own scenes and scene partners?

The scenes and scene partners are picked for the students but actors may bring in their own scenes and request a particular student to work with.

How long do we get to work on the scene?

All actors work on their scene for at least three weeks. Some actors want to work more weeks and they are allowed to. After the three weeks you are given a new scene and a new scene partner. During that time exercises are assigned to individual actors, to both scene partners, or to the class.

Do I have to schedule a rehearsal time with my scene partner outside of class?

No, we do the scenes in class as a “shoot”. But you can run lines with each other if you come to class early.

What “Method” do you teach?

It’s called The Actor’s Menu Workshop because I use the principles and techniques from the book I wrote, The Actor’s Menu: A Character Preparation Handbook.

What makes your workshop different from other acting classes?

First, you work every class. Second, my class is personal, honest and challenging. I want to let each actor know how they really come across . Sometimes this is not easy to hear. But, actors should know how they come across before they audition, not after. From this feedback they can make their choices and ingredients more personal.