Teaching Philosophy

I wish to reveal to you that I am not one of the professed exalted who has marched into some desert to return gravid with wisdom. I bring to the table thirty-five years of experience working in the industry. I have certainly made my share of mistakes, and I have ridden all the crazy-making highs and lows along the way.

By enrolling in a workshop you and I will be making a commitment to a journey of mutual artistic discovery. It is my aim to offer an objective eye to the honesty and truthfulness of your work.

This will take time and courage and dedication on your part. When you walk into my studio for a class, or for a private audition coaching, it will be my goal to have you leave with at least some degree of insight into yourself and your work. There is no magic bullet to achieving a fine performance. It takes a keen understanding of text, an ability to place yourself in the situation that your character finds herself/himself in, and a freeing of the imagination to make interesting choices.

Over the years I have witnessed major artistic breakthroughs with students both personally and artistically. That said, I still maintain that how far an actor can go professionally is mostly dependant on that illusive and Creator-given entity called talent. Whatever your level of ability may be, I will encourage you to take all the creative risks necessary. I will also endeavor to cultivate a studio space in which you can feel safe and open to do so.

Acting is not for the thin of skin or the faint of heart. It is a lifetime quest to understand and mirror human nature in all its gory and all its glory. I pledge a commitment to helping you become the best actor that you can possibly be.

Iris