About Arlene Schulman Expertise As a professional director, dramaturg, acting coach and actor for over 25 years in the NYC/NJ area, I can help with questions on acting technique, character development, audition and rehearsal techniques, dealing with directors and stage managers, what directors are looking for, and other aspects of the acting and directing professions.
Experience A professional director, dramaturg, acting coach and actor for over 25 years in the NYC/NJ area, I have directed in professional, university and amateur theatre and have directed and acted in dramas, comedies, musicals, Shakespeare as well as collaborating closely with playwrights in the development of original plays and musicals.
Organizations SSDC associate member Advisory Board - Isle of Shoals Productions Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America associate member Shakespeare Association of America The Shakespesare Institute -
MA "Shakespeare & Theatre" candidate, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Expert: Arlene Schulman Date: 2/4/2008 Subject: Question for miss Shculman
Question Hi, My name is james , Iam 22 years old and Im from westchester ny, Im sitting at my local library because I finaly decided to take up acting. I wish I could put into words how bad I have been wanting to study the art. To know fault but my own, it just never fit the mold of my life, it never seemed like an ubtainable goal. I have been told by everyone I know that I should get into it, and trust me I dont think that qualifies for any thing but its just anthor aspect that drives me to start. Let me just ask my question already before I ramble on any longer. I read in your bio you were from nj or worked out of their. would there be any way you could give me lessons or suggest some acting coaches or classes. I just dont want to get screwed out of my money. I Have know acting experiance but I am really dedicated to this, its been a long time comming for me to do this.
Answer Hi James,
I am in NJ and I am a coach, and while I welcome new students, a coach is not what you need right now.
Acting is not something that you do by yourself, James. Acting is about interacting, with other actors, as your character, in the moment of the play. In order to learn how to do that, you need to work with other actors, working together to learn the fundamental skills that you will need - and there many, many of them. This can best be done in acting classes with a good teacher and a classful of students. This allows you to benefit from each other's mistakes and successes, to learn from each other, to do acting exercises, scene study, to work off each other, to learn to listen and react, to take direction, to learn to trust yourself and those you work with.
All of that is stuff that you can not learn in one on one sessions with an acting coach. A coach is great for working on audition material, to deal with specific acting problem, to help work on a specific role or character. But without other actors you cannot learn the basics of stage or film acting.
Additionally, one on one sessions with an acting coach are very expensive - much more in the long run that acting classes or a good acting training program will be.
There are many, many acting schools and university programs in the NY area, James, and I strongly suggest that you check some of them out, read about some different acting philosophies, and see what looks like it might work for you. Every actor is different and responds to different techniques, and ultimately you have to find what works for you. There are plenty of good books on acting - I could suggest a few if you like - but when you get down to it, you can't learn to act from books alone, or from a coach. You learn to act by acting, and that's what you can do in a good acting class, and by simply getting out there and auditioning.
I wish you luck, James. If you have any other questions I'd be happy to try to answer them for you.
