Learn Acting your way with a TakeLessons expert

The best actors make it look easy: they deliver their performances so confidently, with tremendous commitment and believability. To be successful as performers, actors need to develop certain skills. Natural talent helps, but the most successful actors work on honing their craft. In spite of the work actors do to prepare, it seems as though the confidence part comes naturally. Many famous actors admit that they still feel nervous before a performance or when the cameras are rolling: yet, the

If you're an aspiring Broadway performer, the steps you take during high school play a significant role in your success on the stages of New York shows in the future. Sure, you sometimes hear stories of people who book amazing lead roles in shows after a single audition, but that’s not a realistic view of how it all happens - for most actors, at least. Ask any working Broadway performer – New York is not a city that hands you success simply because you’ve just moved there. Hard work, disc

So you've been preparing for an audition for a few months, and the big day has finally come. But even if you have the talent to back up your performance, there are a few things you'll need to remember to get on your potential director's good side. Read on as St. Augustine, FL teacher Heather L. explains...   Auditions can be the most unpleasant part of being a performing artist. But with great preparation and forethought, they can also be the most valuable and exciting part. Audit

Actors are an incredibly diverse group of people, but because we love to act, we actually have a lot in common! Whether you're working in theater or film, you probably have more than one of these funny quirks and habits... You have headshots everywhere. If your acting career is important to you, you know that having headshots that accurately reflect what you currently look like is mandatory. Did you get a haircut? Time for new headshots! You are a master of the quick change.

How many times have you seen a great movie and thought, "I want to be an actor?" It's easy to be inspired by the silver screen, but becoming an actor is no easy task. It takes years of training and practice to perfect your craft.  However, if you want to get started on your acting journey, there is one simple thing you can do: study your favorite actors. By observing and learning from their techniques, you can start to develop your own acting style.  So, grab some popcorn and get read

Have you been looking for acting scripts for kids? Searching for the right dramatic material to engage your youngster? The acting bug can get to all sorts of kids. Many are surprised to learn that there are many actors of all ages that are actually quite shy. While they may truly enjoy the idea of acting itself, they may not feel “ready for prime time” any time soon...or ever! That’s okay! Acting is an enriching activity, and those that pursue it don’t need to have the end goal

Betsie Van der Meer / Stone / Getty Images You’ve studied Stanislavski, Meisner, Adler, and Suzuki. You’ve learned the Circle of Fifths and mastered your second turns. But are you ready for the real world? Here are a few golden tidbits to help any recent grad transition from the acting school environment into the working world, written by actor and teacher Jasmine B.: Acting school can provide aspiring actors with a wealth of knowledge and experience, but there are some things tha

We're so excited to see the announcement for this year's Oscar nominations! We love trying to guess who will win and debating our favorite performances and the best films of the year. There's so much great talent this year, the Academy Awards and other shows are sure to be a blast! It's also fun to reflect on how even the brightest stars had to get started on smaller roles and go through a learning process to get to where they are today. We love looking back to see how they made it big, and i

If you’re interested in the wonderful world of acting, you’ll want to eventually familiarize yourself with the concept of method acting. But what is method acting exactly? It is an acting technique that allows the actor to associate with the character on an emotional level. This often involves the actor fully identifying with the character, feeling, expressing, and evoking thoughts and emotions that resonate with the character’s role. Essentially, the actor “becomes” the character.

Do you dream of a career in Theater? Is the stage your "happy place"? Has "Actor" become your dream job description? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, but don't know what steps to take next to make your dream a reality, then you've come to the right place. I've spent my entire life working with, and coaching, actors of all ages. If you're interested in a career in theater, and don’t know where to start? Let me help. As a lifelong theater coach and drama teacher, I can share w