Acting Coach New York
RUTH MOSS KULERMAN
BRITISH TECHNIQUE
Private, one-on-one Sessions
Beginners or advanced students
For resume and 78 reviews
See www.LSW-NYC.com/12ruth.html
A Favorite Role
For a brief description
of British training, see
details below. The British emphasis
is on text, words, and line delivery
so that your role is
fascinating. Before an audition
for a film, I once told the director I thought the character
could go
almost two opposite ways and then
asked him
which way he preferred. His answer? "Surprise me."
"Surprise me"
often makes the difference in being
a good contender and
being the one cast. To sounding real, British training adds
the notion of "surprise me" reading (text) and then teaches the
techniques that make "surprise me" possible.
MY QUALIFICATIONS
for COACHING
1. AEA, AFTRA,
SAG 20 years.
2. 20 years acting experience: stage, film, TV, commercials,
print, animation, voice-over, directing. For resume see
http://www.LSW-NYC.com/12ruth.html
3. 78 reviews (Stage and Film) including 4 in The New
York Times. See condensed reviews
at
http://LSW-NYC.com/12ruth.html
Scroll on down!
4. Nine years coaching experience. Four years full time.
Five part time.
Result? See "You've Got Fan
Mail" below.
5. Theatre / Film training in England and USA (British
coaches). Stage, TV, & film work from Utah
to Amsterdam, from
Maine to Florida PICTURES / RESUME / REVIEWS: http://www.LSW-NYC.com/12ruth.html
6. Ph.D. English Lit. (Good background for teaching text
work!) 20 years teaching literature in college.
7. Nine years as assistant to Personal Manager. Learned
"the business of the business" from the inside: .
8. Wrote 41 popular weekly
articles for an actor’s e-zine with 45,000 circulation.
These have been copied and blogged all
over the Internet. Just google my name and scroll down for titles and links to the
articles.
9. MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT AUDITIONING?
I walk in saying to myself (silently
addressing the audition committee) while all the time smiling
nicely: "I am as good as
the best and better than most."
And then I make sure that the statement is true!
How?
Preparation and Presentation. These I emphasize in my coaching:
PREPARATION is text, technique, imagination, over-memorizing, practice,
mental discipline.
PRESENTATION is confidence that
comes from knowing what you are doing, why you are doing it,
& having
the guts to do it!
BRITISH TECHNIQUE
In miniature and over-simplified
Specifically, what is the
focus of British technique?
BRIEFLY: British acting greatly emphasizes words (meaning and
sound and feelings carried by the words) and
delivery of a line
so that it is utterly
believable AND interesting. It
is text, text, text. Not me, me, me. The British trained actors aim for
fascination not
merely through their own unique
personality but also
from their language delivery. The British trained actors whom you admire
all
sound "real" but not one of them is dull. You learn
how to
sound as if you are feeling something even if you, the actor, do not
feel it.
British coaching emphasizes variety and vitality even in
the quietest
of scenes. It is the actor’s job to deliver that
word/phrase/sentence
so that the audience experiences the feelings
inherent in the language. The actor
doesn’t cry. The audience must. Or
laugh or be
horrified. To the Brits, acting classes are not a substitute
for psychoanalysis. There is, instead, an
emphasis on learning to read a
text
and learning how to deliver that text believably while staying
within the setting of the play/film. I, as a coach, may
say to an actor,
"Find a different sound for the end of that sentence or for the rhythm of that sentence. It does not sound real." Or, "That
sounds actory.
Take the ending up, not down." There is a great
emphasis on stillness rather than the arm / hand waving and head wagging
which run
rampant in American theatre classes. What the actor
"feels" is always important, but it is secondary to what the
text calls for. First the
words, then the sound of
the words, and then
the actor's feelings. And then, finally, words and actor become one. Hamlet’s advice to
the Players is true today:
"Hold the mirror
up to NATURE." Acting is an imitation of
nature. That is, it must ring real whether it is Lear,
Tennessee Williams,
24, or Harry Potter. And to be real,it must
SOUND real. Hence the emphasis on line delivery.
If you can imitate
the pattern of hands clapping a rhythm,
if you can hear when a singing
note goes up or down or remains the same, if you know which
word
in a sentence carries the emotional content, then British
training might be the
thing that makes an adequate actor good
and a good
actor great.
The greatest security in acting is "I know what I am doing."
That is what the British approach to acting gives you.
"Talent"
Requirements?
A good ear, energy, intelligence, imagination, intuition.
"Personal"
Attributes?
The drive to succeed. The skin of an alligator and
the soul of an angel. A love for acting, a passion
for acting that hurtles you past
any inhibitions, past any self-doubts, past any fear. A focus on the goal and the willingness to
work hourly
to achieve that goal. And LOTS of Kleenex for the inevitable tears
and rejection.
British technique may not be for everyone but it
works for everyone, if you allow it to.
YOU'VE GOT FAN MAIL:
Some Students' Response to British
Training:
(1)
With infinite patience you are getting me out of my "actory"
ways and teaching me the virtues of stillness and that the road to hell
is paved with arm waving, hand gestures, too many facial expressions, twitching, fidgeting, and pregnant pauses. Like I said,
"This lady knows what it's all about."
(2)
I've realized (and not for the first time) how lucky I am to have
found you for an instructor.
(3)
I got the role that I wanted. Thank you so much for your help.
(4) You are indeed a great coach.
(5) It is a pleasure and an honor to have you lead me in my acting quest.
I have never had a teacher who I have so much complete trust in.
(6)
Wow, this is wonderful insight and direction. Thank you so much
again. I booked that job.
(7) I am amazed at the progress I make with you on a weekly basis. I
think I learn more from you in one hour than I did with all the other
classes I ever took together combined.
(8) My audition was dramatically different, thanks to you of course. I
felt very confident. I can't thank you enough, I feel ready to take on
the
world!
(9) I for the first time felt prepared and competitive through prepping
with you.
(10) I had one small speech where I was able to explore all the things
we've worked on: pitch, rhythm, volume and vowel elongation...
it's made
the world of difference to my acting, it really has.
(11) You are such a great coach.
(12) Booked____Have a callback [booked it also] In both these
auditions I took your advice. Thanks.
(13) Thank you for all of your support and teaching. You are amazing.
(14) Thank you, dear Ruth, for as always going a million miles beyond
the bounds of all other coaches. You're the best.
(15) I have learned more from you than you could imagine. It has
been worth any MFA earned.
(16) Thank you for being a great coach and a great person
with a personality bigger than this world.
(17) You continue to amaze me. I am so grateful that I'm
learning from you. It is an honor to be communicating and working with a
woman who is so professional and REAL. I have made more progress in one week toward pursuing
this dream than I have in
46 years. A lot of this progress is due to your encouragement.
(18) First, thank you, thank you for all your insight and
coaching these last few days. It has meant the world to me and I have gain so
much. Today, I walked into _____Theater with
confidence--knowing that, yes indeed, I've had the best coaching/training in America!
(19) [I see] the lack of emotion in my eyes. It's been
slowly improving and I've been spending a lot of time in front of a mirror. My acting
has
improved greatly since I worked with you and I really must
thank you again; it's incredibly
gratifying to see how differently I approach
acting now, in terms of how lines sound. I
know I didn't achieve the breakthrough you were looking for but I
still learned an incredible
amount and I am so grateful for
it!
(20) I want to thank you for all the energy you gave me and
all you taught me about singing, acting and
being. It took awhile for it all to
sink in, but I'm happy to say
I'm working quite a bit both as a singer and an actress here in
California. You have remained an inspiration
and a touchstone for me through the years... want
you to know there is at least one person in California who thinks of
you fondly and
often. I am sure there are
many.
(21) The audition went
very, very well, and it would not have if I had not seen you. As I
sat there. I listened over and over to the same
shrill,
naturalistic deliveries, flat,
high-pitched, and I thought, Ruth was right!! Since they were pressed for
time, I was warned I would just
get to read the first scene. I
nailed the first line, like you said, kept my
voice down in my chest and played with the material. So
instead,
I read three scenes and also improvised with
the director and lead actor. I have no idea what the outcome
will be, callback or no, but
they were
so enthusiastic and took a lot of time with me even though there
were many waiting...I thank you again.
You're wonderful.
(22) New student (acting & standard American accent).
After first lesson: "I am very happy to study with you!"
(23) From a "mature" actor" asking my
permission to add to his blog: "... to post your
website information as I think that this is a great
opportunity for aspiring actors to learn. Lady, this
is the first acting site that I have had confidence in. You have a lot to
offer!! You
should charge more..."
(24) Thanks Ruth!!!! You truly inspired me yet again
tonight.....
(25) You're the best coach ever! (And quick too!)
(26) You are a true angel that I found and thank you so much
for teaching me. I am way more peaceful and I know that I have a long way
to go but with you watching over it I know that technique will show.
so thank you
(27) Ruth you are that person that I've been looking for all
the years since I started taking acting classes. I told you before that you are my
mentor, coach, teacher....YOU ROCK!!!! Working with you I know
that my goals are going to be reached,
don't know how long it's
going to take, but as you said to me
"I have patience"
(28) Thank you for your support
and believing in me, and to let your Sirius star shine on me too.
(29)
I wanted to share with you that our sessions were very
helpful and that I recently gave a speech on a party cruise with an
audience of
150 people, for the first time without
using any notes (something I always felt I could not do). I
memorized the speech (also something
I felt I could not do). and was able to be
more dynamic and allow people into my heart, or share my heart with
the audience, whichever
way. Thank you for your help.
(30)
Thank you
Ruth, for your warm and encouraging words, so much
appreciated during a very difficult time in my life.
(31) [In spite of my new job]
I still managed to sneak in an audition for a
_____commercial. I have to say I had you on my shoulder the
whole time. It was amazing how much your
teachings kicked in. I was not my usual nervous. I left my doubts at
home sleeping on
the couch watching TV and told them I would
be back later. I walked in [to the audition] and told myself I am as
good as the best
and better than most. It was one of my most
comfortable auditions. I didn't get the copy before hand so I
couldn't call you to go over
it. So I used my imaginations :-)
(32)
I am jealous of
the students that get to see you - I hope they realize what
a treasure you are. When I...can get into the city, I'd love to
see you.
(33) Even 2 years ago I could never have done a great
long monologue like this. I can 'handle' the text with ease. The pace and the
energy is there. And I have you to thank for this. If one knows British
technique, one knows how to handle a long monologue. Forget
the audience; an actor needs to know BT (British Technique) or he'll put
himself to sleep with this monster. (Actor has a difficult lead
role
in a fully staged NY production of a Chekhov play.)
(34) I really worked at using what I have learned of the
technique and I really wanted be able to show that off to you. A
compliment
from Ruth is like pay day. They are the greatest because you
know you really earned it. I want to keep on pushing myself like
that. It was a work out and very rewarding. I look forward to
our next session.
(35) Thanks for today's lesson Ruth. Personally I've been in
such a rare state emotionally that I almost called out. Best
decision I never
made. Your advice hit many truths for me and I am
grateful for your stories.
(36) I am thankful for you, Ruth.
(37)
I thank you for having the patience to not give
up on getting me where I want to go with acting and for being one of
the most
wonderful people I know.
WHO IS OUT THERE? WHAT DO THEY
CLAIM?
Before you choose an acting coach/teacher, check
their credentials, Google their acting resume AND talk to them about
your
goals and
needs.
Listen carefully to their answers. Select someone
who is personally familiar with today's auditioning world, someone
who
has
recently been out
there successfully auditioning and booking,
someone who is actively and successfully applying the
techniques they
teach, and someone who knows
how
to teach. Not every good actor can be a
good coach but
EVERY GOOD
COACH SHOULD BE A GOOD
ACTOR AND HAVE PROOF OF
THAT
CLAIM.
One excellent proof is published reviews.
THE
FEE?
$35 an hour. $50 for an hour and a half.
There are no required courses where you sign up and pay in
advance. These are all private one-on-one lessons. You may take one
lesson
once for a special audition or a lesson every
week for on-going training in the British technique. The choice is
yours. I will accommodate
your schedule. I do, however, require a 24 hour
cancellation notice once a student has reserved an hour.
If this sounds interesting to you, email me. Include a cell number and I
will call you. If you do not hear from me
the same day, re-send your
email
PLEASE NOTE: While I have worked with
students as young as ten years, I do require that a parent
or guardian accompany anyone
under
legal
age to the first lesson. The
parent/guardian need not stay throughout the lesson but I
must meet him/her in person.
RESUME / REVIEWS (just keep scrolling) at
http://www.LSW-NYC.com/12ruth.html
E-MAIL SiriusRMK@aol.com I prefer
email. If an emergency, such as a
last minute audition, call
PHONE: 917-
441- 9358
(only between one PM and midnight)
COMING
SOON --
mini preview
My own website ("Actors'
Coach")
for new articles similar to those all over the Internet, taken from the
40 articles
published by the actors' e-zine mentioned above. There will
also be answers to questions from readers. There will
be a full e-book
compiled from the completely revised and re-edited earlier articles. The
first three of the new articles
will be free. After that, the monthly
subscription rate will be pathetically nominal for two new articles
monthly AND
a
whole section of new monologues for actors of all ages. I'm
finding out how to handle out-of-town
phone lessons
for special auditions or roles. The rate would be the same
as the one-on-one
sessions listed above (see "The Fee,")
Who can write all this? Only someone who has fallen into
every pothole created on that wonderful yellow brick
road to Oz. If
there were an error to make, I made it -- from
Utah to Amsterdam, from Maine to Miami. The title of the
book? "A
Guide, Almost a Magic
Wand for Actors and Other Folks." The title says it all.
The content of all written material is under copyright law by Ruth Kulerman.