Author: rachael patterson

By Sarafina Vecchio How did I begin my journey studying Shakespeare? More than a few years ago, when I was a senior in high school, I was sitting in English class staring at the test I had to take on Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’. I hadn’t read a page of it. I didn’t understand it, didn’t want to understand it, and was completely unmotivated to force myself to study it. I…

A key component of our job as actors has always been overcoming obstacles. In the 1600s, Shakespearean actors overcame so many obstacles: the bubonic plague, rehearsing without the entire script, and trying to connect with each other while groundlings heckled in the audience. Now, more than 400 years later, 2020 actors are still facing similar obstacles: Covid-19, rehearsing with barking dogs and screaming kids in our home workspace and trying…

…A Conversation with Cole Doman by Noah Glaser In my interview with Cole Doman, I asked if – either during his time in school or at any point throughout his acting career – he had encountered a phrase that had stuck with him. A mantra or piece of advice that he finds himself repeating every so often, be it: on stage, on set, at an audition, or at home. Cole…

With the present state of the COVID 19 pandemic, while we are safe-at-home, one of the things actors can do… is read plays!  Reading plays is a fundamental skill for the actor. I spoke with Acting Studio Chicago Faculty Member Adrianne Cury and she advised, “There is something we can do with all this time; that is to further educate ourselves.” As an actor and playwright in training, I asked…

Wow! January really flew by and here we are in the middle of February — and if we’re being honest, some of our New Year’s resolutions have probably flown right out of our minds — and ready to replace those resolutions, are old habits that just won’t let go. Don’t lose hope though, there’s still plenty of time to course-correct. After all, this is the start of a new year,…

More and more frequently, you’ll find yourself opening your email to see a message from your agent with the subject: Self-Tape Request. You could certainly tape the audition yourself (see the previous blog post “3 Tips for Self-Taping At Home”), but as the need for self-taping grows, you might find it’s easier to create your self-taping with a professional. When you hire someone to record your audition, there are a…

by Jill Monaco   My friend Chris Agos wrote a great piece about using the EAR Prompter, also know as the EAR,  a few weeks back. It was taken from his book Acting in Chicago, which helps people understand the industry more than any other book I’ve read.   Chris and I have worked together many times. When I knew I was going to be booked with him I was thrilled. Why? Because if…

At Acting Studio Chicago we are extremely proud of our faculty…..and their books! Jeff Lupetin, Voice Actor Extraordinaire, teaches several VO classes and is the author of ULTIMATE VOICEOVER.  Check out these great tips from Jeff ‘s  book. Below are some extremely practical pacing tips that you can use at your very next Voiceover audition! ULTIMATE VOICEOVER TIP! Always read the first line of your copy more slowly than the…

Chris Agos is an actor who books work in all aspects of the business and who has worked in both the Chicago and the L.A. markets. Chris taught On Camera and VO classes at A.S.C. for over five years. As someone who now travels between markets, we are lucky to have him back teaching a workshop on transitioning from Chicago to L.A.  Chris is also the author of the popular and…

For The Love of Acting How I Became An Accidental Actor By Michael Applebaum One of my biggest life discoveries has been learning how many people are drawn to acting that are just like me. Growing up, acting was one of the last things I could ever imagine doing. It was right up there with surgeon and electrical engineer (the sight of blood freaks me out and I am quite…