For more opportunities to work with guest teachers curated by Heidi, check out the Acting Collective.
Get coached on bringing arc and dynamism to your film speech or theater monologue so that your work is compelling, memorable, and fine-tuned.
Take the spotlight with confidence and make the camera and audiences lean into your consciously shaped moments. Nail down a speech and a prep process for your actor toolbox so that it’s ready to brush off quickly when audition opportunities arise at a moment’s notice.
Think monologues are for the occasional theater audition? Think again.
Monologues (or speeches, as they’re called for film/TV) are making a comeback as audition material for current, hot projects coming down the pipeline.
Yes, heightened text. Chekhov. Shakespeare.
Actors get Carly’s sage guidance and individualized coaching to break down a film speech or theater monologue of your choice. This workshops brings new life and vitality to your actor toolbox. She will share with you her insights on how to give the best audition every time.
Select a monologue or speech to bring to our workshop. Monologues from contemporary plays, film, television, and Shakespeare are all welcome. If you have a speech in an upcoming film or series episode that you will be performing, please feel free to bring that!
With Carly, you’ll rediscover your love for auditioning and find out how to make sure your work reflects your unique essence.
This workshop is good for all actors who wish to refine their skills in the art of the monologue. Monologues or speeches are performed on stage, on film/TV sets, in auditions for agents, managers, and theater repertory seasons, and for graduate school auditions.
P.S.—Carly is an excellent guide for theater actors adapting to self-tapes.
TIME COMMITMENT
You will need to plan for homework time to research your assignment, prepare your materials, and practice your self-tape set-ups. All studio workshops and classes are designed to stretch and support your complete prep process as an actor for self-tapes and in-person auditions. The more you put into this workshop, the more you get out of it!
WORKING WITH GUEST TEACHERS
Artists teaching artists is the inspiration for bringing Guest Teachers to the studio. This workshop is intended to expand your process as an actor and to reinforce your skills, confidence, and natural talent.
Carly is a working actress, business owner, intimacy coordinator, and audition coach for actors in all mediums.
Carly attended Yale School of Drama for both her undergrad and her MFA, and she was always involved in the audition process for their MFA program. From watching thousands of MFA hopefuls, she learned what makes a strong, well-crafted, and inspired audition. Carly is passionate about empowering artists and helping actors discover and rediscover their passion for what they do.
Carly served as Intimacy Coordinator on the following sets: Almost Family (FOX), Porcelain (short film), Geranium (short film), #LoveMyRoomie (web series), White Flags (independent film). She lives and works in LA.
HEIDI’S ENDORSEMENT
Carly is an incredibly compassionate teacher and fellow actor-artist who deeply understands all the angles that an actor needs support for in their journey—from prep to performance to nourishing yourself for a lifetime in the career of acting. Her coaching and teaching skills are backed by a genuine love of the craft and art of acting. Carly is a gem of a guide for actors. Carly is also an alumna of my studio and shares a philosophy of empowering actors with inspiration and tools!
Read Carly’s blog post, The Top 5 Biggest Mistakes Actors Make when Auditioning for Grad School »
“When I was getting my MFA at Yale, I watched A LOT of auditions for the program. Our acting teachers would invite us to watch and learn as they searched tirelessly for the next class of incoming actors. What struck me was this: many actors made mistakes that had NOTHING to do with their acting. And…these mistakes were so easy to fix with just a little know-how…” Keep reading »
What was a difficult challenge for you as an actor?
Deciding between my passion for acting and my need for stability and security.
What was a crazy or silly moment on set?
I’ve found that the best way to learn something is to teach it yourself. When I pass on my knowledge, it helps my students and me to stay in shape!
What is the main thing you wish you knew then but that you only understand now?
Salaries. We are at the top of our field and are being paid less than fifty dollars an hour for shows. I believe we should only be performing in six shows per week, and that we should demand higher wages.
What moment or experience as an artist do you feel most proud of?
Playing Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Who do you really look up to in your field and why?
All of the women working towards 50/50 by 20/20. I’m excited to have more female directors, cinematographers, editors, screenwriters, art directors, etc etc etc.
I had SUCH a good time in class. Carly offered really great feedback on my monologue, and I enjoyed her tough yet encouraging teaching style.
She has such a wealth of knowledge, so I’m excited to learn more from her.
Carly’s energy and enthusiasm was the same for each student. Loved Carly’s passion for teaching.
One thing that I really wanted to work on in this class was honing which questions to ask of myself and my character prior to delivering a monologue, and Carly absolutely did not disappoint in that department. She asked so many thought-provoking questions for each actor and their material, and challenged us to think about our circumstances in ways I hadn’t thought of. Carly’s approach to monologue work was fascinating.
Carly created a very safe environment to work on our material and elicited a lot of beautiful colors out of each actor – it has empowered me to not be intimidated by monologues and to trust my instincts. I think that I will approach new material with a different thought process now after working with Carly.
I feel more confident in preparing a new piece with the right tools. Carly said in class, “The character doesn’t know he/she is about to give a speech.” Even in a monologue I have to think about what my scene partner is saying/wants to say.
The class has had a great impact on how I prep for a scene. What I’ll do differently is….follow Carly’s guide! She gave us so many tools and revealed her exact process in how she preps for every character/audition. Following them really helps me understand the character, even more than I realize. Her in the moment coaching was super helpful in helping recognize and break certain patterns/habits. So great! I got a lot out of this! I also want to credit my fellow classmates for really bringing it. People brought great challenging scenes that really made a safe environment for us to be vulnerable and try things. Carly of course was amazing at pushing us to try these things and challenge ourselves.
It was beautiful, challenging and a safe environment! I feel more self-trust! Thank you, Carly and Heidi, for keeping the actor’s life meaningful! It gave me awareness of my body sensors! It reminded me that it is not about me! This class drew myself out ! I got the tools how to do it ! I will approach learning script with more depth!
Loved, loved, loved Carly!! Wonderful supportive teacher and class. Would love to have a Part 2. As always, you always provide the best teachers and the most supportive environment! Thanks, Heidi!
I feel like a have a much more solid idea of what I need to do to prep and then let go and trust. It sounds basic but I felt lost before the class and I feel like I have the tools to work so that I may play now.
Absolutely thrilled! One of the most useful classes I’ve taken that provides more resources to explore!
As a dancer transitioning to acting with no training, I’ve tried to be very pragmatic in building a technical foundation. I felt that this workshop fit perfectly. Its impact was how well Carly was able to simplify and summarize techniques and of course her infectious love of the craft.
I feel like a have a much more solid idea of what I need to do to prep and then let go and trust. It sounds basic but I felt lost before the class and I feel like I have the tools to work so that I may play now.
I have been so BLOCKED recently, and this class was step one in loosening up the blocks and trying to get back into acting. It was a very useful first step. I think I will go from not auditioning at all, to prepping auditions and actually getting a reel together.
It has given me the confidence to look at a script or side and decipher the meanings, subtext and importance of what I am going to be presenting to my audience. It has also shown me that I have a true love for this art form that I want to pursue further
Full disclosure — please note that we do not guarantee that actors in these classes or workshops will be hired for any project that we might direct, produce, or cast. We teach and coach because we enjoy supporting and nurturing actors as you develop your personal process for auditioning, working and creating your own work.