Private online acting coach for auditions, self-tapes, and performance

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Take the time to prep—it will show if you don’t. Spontaneity is actually freed through preparation, and together we’ll work through detailed and nuanced preparation of your scene. An acting coach is your outside eye, your confidante, and your cheerleader!

Coaching for upcoming audition and performance prep is available with me and my team of amazing coaches. We coach for film, TV, theater, musical theater, and more. All coaches offer appointments virtually over Zoom. You can also request an in-person coaching with Heidi (NYC) or Megan Greener (NYC). Get coached through the camera lens to help you adapt your work for taped or remote live auditions.

For filming during virtual appointments, you can record yourself on a separate device, or we can record you over Zoom. For filming during in-person appointments, we can record you on a smartphone or tablet. Our coaches can offer guidance on your setup and serve as your reader. Get attention and support towards deep and specific preparation so that your best efforts are reflected in the auditions you deliver.

For production & commercial rate inquiries, contact us.

Audition & Performance Prep

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Heidi Marshall
Heidi Marshall has spent over 25 years as an Acting Coach, Film and Theater Director, Casting Director, and Acting Studio Owner. She has coached countless actors into roles on big and small screens across the world.Learn More >>
Athena Colón
Athena Colón is a bilingual (English and Spanish), native New York actress, teaching artist, and acting coach with 10+ years of experience. Superpowers: specificity, improvisation, physicality, energizing character, comedy, coaching teens, screen tests. Learn More >>
Russell G. Jones
Russell G. Jones is an award-winning actor and a fixture on New York City stages since the 90s, with experience spanning from recurring TV roles to Obie Award-winning productions. Superpowers: developing character, analysis, theater, craftsman, TV dramas.Learn More >>
Megan Greener
Megan is an award-nominated New York actor and teaching artist—with a New Jersey core (she's harmless) and over 10 years of teaching experience. Superpowers: analysis, specificity, theatre, film, TV, efficiency w/ multiple scenes, coaching teens.Learn More >>
Jasmine McLeish
Jasmine McLeish is a NY-trained actor in film, TV, and theater with a passion for music, dance, and mentoring other actors on their unique journey towards success. Superpowers: self-tape tech set-up, fun & collaborative process, confidence-building, sparking ideas, musical theater.Learn More >>

Take Charge of Your Career

3-Part Private Training Series

Customized training with Athena Colón that’s tailored to your individual needs and strengths. Topple your personal stumbling blocks so that you see a noticeable up-level in your skills in the audition room and on set.

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Business of Acting Series

Take the temperature of your career and create a customized business plan over three 1:1 sessions with Mathia Vargas. Assess your goals, current business plan, and marketing materials.

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Creators Coaching with Johnny Sanchez

Go from idea → to script. Start to get your inspiring project ideas outta your head! Focus on sifting through project ideas and articulating them to others through a script or pitch deck.

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Creators Coaching with Stephanie Little

Go from page → to production → to post. Get one-on-one guidance and practical advice on moving your project through any phases of pre-production, production, and post.

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Build & Curate Your Portfolio Channel

Build an online portfolio that shows your acting range and types while proving your ability to put together strong self-tape submissions, no matter where you are in your career. Show reps and CDs how they can get you hired.

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Resident Writing Coach PAGES Matam

Get 1:1 feedback & guidance from a professional screenwriter to refine and polish your script. Superpowers: worldbuilding, character development, responsible writing, developing the writer’s voice

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Audition Coaching FAQ

How will we work over Zoom? 

We’ve been coaching online for years, and in fact, when we work via the computer screen, it demands even more honesty. It’s very easy to spot when it’s not. Yes, we can film you over Zoom. You will receive specific directions, and you can also read this blog post: How to Self-Tape on Zoom

Another note—the quality of filming over Zoom can be sharpened by adding appropriate lighting to your set-up and making sure your wi-fi is functioning at top speed. Get more tips on my blogs The Art of Self-Tape and Blocking On-Camera Auditions.

 

What are my payment options?

When you schedule a coaching, you’ll have the option to pay via Venmo or PayPal. Your appointment is finalized when payment is confirmed.

 

What is the cancellation policy?

Once you book a session, it will be added to your coach’s calendar. Bookings made in error should be canceled immediately in order to allow other actors to find a time on the calendar. If you need to cancel your appointment, please do so at least 12 hours before your appointment time in order to be refunded. Otherwise, you will be charged the balance of your booking.

 

If I make an in-person coaching request and the coach is able to offer me in-person appointment, where would it be? 

Houghton Hall Arts Community in Midtown East. Here is a photo of the setup, courtesy of Houghton Hall:

self-tape backdrop and lights for auditions

 

Who are your coaching alumni?

Too many to list here! We are thrilled to point you towards our Alumni Highlights, our Alumni Casting Database, and our Instagram page to keep up with our community.

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Reviews

Kim Berrios Lin

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Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You bring out the best in everyone you connect with.

Paolo Montalban

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Heidi, I’m so thankful we prepped the different levels of the many qualities of King Charming as thoroughly as we did.  We actually shot different takes of those different levels.
Emily Schultheis

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Megan we are officially iconic! [The reader] gave me some notes but she was super into it. She said it was really original and i did great work so thanks for figuring all that out with me last night!
Alisa, mother of Tessa Inez

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Thank you for all the work you did with [my daughter] yesterday.  She had a great experience in her session with you and came out of it feeling confident and proud of her work.  As her mom, I especially want to thank you for creating a safe space for her to explore this character and really tap into those deep emotions. Watching her perform with such authenticity gave me chills!  Thank you for being so supportive and affirming with your coaching.
Justin Withers

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The tapes looked great and so glad to get a sense of how you coach. My reps loved them and are in awe that we accomplished that so quickly!
Brandi Porter

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Thank you for always encouraging me, supporting me and helping me grow as an artist!!

Adelina Santana

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Heidi, thank you so much for your help, my auditions and craft have grown and even my mom notices it.

Jean Garner

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I want to sing the praises of the coaching Athena gave me in November on a challenging indie script. I won Best Actor in a small film festival! The acknowledgment I am sure came partly from having a strong point of view and approach to the character, which is what Athena and I came to in the coaching. Thank you, Athena!
Natasha Murray

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Athena, I’m sitting at my desk, holding back tears, just thinking about all the work and auditions we put in…

Russell, I’m convinced it was your statement that made the tape: “How would you react if you felt this person really saw you?”

Heidi, thanks for a great team! It takes a village!

June Ballinger

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You are a wonderful coach and your insights are so spot on and delivered with such kindness and encouragement. Thank you.

Just by observing class, I learned things—and honestly, it was better than therapy.

Regina Schneider

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Thank you for all your help last week on the FBI audition. Your guidance was so appreciated- I seriously could not have navigated through that scene without you!

On another note, I wanted share a story… I applied your “Would you like to see anything else” tip after another audition I had last week, and I was surprised how helpful it was. She replied, “No, do it again just like you did…” and then proceeded to give me a bit more info on my relationship to the other character in the scene- which was extremely helpful because I didn’t get much from the breakdown. So me putting myself out there actually opened her up to give me more info. I don’t know that she would have shared that had I not asked. I ended up getting a callback and am going to producers on Tuesday. So THANK YOU!

Paolo Montalban

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It always feels like it’s an artistic expanding moment with you, Heidi!

Darren Tkacs

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Hi Athena, thank you for your wonderful supportive energy. I simply wanted to let you know I applied for a role on actor’s access, got an audition, and got the role. The audition was via eco-cast self-tape on actors-access and I remembered the framing you taught me.

Paco Tolson

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I just wanted to thank you for all your insights in our coaching session. I feel flexible and ready for whatever they need me to do on the day.

Amanda Martinez

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I just wanted to say thank you so much for the coaching this week! I was so pleased with my submission!!!

Ashley Romans, Y: The Last Man

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I finally just got back to my home base in LA and you came across my mind. I just want to say thank you so much for these few months in supporting me in the filming process and being so available to me as a coach.

Sam Xu

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I just want to say that I am so, so thankful for you for helping me through the first big shoot of my career. 🙂 It’s been a week now I am back in my tiny, lovely Brooklyn apartment that I could fathom… It. Actually. Happened. It was unreal and exciting, and an amazing experience that I will remember for a very very long time.

I am so grateful for the sessions that we had and all the preparations, clarifying the relationships, and even the sessions of just going through the lines. Because when we were on set, all of this became a sort of muscle memory that I had no time to contemplate on. Because we were shooting at a restricted-access open air seaport, with hundreds of crews, and it was SO COLD. Between getting the blockings right for the camera, the stunt car, the cranes lifting shipping containers, and the lead actors, I had to spit out lines faster than my brain could process. All the preparation we did was put to use, nothing was spared!

Dawn Vicknair

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I had my taping today. I played and stayed loose enough to make different choices on each take. It was the most fun I ever had doing a self-tape! You really got me fired up in our coaching; when I got home last night, I couldn’t stop digging and playing. It felt so good.

Ashley McCormack

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I am typically always confident in my vocals, but I left that room feeling extremely confident in my work as an actor. THANK YOU!

Guy Lockard

Today on set was magic. Thanks for helping a brotha out.

Marcus Jordan

Wow the change take to take is STARTLING!!! Thank you. I’m so excited to get working in this way!

Farah Bala

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I got to know how terrific a coach Athena is when she helped me work on a pilot audition. She partners with you to find the truth and nuances of the scene and character, while also making sure the best of you is captured. Her work is rich and nuanced and fully supports the individual process.

Chris Russell

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I walked out of my audition feeling whole and happy and confident that I brought my best! Thank you for your coaching! It was SO valuable. In one short hour, you were able to break down the scene and help me fortify a strong emotional prep for a major audition.

Maria Diez

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Athena was brilliant at helping break down the moments in the scene and bring in more sides in the character along with the circumstances and reality of the world of the film. I felt confident and ready to work in the room, and trusted the work we’d done. The audition went great and I was able to do my best work.

Reece Vernier Santos

It is so important to walk into a room feeling so prepared that you can deliver in any situation. Athena gets to the bottom of a text quickly. She recognizes your strengths to bring out a variety of colors and tactics to tell the story. I felt free working with her and really allowed myself to take risks in the audition room.

Alexandra Turshen, Amazon’s series RED OAKS

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“Heidi is the lady to go to!! I use her convenient skype sessions to make sure I’m super ready for auditions and I went to her AFTER I booked Red Oaks to make sure I would show up on set guns-a-blazin.

New York Times Review, Fantasia as Celie in Broadway’s THE COLOR PURPLE

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[American Idol Winner] Fantasia unleashes with a feeling of connection to the dramatic moment.

Morissa Trunzo

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Thank you so much for today, it helped me so much, not just in regards to the audition. Feeling very powerful today regardless of what happens! So thank you thank you thank you.

Kat Griffin

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I will be interested to see how they end up casting the role- there is was a vast spectrum of very masculine, fully physically transitioned F-M trans people there. Thank you for all your help yesterday I felt very confident about what I presented! 
Lindsey Bliven
You’re awesome.
Dan Truman
You were extremely helpful as well as fun to work with, both as always, and I think I incorporated most of what we did, they gave me additional takes when I screwed up, and I took the adjustment "throw it all away"  without I hope, throwing *everything* away. 
Josh Rivera

The coaching that you gave me made me feel like a rockstar when I got in the room so thank you so much for that.

Orange Is The New Black, Guest Star

You made that performance possible, quite frankly.  I  was really intimidated and riddled with doubt. As embarrassed as I was to be lost when I entered your space, you did a terrific job of being compassionate, specific and clear. 

Brittney Morello

I think that was my best audition for a Broadway show. There’s no question that I was in control of my own audition. I knew from CD’s response that she had received what I shared. I’m excited to work a little differently and more healthfully in future audition situations.

Susan Shea

Your blogs are always so perfectly in tune what one wants and needs to hear. (You are the actor/all beings empowerment whisperer!)

Comfort Clinton

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I wanted to say thank you again for taking the time to meet with me on Sunday! I just had my audition and I really genuinely felt like it went very well. I employed all of your tips (including getting a blow out before!) and it made me so confident going in to the audition.

Stephanie McBee, A.C.T. MFA

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You are an amazing teacher and I’ve learned and gained so much about myself as an actor as well as a business. I know this is truly the beginning for me. I have so much more to do and so much further to go but for once I feel excited and equipped for the journey [when I graduate]. There’s a sense of feeling more grounded and in anticipation of exploring ME in this journey rather than living for the outcome. Thank you for that!!!

Nina Covalesky

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Coaching ’twas very helpful and all went well.  Even when I half-forgot my second line, I was able to just breathe and roll with it since we prepped so nicely!

Katie Dixon

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I genuinely feel I learned so many tips and techniques from just working with you in that one session. I felt like I had a mini acting crash course. It’s so important to stay fresh, and I can’t thank you enough! You’ve definitely changed the way I will look at sides from now on, as well as cold reading.

Ingrid Vollset

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Thank you for making auditioning fun and not terrifying!

Carmen Gill

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Thanks SO much for your help with this audition. I’m really happy with my takes.

Bruce Fuller

I wanted to thank you for everything you taught me. So much clicked in with this audition that I just booked. I can't really put into words what clicked, but it sure did.

David Siciliano

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Audition went incredibly well. It was a very necessary and joyous win for me. I left the room swimming in tears of joy and relief; I felt like I had finally returned to that creative lovely place I was in during school and had missed since graduating.

David Martin
You gave me the shot of adrenaline I needed, now to stay on Cloud 9.
Gabrielle Sterbenz

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And, may I say, thank you so much!!! I can’t tell you how grateful I am for you helping me get through that block that I have had for years.  I really communicated with my singing today – and it was such a huge breakthrough for me.  I look forward to carrying that connection with me into all of my auditions.  So, thank you a million times.

Melle Powers
“I wanted to let you know that I felt really great about my audition today.  I was more relaxed than I've been in a long time, and really focused on the characters.  Funnily enough, my reader was mouthing my lines along with me, but I focused on using that annoyance as part of my character's annoyance.  I even made the casting director laugh. It was great to be able to separate the audition from the result with the realization that even if I don't get the part, I had fun in the room.
Wendy Allegeart

A heart-felt thanks for your wonder-full bedside manner in yesterday’s coaching.  I left renewed in my commitment to be part of the solution, etc.  Took some bold actions today as a direct result of our talk/coaching.

Vince Vincent

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Once again in a short hour you inspired and change my life for the better! You rock!  Being motivated to finally be the artist I’ve dreamed of is amazing!

Samantha Massell

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Guess who booked the movie!?  ME!!  All thanks to YOU!!! Best coach ever!  I’m a lucky gal!

Arlene Chico-Lugo

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I don’t think I have ever auditioned so well. Thank you for all of your help! There really is nothing better than feeling prepared. Then your nervousness has the chance to turn into excitement (which makes this fun- and that’s why we do it, right?!) instead of morphing into worry

Ellyn Long Marshall, Orpheus Group Casting

Heidi embraces each entity of the audition process with careful directness, providing an atmosphere which encourages the Actor, Writer, Camera and, yes, even Casting Director, to 'do their own thing' to the max!

Studio Guarantee

Full disclosure—please note that we do not guarantee that actors who receive acting coaching will be hired for any project that we might direct or cast. We do guarantee my supportive honesty and my open sharing of knowledge. We teach and coach because we enjoy supporting actors as they develop their process of working within the audition room. We seek to build their knowledge about the business of auditioning.

All coaching sessions are confidential.

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