The Actor's Studio of Orange County

WHAT WE OFFER

The Actor’s Studio of Orange County offers creative and challenging classes, private coaching, mentoring, workshops, and intensives.

 

Through its innovative approach to training actors, The Actor's Studio of Orange County provide the community not only with an artistic gym for actors to transform through art but also provides the Los Angeles industry with a fresh and creative resource.

 

The studio’s goal is to put Orange County actors on the map by catapulting students toward achievement of their creative and career goals. Both our Adult and Teen divisions thrive because they are learning a challenging technique that stands the test of time.

 

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Seven Pillars Acting Studio Now Open

 

We now have a studio in Los Angeles! For those of you living in the area, check out Seven Pillars Acting Studio, which incorporates the same techinques learned at ASoOC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Acting is Transformation with Ease and Authenticity.

Acting is Living Truthfully Under Imaginary Circumstances.

 

 

 

WHO WE SERVE

ASOC is marked by great diversity amongst the students, making it a dynamic learning environment. However, there are common trends.

Our students…

1. Come here to learn the craft of acting and satisfy their calling to Act.

2. Aspire to work in the Los Angeles film/TV/web/commercial industry.

3. Seek to begin or reinvigorate their professional careers.

4. Want to gain confidence in public speaking and basic communication skills.

5. Desire to express themselves, explore their creativity and imaginations.

6. And have fun in the process!

 

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

We service actors and non-actors alike of all ages. Our teen curriculums are modeled on the level of skill and professionalism that we offer in our adult classes. Students, no matter what brings them in the door, all receive high quality training. All in all, the training is comprehensive, personal, and professional.

 

 

 

WHAT WE TEACH

The Seven Pillars of Acting Technique is system of learning the craft of acting. These seven essential tools come from the great acting teachers of the 20^th Century: Stanislavsky, Adler, Meisner, Declan Donnellan, and Grotowski namely. They are synthesized into one process, giving the actor a clear path to total transformation in a role. They emphasize authenticity, listening, imagination and curiosity. Developed by head teacher, Sonya Cooke, the Pillars are adaptable to the individual actor, helping to unlock his or her natural talents.

 

In the Beginning Level Classes, an individual Pillar is instructed and experimented with using scenes and monologues a month at a time. The Pillars are taught sequentially, but the student can enter into to the learning process from any Pillar and go deeper with each new Pillar.

All these Pillars ultimately are activated in an actor's performance. We break it down in our Beginning Level Classes so the student learns how to isolate and master an individual Pillar, each with its own tools and principles. In the Intermediate and Advanced Levels, students work on scene study to apply the Pillars and activate them simultaneously.

 

 

 

 

WHAT ARE THE SEVEN PILLARS?

 

The Pillars are 1) Contact - your relationship with the other, the quality of your listening, being in the moment and on the breath of the scene, opening up to vulnerability; 2) Circumstance - learning the specific breakdown of what is happening TO the character, an elaborate process of understanding the world of the story; 3) Meaning - what the circumstances emotionally mean to the character, identifying the core differences between actor and character; 4) Emotional Life - bridging the emotional gap between oneself and the part; learning how to open up imaginatively and emotionally; programming the circumstances with emotion; 5) Objective - the craft of scoring the wants and needs of the character, understanding motivation and will; 6) Action - what the actor DOES with the objectives, how to play an action on text;  7) Physical Life - how the body and voice influence, inspire and open up the actor's imagination and performance. We have seen the Pillars help the actor get out of his head and into the imaginative world of the character. Our ultimate goal is to transform into character with ease and authenticity.

 

 

 

ASoOC’s COMMITMENT TO SUCCESS

In order to assure success, we track the students’ goals, making it a community crusade to help each other reach dreams and manifest success.

 

1. All students receive career support and mentorship from owner   Sonya Cooke who is available 24/7 by email and phone and can be scheduled for in person meetings.

2. ASoOC also offers formal career coaching by request.

3. Students in the Advanced Class prepare for a public showcase for industry, agents, casting directors and managers in the Spring. In preparation for the showcase, advanced students train in advanced courses: Improv, On-Camera Technique, Shakespeare, Voice and Speech and Full Character Arc Crafting.

 

OUR STANDARDS FOR OUR STUDENTS

Our students work in the film and TV industry as well as theatre locally & nationally.

They are accepted into and attend the schools of their choice.

They sign with representation who market them gainfully in the industry.

They win awards and are acknowledged for their talents.

They apply their artistic skills to other creative outlets.

They are excellent communicators and compassionate collaborators.

They are empowered to create avenues for their success and creativity.

 

 

 

STUDIO HISTORY

The Actor’s Studio opened in 2007 under the leadership of Ken Garcia, who was the main instructor for five years before tragically passing away. An incredible testament to his teaching and the community he created, the studio stayed busy, providing Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Acting classes, as well as a Kids and Teens class on the weekends. The studio shifted in the Fall of 2013, as Sonya Cooke stepped up as the owner and head teacher.

 

NEW OWNER AND LEADER

Sonya Cooke brings to the table an extensive background in teaching and acting technique pedagogy. She has acted in TV, film, New York theatre, regional theatre, musical theatre, webseries, commercials, print, and voice-over. She trained at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (BFA in Drama) and UC-Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts (MFA in Acting.) Her teaching career began when she started coaching actors in New York in 2008 and launched a blog on acting technique at SonyaCooke.com, where she writes about her ideas and exercises on acting.  In addition, she has worked with many institutions as a teacher and program developer. In fact, The Seven Pillars Acting Technique is being adapted into collegiate curriculum at The Relativity School in Downtown LA. Due to her background in leadership, business, team-work and community-building, Sonya is equipped to lead the ASOOC.