<p>My D’s mentor is a person who is president of a community theatre, acts locally, contracts as a director and costume designer for schools, universities, and other groups, is very connected with a lot of actors, designers and directors. She has a degree from an excellent theatre program in WI. She coaches and judges Forensics as well. She’s smart and savvy and a great teacher - honest, constructive and caring. </p>
<p>But she’s not “in the business” the way other coaches often are. She wasn’t up on the literature in the most optimal way for monologue hunting, the way a private acting teacher might. She didn’t have a long line of kids she’d helped prepare for BFA auditions, although she had many contacts and friends who are quite solid in that (including some who are directors of training programs) and got a lot of advice for us.</p>
<p>We contacted many local theatres, universities, and arts groups and did not find anyone who was interested in private coaching. We probably started too late, too. My D is very involved in lots of activities at school and she didn’t have time for a lot of traveling, so we kept our net small. She’s had a long journey through the arts and didn’t have years of acting experience, camps, etc., although she did have some wonderful directors and adult actors she’d worked with who also gave her excellent advice.</p>
<p>I hope you live in more fertile territory for Acting coaches. Our mentor was lovely, and I can’t say things would have gone differently for my D with a different coach. Who knows? It also was important that they had a great relationship, and this person really knew her. But I know many people would say you need someone who really “gets” this process, and I can imagine how that could have changed our experience immensely.</p>