*The following quotes are not to be construed as endorsements of my classes. They are, however, indicative of the direction that I want my actors to explore.

ANTHONY LA PAGLIA (From an interview with Charlie Rose at the time when he won the Tony award for best performance on Broadway for A View From A Bridge -- La Paglia is speaking about his leading lady, Allison Janney.

Allison, who is like a genius on stage.  I don't use that word, but with her I use it.  Complete spontaneity, completely in the moment, completely able to go with whatever happens up there.  She does not think, she just does.  That, to me, is genius acting.

ALLISON JANNEY: In the same interview: Anthony pushes me to places I've never been, who is much the way I am with that kind of spontaneity, (which is what I love about acting.)

(Anthony is currently starring in the hit series "Without A Trace."  Allison was the press secretary in the series "West Wing.")

PETER USTINOV  A great actor, now deceased, in his book, "Dear Me."  Spreading Of The Method: The so-called Method tends to slow down reactions by giving precedence to the intelligence at the expense of instinct.  I believe the duty of the intelligence is merely to correct the instinct in cases of emergency, and that speed of reaction is all important.

Not just actors, but other artistic performers have truly inspiring things to say:

Vladimir Horowitz, one of the greatest concert pianists of the last century: "When I sit at the keyboard, I never know how I will play something. I play the way I feel at the moment, I take terrible risks.

The actor who is not willing to take such terrible risks will always be mediocre, never inspiring or exciting.

DEBRA WINGER in an interview published in American Film Magazine. Question: Are you one of those actors who "becomes" the character?

Winger: It's not a choice to "become" the character; it's just this weird thing that happens.  I hate to talk about it because it starts to sound mystical. I think the biggest lesson any actor can learn is trust.  To trust that something is going to happen.

BRAIN COX interviewed by Charlie Rose:

Charlie Rose: If you gave one last lecture about acting in which you want to say to them, this is what I have learned, what one point would you want to make sure the students got?

Brian COx: The key point is to be truthful, tell the truth, always tell the truth.  SO often actors lose the sense of truth - they get bogged down in character, or get bogged down in trying to create an effect for the director.  You have to maintain your individual truth.  I would like actors to just be truthful to what they are.  The problem is finding out who they are.

JAMES WOODS quoted in an interview in American Film, when asked about his technique:

"What technique?  I just put batteries in my alarm clock and try to get here on time."  As far as the philosophy of acting, Woods went on to say: "I admire the James Cagney 'plant your feet on the ground, look the other guy in the eye, and tell the truth' school of acting.  I'm not into the 'four hours before you go to work pretend you're a radish' school of acting."

These are just a few quotes.  I don't respect name dropping acting teachers.  Since most successful actors have studied with several teachers, some of whom they say have hurt more than helped, I think it is dishonest to somehow proclaim ownership of someone else's talent.  One of the actors quoted above studied with me as a young person, at the time the first major role was won.  I will leave you to guess who.

Lastly, what a current student, FORTUNATO FRATTASIO had to say after his first couple of classes: "This is so liberating."