Our Coaches

BRIAN

I currently make a living as an actor; I work in commercials (70+), hosting, voiceover, television, theatre, and print. I’ve worked on both coasts and around the globe, including Dublin, London, and on the Atlantic, Pacific, Caribbean, and Mediterranean Seas. I live in Los Angeles, but called Manhattan home for 11 years. I freelanced with 12 agents before choosing my current representation. I spent my first two years in New York as an advertising account executive and copywriter for Broadway shows and subsequently worked as a career coach (where I found one of my callings!). I’m proud and touched to say that I help many actors realize their dreams. If you’d like to know more, check out www.BrianPatacca.com, follow me on Twitter or learn about me at About.Me/BrianPatacca. I hope to see you at an audition soon. Give your career a kick in the AAS (Actor Accountability Salon)!

Check out my articles on Backstage

BRET

1. Nickname: – The Broadway Badass

2. When I came to NYC: I came to NYC when it was still the 90’s. RENT was still on Broadway, and my passion for the entertainment industry has only grown. The theatre community in NYC is unlike any other community in the world. The first thing I learned about the biz when I arrived was that there are an awful lot of people going for their dreams in NYC. Talent is only part of what it takes in NYC, building relationships and becoming part of the community – is vital. What drives me is the constant passion for new creative inspiration, I look for authentic people with ambition and a willingness to risk failure.

3. Favorites…
Actor – Sandra Bullock
Book – The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Play – The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
Quote – “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson
Pastime – Searching for the best cup of coffee

4. Where You’ve Seen Me: On Broadway in Amazing Grace, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – also in the movie THE WOLF OF WALL STREET. Or on TV in The Good Wife or One Life to Live.

5. Pro-Tip: Make the audition about booking the NEXT job. Every audition is a chance to build a relationship.

6. Hometown: Beaumont/Orange, Texas

REBEKAH

1. Nickname: The Hugging Truth-Teller.
Authenticity. Simplicity. Purpose.

2. When I came to LA: My first acting experience in LA was when I was flown out from Chicago to test for a pilot. I was one of the “big fish” there in the midwest and was convinced I had this whole business figured out and that I was well on my way to huge success. After I botched my producers session, by inadvertently embarrassing a prominent casting director in front of the room, I quickly realized I had a lot to learn and that this journey was not all about me. Self-centeredness does not serve; but being playful in the moment, thoughtful and dependable works wonders.

3. Favorites…
Actor – Jessica Lange
Book – A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Play – Laughing Wild by Christopher Durang
Quote – “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” -Carl Jung
Pastime – being at the beach, baking, reading, running

4. Where You’ve Seen Me: I’ve done over 80 commercials including Hallmark, Honda, Home Depot, Wells Fargo, IBM and spent 2 years as the mom in a Cox Communications campaign. TV credits include Charmed, Family Law, Cupid, Early Edition. Most fun highlight was being murdered by Keanu Reeves in The Watcher.

5. Pro-Tip: Do something everyday in your life that makes you uncomfortable, nervous or scared. You will gain perspective and become a more courageous actor. People gravitate to courage. Oh yeah, and while you’re busy creating your career, remember to also create a life.

6. Hometown: Hollywood, FL

7. Education & training: Southern Methodist University (BFA in Theater Studies), Life Coach training through the ICF accredited Coaches Training Institute

BRITT

1. Nickname: The Road Less Traveled

2. When I came to LA: I came to LA with a classical theatre background and an MFA. Why? Because I quickly realized that my favorite shows were opening on Broadway starring…actors from television and film. So I made the decision to come to Los Angeles and work my way up in the television and film world, hoping to bring my career full circle one day. Since that inception, I have come to realize there are no boundaries regarding access to your own creativity – and LA is a wonderful melting pot of a variety of mediums in which an artist can thrive. I also learned to pay even more attention to street parking signs than I did to the SAT’s.

3. Favorites…
Book – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Play – The Night Season by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Quote – “the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.” – Jack Kerouac
Pastime – diving into experiences – food, art, music, travel – getting my hands dirty. If it’s live and the memory is the canvas, I’m there.

4. Where You’ve Seen Me: ABC, Nickelodeon, Lifetime Networks, smiling happily or sassily in national commercials; writing, performing, and directing in festival shorts, and funny or die exclusive videos.

5. Pro-Tip: The Boundaries are IMAGINARY.

6. Hometown: Birmingham, AL. Roll Tide, Y’all.

7. Education & training: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Duke University, MFA University of Central Florida in Partnership with The Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Reiki Master

TOM

1. Nickname: The Realistic Healer

2. When I came to LA: I was SUPER jazzed and ready to go! I started working right away at a Literary Agency because I wanted to learn what I wasn’t taught at my theater school – the ins and outs of the business side of the business. I was excited and hopeful and willing to do about anything my job asked of me. It was a bright moment in my life cause there was so much possibility. I learned there that it takes a village to build a career and that it doesn’t happen overnight. I remind myself and those around me that we are all in this together and that we’ve got to stick it out for the long game. I also realized that believing in yourself, and working hard at what you love, is essential to continue here in LA.

3. Favorites…
Movie – Waiting for Guffman
Actor – Dennis O’Hare and Christopher Guest
Book – Harry Potter…ALL OF THEM
Quote – I am enough.
Pasttime – Cooking!

4. Where You’ve Seen Me: 90210, Greek, Community, Mighty Med, Save the Supers Web Series, and on stage in 30 Minute Musicals in LA

5. Pro-Tip: The only momentum that exists, is inside yourself. (AND/OR) No one is giving you a grade, but you.

6. Hometown: Port Jefferson Station, Long Island, NY

JEN

1. Nickname: The Career Chiropractor – Keeping you Aligned with your Why

2. When I came to NYC – I was born, raised and have forever lived in New Jersey, so NYC was always on my horizon. When I finally had a big paradigm shift in my mindset and my career, magic started happening – I reset some major limiting beliefs and the game changed for me forever. I learned I was really good at helping others experience that shift, too. Brian found me and the rest is history!

3. Favorites:
Actor – Robin Williams (<3)
Book – IT by Stephen King
Play – Pterodactyls by Nicky Silver, The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh
Quote – “You’re right on time – all of the time. You’re exactly where you need to be.”
Pastime – Singing with my barbershop chorus!

4. Where You’ve Seen Me – TV: 30 Rock, Boardwalk Empire, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, The Slap, Law & Order: SVU, The Heart She Holler.
FILM: Free the Nipple (Sundance Selects), King Kelly (SXSW), Jack & Diane (Tribeca), Split (Deborah Kampmeier), Love on the Run, Occupy TX.
OFF-BROADWAY: How to Make Friends and then Kill Them (Rattlestick).

5. Pro-Tip: If it’s not a ‘hell yes,’ it’s a hell no. Omit the time – and energy-sucks – from your life to make space for the big YES’s to manifest!

6. Hometown: Teeny weeny farm town, Bloomsbury, NJ

REBECCA

1. Nickname: – Savvy Soothsayer

2. When I came to NYC: I first came to NY to be a Stage Manager on Broadway after graduating from SUNY Purchase’s Design/Tech program in Stage Management. As fortunate as I was working with some incredible people, I found the career to be frustrating and realized that the reason I loved Stage Managing was my love and respect for actors, for artists, for watching the project come together. I began to assist some directors, directing some projects on my own, it was when I would sit in casting sessions that I realized how much that fit. Directing and working with actors was what I was meant to do. About a year into it, I was encouraged by the one and only Brian Patacca to start teaching. 10 years later, I am still directing/casting and teaching. Through that I found my path into Life Coach training and coaching. It was then that Brian Patacca again approached me to become a coach at Actor Salon. I of course said yes and I have never felt more like I am where I belong than since I joined the Actor Salon family of coaches. Grateful doesn’t begin to explain it.

3. Favorites…
Actor – Audrey Hepburn / Bill Murray
Book – The Alchemist
Play – Current: Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 or Hamilton
Quote – “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” – Oprah
Pastime – Seeing talented people perform their art all around town.

4. Where You’be Seen Me: Casting Director – House Casting
Teacher – David and Rebecca Show, TVI, Actors Connection, One on One
Director / Stage Manager – Broadway, Off Broadway, Regional

5. Pro-Tip: It is already happening -Trust and know that! Be kind to you and fill up that artist/creative tank as much as you can so you don’t lose the love for what you’re doing.

6. Hometown: Fairfield, CT

7. Education & training: BFA from SUNY Purchase (design technology/stage management), iPEC Life Coach training

TRISTEN

1. Nickname: Your No-BS Cheerleader.

2. When I came to LA: I had “realistic” expectations about the amount of work and time it would take to get to where I was heading and well, it took longer! However, I’ve never stopped hustlin’, re-evaluating my tactics, and trying new things, classes, etc. As a result, I’ve stretched myself in ways I never would have imagined when I first arrived, and that’s exciting. Booking work is the shiny reward, but the challenges and small successes along the way are what I will look back on with the most pride.

3. Favorites:
Movie: WARRIOR
Actress: Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)
Pastime: Propagating succulents and scrapbooking like a grandma.
Quote: I asked, “Why have I received only this?” A voice replied, “‘Only this will lead you to That!” – Rumi

4. Where you’ve seen me: Performing weekly with the Groundlings Sunday Company. Dozens of commercials/Voiceovers – I’m the current spokesperson for AMICA insurance and voice of GOLD BOND. TV credits include Grey’s Anatomy, CSI:NY, NCIS and MONDAY MORNINGS.

5. Pro-tip: Your past does not equal your future and you can change your life in an instant. Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone!

6. Hometown: Olympia, Washington

ERIN

1. Nickname:

2. After spending a year in New York City auditioning for broadway musicals and working regionally, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and television.Erin also writes, directs and produces funny films about lady things. She's a member of the grammy-nominated indie music group The Silver Lake Chorus and produces and co-hosts the podcast Erin and Aliee HATE Everything.

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4. Where You've Seen Me: HBO's VEEP and Hulu's Dimension 404 as well as the original pilot of Lifetime's UnReal (BEFORE they moved to Canada). She's probably on your TV right now wearing a 19th century wig in a national commercial.

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7. Education & Training: BFA in Drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts