Learn
techniques in auditions, monologues, improvisations,
cold readings, and how to prepare for roles in TV, film,
industrials, commercials, and theatre from professional
acting instructors in Atlanta. We also offer innovative
filmmaking methods.
Our instructors push you to the edge.
Acting Instructor
Nick Conti
Nick
Conti has been a working actor and
teacher for over 27 years.
A member of Actor's
Equity, SAG and AFTRA, Nick Conti
has starred on Broadway, Off-Broadway,
Regional, Stock and Repertory Theater.
Mr. Conti has guest starred with
Margo Kidder in The Shell
Game, Bruce Glover in The
Killing Time, Tony Randall
in Love Sidney, Jack
Warden in Night and Day,
Cagney and Lacey,
The New Love American Style,
and series regulars on The
Edge of Night and Search
for Tomorrow. He has also
worked in over 75 other stage, film
and television projects. A well
respected voice-over and looping
actor, Mr. Conti's voices can be
heard in the feature films Mobsters,
Robo Cop 2 and 3,
Look Who's Talking Now,
The Last Seduction,
Bad Boys, The
Hit Man, Misfits
of Science, The Frank
Sinatra Mini-series and
many others. Having worked and taught
in both New York and Hollywood,
Mr. Conti is excited to now call
Atlanta his home. He is looking
forward to working and sharing his
skills with the Atlanta Talent.
Mr. Conti is the primary reason
why the Professional Actor's Studio
is the leader among Atlanta's acting
schools.
What
can you say about an acting
coach who challenges his students
to think, to stretch, to expand,
to take chances, and to falter
so that they may learn and grow
...?
Click
the above image for more details.
Acting Instructor
Michael H. Cole
Michael
H. Cole has 28 years of experience
in acting, directing, instruction
and stage design.
In the 2002 edition of Who's Who of American Teachers, Michael H. Cole was honored for his work as a high school theatre teacher. He is a principle actor in film and stage, with most recent film credits in Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns with Angela Bassett, Lynch Mob with Tony Darrow from “The Sopranos”, Fate with Lee Majors as well as television in the One Tree Hill as Bevin’s Father and "A Second Chance" for PBS. He has been involved in over fifty theatrical productions, most recently in Georgia Ensemble Theatre'sOf Mice and Men as Candy and Scrooge in The Renaissance Project’s A Christmas Carol. He also appears regularly in television commercials, industrial videos, and voice-over work for radio and television. Michael has written eighteen produced plays, and has directed the video production of nearly a dozen stage shows for television. He is currently the Producing Artistic Director of The Renaissance Project Theatre Company and has been an instructor for last eight years at The Professional Actors Studio in Atlanta for film and television. Michael teaches seminars for organizations to develop local theatrical organizations and support the arts in communities. It is Michael's belief "that every actor deserves a chance."
Acting Instructor
John Tillapaugh
John
Tillapaugh has been a working actor
in Atlanta and New York for almost
15 years.
John Tillapaugh has been seen in
numerous commercials and industrial
films, with credits including Orkin,
Merrill Lynch, UPS and BellSouth.
Theatrically, he has been seen locally
in productions including Twelve
Angry Men, Love Letters,
and Light on Stewart Avenue.
He has also worked in the development
of several first run plays. John
has extensive experience in script
analysis and character development,
strong improvisational skills, and
in-depth knowledge of the business
side of being an actor. He also
brings with him more than twenty
years of acting experience in the
business world. John began teaching
at the Actor's Studio in early 2001.
I
cannot begin to tell you how
important you have been in my
development as an actor...
Click
the above image to see how our
classes helped a beginning actor
grow and develop into the advanced
acting classes.
Improv
Acting Instructor Brian Chapman
Brian
Chapman's background in improvisational
acting has taken him from stage
to screen.
Brian is a main
stage actor at Whole World
Theatre and has directed
or acted in more than 500 shows.
Brian studies at the Professional
Actors Studio and is excited to
be a new member of the teaching
staff there.
This spring Brian
participated in the hugely successful
Improv at Piedmont Park.
The improv showcase drew more than
one thousand people a week. He has
acted in many festivals around the
country, including a 24 hour improv
marathon in St. Louis to benefit
the Chris Farley Foundation.
Go to an Atlanta Hawks
game and you might see Brian disguised
as an unusual fan. Turner
Sports recruited his character
for working during game promotions
during the season.
Brian has pursued
new television opportunities as
well this year. He was a regular
performer on Whole World's new improv
show for Mav'rick TV,
was a finalist in a regional audition
for World Cup Comedy,
a new improv show produced by Kelsey
Grammer. Host Mary
Gallagher picked Chapman
as one of the final three winners.
Brian can also be seen as the "Huh,
batteries must be dead" guy
in commercials for Lotto
South and he can also be
heard on the animated series, Negative
Space. Brian also served
as creative consultant for Fathom
Studios animated film,
Delgo.
Chapman has appeared
in several independent films and
earlier this year he directed and
starred in Crooked Run,
a completely improvised feature
length film. This comedy will begin
the festival circuit in early 2005.
Teen Actors Instructor Matthew Cornwell
Matthew Cornwell, a Florida native, has been acting for over 14 years. Currently he is SAG-eligible, and has been studying at the Professional Actor's Studio since 2001.
Acting has been his sole focus for the last several years. He got his start in high school, and has a plethora of experience on stage, in front of, and behind the camera. His theater credits include shows such as Forever Plaid, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Pirates of Penzance, The Foreigner, and See How They Run. Beyond theater, Matthew has built a substantial resume here in the Atlanta market for on-camera work. Has has had numerous principal roles in national, regional, and local commercials including Longhorn Steakhouse, Noggin, and Time Warner Cable. His industrial credits include clients such as Delta, Bank of America, Chick-fil-A, Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, BellSouth, and Comcast. He has had numerous lead and supporting roles in local independent films. In addition, he has had principal roles in The Marc Pease Experience (opposite Jason Schwartzman) and Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (opposite Jim Caviezel and Claire Forlani) . In addition to appearing in many local films, he has produced, written, and directed over 12 short films. Three of these films have garnered national recognition, including a short entitled Now I Just Run, which won the Good Morning America Halloween video contest in 2004. He co-founded MAVIN Productions in 2004 as a vehicle for producing his own work.
In addition to his acting background, Matthew is a 4th Degree Black Belt and has been a martial arts instructor for over 11 years. He has experience teaching classes up to 30 students ranging in age from 3 to 60 years. He was also a certified substitute teacher for Fulton County Schools for 3 years. Teaching acting combines the two greatest passions in Matthew's life.
Teen Actors Instructor Angela Davis
Angela has been acting since the age of four. A member of SAG and AFTRA, Angela is represented by two top agencies in Atlanta and has been seen in numerous independent films, industrials and commercials.
Some of her credits include work for companies such as Macy’s, Georgia Power, Callaway Gardens, and Mircosoft, N.A. She has also worked on many independent films including First Offense, Acquaintance, and was seen nationally on Single In the City Atlanta on Women’s Entertainment Network, (WE). She is no stranger to the stage where her training started and worked on plays, A Raisin In the Sun, The Baccalaureate, and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She has also done modeling and voice over work. Angela brings to the studio years of study and work experience including a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications. Angela has a knack for writing and speaking and truly understands script analysis and art of acting. She calls acting “public solitude”-- her personal motto: “God has placed in you all you need to be successful-- quit outsourcing!”
Nick
Conti has been a working actor and
teacher for over 27 years. 
Michael
H. Cole has 28 years of experience
in acting, directing, instruction
and stage design. 
John
Tillapaugh has been a working actor
in Atlanta and New York for almost
15 years. 
Brian
Chapman's background in improvisational
acting has taken him from stage
to screen.
Matthew Cornwell, a Florida native, has been acting for over 14 years. Currently he is SAG-eligible, and has been studying at the Professional Actor's Studio since 2001.
Angela has been acting since the age of four. A member of SAG and AFTRA, Angela is represented by two top agencies in Atlanta and has been seen in numerous independent films, industrials and commercials.