I just attended the Dressing for the Audition class with Judy and Tom. I was blown away by the choices of outfits they suggested for my type. I would have never in a million years put these outfits together on my own. The most important lesson I learned in dressing for auditions is to dress for the character I'm portraying not just an outfit I think looks good on me. read more

In the last two weeks I have taken four classes at KIRA because they're just that good. Two of them were A-Z Commercial Classes (part of a six week program I signed up for) and the other two were "The Castable Actor"" and "Learn How To Dress To Book The Job". Every class I've attended has exceeded my expectations. Judy and Tom are incredibly knowledgable and I always leave each session with a page full of notes, applicable tips, and more confidence in myself and my craft. read more

Classes that gives you tons of useful information bring a pen you will need it. So helpful I love KEEP IT REAL STUDIOS! Zir Cooper read more

I highly recommend Keep It Real for any actors that are going out for commercials or just getting started. The work that Judy does is challenging and she keeps it real and gives you honest feedback. Plus it's a great way to meet industry people to class so they can see your work. With the pandemic and self tapes being the new norm - I was getting a lot of auditions but not many callbacks. After taking Judy's classes I took this year - I've been getting callbacks almost 70-80 percent of the time!! read more

This review is long overdue. I took the "castable actor" workshop with Tom Burke back in May 2019. I was fresh out of Acting Training and was very confused with understanding my "type" and "clothing" and how to prepare for a headshot session. Tom was amazing! I'm so happy I drove down from the Bay Area to LA to take this workshop. Tom can quickly seize your type, character choices, and clothing. As well as see your unique qualities and "you". He is also very warm! He helped me with selecting my headshots that aligned with my brand, which was discussed in the workshop! I recommend Tom Burke highly for anyone who wants to learn about your "types"or needs more clarity about your brand and what clothes to wear for your headshot sessions. Or what makes you castable! It is worth it!! read more

So I took the A-Z Commercial Technique, and let me tell you it changed my life! I have been getting callbacks and just not booking anything, it was very frustrating I didn't understand why. I end up taking this genius of a class and I got information that I didn't even know was necessary and crucial to commercials. It made me more confident and ready to start booking. We also had an amazing casting director give us tips and how we are viewed during the audition and callback process.Oh and I didn't mention how there was an actual agent at the end of class and if you impress them you might get signed!! And that happened to me!! I dont want to give too much away just take this class Judy is a legend in the commercial world and wants everyone to succeed. You won't regret this at all. read more

Okay. If you're an actor trying to make it in this town, you must take Judy Kain's Advanced Commercial Callback and Zoom class. I don't mean maybe. Ya gotta. First of all, every week you get to work with top tier commercial casting professionals. These are people you need to cultivate positive relationships with to get auditions. You will learn a ton from their feedback. Second, you get to work with Judy Kain. Who on top of being a wonderful actor, is one of the most direct, insightful teachers I've ever had. Don't take this class unless you have taken commercial classes before, or worked in commercials You need an agency referral or to have taken Judy Kain's level one commercial class to get in. A good thing, because you need to bring your A-game to work with the CDs. Third, it's very reasonably priced for all you get out of it. Go for it. You won't regret it. read more

I took Booking The Theatrical Audition with Stacy, and she has been my favorite acting teacher to date. She is a working actor, so she KNOWS what works and what doesn't. She has the insight from our point of view, unlike many "famous" acting coaches who don't have a single acting credit. I also took the Castable Actor class with Tom, and I can't recommend it enough. This is step one if you don't know your type. Then you can get headshots to look like your type and start booking. Highly recommend Keep It Real Acting! read more

I took "The Castable Actor" and the "Really, Are you wearing that?" Workshops and it was a great experience! Tom And Judy were tremendously helpful and I learnt a lot from their experience. You can feel they're both very up to date regarding what's going on in te industry nowadays and how to present yourself in that world. Even though I'm a trained actor, I didn't know the more "commercial/business " aspects of auditioning but they taught me a lot that was new to me. I'm looking forward to take the headshot special with them ! read more

I've taken a few classes and workshops here at KIRA--to include pilot audition prep and commercial improv. All of the coaches are so talented, and still very active in the business which means they are **practicing what they are preaching!!** It's such a joy to Zoom into a new course every few weeks, meet a whole new round of talented faces, see some returning students & friends, meet another exceptional coach, and test out the strength of your choices in a place where you can get meaningful, respectful feedback. I recommend this group to everyone across the country if you want to dive right into acting... it's especially helpful and accommodating for those that prefer/require video classes versus in-person coaching. Judy is an amazing communicator; you can tell how much she cares about actors getting to work by the quality of this studio and the bookings from her pupils. Start any of the classes right now and you'll certainly have something to show for it in that next audition! read more

I feel like I've come a million miles in just 4 weeks. I just wrapped Judy Kain's intermediate commercial class and I feel SO much more prepared and confident in auditions. I learned how to differentiate myself from the pack, how to create a strong environment, the launching moment, the structure, how to prepare and SO much more. I cannot recommend this studio enough. This class was so practical and empowering. read more

Are you kidding me? It doesn't get any better than Judy Kain and team! Talk about exceptional coaching and guidance. Thank you for an amazing 6 weeks! read more

I can't say enough about Judy Kain And Tom Burke!!! I have taking several classes with them and every time was so informative. They teach you everything about your type and what to wear for your headshots. I don't know what I would have done without them. I guess I would have had to retake all my headshots because I didn't understand how I was perceived. I strongly suggest that you take there class if you want to be successful in your career and also have a long career like Judy. They don't BS you either, they tell you like it is and that is so fresh to hear in this biz! read more

Judy is awesome. She's worth it. Always. She's so passionate and she's got great insight. I thoroughly enjoyed her commercial class. read more

Stacy and Judy were great! I came in with a lot of previous training and what they provide doesn't go counter but rather compliments other foundation and technique you may have. They both have a knack for personalizing what areas you need to grow at and explaining them in a digestible and practical way. It's nice getting up to date and effective tips and information from current working actors. I'll be taking more classes soon! read more

Truly an invaluable studio for anyone interested in a real career in acting. The commercial classes provide you with an excellent toolkit to approach any audition authentically and produce a great finished product. Judy's feedback is exquisite and she is a wealth of information and knowledge about the business. Highly recommend to all of my actor friends!! read more

I just completed the Master the Virtual Audition class and loved it!!! I'm embarrassed to say how many on-camera acting classes I've taken over the last two-and-a-half years, and this is one of my favorites, and Judy's instruction is the best. She also puts you in front of real casting agents, and one of my classmates got an in-person audition the next day. I learned more from this class than from most of the others combined. Also, be sure to take the Castable Actor class with Tom. I have the wardrobe class coming up and look forward to learning more. Cannot recommend Judy and her team enough. read more

What a great informative class! I've learned a lot about the business of acting that I hadn't known, real, hands-on info. I'm so looking forward to my next class. Great class! Great teachers! read more

KIRA is as true as its name. If you want a class that is work focused and 'real' then look no further. I had the pleasure of taking The Advanced Zoom Callback Class with Judy and George and it was great. I got tons of information about the biz as well as practice with lots of different copy and invaluable feedback. Judy Kain is so knowledgable about all things commercial, so she can get straight to the point regarding what you need to work on. George Ketsios was a dream to learn from so it's no wonder these 2 incredible talents work together. read more

Judy Kain and George Ketsios are AMAZING instructors. I took my first commercial class ever with them in August (A-Z Commercial Class). I am located in Miami and was a little skeptical going in since I'm not familiar with the LA market, but it was the best investment. They created a welcoming environment, but also utilized the class time well so that everyone had at least 2-3 scenes to work through per class. They teach you about all types of commercial auditions and give you honest feedback and push you to make strong, specific choices. It's a really great way to sharpen your skills and they always make time to answer questions and give very industry specific advice to help you succeed. read more

The entire school is first class. Judy is an awesome coach. I've taken all the commercial workshops and I came away with more skills than ever before. I've signed with a great agency, and made a commercial in the last six months. I just finished the Castable Actor class, along with the headshot class. Tom Burke knows his stuff, and provides great advice on knowing who you are to the camera. Kevin McIntyre's photo shoot was smooth and easy, and the shots were excellent. 5 Stars!! read more

I just completed my A to Z commercial class and... I can't stress enough what an AMAZING class this was. I feel like in LA its hard to sort through what's worthwhile for the money and THIS. SO. IS. I have learned more in this class in 6 weeks than in a year of just mucking about the industry on my own/various other classes. As someone who was green and needed major help with auditions, this did the trick! So glad I was pointed toward this class. read more

Judy was an absolute delight to work with. She has so much insight into the industry and knows what she is talking about. Having hundreds of commercials under her belt, I felt safe taking advice from her. Plus, she was taught by Carolyne Barry, my former mentor, so I knew Judy knew her stuff. The classes were done in a "Call-Back Audition" format. Given sides via email the night before. You would show up to class, sign in, and performing the audition on camera, in front of Judy and an industry guest. The industry guest then gave you an adjustment and you did the audition again. After everyone went in for their "Callback" we watched all of our tapes. I know its mortifying, but it's extremely helpful to watch your work in order to see how you look and perform on camera, and what you need to be aware of when you actually go in and audition. Keep It Real Acting provides a safe, collaborative, and supportive working/learning experience. You are taught many essential tools to help boost your career in the commercial industry. I have booked 7 commercials in the last 6 months of 2017 and was on avail twice just last month. If it wasn't for the skills I learned with Judy, I wouldn't be where I am today. I have even had the honor of auditioning WITH Judy herself in the working world! Those are the best of days! read more

I took the A-Z Commercial Class at Keep it Real and had a great experience. Since I'm a beginner and just starting out, i wanted to learn the basic techniques of commercial acting, but little did I know I would get a whole lot more. Besides learning those techniques, we were also taught what to expect from an audition, slating, and the industry as a whole which I think is quite important to know when you're a newbie. Judy is a teacher with passion and integrity, and has a flawless teaching technique. Her many years of experience in the commercial/acting industry is quite apparent. George, the other teacher, was amazing as well. I learned a ton from both of them! I highly recommend this class. read more

I just took Pilot Season Prep with Judy and Stacy and can't recommend their classes enough! Judy knows just the right notes to give to get more authentic performances out of her students and on top of that is so fun to read with. Can't wait to take more classes with them. read more

My niece (13) signed up for Youth Drama Intensive, everyone in the class was friendly and Doug the instructor was amazing, yet she got overwhelmed, as she didn't interact with a lot of people for over a year because of Covid. She started crying for maybe 5 minutes, but I'm glad that Doug knew how to interact with her in a way that made her calm down and continue the class, encouraged her throughout. She learned new information but also had a ton of fun. Right after, she wanted to sign up for the Youth Improv Intensive with Liza and she loved it, even more, both these instructors are amazing with kids and now my niece will be taking the Teens Acting Class. read more

Judy & George were an absolute pleasure to work with. I just finished the A-Z commercial and would say it's for all levels. No experience or some experience. It was a while since I had taken any classes and this was perfect. They really care about each student and really want you to do well and the class size is great. I never felt rushed and all the techniques I've learned have made me a better actor that I will now use in the audition room. I'll definitely be back for the intermediate class. Highly recommend! You will not be disappointed. Thanks so much Judy & George!! :) read more

My daughter loved the coaching from both Donna and Doug! They pushed her outside of her comfort zone and gave her great tools to help her succeed in commercial acting! read more

I just finished Judy's "Master the Virtual Commercial Audition" and I couldn't be happier! I walked away with so many great tricks and tips to really connect with the copy, make it your own, and really enjoy the audition process. I feel much more confident and relaxed about dealing with different types of copy. Judy has so much experience and knowledge to share you can tell how much she enjoys watching everyone improve week to week. She creates a very kind and supportive class experience. For virtual and even in-person commercial auditions, this class will help you set yourself apart from the crowd! read more

I took A-Z Commercial Class with Judy and George and it was such a pleasure to be with them. I learned a commercial technique that I haven't learned before, understood how to analyze a commercial script to bring it up to life, I feel like with commercial is very easy to fall into a selling mode, but with this class I discovered that commercials are and could be extremely fun, they teach a technique that you can rely in every single commercial. The class is fun. George is a great actor, working all the time and he is also session director for casting and Judy is a great actress who is also working all the time, so you really learn from people that not just know the technique but that actually use it and know what is really happening out there. I would recommend this class 100%! George and Judy thank you so much for your knowledge and for teaching us. Hopefully will see you out there my friends! read more

I just completed Booking the Theatrical Audition and it was enlightening and fun! Implementing what I learned into my auditions. I look forward to taking more courses with this studio! read more

I chose this class because of the reviews and they don't lie! Stacy is a FANTASTIC teacher. I wholeheartedly recommend this place and especially Stacy! Looking forward to my next class! read more

I had to give this awesome studio 5 stars!!!!! My daughter had a huge self tape audition for a pilot and her agency recommended coaching from Judy Kain! I called and spoke with Jessica who was super helpful and very thorough with all her responses to my questions! I booked an appointment and they were extremely flexible as it was very short notice! I had to send my daughter alone to Keep It Real and I was already stressed about not being able to go with her!! I also ended up giving her the wrong address and she got lost!!!!!! Do you know that someone at Keep It Real offered to come and pick her up??? I thought that was INCREDIBLY kind on their part since it was my fault she got lost in the first place!! My daughter came home raving about the coaching she received! She said she received tips and insight into the script that she hadn't thought of herself and how comfortable she felt throughout the entire session! She was very happy with the direction she received to enhance her performance! Turnaround for the self tape was extremely fast and I was struggling to send the audition to her agent so I called Jessica and she said, "Oh we already sent it to her agent!" Score!!! My daughter had the copy on her flash drive, Keep It Real emailed me a copy, and sent one to the agency! I could not have asked for better service! I almost forgot to mention the quality was amazing!!! We've done self tapes at home but I could never get the lighting right and I always had shadows! Their lighting and sound were A-1! We are so pleased! The prices are very reasonable as well! We will definitely use them again! read more

I recently took A-Z Commercial Techniques workshop (6 weeks), and it was a great eye-opening experience. It was taught by industry professionals (actors and session directors) and the crux is to teach actors how to approach auditions and commercial acting. The class was small enough that we were able to do several exercises in each session and plus we were really got to know each other. Spencer was an amazing and kind teacher who was very attention detailed and approached the exercises as auditions: he would honestly tell students what they did well and explained some areas for improvement. I found commercial acting to be extremely challenging because so much is based on you engaging your personality and harnessing your commitment to make a few lines come alive in a natural way based on very little character info being shared. I think my skills sort of came together in the last 2 classes and I was super excited over that. read more

I just recently finished the Master the Virtual Commercial Audition class and I recommend you taking it if you already taken the A-Z commercial class. Judy is so amazing and knows her stuff. read more

If you want a fun, safe and super effective place to learn look no more! I completed the A-Z Commercial Technique with Paul Hungerford (Judy Kain too) and had the time of my life! Hollywood can be so intimidating as well as overwhelming but not at KIRA! The whole staff is super friendly. Paul took his time teaching us all we would need to know to break out and be successful. He's warm, friendly, knowledgeable and so funny too! You have camera time every class. They even have a mock audition as well as a call back to let you see what it's like. I KIRA and can't wait to take my next class! read more

Alina had an unbelievable time in the IMPROV class with Lisa Frederickson. Alina had so much fun in the class and it helped her get better at IMPROV. read more

I took the "Learn How to Dress to Book the Job" class this past weekend with Judy Kain and Tom Burke. WHOA! I wish I had done this 10 years ago. They gave us such valuable information and were able to spend plenty of personal time with each participant even in a group class setting. Their knowledge and their willingness to share it so freely gave me much needed clarity as to how I'm showing up visually in both my auditions and headshots, and how I can adjust that. I've already carved out a small portion of my closet for my "actor" clothes and am so grateful I won't have to tear my closet apart looking for the perfect outfit every time I get an audition! Do yourself a favor and sign up for this next time they offer it. read more

A-Z Commercial Technique With Judy & George What a fantastic class!!!!! George and Judy provided such important and relative information with such a hands on and personal approach that I left the class feeling extremely confident and excited to get out and audition knowing that I am ready to give it my best. They made the most of every minute in class to train us all in a way that made sense and I can honestly say everyone in the class make progress with their acting skills. It's an intimate space that feels very safe to give it your all and really shine. Thanks George & Judy!!! I also had a private session with Tom Burke to help me nail down my type/brand before going into my first head shot session. He helped me tremendously and I left knowing so much more about the business and myself! I highly recommend working with him one on one or taking one of his classes. I guarantee he will help you propel your career forward! Thanks Tom!!! read more

Keep It Real Acting Studio - Performing Arts Near Me

I've taken 2 commercial acting classes with Judy and both have been fantastic! She has so much insider knowledge to share on navigating the industry and unlocking your best performance. I also love that she brings in industry professional guests for the final of each class, giving you an opportunity to mock audition for an agent or casting director + ask them questions directly. Definitely recommend signing up for her classes! She is also doing a great job at navigating the "new norms" (aka Zoom auditions) and giving you training on the current standards of practice. read more