What I love about this place as they were able to fit me in at the last moment, which was great…read morecause sometimes auditions are last moment and good quality, taping, and good coaching. I will totally be back.

Great setup, super sound ! Steve is a brilliant actor, just…read moreworking with him as a scene partner will elevate your audition. He's a total pro so every minute of your time is productive. It's a really smart investment if you want to up level a self tape!

If you're looking for a safe and responsible driving instructor, this is the right place. The…read moreinstructor really cares of his students and puts effort to help his students improve their driving skills. Also, he's very patient with students while teaching!

I highly recommend Paul Schackman's acting classes to actors at all levels of experience and…read morecomfort. I've been working with Paul for over a year now, and put simply, I love coming to class. I had never taken an acting class (aside from a 6 week class when I was 12) but have always felt drawn to the craft and I could not have found a better teacher, guide, and mentor than Paul. Now, I can confidently call myself an actor. He has helped me tremendously to find parts of myself I didn't know were there, to improve my acting and confidence and he has done so with an exploratory, playful, and encouraging approach. I feel safe 'playing' in class with different choices and his direction is always on point and transformative. Paul has also helped me navigate the industry and I go to him when I have a question or need direction. I am now repped by an awesome top commercial agent and looking forward to expanding my career in this beautifully challenging industry. It all started with Paul. As a bonus, classes are on Zoom. I find this to be the best medium for convenience, traffic and life and it doesn't take away from the experience. You actually get really focused one on one time with Paul without distractions as everyone else is on mute and off camera while you work. I love it.

Paul is not only a master of the craft of acting and teaching acting, but he is also a master of…read morethe craft of coaching actors. I've tried a lot of different studios over the last 5 years while living in LA and I was really struggling to find my acting home. There are so many techniques and studios who set up a program that benefits them but I don't know how much they actually think about you as an individual. In contrast, I know that Paul thinks about each and every one of his students and is truly invested in their success. He knows how to adapt to each person's acting ability and personality while teaching a simple approach that especially helps in the world in which we actors are trying to get work today. He cuts to the truth. It also makes me happy to see my classmates improve each week. The feedback he gives is fair, easy to understand and will help you grow and produce great work. If you're serious and want to be working, I highly recommend giving his class a shot.

A very historic institution in Pasadena. A little hidden gem that offers enrichment to the…read morecommunity.

Sugoi! I am soooooooo disappointed! NO! NOT Soteru Gakuin, but fact that I went to Uni High…read more(University High School) within stone throw of this area! Here I am Nikkei myself, plus I was new member of now former NSA (Nichiren Shoshu Academy, now simply SGI-USA, and NST) one (now two since 1991) organisation based in Tokyo, and I NEVER set foot in this area! Little Osaka now known, I could have joined teen and youth group at Buddhist Church (despite being Nichiren Buddhist as I assume this church to be Nembutsu). I never had opportinuty to eat at any restaurant or Sushiya, visit mangaya, giant robot shop, or shop at Nijiya Supa either! Now I live in Northern California. San Francisco has largest Nihonmachi in America, but still small compared to our community in Southern California! (Nihonmachi no longer strictly Japanese as many Chinese and Korean moved in)! However next time I come to Southern California, I have to visit Soteru, and other Japanese community in Los Angeles area as well! Oh yes! I want to visit (and if I move there to SoCal, as to volunteer) at Soteru Gakuin (Japanese Institute of Sawtelle) as well! Thank you!

As a parent, I wanted to share my honest experience with The Playground because I know there are…read morepeople who may feel skeptical at first, just like I did. We live an hour away, but I drove my daughter there every single Sunday. At first, I honestly questioned everything. I wondered if it was too expensive, if it was legitimate, and if we were making the right decision. But looking back now, I can say with my whole heart that it was one of the best decisions we ever made for our daughter. My daughter stayed with the program for two years, graduated, walked the red carpet with so much confidence, and watched her graduation film on the big screen surrounded by people who believed in her. It was emotional for me as a parent because I saw how much she had grown, not just as an actress, but as a person. We chose to continue because my daughter truly loved acting. I worked extra hard to make the tuition possible, and every sacrifice was worth it because this is where she discovered her passion and found confidence in herself. Gary Spatz and Gayla Goehl saw something special in her before anyone else did, and I will always be grateful for that. Because of the foundation she built at The Playground, she now has incredible representation with, one of the most respected agencies in Los Angeles. The Playground gave my daughter an opportunity, guidance, and belief in herself that changed the direction of her life. For our family, it was absolutely worth it.

My son has been training at Gary Spatz's The Playground, and the growth we have witnessed has been…read morenothing short of remarkable. Through improv, scene study, and commercial sessions, he has developed skills I never expected to see so quickly. His Junior Varsity class with Gayla Goehl has been a highlight, and he genuinely loves showing up every single week. What sets Gayla apart is her philosophy. She has a gift for helping each student discover their own authentic voice rather than molding them into someone else's idea of a performer. She meets every kid exactly where they are, and the confidence my son has built under her guidance carries far beyond the stage. Gayla creates a space where he feels comfortable asking questions, talking openly, and truly being himself. Her warmth makes her more than a coach. She is a trusted mentor. As a parent, knowing your child has that kind of support system is invaluable. She does not push. She inspires. Her advice has been spot-on every time, and her open-door approach makes both students and parents feel like they are truly part of a community. Highly recommend Gayla and The Playground to any parent looking for a place where their child can grow, thrive, and love the process.

I hired John to help my sister learn to use the iPhone I bought her after she got so frustrated…read morewith the android phone she had before that she smashed it to pieces. He did a fantastic job, she is using it happily and even figured out herself how to do something he didn't teach her. This is amazing for a person who is very not-technical and had strongly resisted even getting a cellphone at all. He was kind and patient and focused all his attention on her without ever talking down to her. I can't recommend him highly enough.

John is a true problem solver and is always readily available to assist. He helped overhaul my work…read moredatabase and set up my new system seamlessly. He is a professional through and through and I would highly recommend him. He knows his stuff and is a wiz on a Mac and well versed on Apple products.

Unsanitary and is under investigation by the VA and several Congress members . They don't care for…read morethe veterans and are only concerned with receiving payments from the VA

This used to be an organization that was interested in housing Vets. I have housed about eight…read moreveterans from this organization and except for two the experience was very positive. Now, with all this hoopla regarding homeless vets, I have yet to receive a call back. I've called three times and sent pics to one person so maybe we're not appropriate.