Susan Giosa has a true gift. She is a deeply intuitive teacher who has the rare ability to understand what's going on beneath the surface of your work. She has a way of seeing into your artistic soul and knows exactly what you need to move forward. Her instruction is clear, precise and never esoteric. She gives practical, actionable direction you can immediately apply. What really sets her apart is her ability to identify each actor's needs and guide them in a way that's personal and effective. She has been a major force in my artistic journey, and I regularly use her techniques on set. I highly recommend her to any actor who is serious about growing in their craft. She's the real deal. read more

Susan pushes me. She's the only studio I have been to that focuses on really developing character and not just "performing" dialogue as myself. She's able to focus my energy as the actor through the character as they are written instead of the other way around which often negates the written givens in the script. She has a technique that you can rely on that puts you in your core and gives you access to all your deepest emotions - this technique allows the actors to be consistent in their performance and therefore reliable on set and on stage. Susan has such a love of theatre and acting as a true art form that she will push your expectations and you'll have no choice but to grow. read more

Hey Friends, I think as studying and working actors... we crave to roam and explore new creative communities and acting studios as much as we also crave HOME. As our internal and personal worlds expand, skills expand, and goals expand we may likely choose to experience multiple studios & teachers whilst living in a city like Los Angeles to parallel our expansion. (raises hand). This has been me. And over my 10 years in LA I can say, hands down, I have never grown so much as an actor in such a short amount of time, nor felt as emotionally connected as an actor-bringing-herself-to-the-work as I have after working with Sue since September of '09. And I am grateful to call Susan's acting studio my current HOME. Since Sept, my confidence in my craft and what I have to offer has upped enormously. I actually FEEL I am the actor I dream of. Whether I am given the rare BRILLIANT material, or the much more difficult schotty material many of us know as our typical auditioning fodder, I now know what to do, and know how to tap in to my most jenna-innate-and full core to make a scene real for me. Theatrically my auditions have doubled, due to the bump in skill set and the juju, and my commercial auditioning and bookings have as well. Booking two commercials and a prominent movie in the time I've worked with Sue. For those of you wanting to study at studios strictly for the name or for the connections they may bring agency or CD wise, and/or for the relevancy of the TV/Film material that you are given to work on... I get it. Totes feel you. You gotta do it all and try it all, and I'd never tell you not to do this. I've studied at a prominent theatre school, Northwestern Univ, done the improv trek, and gone to the small and the big schools from Chicago to LA... finding gold within them all. The smaller ones sometimes feeling like you're acting brilliantly but in a void, and the bigger ones sometimes having you feel like a super star hitting it out of the park some weeks and other weeks feeling swallowed and like you honestly didn't know what you were doing both when you began approaching the material nor any clearer when leaving class. After 10 years of LA, big time projects on stage and screen, slump years, self belief up and down, body a whole bunch of different versions, teachers both home-y and not, and rep and opportunities all across the spectrum... I can say this though... Your career will be the career you dream of when you have the most confidence in your craft. The most confidence in your self worth. And the most confidence and awareness of that very specific and special YOU, with all your specific pain and joy and then some, that you bring to your work. And Sue sees that in you and gets you THERE. Have all the love for Sue. Thank you, SG. read more

Susan is an inspirational and transformative teacher. She has coached me to recognize and work past blockages helping me find authenticity as a person and an artist. What she teaches goes beyond acting techniques and can be applied to family life, relationships and even parenting. She gives her heart and soul to each and every student, asking difficult questions but also creating magical breakthroughs in our performances. If you want to become a better performer, partner, or person try her class. You will walk away learning a whole lot about yourself and what has been holding you back. She will then help you overcome it and give you the tools to harness your power and the compassion to truly love yourself and reach your true potential. I am thankful to have her in my life. read more

I agree with EVERYTHING that the other 1 star rater said. IT IS ALL 1000% true and Susan is by far, the worst, most unprofessional teacher I have ever encountered or heard of..... 1) consistently late to class (at least 15 mins) AND it NEVER occurs to her to apologize to her waiting students or at least own it. 2) always complains that she needs more students (which is true that she barely has any cause she sucks) and wastes class time pretending she cares or knows what she is doing when potential new students show up to audit. She also keeps current students waiting to entice the auditors. All of her good reviews were because she makes her 3 little followers and her family write them!!! 3) she constantly talks about her experience and TV credits when she has maybe worked on maybe 2-3 shows EVER and like 35 years ago. She is also disparaging and a bully in a passive-aggressive slash obviously jealous way!!! 4) she has zero structure or planned out dynamic to how her "class" is supposed to go for the couple of hours. It's a shitshow of gossip, joking, gratuitous breathing exercises, misquotes from her teacher Larry Moss's techniques & stories about her stupid, bratty daughter who supposedly now shows up to class regularly and calls out inappropriately whenever she wants. I also know her husband comes to her class and works more than the paying students. 5) BUT WORK---- HMMM what does that even mean in this class? Good question. Again-- no backbone or structure--- no set plan or lessons or assignments. She never has a pen, a list of students and what they are working on or a notepad. She only wants to talk about herself and then also complain that she never gets auditions anymore too. 6)She has silly code names for spontaneous messy, weird monologue work she will make you do if you speak up and ask what you are supposed to do. If you don't, however, she will never give you any clue about what this class is and you show up not knowing what to do. I still haven't a clue either. RUN RUN RUN ---THERE ARE MANY GOOD TEACHERS IN TOWN!!! THIS WOMAN IS THE WORST!!!! AND I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE IN TOWN CONFIRM THIS OVER THE YEARS---THE LATENESS, THE GOSSIP ETC. HAS BEEN GOING ON AS LONG AS SHE SCAMMINGLY CONTINUES TO "TEACH" ps. I had to start a new account so she won't hunt me down, but I am sure this review will become a conversation that she will have in her classes-- apropos to her normal behavior.. read more

A great class for dancers! As a professional ballroom and Latin dancer, this is a great class to finally loosen up and not be so inhibited when I have to speak!! Susan's classes were recommended to me by a fellow pro dancer who takes her advanced scene study class. It has taken me a while to get back into acting classes. I also own my own ballroom dance studio, so I've been engulfed in that for many years. Dancing has been my vessel for expression since I'm shy by nature. The spoken word has always terrified me. Susan's technique has been AMAZING. I was intimidated at first, but she makes you feel comfortable in your skin with her coaching. If she can do that for me, she can do it for anyone who is willing to be brave enough to be vulnerable. read more

Took classes here awhile ago, this review is long overdue. I have studied with numerous acting teachers around North America over the past decades, and Ms. Giosa's class was BY FAR the worst experience I've ever had. Some examples; - Asking me to do an emotional memory out loud in front of the class, then accusing me in front of the class of having made it up (which I did not) -Repeatedly wasting large chunks of class time talking about her issues with her mother, sister, dance teacher, finances, how she needs more students, how she's thinking of quitting teaching.... -Revealing personal information about students in her other classes- virginity, drug addiction... -Challenging me to 'craft contests' whenever I would question one of her opinions about acting (?) -Being repeatedly late to class -Disparaging my previous training -Frequently saying that she 'makes stars, not actors', despite the fact that there is not one actor I am aware of who started training with her and went on to become a household name -She would talk about what a great actress she is and the only reason she didn't become a big star is because she's 'ethnic looking'- as though no ethnic looking actresses of her age/time had more success than she did? -After doing an exercise one day and going to a very deep and vulnerable place, Ms. Giosa began to SCREAM at me immediatley afterward because I didn't give her/her technique sufficient credit for my progress. After that I decided to quit the class, and asked Mrs. Giosa for a refund for the remaining unused classes I had paid for, which she refused to give me. Unfortunately, paypal and credit cards do not provide refunds for these kinds of reasons. -Regarding the technique she teaches- for an eloquent argument against precisely this approach see the book True and False by David Mamet I would give this class negative 5 stars if I could- read more

This review is long overdue! I have studied with Susan for many years and the method she has created has been nothing short of life changing for me. I came to the Susan Giosa Acting Workshop as a sketch & improv actor/writer with a BFA in Acting. My comedic characters were funny enough on the outside, but 'hello, nobody was home on the inside.' At University, professors would say things like "go deeper" or "I didn't believe that moment", but no one could ever explain HOW to do that. Susan was the FIRST acting teacher to be able to teach me HOW to actually do that- how to tap in to your own emotional core and feed it through a character in the given imaginary circumstances of the script. And not only was she able to teach me how to do it on cue, but how to be able to repeat it. She completely demystified the "mystery" of acting for me. Finally! When you study at the Susan Giosa Acting Workshop, you get to train directly with Susan. Her goal is to teach her students how to become leading actors and masters of our own craft. She is incredibly intuitive and coaches her students with compassionate honesty and a mastery of understanding script & character. She's brilliant with both comedy and drama. As someone who has starred on Broadway and had an extensive career in TV & film herself, Susan understands more than anyone what we go through as actors and has great compassion, respect & encouragement for our journey as artists. She walks the walk. Now, her method is not for just anyone - you have to have the willingness to get rigorously honest with yourself, the determination & discipline to do the actual work & the tenacity to walk through the fear. You have to have a passion for the craft & a love of humanity to do Susan's work. Sound like you? Then Susan's class might be the place for you. If you are delusional, self-centered or have an over inflated ego, you probably aren't gonna like the reality check Susan's class will give you. Just sayin. Susan's work will empower you, give you tools to deal with judgment and nerves, decrease your ego, raise your self-esteem and most importantly, she'll make you one hell of an actor. She is the warmest person you'll ever meet, your biggest cheerleader and not to mention, she's an absolute hoot to be around. read more

Susan believes in and teaches you the craft of acting. Most importantly, she invests in and knows her students intimately. This is not a studio that will take your money and convince you that you'll be a star. Rather, it is a safe place for newcomers to build foundational skills for film and TV work. It is an opportunity for advanced actors to sharpen and hone their emotional work and authenticity. If you don't understand how to analyze a script or copy, this is the place. Never underestimate the skills and intelligence of casting directors. They see and evaluate actors everyday. You don't. I've heard no less than the top 10 commercial casting directors give lectures about their background and the business they're in. They are a fun, inventive, and dynamic bunch of professionals who see and have a lot of going at a time. Susan understands what casting directors are looking for, having worked both in front of and behind the camera. When I was a newbie in the business (and make no mistake, being an actor is a business) I was lucky enough to book small jobs. I had no formal training. But inside I was scared. I felt like a fake, afraid to be called out for not being a real actor. For example, I once turned down a theatrical audition. Not only was there 10 pages of dialogue to memorize, but I also had to cry on cue. Not about a death or an emotional moment with a loved one. But because of some bookkeeping error. Sobbing. Uh oh, how was I going to do that? I knew I couldn't. Some agencies drop you if you turn down more than one audition so you need to be ready. For anything. Immediately thereafter I started researching acting studios. It was time for me to realize that having the right "look" or being okay at something is not good enough in this town. Maybe up until that point I'd gotten lucky, but in order to go further in my career, I couldn't rely on improv or showing up or winging it anymore. I needed to learn the true craft of acting. Susan runs several different levels and initially places you based on your demo reel and resume. No matter the level, however, please consider taking Freeing Your Emotional Core. You may have a BFA in Theater or been a working actor for many years, but no one has this technique and it has saved me. Come to class prepared for honesty and hard work and you will be rewarded. If you made it this far, thank you for reading. "If I had more time, I would have written a shorter review." * * * * * * * * * * * * NB The great Mark Twain did not write this last quote. The first version is attributed to Blaine Pascal, a Frenchman, in the 16th century. I'm an actor so I rely on others for editing. : ) read more

Sue is an amazing teacher -- she brings an incredible mixture of professional experience as an actress (stage, film, television, training with Larry Moss and other teachers), common sense + biz knowledge, and intuition (life!). Her intuitive sense is uncanny because she knows how & when to ask you questions that will make you investigate yourself, your mind, your heart, your habits, your emotional experiences, so that you can grow as an actor/artist. The thing about Sue is that she wants her students to succeed both as actor/artists and human beings -- healthy, well-rounded, and grounded. I highly recommend her! Be prepared for a teacher who won't let you hide in the back or spin a yarn! Sue will push you to get real about yourself and grow. read more

I met Susan in NYC because she does workshops there a couple times a year. I was coming from a bad place after having a couple humiliating auditions. Susan's warm up technique is pretty incredible and helped me reconnect with a side of me I never knew - and this is after 2 years of a really intensive Meisner program. Susan's warm up technique is both physical and mental and it brings you into your body and into a very open space. It has literally given people careers and I understand why. Unfortunately I live in NYC but I have considered moving out to LA to regularly study with Susan. I should also mention she is incredibly funny, sweet and smart. She is always ahead of you and knows how to break your barriers in a supportive way. read more

Last summer, I began auditing several different acting classes within the Santa Monica area. Most of them were either not serious at all or only cared about my money, not me. Then I found Sue's class, a class that is both emotionally invigorating and tailored to artists who are serious about their craft. This class has not only given me the tools to become a better actress and overall artist, but this class has also given me more confidence, enhanced my creativity, and showed me how much work it really takes to become a skilled actor. Most importantly, Sue cares about each and every one of her students and their journeys, and the students certainly care about her! I will be honest with you; the emotional work Sue does in her class can be daunting and challenging, but I do assure you that it is incredibly rewarding once you push past any reservations you have at first. She creates such a safe, comfortable, respectful, and compassionate environment for all of her students to dive deeper into their work. You also learn script analysis and take on really difficult acting roles, which in turn has greatly strengthened my acting and writing abilities. Overall, I am extremely grateful that I have found this class, and I cannot recommend it enough! read more

Who would've thought? It's a place where you truly discover who you are, and the place where you really come clean with yourself whether or not you've got what it takes to be an actor. It's a different approach to acting, truthful. She's got the right combination of tools for you to put your hands in order for you to succeed in this town. If you bring a bag of commitment with you, you will go home with a bag of success. ...just make sure you can carry it. read more

I took one of Susan's acting seminars in New York that was recommended to me by a friend. I was convinced right away that she was the teacher for me and a month later I decided to move to LA to study with her. I've been taking her classes for a year and a half and I truly can't say enough about Susan or the work that we do in her class. She teaches vital techniques that help her students become successful actors. I can not believe how much I am working in just over a year. You also build a strong personal relationship with Susan as well! She wants all of her students to succeed not only in acting, but in life! Her theory that we must connect with our emotional core has helped me not only become a better actor but a more confident person. If you want to challenge yourself as an actor and grow tremendously , then The Susan Giosa Acting Workshop is the place for you. read more

Join This Studio!!! Having been in LA a number of years, I have visited countless acting studios in pursuit of a teacher who spoke to my needs as an artist and who provided the constructive criticism my acting needed. From the first moment I shared my work with Susan Giosa, she gave me the best notes I'd received in years. Notes that allowed to re-examine my work as an artist, to improve my craft and to find deeper meaning in my art. Since that fateful day I have remained in her studio, attending her weekly classes and have been more excited by my discoveries than ever before. Few teachers in LA choose to work on plays in their scene studies class, and while some may argue that in LA it is more advantageous to work on TV scripts and small co-star roles as "practice", I fully disagree. If I am going to go to the gym (which is essentially acting class) to improve my work, I want to challenge myself with the best material I can find. I want to find a place where I can take risks, where I can work on writing that excites me and where I have a teacher who is honest, critical and supportive. Susan provides that environment for her students, asking them to reach higher in their work than a traditional teacher and deeper into themselves than they thought they could. With an emphasis on emotional release and the pursuit of locating one's deepest emotional core, the actor is asked to look within themselves to connect with their true selves. The result is an actor who is able to quickly and efficiently tap into their instrument like never before. She also cares for her students, is invested in their careers and compared to other schools in LA, is very reasonably priced. But all that aside, my work has grown since working with Susan Giosa and I am more excited about the craft of acting than ever before!! read more

I first came to Susan Giosa Acting Workshop in January for an audit... and immediately after, I knew I wanted to study with her. Throughout my five months training, Sue was an incredible acting coach, and I learned so much about not only the craft, but also myself as an artist and human. Her unique warm-up is powerful and liberating, as it encourages the actor to connect to his/her core (meaning - what makes him/her human) and to lower any inhibitions from the past. Her work - which usually consists of a mix of exercises, monologues, and scene study (to name a few) - is incredibly informative, and I'd always walk away from class with a new skill and/or perspective for my acting. Her passion of, dedication to, and outlook on the craft is inspiring, and her method will help bring your own humanity to each character that you play, which is ultimately the most captivating to watch. I truly cannot express how thankful I am to have taken her class and how much I have grown in it, both artistically and personally. For anyone who is serious about his or her acting and is willing to dig deep and work hard... I cannot recommend Sue enough. read more

I have been going to this studio for over a year now and have found Susan's technique to be very helpful. She helped me find my emotional core. She truly cares about each student and wants everyone to succeed. Having a stage to perform on and challenging material to work on has brought another level to my acting. I would recommend to any actor especially if you live on the west side. read more

As someone who's never acted before or received formal training, starting with Sue was the perfect introduction. Being uneducated in the industry, the only acting methods I'd heard of were "Meisner" or "Method", and this is not either of those. Rather than "imagining yourself as the character", Sue encourages you to look deep inside yourself and use past experiences to draw genuine emotions and breathe life into your characters. She teaches that acting comes not from the head or the heart, but from the core; and being connected to it not only in this class, but in LIFE, is a powerful, irreplaceable tool. There's a particularly negative review here that puts down Susan, and her method, or harnessing your "emotional core." Yes, she makes you dig deep into your past experiences and re-live some things that you may have blocked out in your mind, but it's almost therapeutic in how relieving it is to feel like you can use your past for strength. She teaches you that, she encourages that. And what's beautiful, is everyone in her class is there with you and you feel SAFE. You feel protected and nurtured by her and your peers, not only as an artist but as a person. I'd recommend Sue to anyone who has interest in pursuing acting. She challenges you in your craft, and you are immeasurably better for it. read more

Susan cares more about her students than any other acting teacher I've ever met in Los Angeles. Her classes are smaller, allowing for much more individual attention. Her unique way of approaching script analysis is thorough and ultimately very freeing for the actor's process. She has also developed an amazing warm-up excercise that allows you to instantly connect to the full capacity of your emotional instrument. It works every time... I never wouldn't thought that was possible. She's given me tools that most actors in this town just don't have. I would recommend her to anyone willing to dig deep to reach their full potential as an actor. read more

Susan G is the real deal. The other references to life changing are spot on. She's an incredible person and teacher. The students in the class are long-term, deep and talented. This really is a place where someone can plant roots and truly grow. I can't wait to move down here on a more permanent basis so that I can make this studio part of my homebase. Thanks Susan, I will see you guys again real soon! read more

Susan Giosa is not for everyone. If you're not dedicated to honing your craft and doing the work that requires, look elsewhere. If you have a passion for acting and a burning desire to work, Susan is for you. I've studied with many of L.A.'s top acting coaches and one in NY. They are all wonderful but simply not able to devote the time Susan does to every one of her students. Every class. She keeps her classes small for just that reason. That speaks volumes about who she is. It also makes a huge difference! You get more reps, more individual instruction and, more importantly (in my opinion), more encouragement. You also develop a very close bond with your fellow class members. It's an extremely supportive, positive vibe. Susan's classes are very structured. She uses script analysis, the Mike Leigh character improv exercise, scene study and a variety of activities that get you into your body/heart and out of your head. Susan created one particular warm-up exercise that is a core component of her teaching. I use it every time I audition and before every scene I shoot or play I perform. It snaps me out of my daily way of existing and directly into my emotional core. I find it invaluable. Susan's approach requires you to be extremely open, honest and vulnerable about every aspect of yourself (especially those you don't want anyone to know about!). Her work can be very confronting and triggering but she provides an incredibly safe environment for that to occur, which leads to tremendous growth - both personally and professionally. Susan is a virtuoso at creating characters and teaching actors how to do that. I feel that's a lost art in the age of streaming services and an abundance of content that rewards just feeling and playing yourself. Susan is a native New Yorker. True to that stereotype, she is honest (often brutally so), frank, direct, even blunt - but she always comes from love. She is the biggest fan of each of her students and it shows. I highly recommend Susan. She will remind you why you fell in love with acting in the first place because she shares your passion for it. read more

I have been an actor in New York and Los Angeles for over thirty-five years. As most actors know the business can be a real rollercoaster ride and it's important to have a thick skin. Sometimes it gets to be too much though and some may consider throwing in the towel. This is pretty much the place I was at when I discovered the Susan Giosa Acting Workshop. Sue really turned things around for me. Her whole approach to acting and the business in general is totally refreshing. The classes are intimate, so this gives Sue the opportunity to work with each actor on a more personal level. Finding your emotional core is a great technique that helps you really to find out what makes you tick and how to apply it to any and all characters that you may play in any scene. Working with Sue two times a week has really given me the kick in the butt that I needed. I can't recommend this class enough. If you're serious about your career, this is the place for you. read more

If you are looking for an acting teacher there is NONE better then Susan Giosa. She is an accomplished actress in her own right who's insights on acting are so profound. Her caring and concern for her students is incomparable. I have learned so much from her. Thank you Susan. read more