The Actors’ Gymnasium with Maury is the first online acting class I have ever taken and I could not recommend it enough. At first, I was not sure what to expect from an online acting class— the idea of it seems counterintuitive to the very physical and intimate nature of our craft. However, it may possibly be the best acting class I have taken.
Maury is a master of precision. Depending on where you are in your craft, Maury makes sure to meet each individual student where they’d be best served. Maury is fluent in the languages of the theatre and on-camera worlds, and he has helped me marry my strengths from both worlds. The class has allowed me to focus on my on-camera skills, and Maury taught me how to make sure the whole voice and body remain engaged. It has made a tremendously positive impact on my self-tape auditions and my on-camera work overall! His notes are always specific to the piece, your individual growth, and the world of the medium in which you are working. While he will break down the fundamental acting work, he also breaks down the techniques required for the specific piece you bring into class within the specified medium it was written for.
I love that in this class, I can bring in a piece I want to work on, and if I don’t have a piece Maury will always recommend one for me to work on! The range of pieces I have brought into class have been a variety of scenes for half-hour auditions, dramatic monologues for showcases, and classical monologues for the stage. He works individually with each student for a generous amount of time as most students run their pieces multiple times per class. He translates and simplifies text in an easily digestible way and the notes he gives are manageable yet challenging. We all get to watch our classmates grow and explore their habitual patterns as Maury works with them. We often will look at the text together as a class, analyze it, and work beat by beat, which gives everyone the chance to review new material. The best part of taking class with Maury is that he makes sure watching others’ work still allows for teachable moments. Much of what I have learned for my own craft has come from watching my classmates flourish with Maury’s coaching.
Aside from the technical aspects of taking this class, Maury champions his students. He is incredibly encouraging, engaged, and tough. He will zero in on your work and make sure you are the most specific, clear, and best actor you can be. I have only been in class with Maury for a couple months, but I feel a tremendous amount of growth and confidence in my craft because of him. Despite the circumstances we are living in, the Actors’ Gymnasium has allowed me to still practice my artistry and it has become the highlight of my week.
