Whether you’re a seasoned actor wanting to strengthen & hone your skills or you’re interested in acting and wanting to take the first step…

THIS CLASS IS FOR YOU!!

Through a variety of classical & contemporary acting exercises and scene study I will make you a better actor than when you walked in the door.

Seriously, though. You will leave this class with heightened skills and a full tool box.

This workshop runs for 4 weeks meeting 4 hours/week. Payment plans available.

NEXT CYCLE RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER—EMAIL ME AT madeleinewoolner@gmail.com TO SECURE YOUR SPOT!!!

WHY AM I QUALIFIED TO TEACH THIS CLASS?

I hold a Masters Degree in Classical Acting for Professional Theatre from London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. This is a university level teaching acting degree.

On top of this I have decades of experience in theatre, I’ve performed and worked around the world, from The Globe Theater, London, to immersive theatre at the Reed Park Tennis court in Santa Monica

The biggest testament to my qualification are my productions and the performances I am able to get out of actors, please see testimonials below (sign up for my mailing list to be notified of my next performance!)

Here I am in action directing my most recent production, CAESAR. You can read about it HERE

TESTIMONIALS:

“Working with Madeleine on The Glass Menagerie was transformative for me, a writer who occasionally acts and felt a bit nervous. She has this remarkable ability to create a safe, collaborative, mega creative space where you feel free to take risks and explore your character deeply. What stood out most was how she guided me to find the emotional truth in each moment without ever feeling pushed or manipulated or messed with—she helped me discover choices I didn't even know I had access to. Madeleine's direction is both precise and nurturing and hella excited; she sees what you're capable of before you see it yourself and helps you get there with patience and insight. I left every rehearsal feeling more connected to the work and more confident as an actor.”

- Derrick Brown

“Madeleine gave me the confidence to go out there and get signed by an agent“

-Peter Tomka

“Madeleine is a creative guru and a generous, generous collaborator. It was an honor to be guided by her and as a performer I always felt supported and empowered. Thank god for her. A maker of sell-out shows and strong ensembles. “

-Brianna Ahlmark

“Oh MAN what can I say about Maddy Woolner? I mean as a person and a friend she is just top notch and someone who is so kind, caring, conscious, and empathetic. She is so interested in your life and listens and asks questions about everything going on with you. Why is this relevant for this workshop you ask? Because those same traits carry over into her directing. I have worked with Maddy on two pieces, both of which were things that I had never done before and subsequently made me VERY nervous. Maddy was so understanding and walked me through every step of the process. She is also so open and collaborative. We would break down a script and she would always ask the actors what their thoughts were and we would end up breaking it down together. And the ideas that I had were always welcomed with "oh thats interesting, why do you think that?" which to me signaled that she was not only interested in our ideas, but the process that led us to having those ideas. Working with Maddy was a perfectly safe space and it's something that I aim to do at least once a year for as long as I can (or as long as she's willing to work with me, whichever comes first!) I highly recommend getting a chance to be directed by this gem of a human being!"

-Anand Mahalingam

“I’ve always felt like an absolute idiot when it comes to Shakespeare - I just didn’t get it. But Madeleine changed that. She helped me feel the text in my bones and perform it with real passion and love. She has a gift for speaking to both the writer’s mind and the performer’s heart, making her a brilliant guide through the actor’s process.”

-Ildar Kurt

“When recalling my experience working with Madeleine, the principal word that comes to mind is Free. Madeleine creates an environment of play, whimsy, and experimentation all while maintaining a firm sense of purpose and structure - there was never a moment where Madeleine was not in command of the room, holding both herself and her cast to an appropriately high standard. Every exercise of improvisation or movement lent itself to the piece we were crafting and created a process (and ultimately, a product) replete in equal parts with joy and rigor.”

-Sophie Thomason

“Madeleine is extremely engaging and knows how to get you thinking in ways that breed the most creativity! She’s so great!”

-Sheil Choksi

“Madeleine directed me in her amazing 2025 production of “Julius Caesar.” She always challenged me to dig deeper, and unfailingly found ways to help me shine and bring out my best. I always looked forward to rehearsals because she created an atmosphere that inspired hard work, collaboration, and fun. Anyone that has the chance to work with Madeleine is truly lucky!”

-Sofia Gonzalez-Lyons

“I had the pleasure of working with Madeleine on a piece from Tennessee Williams and it was really exciting. An incredible opportunity to approach such amazing material while staying open to anything coming from an actor. What a gift!”

-Lisa Goodman