We had the good fortune of connecting with Shelley Mitchell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelley, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“Do you think you can talk about art? It would be the same as trying to explain love.” – Eleonora Duse

“Growth as an actor and as a human being are synonymous.” -Stella Adler

As an acting coach I love both of these quotes together because they are both true, yet they challenge each other. They come from two great theatrical minds; Duse, who is considered the mother of Method Acting (and the inspiration for both Stanislavsky and Strasberg), and Adler who resisted the toxic masculinity that coursed through The Actors Studio and by default kept feminine power and the feminine voice front and center in her teaching.

The Duse quote is always at the back of my mind whenever I teach or coach. I prefer to think of myself as a creative consultant or creative partner rather than the traditional vibe of a teacher.

We are living in a time when “wellness” has become a household name, so Stella Adler’s quote inspires me to share the correspondence I see between mindfulness practices and the uncommon inner focus required for outstanding stage and film performance.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I take a wholistic approach to life in general and to my creative work specifically. I help actors with script analysis and making full use of their talent. -This means finding the universal in the personal and wonderment in the day-to-day. It means transforming ‘people pleasing’ into self-awareness and self-consciousness into mindfulness. Success for my clients is front and center BUT I believe training for it requires freedom from commercial constraints.

I work a lot with actors who are preparing TV and film work. I empower performers by helping them see the connection between LOA (Law of Attraction) and Method Acting. I help them experience the elegance of their inner truth in a way that opens them to unique solutions and choices. For emotional balance I use muscle testing and Applied Kinesiology. I offer a weekly workshop in Highland Park. It’s for people looking for a place to fine tune their instrument. We do emotional memory exercises and scene work. Some people drop-in for an inspirational boost and others are using this weekly workshop intensively to build their chops. Serious beginners are welcome. I have a plethora of free acting information on my website. https://www.shelleymitchell.org/actors-starter-kit . I also have a podcast called Between Cut and Action where I interview working actors about their process before they get to set. It’s available on all platforms.

My foundation? When I was 20 I started a two year acting program at Circle in the Square Theater School in NYC. One of my teachers, Estelle Parsons (Oscar winner, Bonnie and Clyde), suggested that we all study with Lee Strasberg. I followed her advice and ended up training with Strasberg for four years in his private classes and at The Actors Studio, as well as finishing the program at Circle in the Square.

Two important books on acting came into my life at about the same time, both were given to me by acting teachers; Acting: the First Six Lessons by Richard Boleslavsky and Mystic in the Theatre: Eleonora Duse by Eva LaGallienne. These books, in addition to the books I was already reading about metaphysics (The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, Be Here Now by Ram Dass and The Book by Alan Watts) made it clear to me that there was more to life than what popular culture was showing me… And whatever this ‘more’I was, I was hungry for it!

I’ve done a couple of films (Sorry to Bother You, Green is Gold) but I’m most proud of my solo show Talking with Angels: Budapest, 1943, which I’ve performed over 400 times at festivals and intimate venues around the world. It’s a privilege to perform it and it’s also at the.center of my work as a teacher.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First thing I’d do is take them for a walk on the Secret Staircases in Hollywood Heights, because that’s right outside my door. You’re in LA but it feels like you’re in a little Italian village. From the top of the stairs you can see the Hollywood Sign and all the way to DTLA. Then I would drive down Sunset to Topanga Beach and spend the day in the sun. In the evening I would take them to Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice for a little shopping and a fantastic dinner at Gelina. Next day we’d go to the Getty Center, have lunch there, and then go on an architectural tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright homes in LA. More shopping and dinner at Little Doms in Los Feliz. For the rest of the week we’d explore Silver Lake, Echo Park and take in a concert, or ballet, or symphony in DTLA. And definitely take in The Last Bookstore followed by drinks on the roof of The Ace Hotel. If the Arclight was still around, we’d go there for a spectacular indie or international film.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My students, my clients, and my grandchildren are my guiding lights. -When young people make a breakthrough or share a discovery about life it makes my heart sing. It brings me into focus and guides me forward in the creative process.

Bobby Soto, Noemi Gonzalez, AJ and Aly Michalka, Ezekiel Pacheco, Aluna, Nick Baga, Josh Pence, Ashley Spillers, Justin Barco, Mojean Aria, Jana Krumholtz, Ashley Moore, Amrit Ame and Sam Corlett just to name a few.

Website: www.DuseStudio.com

Instagram: @_DuseStudio

Twitter: @ShelleyMitchell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MethodActingClass

Youtube: Shelley Mitchell

Other: www.TalkingwithAngels.com www.BetweenCutandAction.com

Image Credits
Bobby Soto Lucia Towers Ashley Spillers Justin Barco Ezekiel Pacheco photos by @ _Justin Barco @ David Noles

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.