Meet Stephanie Feury | Acting Teacher & Theatre Owner

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

Hi Stephanie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
First and foremost, I believe you have to commit to what you love with every fiber of your being and in time, the rest will follow. Once you start down the path, opportunities will arise and the journey becomes about allowing those opportunities in and taking action. The more you commit, the more the opportunities will evolve and reveal themselves. The thing about following what you love, is that a lot of the time, we are heading down a path unaware of the destination.

I loved being an actor and I knew early on I wanted to be an actress but I had no plans to teach. Both my parents were highly regarded acting coaches and actors in Los Angeles so coaching was something I held in high regard. But I moved to New York to pursue acting and study further. Life intervened and I left my New York theatre life and moved back to California for television and film. Almost as soon as I landed, a friend suggested I go to their acting class. I walked in and introduced myself to the teacher and he said he knew who my parents were and he had always wanted to study acting with them. He asked me to sit down next to him and before I knew it, he was asking me to critique the actors on stage. I was hesitant but he was persistent. He asked me to come back the next week and I did. It wasn’t long until I was teaching 5 nights a week for the next 5 years. I knew I had found my calling, a place where I could do my art everyday and on my own terms, not waiting to be called in for an audition or one off commercials. I felt I was carrying on a process that had been passed down to me and I didn’t want to cut corners. When the owner of the studio I was working for asked me to change how I was teaching, I felt that the integrity of the work was being sacrificed and I knew I had to follow my heart and set out on my own. Creating a space for myself and other artists made sense.

From there, I started private classes out of my house and not long after that my classes were growing and it was clear I needed my own space. I soon found the perfect studio in the ideal location. The minute I walked in, I knew I had found my place. I could see the potential and envision the classes, coaching, and productions in the years to come.

For 25 years, I’ve been carrying on a tradition of method acting that not only teaches the artist the in’s and out’s of acting but also how to find their individual voice and to constantly evolve their craft through time. My business is all about community and lifting each other up. Everyone’s path continues to reveal itself in beautifully unexpected ways.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In 2002, I opened the red doors of The Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre. For over 20 years I have been committed to helping actors and artists of all mediums find their voice. My teaching is a practice in deep relaxation, sense memory, text analysis, character development, scene study, and improvisation.

In 2012, I began teaching acting internationally, traveling consistently from Germany to Australia teaching at Schule für Schauspiel Hamburg, RTL Studios and WAAPA. I’ve also been a guest teacher for Dodge College at Chapman University.

​​Creating a community for actors is key. A place where they can work out alone onstage or with a partner. At any given time you will find actors working their craft throughout the week. Whether you are studying for a month, a year, or returning from set SFS Theatre is a place many actors call home.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Los Angeles has so many different neighborhoods and is widespread. First, we take a drive out to Malibu, walk on the pier, smell the fresh salt air, and eat at the delicious Malibu Farm Cafe. Next, we’d stop on 3rd St. in West Hollywood and do some shopping at the locally owned boutiques. The restaurant and bar scene is constantly changing but I love the counter at Musso & Frank’s for a dirty martini, wedge salad and a shrimp cocktail. We’d end the night at the Mark Taper Forum for their latest production. The following day we’d head downtown to check out the Flower Market, then over to the train station for farmer’s fresh produce (every Thursday 11-3), Olvera street for margaritas and shopping, Then head home for a home-cooked meal on the rooftop overlooking the city. Other favorites include: Osteria Mamma, Chevaliers Books, Village Heights, Wild Flora, Good Goose Cafe (Thai), and a hike around the Hollywood reservoir.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Finding your way in life is something so many people struggle with but I have to say that my parents, Peggy Feury and William Traylor, made me feel I could do anything I wanted in life. When they found out early on that I wanted to be an actress, without hesitation they encouraged me and eventually became my first acting teachers. I remember when I graduated high school and my mother said, “you are talented but don’t think you don’t have to work harder than anyone else because talent will only get you so far.” I have had so many teachers throughout my life who have supported, encouraged and challenged me. I would like to shout out all the acting teachers who are passing the torch to the next generation of actors. And also, to the many different kinds of teachers who give so much of themselves and share their experience and wisdom to so many everyday.

Website: www.sfstheatre.com

Instagram: @sfstheatrela

Facebook: sfstheatrela

Yelp: Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre

Image Credits
Matt Kallish