That is the essence of great acting: to fulfill the promise of a role so completely that forever after people can only imagine you in that part. Has anyone ever trumped Brando's Stanley Kowalski or Vivien Leigh's Scarlett O'Hara?

To develop this level of mastery, the majority of actors follow a certain procedure that can be taught. Whether they studied with Adler, Lewis, Meisner, or Strasberg, or with any of the other brilliant teachers that have succeeded the giants, when a master teacher helps a student find veracity in performance, the result is the same: an indelible, unforgettable performance that can change people's lives.

I studied with four wonderful teachers, two of whom gave me the training I have developed further for use with my own students. In Los Angeles I was coached by Bobby Lewis, one of the founders of the famed Actors Studio, and in New York it was Warren Robertson, a student of Lee Strasberg, the artistic director of the Studio for many years. The Studio's "Method" is based on the work of Stanislavski, and using my own experience as an actress as a foundation, I have evolved this system further into an elegant tri-fold approach that will turn anyone into a good actor and those with talent into great actors.

There are Three Stages to Artistic Eminence. The first stage is to feel comfortable being yourself in the spotlight. This is sometimes called Being Private in Public. An actor who has acquired this skill sheds shyness and stage fright and enjoys performing.

The second stage is to act "As If," the magical "As If" written about by Stanislavski. In the initial stage of this achievement, techniques such as Substitution and Emotional Memory may be used to effect believability. In the final stages the actor can create a world and setting and even viable imaginary characters that are so real we see them, almost as if by osmosis.

The third stage is when an actor can truly transform into the character. The actor's personality morphs into the character completely. This is very delicate work, and an actor must have certain internal resources to return to their ordinary selves when they stop acting. Otherwise, they can become frozen in a part and never evolve from there.

Acting is as much a spiritual practice as a physical one, and personal growth is a by-product of studying acting with The Actors Alliance. Whether you want to act for the sheer joy of it or you dream of winning an Oscar, I can teach you The Four Steps that will lead you to The Three Stages. And for those who intend to make a career of acting, I can train you in the business end of Show Business, too.