Faculty

MARK PELLEGRINO
Actor/Instructor - see his IMDB page here

"...one of the ways to stay connected to your craft is to teach, I think. It helps me to learn from the students and to cement knowledge in myself and then pass it on to others...part of it is that I had no idea what to do at the start of my career and I am hoping to save young actors that one unrenewable resource: time. That's my moral motivation behind it." - Mark Pellegrino

Mark Pellegrino currently portrays two pivotal roles this television season; the villainous, ‘Lucifer,’ on the CW Network’s hit series, SUPERNATURAL, as well as the much-anticipated enigmatic character, ‘Jacob’ on ABC’s critically hailed, LOST.

Pellegrino has built a career entertaining audiences and impressing critics with his work in numerous films and television series’ delivering standout performances time and again with his tremendous range of characters. On television, he has made a lasting impression as the tortured, ‘Paul Bennett,’ in Showtime’s widely acclaimed, DEXTER.

Having been acting since the age of 17, Pellegrino has turned in powerful performances from working with the likes of some of the industry’s biggest names in directing such as Joel Schumacher, David Mamet, Steven Spielberg, David Lynch and the Coen Brothers among many others. With the reputation as a well-respected actor, Pellegrino has appeared in such high-profile feature films as “The Big Lebowski,” “Lethal Weapon 3,” “Mulholland Dr.,” “The Hunted,” “National Treasure,” “The Number 23” and more. Television credits include, but not limited to, “ER,” “The X-Files,” “NYPD Blue,” “The Practice,” “The Unit,” “Criminal Minds,” “Prison Break,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “CSI” and “The Mentalist.”

In addition to constant travel reporting to sets for production on television’s top shows, Pellegrino remains connected to his craft by keeping active in theater and teaching classes at Acting Studio LA (www.actingstudiola.com), which provides a home for some of the most talented professional actors, writers and directors. The program offers the opportunity to mentor developing actors, teach through workshops and classes, as well as create theatrical and film productions. When free time allows, he actively participates in a variety of sports, including martial arts, kickboxing, Thai boxing, Judo, Karate and Ju-Jitsu.

Pellegrino currently resides with his family just outside of Los Angeles.

TRACY AZIZ
Director/Writer/Instructor - see her IMDB page here
After studying at USC Film School, Tracy Aziz helped create several award-winning films and gained industry experience in a variety of roles ranging from First A.D. to Producer to Vice President of Development. She has directed her own feature film and served as on set Acting Coach to award winning actors, politicians and TV hosts. Most recently she wrote and directed Cesar Milan's (aka "The Dog Whisperer") one man show which toured Europe and Australia.

Tracy has over a decade of experience teaching acting at Playhouse West and she is one of the few teachers who is privy to the innovations and advances Sanford Meisner made to his approach from 1987 to the end of his teaching career. She has also taught filmmaking at The Film and Television Workshops in Maine and The Archer School. With all of her varied industry participation, she still considers time on set with directors David Mamet, Joel Schumacher, Jon Turteltaub, Bennett Miller, Tony Goldwyn, Philip Kaufman and others among her most valuable learning experiences.

SEAN BARNES
Founder/Instructor

"I taught for many years with Sean and his actors always excelled. He is an excellent teacher of acting." - Jeff Goldblum

Sean Barnes has been acting, directing, producing and teaching non-stop for the last twenty-five years. He began acting in film at age seventeen in the San Francisco bay area and later studied theater and film at SFSU. After graduation he moved to Los Angeles, where he studied at Playhouse West. During this time, Sean booked acting roles in TV, film and commercials and worked with renowned actors and directors such as John Mahoney, Stanley Tucci, Paul Mazursky, Steven Spielberg, Pete Postlewaithe, Hume Cronyn and others.

After four years of rigorous training and study, Sean was asked to teach at Playhouse West. In teaching, Sean found his true calling and as the student body grew, he took on classes from Beginning to Advanced levels. While continuing to make a living as an actor, he co-taught several classes with Jeff Goldblum, expanding his knowledge, abilities and responsibilities. Ultimately, Sean taught thirteen classes a week and gained charge of his own studio (Studio 3) at the Playhouse. As he learned from Mr. Goldblum, Sean worked with up and coming talents like James Franco, Scott Caan, Mark Pellegrino, and Josh Cooke to name just a few.

In 2006, he founded Acting Studio LA, where he continues to evolve his fully comprehensive training program for the working actor. His unique Meisner On-Camera technique has had unparalleled success in preparing students for the set with both craft and knowledge. He has also taught Meisner programs and On-Camera Workshops at The Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica, guest lectured and taught at Columbia College Chicago's Semester in LA Intensive Program. Sean has lectured or taught at The Iceland Film Festival, Las Vegas Film Festival, Reno Film Festival, Idaho Film Festival and The Actors Network.

He is a strong proponent of leveraging technology to enhance an actor's education and empower them to take greater control of their careers. Sean is actively involved in new media development and he has produced some of the most widely seen short films on the internet.

DAVID RAZOWSKY
Instructor/Actor/Director - www.davidrazowsky.com
Teaching Resume: Click here
Theatrical Resume: Click here
David Razowsky is known as one of the top Improv teachers in the industry. He has over twenty years of experience acting and directing with Second City, IO West and Steppenwolf, and he has taught improvisation for fifteen years. He has served as consultant to Dreamworks, Whose LIne Is It Anyway, and Boom Chicago. He served as Artistic Director and Dean of Second City Training Center, and as Faculty in the California State University system. He continually teaches improv around the world, from Fresno, to Denver, to Norway and The Netherlands, and continues to act and direct professionally in Los Angeles.David has appeared on Spin City, Roseanne, The Weekenders, The Young and the Restless, Working and many other TV shows. He's a frequent ensemble member and writer for the Second City Mainstage in both Chicago and Los Angeles.

DAVID GARRETT
Writer/Producer/Director - see his IMDB page here
David Garrett is currently writing an animated pilot for 3BALL Productions, he has co-written two indie comedies, "The Big Meet" and "National Lampoon's Rock Hard", both of which are scheduled for production in late 2009. Recently, MTV bought the musical web series "Private High Musical", which Garrett Executive Produced.

Previously, Garrett co-wrote "Foreign Exchange" for MTV Films and the musical comedy "Do That To Me One More Time" for Touchstone Pictures, with Jack Black attached to star and produce. In 2005, Garrett co-wrote "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo". In addition to co-writing "First Pet" and "Corky Romano" for Disney, has written screenplays for directors Ivan Reitman at Dreamworks, Tom Shadyac at Universal ("Haunting Darryl") and Peter Segal ("Garden of Steven").

In 2008, David sold the half hour reality show "I've Never" to Reveille and the one-hour dramedy "Citizen's Arrest" to the USA Network. Previously, he co-wrote the half hour pilot "Central" for CW. In 2006, NBC bought the half-hour comedy pilot "The Dysfunctionals". which was based on David's life. WB's "Living with Fran", which Garrett co-created and Executive Produced, was also based on his life and ran for 2 years. He sold the half-hour comedy "Model Family" to Fox with Jamie Kennedy in 2007.

Garrett has also written/produced/directed several award winning short films including "Sunday's Game" (multiple festival awards), and "Hott4Hill" (Top Political Video of the Year - CNN).

In addition to other collaborative projects, Garrett sold and co-wrote "The Hatfields & McCoys", a dramatic mini-series for the USA Network. He has written and produced nearly two dozen pilots, series & specials for ABC, NBC, CBS, UPN, Comedy Central, Showtime and Fox, including the animated series "Da Mob" for Fox Family. He's had development deals with Fox Television Studios, Paramount TV, and Touchstone.

David is an attorney and graduate of UCLA Law School.

GREGG ROSSEN & BRIAN SAWYER
Screenwriting Team
Gregg Rossen and Brian Sawyer are both graduates of USC’s School of Cinema-TV. In the summer of 2002, they sold their comedy screenplay “Nascar Girl” to New Line Cinema. In 2003, their comedy script “Guida” was sold to Revolution Studios as a vehicle for Jennifer Lopez. Prior to this, they sold the dance-spoof pitch “Save the Last Dirty Flashdance for Footloose Billy Elliott” to Tapestry Entertainment. Gregg and Brian are currently developing “Model Family”, a TV pilot starring Jamie Kennedy, for Twentieth Century Fox Television based on the short film they wrote, directed and produced. They recently co-wrote “Pixar’s 20th Anniversary Special” for ABC. Sawyer and Rossen are currently producing the John Delorean bio-pic "Hard Driving", which is currently being written by Marcos Efron.

Brian grew up in Santa Barbara and attended U.C. Berkeley where he was the Editor of the University’s 97-yr-old humor magazine “The California Pelican” and he has also contributed to the “National Lampoon Magazine.” At USC, he received his MFA degree from the School of Cinema-TV and directed “Fuzzy Logic,” which won best short documentary in the Melbourne Film Festival. Brian’s most recent short “Tex, the Passive-Aggressive Gunslinger,” an offbeat comedy starring Bob Balaban, was sold to the Independent Film Channel where it has played for two years. “Tex” has been well-received at festivals such as Hamptons, Deauville, Mill Valley, and South-by-Southwest, as well as the Palm Springs Short Film Festival where it took the Special Jury Prize. In 2003 his script "The Hatfields and McCoys" (Co-authored with Dave Garrett and Jason Ward) was acquired by the USA Network as a forthcoming TV miniseries.

Gregg is from the San Francisco Bay Area and received his BA from U.C. Berkeley. While working towards his Masters degree at USC’s School of Cinema-TV, he won the local and national Student Emmy Award for Best Comedy for his short comedy film “The Grail Guy.” In addition, while at USC he also received the Oakie Comedy Writing Award. Gregg’s most recent short film “The Revenge of the Red Balloon” debuted at Slamdance in Park City, and has won several awards playing at other prominent festivals such as the Taos Talking Picture Festival, Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, Mill Valley, Brussels, Dublin, and others. Gregg is a regular contributor to "MovieMaker Magazine" and helped edit the screenwriting book “Story Sense” by Paul Lucey. In the past, he has worked at the “MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour” in New York and for “Good Morning Britain” in London.