Gary Spatz
Gary Spatz | |
---|---|
File:Gary Spatz acting coach 2010.jpg | |
Born | |
Years active | 1989 - present |
Spouse | Jill Nyren |
Website | http://www.garyspatz.com/ |
Gary Spatz, Acting Coach
Gary Spatz is a Los Angeles based acting coach who specializes in working with young performers. He has worked with many entertainers who later went on to success in their careers. His work on The All New Mickey Mouse Club with performers like Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell began a long career of coaching young actors for film and television projects.
BIOGRAPHY
Gary Spatz was born in New York on April 1, 1951, and raised in New York and Miami. He then moved to Washington, DC where he attended the American University and studied history. After attending a summer acting program at the Arena Stage Theater in D.C. he decided to move to Los Angeles in 1977.
In Los Angeles, Gary Spatz continued to study acting with Paul Sills from 1978 through 1985.[1]
During that time he was also a company member of the respected American Theater Arts in Hollywood where he continued training, performing and eventually teaching. He began his work with young performers as a teacher at The Young Actors Space where he worked from 1985-2000.
Gary began working with Disney on the movie Honey I shrunk the kids'[2] where he served as the acting coach for the child actors Jared Rushton, Thomas Wilson Brown, Robert Oliveri, and Amy O'Neill.
Since the beginning, Gary has credited his then girlfriend, TV post-production executive and now wife and partner, Jill Nyren, as being instrumental in procuring and negotiating his "on-set" coaching career.
He continued working with Disney Channel as a creative consultant from 1990 to 1995 and was also part of The All New Mickey Mouse Club (MMC) where he coached the young performers including Christina Aguilera and J C Chasez in addition to those mentioned earlier.[3]
Gary continued his work as an acting coach for young actors on several television programs between 1990 and 2009 including Roseanne,[4] Everybody Loves Raymond[5] and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.[6]
In 2005 Gary founded The Playground, A Young Actors' Conservatory in Century City California where young actors are trained using a curriculum that Gary is constantly revising based on his industry experience.[7] The school was set up to reflect working conditions and features sets, cameras and monitors.[8] He is currently active as the Director of the conservatory.
The Playground is both a lesson-based conservatory and also the place where Gary provides private coaching to young actors in order to help them prepare for auditions, callbacks and roles in feature films, theater, and episodic television. There have already been several students of the conservatory who have careers in the entertainment industry including Kay Panabaker, Tiffany Espensen, Ashley Argota, India Eisley, Nate Hartley and Jadagrace Gordy.
In 2010 The Playground and Gary were chosen to provide coaching services for the feature film Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (2011 release)[9] based on the work of Megan McDonald.
RESUME
Acting Teacher
The Playground – A Young Actors’ Conservatory (Owner/Director) / 2005 – present
Actorsite – Children and Adult Workshops – Scene Study / Improvisation / 2000-2003
Young Actors’ Space – Scene Study / Improvisation for Children (6-18) / 1985-2000
American Theater Arts Conservatory – Games / Improvisations for Adults / 1981–1985
Acting Coach
"Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer" - Smokewood Entertainment – Feature / 2011
“The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” – The Disney Channel / 2004–2008
“Everybody Loves Raymond” – CBS / 2003–2005
“Triple Play” – (Pilot) – Disney Channel / 2004
“Magicbox” – (IMAX/3-D) – Director / Brett Leonard
“Sister, Sister” – Paramount / 1994–1998
“The Smart Guy” – Disney Television
“Roseanne” – Carsey / Werner / 1990-1997
“Jeff Foxworthy Show” – Brillstein / Grey / NBC
“Daisy Mom” – (Pilot) Director / Andy Weyman / ABC Production / 1996
“Mickey Mouse Club” – Disney Television / 1990-1995
“Davis Rules” – Carsey / Werner
“Honey, I Shrunk The Kids” – Disney Feature
Creative Consultant to The Disney Channel / 1990-1995
On Screen Appearances (as himself)
E! True Hollywood Story - Young Hollywood: A to Zac / 2008
Biography - Justin Timberlake" / 2008
Biography - The New Mickey Mouse Club / 2008
FORMER STUDENTS AND CLIENTS
Christina Aguilera | Chad Allen | Ashley Argota |
Penn Badgley | Elizabeth Berkley | Jessica Biel |
Michael Bower | Jenna Boyd | Thomas Wilson Brown |
Amanda Bynes | Brandon Call | Aaron Carter |
Sarah Chalke | J.C. Chasez | Joel Courtney |
Caleb Courtney | Nikki Deloach | |
Stephen Dorff | Hilary Duff | Luke Edwards |
India Eisley | Ethan Embry | Lindsey Felton |
Michael Fishman | Dale Godboldo | Jadagrace Gordy |
Robert Gorman | Ryan Gosling | Brian Austin Green |
[[Maggie Gyllenhaal | Armie Hammer | Nate Hartley |
Rebecca Herbst | Christine Lakin | Maggie Lawson |
Maggie Linderman | Jeremy Lelliott | Tony Lucca |
Stephen Lungsford | Allison Mack | Kellie Martin |
Christopher Masterson | Danny Masterson | Crystal McKellar |
Danica McKellar | Matt Morris | Tahj Mowry |
Tamera Mowry | Tia Mowry | Ashleigh Norman |
Kay Panabaker | Danielle Panabaker | Nicholas Pappone |
Janel Parrish | Sydney Tamiia Poitier | Lindsey Price |
Cassidy Rae | Ariana Richards | Camilla Rosso |
Becky Rosso | Keri Russell | Taran Noah Smith |
Britney Spears | Dylan Sprouse | Cole Sprouse |
Sadie Stratton | Paul Sutera | Hilary Swank |
Jodie Sweetin | Madylin Sweeten | Sawyer Sweeten |
Sullivan Sweeten | Justin Timberlake | David Tom |
Heather Tom | Nicholle Tom | Alexa Vega |
Scott Whyte | Elijah Wood | Marc Worden |
Ahmet Zappa |
QUOTES
"A kid has to have a big passion for acting, just like he would for skating or gymnastics. It has to be the child's decision; they have to be the ones leading the parents. And parents must check constantly to be certain the experience is positive and worthwhile. A kid has to be allowed to walk away from it if he'd rather play baseball"[10]
"Acting is a child's art form."[11]
Advice to grandparents: "Be careful of places that promise too much. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The program should not be about fame and fortune, but having a worthwhile learning experience."[12]
From His Blog:[13]
"Passion is the essential quality any young performer must possess to be successful at their art."
and...
"I was hired as the acting coach and creative consultant for the MMC with the responsibility to help select, nurture, and maintain an ensemble of 22 gifted young performers. I was charged with teaching daily acting classes as well as coaching all the kids through the daily variety show that was the MMC. Because each performer was also a host, I helped them with their hosting dialogue. Also I assisted them with comedy sketches, interviews, and basically anything spoken on the show. Sometimes I also felt like a camp counselor/mentor to the incredibly talented cast of kids. As well as the sounding board for many of the parents. It was one my favorite jobs and also the most challenging. I loved it! "
References
- ^ Grand Magazine, Calling all kids: lights, camera, action by May Ann Cooper, Nov 2007 pp. 40-42
- ^ IMDB cast page for Honey, I shrunk the kids
- ^ Los Angeles Family Magazine - Meet Hollywood's Top Coach for Young Superstars by Mac Duffy August 2009 pp. 34, 35
- ^ IMDB cast page for Roseanne
- ^ IMDB cast page for Raymond
- ^ IMDB cast page for The Suite Life
- ^ Hollywood Weekly Magazine - Page 45
- ^ Los Angeles Family Magazine - Meet Hollywood's Top Coach for Young Superstars by Mac Duffy August 2009 pp. 34, 35
- ^ IMDB
- ^ Rocky Mountain News Fri. Oct. 28, 1994, So your child wants to be a star By Alan Dumas
- ^ Hollywood Weekly Magazine - Page 45
- ^ Grand Magazine, Calling all kids: lights, camera, action by May Ann Cooper, Nov 2007 pp. 40-42
- ^ Gary Spatz Blog