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One of Toronto’s most highly respected acting coaches, Miriam Laurence trains, coaches and directs actors. In the twenty-five years that she has been training actors, Miriam Laurence has been influential in the growth of a long and impressive list of recognized actors, directors, writers, and teachers. Ms. Laurence trained at New York's Circle-in-the-Square Theatre School with Madeleine Sherwood. She then studied with Lee Strasberg for three years and was granted auditing privileges at The Actors Studio East and West for four years. At the Actors Studio she observed first-hand, bi-weekly sessions moderated by many of the well-known proponents of method acting and directing: Arthur Penn, Elia Kazan, Lee Strasberg, Ellen Burstyn, Shelley Winters and Estelle Parsons. She observed actors such as Rip Torn, Ron Leibman, Michael Moriarty, Ellen Burstyn, Teri Garr and Mickey Rourke, working on their craft in sessions and in production. While in New York, Miriam also participated (acting and observing/assisting) in productions at EST (Ensemble Studio Theater). The experiences Miriam Laurence had as a young performer in New York have allowed her to distill the valuable from the controversial and often misunderstood Method Acting techniques, and apply it to her own approach. In L.A. Miriam Laurence pursued her interest in acting and directing. She holds a Master of Arts in Directing and Critical Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also studied acting with Eric Morris in San Francisco and L.A. After moving to Toronto, Miriam took courses with Michael Shurtleff and other acting teachers, was the Assistant Director for Robin Phillips’ acclaimed production of Semmelweiss and for Richard Greenblatt’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank at Young People’s Theatre. In 1985 she completed a Master of Fine Arts in directing from York University. She also studied extensively with voice coach David Smukler. Her exposure to many physical techniques includes: various forms of dance, yoga, contact improvisation, Grotowski techniques, and Suzuki, as well as alignment and massage techniques. |
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Since 1994 Miriam has run sessions in downtown Toronto where she teaches her Integrated Acting System. Other than teaching at her own studio, she has taught for the Performance Certificate Programme at Seneca College and for Equity Showcase Theatre. Since 1999 Miriam has directed five short films, and is currently developing her first feature-length film. In 2002 Ms. Laurence was awarded a New Projects: Video or Film grant from the Ontario Arts Council and in 2003 she received a Professional Training grant from Theatre Ontario to accompany her mentor, veteran actor Madeleine Sherwood to New York to observe her teaching a Master Class at the Actors Studio. Theatre directing credits include: The Gnadiges Fraulin at Summerworks; the sold-out production of Birdbath at The Toronto Fringe; A Dream Play at Seneca College Studio Theatre; World of Colour at Mel Lastman Square, Lilly, Alta. and Fool for Love at York University. Fool for Love was remounted professionally at Solar Stage Theatre where the lead performances were named among the highlights of the 1995 Toronto theatrical season by the Toronto Star. As well as being in constant demand as a private audition coach for actors of all ages, Ms. Laurence has been hired as Language/Dialect Coach for Vin Diesel and other actors in The Pacifier, for Sienna Guillory and Thomas Kretchmann, in Resident Evil II: Apocalypse and fifty-three cast members in Harlan County, directed by Tony Bill and starring Holly Hunter. Ms. Laurence has worked as the Acting Coach on CBC's Street Legal and I'll Never Get to Heaven, Don Shebib's Change of Heart, Universal's Billy Madison and Fast Track for Alliance. In 2009 Miriam served as a Jury Member for the ACTRA Toronto Awards. She also led a standing room only workshop on cold-reading techniques at the February ACTRA Toronto conference. |
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To contact Miriam Laurence for more information |
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Thanks to Alex Pekar and Veronica Cooney for photograhy. |
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