We were lucky to catch up with Lauren Patrice Nadler recently and have shared our conversation below.
Lauren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
It’s great to be with you! I appreciate the opportunity to share, inform and inspire your audience.
I completely agree with you that society tends to see success by only focusing on today and often overlooks the journey that got a person where they are now. So, I thank you for asking.
To answer your question, I would say the biggest risk I’ve taken was making the move across the country from Queens NY, to Los Angeles CA. Of course the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward and I am certain that decision was the best I ever made. This was over 20 years ago, yet sometimes it still feels like yesterday.
Before moving to Los Angeles, there were a ton of risks I took in my pursuit of an acting career. At one point I was even homeless, couch surfing and only reachable by beeper! However, moving to California felt even scarier than the unknown of what my next gig or place to sleep was. All my family and the life I knew was back east but something called me to go west and I followed that call.
For years when I was in NY while I was studying acting, I would bartend at nightclubs. I also ran promotions of unique events and simultaneously worked behind the scenes on movie sets, filling different rolls to learn everything I could about the business.
Because I had high level acting training, movie set experience and a ton of intuition, I ended up with an opportunity to teach acting for a company that provided a program for actors to migrate from NY to LA … yet I hadn’t planned on doing the move myself.
After several trips to the west coast with the program I felt like it was starting to call me to Los Angles. Then after one particular trip, I just came home, packed up my apartment, put it on the market, and drove across the country to move to Los Angeles.
The years of going back-and-forth to teach planted seeds and put down roots in what is now my new home base. I had accumulated a large following of students from that program and was fortunate that they were really serious about acting and trusted me to help them cultivate their careers in California. They needed support as well as a community in LA. I knew I could be the one to provide that by starting my own school. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I felt it was time.
Back then I had planned to continue acting, but my school and community was expanding and it became my priority. It was clear to me that my true calling and gift to the world is teaching.
Something inside of me felt I was doing what I was meant to do and 20+ years later, with the full support of my family, my home is LA. My school is my calling, and my LPNSImprov show is my joy.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m Lauren Patrice Nadler, an acting coach and teacher with my own full service acting school located in Los Angeles. I’m also a director, and I have a live show in LA that has been running for 9 years. In addition, I am now teaching classes and working with students privately around the world, thanks to zoom.
I got into the business after a decade of dance as a child, a desire to be a rockstar, and years of dabbling in art as a poet, painter, sculpture and jewelry maker. When I realized that artists generally only become famous after they’re dead (lol) I decided to pursue another form of artistry that I love, and that was acting.
I studied with some of the best in the business, including Uta Hagen’s key student Karen Ludwig. I became a darn good actor. However, after years of pursuing it, I realized that at that time “cookie-cutter” types were prioritized, and since I wasn’t that, and I found myself letting this obstacle stand in my way.
I know now that it is common for actors to let their insecurities get in the way. I let mine stop me, but little did I know, I was being led to my true calling. I now have the privilege of sharing my acting and industry knowledge, along with methods to help instill confidence in my students, so they can believe in themselves.
Through my personal journey I created an array of unique and effective tools and techniques that help train actors towards successful careers. While some might say my students are living my dream, acting is not my dream anymore. Though I dabble in acting for unique projects, I love, love, love seeing the growth in my students and being a part of their journey’s. That is my true calling — to nurture and impart my knowledge and wisdom in those actors who are willing to do what it takes to be great and go after their dreams.
Currently my full-service school provides group classes, private coaching and consultations, both in-person and virtually. The group classes are intensive scene study, starting with an hour of improvisation.
The improvisation skills I teach actually birthed my show which has been running for 9 years in the LA area. Along with my partner, Tina Orloff, we have co-produced a comedy variety extravaganza, called LPNSImprov’s “Makin a Movie” with The MaDJaCKRaTS (more about this later)
I teach all my classes from start to finish, except for one. Honestly, a point of pride, is that I have reached the place in my field that I was able to bring on one of my key students, Micky to co-teach the young adult/teen class with me. He is a superior actor who honed his improvisation skills and his wide array of fascinating characters in my classes (and my show) for many years.
Micky Shiloah is one of the stars of my LPNSImprov show and part of the original cast. He also has his own comedy show on Instagram/YouTube/TikTok, where he plays about 75 characters all by himself. They interact with each other in a series called “Anthony and Diane”. You can check it all out on social @mickyshiloah.
Coming to LA allowed me to birth not only my school but an incredible community of people. The school draws in a certain caliber of students that are consistent in their work and who support one another in extraordinary ways. The concentration of talent in all of my classes is abundant and powerful. I’ve now come to learn this is unusual and absolutely not the norm in my industry. After 20+ years in this town, with all the ups and downs, the challenges and struggles, the joys and accomplishments of the people I work with, I’ve come to realize that I, and my school, are unique and what is offered is one of a kind.
This community I’ve built is one of my favorite things about my studio. Another thing I’m naturally proud of is the intuitive way I work with my students and the results we get to see because they are able to grow and blossom into who they are meant to be.
It is a joy to celebrate so many successful careers. I’m always on a mission to get to the truth in any performance and because my students gain access to that through their study with me, there are many amazing careers that started in my studio. What fills my heart with joy is how many of these actors remain in my studio and still continue to private coach and stop in to participate in events with the community.
Some of the successful students to date include: Alex Neustedter, Brit Morgan, Joseph Julian Soria, Kyle Allen, Rudy Pankow, Shay Mitchell, Michael Provost, Laur Allen, Jacob Artist, Brock Kelly, Olivia Rose Keegan, Jeremy Luke, Suraj Partha, Parker Young, Tim Jo, Aramis Knight, Jazmine Robinson, Allegra Acosta, and many more to come.
The other leg to my studio mentioned earlier is my long running show, LPNSImprov‘s “Making a Movie” with The MaDJaCKRaTS. It is a staple of the studio and the studio is a talent pool that beautifully feeds into the show. Many students aspire to guest star in a show and pursue becoming part of the troupe.
We have brought a ton of laughter to packed audiences monthly since July 2014. Several members who participated for years, and many more guest stars who have appeared in it, have built great careers. The show has been a source of joy for all involved in the production and audience.
The LPNSImprov‘s “Making a Movie” with The MaDJaCKRaTS is based on an intricate, unique improv format created and developed in my studio. It includes hilarious musical opening numbers and three hysterical segments created on the spot right in front of you.
The show is different every time, from colors to themes, to the actual suggestions and performances. It is always exciting and funny and has been entertaining and delighting audiences for years. We are now at M.K.M Cultural Arts Center, in the heart of NOHO Arts District for two years. The show is family friendly and is a great date night. We always have a lot of fun hitting an after show spot to mingle, where audience members enjoy meeting the cast.
What I’m most proud of is seeing my students succeed, my ability to help them get there, be a part of their journey, and for a lot of them, that includes being a part of this show. It’s all intermingling and entwined – and all of it is rooted in that risky move I took 20+ years ago.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
My reputation has been built by the successes of many students through the years and by word of mouth. My students become a family and they continue to study because they love being a part of LPN Studios while they pursue their careers, and many give focus to being able to have the opportunity to be a part of the MaDJaCKRaTS cast as a guest star.
I’m grateful to have a reputation of providing a great service. Countless students have gotten their first professional jobs working with me, and continue to study creating solid careers. Many successful careers have literally started in my studio.
My style is unique and has been cultivated through years of working with hundreds of individuals, and the word gets around about how special the vibe is in my studio. I am passionate about teaching and my show is exciting and funny. People get to know what I do and the caliber of actor I help develop by enjoying an evening with us any third Sunday of the month. When people enjoy themselves and receive something valuable, they spread the word!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I’m not gonna lie, it isn’t all an easy breezy cake walk running these two businesses. For example, lockdowns could’ve totally wiped out my school. But we figured out how to pivot quickly. I adapted to not having my students in the same room and innovated how to work with them effectively by putting my classes and my private coaching on Zoom.
Because of this shift to using Zoom in the lockdowns I now work with students across the United States and also, incredibly from Australia, as well as Canada. Having classes remotely has opened my studio up to people who are ready to make the commitment to education and training but may not be ready for that “scary move” to relocate to LA,
I am now working with actors I never would’ve known when my studio was live and in-person only. My studio has expanded because I was able to cultivate the skills needed to teach classes where the students work brilliantly together, even though they are located many miles away from one another. I am grateful to have figured out how I could reclaim the specialness of my classes by thinking “outside the box” in a “box“.
I have been able to use this format and still have the magic of my teaching of scene study and improv. By turning the “box” into a special “movie making” experience, I am empowering my students with added skills that help them brilliantly tape auditions and emulate the camera work of being on set. Honestly, sometimes in my live in-person classes I have FOMO for zoom because of the recording device. Who would have thought? LOL.
For me, resiliency comes from the ever changing landscape when students get jobs that take them away from class. It’s bittersweet of course and sometimes heartbreaking because I miss each and every student and the unique energy they bring to the classroom. However when they succeed, it is the best feeling ever! I love to help grow my students and I am very invested in their success. For each success, I celebrate. I miss them and I also see how each time there is a change, the classes re-shape into a new design with the next generation of successful actors.
This happens with the LPNSImprov‘s “Making a Movie” MaDJaCKRaTS show, as well. Since my studio has provided the talent over the 9 years, cast members have left the nest due to conflicts booking work or relocating for an acting project. This means the cast, I and the show have to be resilient too!
My school and my show are here to entertain, and take people on a extraordinary journey. We always carry on, move forward, reorganize, recreate and come together to manifest something special. The changes make room for new people to succeed which means LPNStudios and my teachings, as well as my show are always growing the potential within others.
As they say, “The show must go on!” … and go on we do. Resilience requires flexibility, and flexibility brings creativity which helps us continue to grow and innovate. I am blessed to always have the best seat in the house watching all the talent rising up, to shine and become who they are meant to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.laurenpatricenadlerstudios.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenpatricenadlerstudios/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauren.p.nadler
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenPatriceNadlerStudios
- Other: www.Lpnsimprov.com
https://www.instagram.com/lpnsimprov/
https://www.youtube.com/@lpnsimprov