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Meet The Ward Acting Studio Career Coach Janice Hoffman - Learn How Janice May Help You And Or Your Business Achieve Your Goals!

March 19, 2010

Interview Ward Acting Studio Career Mentor Janice Hoffman
March 17, 2010


Q: What is the history of Success is Sweetest – Career Mentoring program at the Ward Acting Studio and how did it get started?
A: I was an actor having great success…and I had worked with Wendy Ward for 18 years. I became the career coach for the Ward Studio fourteen years ago when Ms. Ward asked me to design the first career mentoring program offered at any acting school in New York. I am the originator of smArt workshops, a series of Career and Lifestyle courses for the performing artist, and my coaching practice also provides consulting services for independent artists, entrepreneurs and small companies.

The program grew from 2-4 people and over the years I have coached over 400 students and small businesses. Fall tends to be busier with back to school.

Q: What is your position within The Ward Acting Studio?
A: For the past 14 years have served as Ward’s Career Mentor. I applied my own techniques to the curriculum, and also got certified as a coach from Coach U: http://www.coachinc.com

Q: What is the biggest challenge to running your company?
A: As a small business, hiring an assistant and support staff proves challenging – it is difficult to know when to hire.

Q: What services do you provide? What is your niche within the industry?
A: When I started, career coaching was new…it is now like yoga with instructors everywhere. I balance the business and creative aspects in my clients work. I offer a variety of options to coaching to accommodate clients needs and budgets. All coaching can be done in person or over the phone from the convenience of your home or office.

As a jumping-off point, I suggest new clients try a three in-person one-on-one session. It's a great way to introduce yourself to the coaching partnership and to implement a goal or two. Here you'll get the "how to" of crafting a more compelling project & begin to gain an edge on the things you choose to get done.
The idea is: "What do you really, really want to accomplish over the next 30 days?" Then my client and I zero in and design a singular plan of action that galvanizes your project and makes things happen in a precise and original way!

Q: Who is your target market?
A: While I began as actor coach, my business has evolved and now also work with small businesses; I have an emphasis on female clients. Women will reach out for help more often than men.

Q: Outside of Ward students, how do you promote your service?
A: It is mostly a referral based business with supporting information online.

Q: Where do you see your coaching going in the next few years?
A: Focus will be on integrating more workshops and speaking. I have a platform entitled the “Power of Wow”. As a project coach – there is a great opportunity to work with Dezer clients on ways to create “the wow” and formulate a strategic blitz. Themes include: simplify, make it fun and make it powerful.

Q: What are you working on right now, any new projects or developments?
A: Again, the focus is on the “Power of Wow” seminars – great for motivating teams of people on a common goal. The process is very interactive and participants have evidence of our time together. One client as a result of a “wow campaign” targeted 30 auditions in 30 days and got 26. The student also crated a blog – made a video…made it fun. We were bold, got really prepared and had a fantastic result.
I also offer a Success Grant to 1 student pro bono for a year based on wow project success.


Q: How has the economy affected your business?
A: I really has not affected my business. Prices are fair and people are always looking to improve. I offer 3 to 6 session packages in addition to project based work.

Q: What is your inspiration for entering the coaching world?
A: My own success and a desire to help others.

Q: Does your company have any existing relationships with other Dezer tenants?
A: Not through Dezer…and would welcome the opportunity!


Janice holds a degree in Theatre and Dance from NAU, is a Meisner-trained actress and completed three years of Suzuki training with the Saratoga International Theatre Institute. Contact Janice Hoffmann at:

/>smartjanice@earthlink.net
917-208-0779

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Meet The Ward Acting Studio

March 12, 2010

New York is the most celebrated city in the world when it comes to actor training, and the Ward Studio is one of the best training programs in New York. Ward's master teachers inspire with their expertise and bold adherence to high standards while providing encouragement and support to students confronting new challenges.

Today's marketplace demands that actors abandon outdated acting techniques and learn how to be completely authentic and compelling in their work. This is why Meisner training has become the most popular approach to acting around. But be forewarned: Not all Meisner teachers are created equal! The Ward Acting Studio guarantees that even if you have done Meisner work in the past, you will find training under Wendy Ward and her faculty far more challenging and liberating than what you have experienced before.

Ward success stories include students signing with major agencies, booking television commercials and landing jobs on The Wire, Law & Order and other local shows, developing a web series and selling it to CBS, getting auditions with casting directors based on the strength of their cover letters alone, performing in major motion pictures and leaving meaningless day jobs for the full-time pursuit of an acting career.

If you know and aspiring actors, please encourage them to apply to study at the Ward Acting Studio.

About the faculty:

Wendy Ward

Wendy Ward received her B.A. in drama in 1981 from Duke University, where she has served on the Advisory Board for the University's drama department. Ms. Ward continued her training at the National Theater Institute and in New York with Anna Deavere Smith, James Price, and Vivian Matalon. She has taught the Meisner Approach since 1989, first at The Acting Studio where she served as Associate Director with Mr. Price, and subsequently as Director of the Ward Studio, which she founded in 1996. More recently, she served on the faculty of University of the Arts in Philadelphia, teaching Meisner to sophomores. She has directed over 65 productions, half of which have been original scripts built in ensemble with students from her Performance Workshop and Ward Studio Company programs.

Ms. Ward is featured in the books Acting Teachers of America by Ronald Rand and Acting Career Start-Up by Anthony Smith, available in major bookstores.

Janice Hoffmann

Janice Hoffmann became the career coach for the Ward Studio fourteen years ago when Ms. Ward asked her to design the first career mentoring program offered at any acting school in New York. She is the originator of smArt workshops, a series of Career and Lifestyle courses for the performing artist, and her coaching practice also provides consulting services for independent artists and entrepreneurs. She holds a degree in Theatre and Dance from NAU, is a Meisner-trained actress and completed three years of Suzuki training with the Saratoga International Theatre Institute.

You can visit Janice Hoffmann's website at www.SuccessIsSweetest.com.

Joanne Pattavina

Joanne Pattavina has taught voice-for-stage for over 20 years and currently coaches students and professional actors both privately and in group classes. She was a regular faculty member at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center's National Theatre Institute for 10 years, as well as participating as visiting professor at Trinity College, Connecticut College, and Central Connecticut State University. As an actress, Ms. Pattavina has worked with renowned avant-garde directors, Richard Foreman and Lee Breuer and has numerous Off-Broadway credits, including "Dog Logic" with Lois Smith. Television credits include "Law and Order", WNET Great Performance Series, and numerous commercials and voice-overs. Ms. Pattavina also teaches the Meisner technique and co-teaches the Audition technique classes with Ms. Ward.

Toni Romano

Toni Romano is a working actress and a former Meisner student of The Acting Studio, where she studied with James Price and Wendy Ward. She has also studied with Vivian Matalon in NY as well as Margie Haber and Howard Fine in Los Angeles. Her most recent acting credits include a recurring character on the ABC series, Ugly Betty, the film Sweet Lorraine, opposite Tatum O'Neal and Steven Bauer, two national commercials and numerous regional commercials and industrials. In addition to her work as an actress, Toni formerly opened and ran the NY office of a successful bi-coastal commercial casting company. She is thrilled to be apprenticing Ms. Ward at the Ward Studio in Philadelphia.

For more on course work, events and performances, please visit www.wardstudio.com