Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Cohen
Robyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My Mom tells me that when I was a toddler, in order to move around the house, I cartwheeled from room to room instead of walking. I’ve been performing since the age of 4 and started working professionally when I went on the road with the National Tour of the Broadway Musical “Cabaret.” Though I left my senior year of high school for the “bus and truck” life, I managed to get back to Maryland in time for my High School Prom and Spring Graduation. By the time I was accepted into The Juilliard School, I was well into my first career as a Musical Theatre Performer. I’m now in my 31st year of working professionally and in my 18th year of teaching other Creators and Actors the Craft and Business of Acting, Embodiment and Performance.
In concert with the #metoo movement it felt like the right moment to open up my own Acting Studio, so these days I go between performing, directing, taking classes and teaching at my studio. I live with my kitten and Fiance in Sherman Oaks and when I’m not doing something “arts & crafts!” related, you can find me hiking through the mountains of Mulholland Drive, learning lines and speaking speeches to the hills for upcoming auditions and performances.
Within the past decade it’s become my mission to dismantle the myths we’ve been fed about scarcity and separation; particularly for those we’ve labeled “Starving Artists.” So whether I’m teaching, performing, taking class, producing, coaching other students or leading workshops for High School Theatre Thespians, the goal is essentially to LOVE PEOPLE INTO LIFE by igniting their minds and hearts so they can inspire the people around them, and take delight in making themselves and the world a better and more loving place for Everyone!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been anywhere from a total pleasure to a rocky mountain roller coaster!
The unfettered joy of being a creative, of just “makin’ stuff!” for the sheer pleasure of doing it, nearly evaporated when I moved to Hollywood. I’d told everyone I was moving to LA for more opportunities in TV and Film, but I was really moving to sunny SoCal in search of validation.
For decades I had my value, my self worth as a human being, collapsed with getting acting gigs. Given that I was auditioning regularly and not being chosen for the majority of jobs I went out for (and was pouring myself into), the day in, day out was pretty excruciating. Since I only thought I had value when I booked a show, and felt worthless and ashamed when they “went another way,” it meant spending years and ultimately decades putting myself through the emotional grinder. I had outsourced my love, joy, self-worth, power and confidence to the approval of casting directors, producers, directors, studio heads and network executives. I only mattered if they said so – which felt like relatively never, so a lot of suffering ensued. My endless search for approval developed into a full blown “disease to please,’ which inevitably, and on several occasions, landed me in the hospital.
Turns out, I had a lot of healing to do when I first moved across the country from D.C. to L.A. Hollywood may or may not have been the most highly recommended place to reconstitute myself. However, I’m so happy to say, that after almost 30 years of therapy, 18 years of participating in and ultimately coaching personal development programs, and becoming certified in NLP and other somatic healing techniques, I’ve managed to turn what seemed like a “mess of a life” into a message – made for anyone who aims to reclaim their self-worth and remember their true value as creative artists, and as unique and extraordinary human beings.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
ROBYN COHEN is a Professional Actor, Acting Teacher, High-Performance Coach and the Founder of THE COHEN ACTING STUDIO and “The Authentic Happy Hour” workshop. After earning her BFA from The Juilliard School and her MFA from The Shakespeare Theatre Company at George Washington University, Robyn’s enjoyed performing, directing, teaching and coaching on Sets, Sound Stages, Festivals and in Theaters around the world. She is also a contributing writer to Jon Jory’s handbook, “Tips on Auditioning: Ideas for Actors.”
In Television, Robyn was a series regular on “Gravity” for Starz and “That Guy” for FOX. She’s appeared on “Law and Order True Crime,” “Cristela,” “N.C.I.S.,” “The Defenders,” “Invasion,” “The Closer,” “Angel,” “The Strand,” “N.C.I.S. L.A.,” “Starved,” “LAX,” and in over 55 national commercials.
Some of Robyn’s Film Credits include: Wes Anderson’s “The Life Aquatic” (opposite Bill Murray), “The Celestine Prophecy,” “Beau Jest,” “Road Hard” (with Adam Carolla) and the sci-fi thrillers, “Ascension,” “Bedeviled” and the cult classic, “Zzyzx.”
Robyn is also an award-winning Theatre Director, helming such productions as: “A View from the Bridge,” “The Elephant Man,” “Fool For Love,” “Tape” and “Drowning” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
As a Theatre Actor, Robyn starred opposite Jeff Goldblum in both “The Exonerated” and “The Prisoner of Second Avenue,” as well as in the west coast premieres of Neil Labute’s “The Shape of Things” and “No Way Around but Through” (with Melanie Griffith). She co-starred Off-Broadway in “The French Waitress” overseen by John Patrick Shanley, and has also performed with The Actors Theatre of Louisville, Lincoln Center, The Geffen Playhouse, The Colony Theatre, The Ford’s Theater (D.C.), The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Goodspeed Opera House, The Hannah Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Bucks County Playhouse, and in the National Tour of the broadway musical, “Cabaret.”
Robyn is the creator of “The Authentic Happy Hour!” – A workshop designed to have you feel energized and inspired ALL WEEK LONG! It was built to provide practices for Loving Your Life; To bring you Peace, Joy and Creative Vitality; To provide Guidance and Mentorship from Expert Facilitators that releases physical, emotional and psychological tension that’s been holding you back; To hold space for Authentic Connection with self and others in a safe and powerful creative community.
Through Movement Practices, Breathwork, Acting Exercises, Dance Flow, Somatic Healing Techniques, Music, Meditations and more, Participants get to light up life together, so they can experience aliveness, loving connection and authentic happiness like never before, while enjoying power, freedom and full self-expression in their every-day lives.
What sets The Cohen Acting Studio apart is that it was born from the desire to take creatives to the next level in their careers, and a passion for them to GROW in their artistry. It was built upon a commitment that students have EXCELLENCE, JOY and MASTERY in their creative work and in their lives. The Studio is a space to inhabit one’s brightest and fullest potential. It is a center for learning where artists can gain power, command and confidence while developing in their Techniques. The Cohen Acting Studio’s mission is to have one’s unique, innate abilities emerge, and come to life in a thriving and supportive community. It exists to have developing artists MEET THEIR TALENT as they expand and explode their fullest, creative self-expression.
Overall, the classes are designed to have participants grow as Artists, Performers, and as Human Beings.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
My aim is to somehow, someway, wherever I was, whatever I was doing, LIGHT UP LIFE and bring greater joy, delight and aliveness to people’s lives.
I believe my deepest purpose here has something to do with “knocking people alive!” by bringing them inspiration, entertainment, vitality and fun through creativity and storytelling. Whether you’re an Artist, Teacher, Accountant, Architect, Stay-at-Home Parent, or Doctor, my goal is to use my 40 years of creative training and experiences to bring magic to your world – all day long, and every day of the week! And to harness your unique and beautiful gifts…so we can light up life together and actually get present to the gift of being alive!
Pricing:
- “The Authentic Happy Hour!” Workshop – $37 per single class
- Acting Classes – $335 per month of classes (4 sessions total)
- Private Coaching – Contact Robyn for pricing details
- New Students – Your First Class is Free!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cohenactingstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robyncohenactingstudio?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010830702670
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/4wFzlwbru3E?si=tq4HEGw3tUPQJBpp
- Yelp: https://mailchi.mp/97fe34dfc3d0/robyncohen-authentichappyhour
- Other: IMDBPro: https://imdb.to/2WsrjIf
