Life & Work with Don Bloomfield

Today we’d like to introduce you to Don Bloomfield. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am where I am today as much out of happenstance as anything. I started as an acting student under the tutelage of Sanford Meisner at The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC and found myself merging into teaching with William Alderson, also from the staff at the Neighborhood Playhouse, back in 2001. In 2010 I joined the acting staff of Carolyne Barry Creative here in Los Angeles and ultimately opened my own studio, the DBA Studio, back in 2015. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I feel guilty saying it has been a smooth road, but relatively, it has been. That being said, I find myself being pretty happy doing what I love to do, which is being creative and being around creative people, and as I like to say I would be happier struggling at something I love to do than succeeding at something I don’t. I think if one were to ask any of my students, current or former, they would tell you they don’t recall a class I did not love teaching. Every single one brings me joy, corny as that sounds. An actor trusting you with their dream is a great challenge and a great responsibility, and anyone who isn’t honored to do so each and every class should find another career in my opinion. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
It’s really not for me to say what sets me apart from anyone, but currently, my major focus is on teaching acting and running the DBA Studio. Over the years I feel fortunate to have applied my creativity in a myriad of outlets, starting out as an actor for several years where I was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for lead actor in a play soon after leaving the Neighborhood Playhouse in a play by Oscar-winning writer Horton Foote, after which I had a nice run-in films for a number of years before catching the writing bug. Writing has been more of a private passion of mine although I was able to forge a living by it for several years before ultimately finding myself teaching acting, a joy that I was happy to do by means of coaching and working with acting friends for years before being asked to do it full time. 

What were you like growing up?
I’m glad I didn’t raise me, let’s just say that. I just couldn’t adhere to authority, not in a bad way but in a discipline way. I cherished freedom. Freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom to go where I wanted and do what I wanted. And when I did not get to, life was a struggle, especially in high school. I was never into harmful things, per se, but if it had anything to do with girls, comic books, or fantasy of any kind, I was pretty tough to tame. Fortunately, my parents stuck it out with me and I came out the other side alright. A decent student, but with an insatiable appetite for Life with a capital L. Can’t say much has changed in all these years. Thankfully. 

Pricing:

• $225 per 4 weeks

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thedbastudio.com
• Instagram: @thedbastudio