Testimonials

Student Testimonials

richard-teaching

"Richard Seyd knows what he’s doing. Like the best of his British counterparts, his tips, approaches and directions push the actor’s character development always in the service of the script. He’s the perfect antidote to indulgence and lack of discipline while being warm, perceptive and very funny. You cannot do better."

Peter Coyote
Erin Brockovich, Jagged Edge, Brothers and Sisters

"Richard knows very quickly, usually in a class or two, where you typically go in a scene and what you run from. My acting has improved greatly as well as my business sense of the industry and how things work in Hollywood. I am a current student and plan on continuing my study at Seydways Acting Studios as long as I'm acting."

Douglas Olsson
NCIS, MacGyver, L.A. Rush, Painkiller, Dam California, Blade Warrior II

"I find that what makes Richard Seyd truly great lies not only in what he does, but what he does NOT do. He doesn't talk down to you, or create an atmosphere of co-dependence - you are forced to take responsibility for your own career. He isn't there to scold you or create a parent/child relationship. He challenges you without pressuring you."

Hugo Pierre Martin
Glass, Westworld, I Am The Night, Real Husbands of Hollywood, Project Greenlight

"Richard backs up his individualized instruction with helpful written text. “Auditioning is not a preparation to get the work, it is an essential part of the work,” Richard wrote in notes for the class. It was like a light going off, changing my attitude about how I approached my auditioning. No longer did I feel guilty for the time I was or wasn’t spending in preparation for an audition. I felt that the time spent preparing was valid and useful, regardless of the outcome. The shift in attitude caused a weight to be lifted from my shoulders."

Neva Hutchinson
The Cataline Conspiracies (Francis Ford Coppola), Ishi Last of His Tribe (Jon Voigt), The Master Builder (Libby Appel)

"I have worked with Richard Seyd for 7 years, and I can’t praise him enough. Richard is incredibly insightful into the minds of his students and the characters they play. He has helped me expand my range and gain confidence to play roles I never would have thought possible in years past. I credit him for the joy and depth with which I can play characters. Having watched my career take off and watched the work of many other students blossom, I can say that Richard is by far one of the best acting teachers available today."

Lisa-Marie Newton
Assassins, Bat Boy, Creede Repertory

"Bobby Weinapple is not only the ideal acting coach, but an incredible mentor and role model. He works with detail, patience, and 100% attention to his students. As an actor, director, and performer himself, he listens with great care and is devoted to each of his students individually, while creating the safest, professional, and most supportive environment. He also is a STELLAR college audition coach, and as a result because of him, I am now a working actress in LA with a BFA."

Krista Marie Yu
Reboot, Last Man Standing, Dr. Ken, Agent Carter, Cougar Town, Parenthood

"After studying acting for many years, I finally found an acting teacher that made sense, Bobby Weinapple. Bobby's instruction in audition techniques has made me a fearless auditioner. I now go to cold readings ready to have a good time and enjoy acting instead of feeling lost and demoralized. I can't say enough about how he helped build my skills and confidence as an actor."

Dawn Trook
Actor

"Over the past twenty years, I studied with arguably the top acting teachers in Los Angeles; I thought I had all the skills needed and was confident in how I approached and absorbed new material. Recently, I had the pleasure to work with Ted to understand and apply using “triggers” to my auditions and jobs. I’m now working at another level in my freedom, confidence, and creativity as an actor.”

David Lowe
The Old Man, Criminal Minds, The Ugly Truth

"Richard’s unique approach has changed me, changed the way I act. He’s been instrumental in the development of my film career, becoming a series-regular and booking frequent guest star roles. His audition approach is a sweet science that is actually fun to use."

Amir Talai
Bosch, Marriage Story, American Horror Story, Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Modern Family

"Richard's class is the best class I've had in Los Angeles in over 18 years of being a professional actor. Tailored to the individual in every aspect, Richard covers everything from auditions, to scene study, to his crucial and revelatory Stretch Work. Simply, there's no one better than Richard."

Ted Mattison
American Horror Story, Weeds, CSI

"Richard is an amazing acting teacher! If you are looking for exponential improvement with your acting craft, working with Richard is transformational. In his class, there is a feeling of acceptance for who you are as a person. Therefore, he doesn't ever bully, frighten, embarrass or shame any of his students. He is also accurate in pinpointing the area(s) an actor is challenged by and gives specific, applicable feedback in order for each individual person to improve. I LOVE Richard!"

Alice Kwong-Van Dusen
Refuge TV, All the Wrong Moves

'I’ve experienced significant artistic growth in Richard’s class. I’ve gotten out of my head and learned to find deeper levels of emotional connection to other actors. I audition more strongly and have much more confidence in my text work as well. I appreciate the individual tailoring of class time to focus on each student’s ever-changing needs, whether that’s coaching on audition material, character work for a rehearsal process, or targeted work on the weaker areas of an actor’s overall instrument. Class with Richard is a safe place to take risks, receive detailed, thoughtful feedback, and become better at the acting process."

Valerie Weak
CenterREP, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Impact Theatre

"As an 'aspiring' actor in LA , I studied with Bobby for 2 years in SF before having the confidence to move down to pursue my dreams. When I think about what separates Bobby from the other teachers is his ability to make you feel heard and that your 'acting journey' is a collaborative one. Bobby is one of the best, and he has made me a better actor and coincidentally, a better person during my time studying with him."

Stephen Chang
90210, Southland, CSI

"My work changed exponentially when I began studying acting with Bobby Weinapple, continuously since 2004. Thanks to stretch scenes, I have grown into an open, receptive actor. Thanks to the trigger approach, learning lines has become an integral part of each character's soul and provides a deeper understanding of the script. And thanks to his expertise as a director, Bobby's sensitive direction of Collected Stories received rave reviews."

Carolyn Power
Co-Artistic Director (Essential Action Productions)

"I'm loving the class... I'm opening up to new parts of myself... the permission you give to explore those sort of forbidden aspects of ourselves is phenomenal, whether it's the darker parts or the sweeter parts...."

Patricia Pearson
Improviser (Bay Area TheatreSports)

"Seydways Acting Studios takes the mystery out of acting. Ted embodies Richard's technique, but what impressed me the most was that he is making a very good living as an actor and he has shared that with me. Every live event Ted has directed has lead me to work. Whether it was signing with a manager, a costar on 90210, or a pilot produced by the the producers of the Golden Globes, the net result was - his enthusiasm, care and perspective got me working! His main drive is to make well rounded professional actors that authentically express themselves as well as any material they are given, from a single line on a commercial or seven pages of Sorkin."

Chris Meehan
90210, Black Box, Resonance of Love, Ted’s Theatre Kitchen

"Working with Richard completely changed the way I approach acting. In all honesty, he made me a true actor. Through his classes and working with his Trigger Approach, Richard has helped me find my own method that allows me to listen, react and relax in the moment - simple but often elusive tasks. His insightful critiques and illuminating Stretch Work have proven invaluable to my continuing career as an actor."

Lorenzo Pisoni
The Good Wife, Last Dance (Broadway), Henry IV (Lincoln Center), Much Ado About Nothing (New York Shakespeare Festival)

"I have been studying with Richard Seyd for the last year and a half, and his techniques have revolutionized my acting. From booking more jobs to digging deeper as an actor, I've discovered a new and trustworthy way to absorb lines; I've expanded my range, and I've developed a way of approaching auditions that really works. Richard is also one of the most deeply intuitive, sensitive, and kind teachers I've met."

Christa Martin
Industrials for Cisco, Intel, Apple and more. Hotline (short with Camryn Manheim) and 20 other independent films

"Working with Richard has transformed my work. He teaches how to develop characters with depth and to be in the moment on stage. He is always looking for the growing edge – how to move past mental barriers and unrecognized habits to stretch your range – in a warm and supportive way that allows actors to risk venturing beyond their comfort zone."

Anne Hallinan
Chamber Plays (Cutting Ball Theater), The Coast of Utopia (Shotgun Players), The Mummified Deer (El Teatro Campesino)

"Richard’s overriding interest as a teacher is furthering each individual student’s goals and he uses all his considerable intellect, intuition, experience, acting talent, and vast knowledge of theater in support of that purpose. There’s no frustration about working or not because everyone works every class. I really look forward to each class because I have a clear plan for what I want to examine/grow into, and I know Richard will remember it and help me achieve that every time – including the times I’m bogged down, confused, discouraged or despairing. That’s where he really shines because he really doesn’t present it as a result that I’ve failed. He is always able to show me calmly, intelligently and compassionately how it’s a step along the line of progress. Failure or success, there’s always something to learn. He’s helped me become a better actress, director, producer and person. I’m so glad I found his class."

Deborah Geffner
All That Jazz, A Chorus Line (Broadway), Grey’s Anatomy

"I began studying with Bobby about 8 years ago and I must say, since moving to New York, I haven't found the level of specificity, focused energy, and tremendous talent of perception in a teacher since. He is tireless in his devotion to the actor's craft and is very insightful and sensitive to the nuances of each moment on stage. I feel extremely lucky to have had the luxury of studying with him for the start of the most important formative years of my acting life."

Imani Powers
Student (Sarah Lawrence College)

"I am a working voice actor and started studying with Bobby because I wanted to expand my range and work on my acting chops. I was nervous coming from voice work to stage work but I immediately felt safe and comfortable opening up in the class. His guidance was absolutely invaluable. The idea of 'stretch work' was new to me. It was very refreshing to focus on areas of my work that I was not as strong in and not have to worry about being good. The amount of growth that came from exploring and strengthening the imagination was awesome."

Mark Middleton
Voice Over Actor (Los Angeles)