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VIRTUAL SELFTAPE COACHING & FILMING  AVAILABLE

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Classes, Workshops and Private Coaching

Please contact me at (818) 601-0582 or stephanieleshfarrell@gmail.com for more info, to join the email list or to sign up.

Some of my clients can be seen in and on:  Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, The Magicians, The Fosters, Teen Wolf, The Avengers, East Los High, New Girl, Kickin' It, The Little Rascals, Man of Steel, Criminal Minds, The, Fosters, The Curious Life of Benjamin Button, Jessie, The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mad Men, and many more including numerous national commercial spots.

Here are just a few of my clients...

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Marion Van Cuyck PEN15, BASKETS, GOOD GAME
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Madison Beaty ONCE UPON A TIME...HOLLYWOOD, THE MAGICIANS

“Thankfully Stephanie was one of the first people in the biz we met after arriving in LA.  We say thankful because as parents, she saved us a ton of what could have been wasted money spent on numerous classes and workshops.  Stephanie's classes and workshops are well rounded, and most of all, fun for the kids.  She mixes everything your kid will need to know whether auditioning for commercials or theatrical, and gives each child the time needed to work on something specific.  Having someone teach while they are actually doing (with her working kids as well as herself) is a huge plus, and you get that from Stephanie.  She's fun, hilarious, and best of all a caring person.  She knows working casting directors, many of which your kids will end up seeing in her workshops, or at real auditions at their offices for real projects.  Stephanie is one of a handful of people in LA that my family can truly point a finger to and say "if not for" when talking about their success, starting out, etc.  She's fab! “ - Chris and Kelly Beaty, parents of 3 working actors

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Alicia Sixtos THE AVENGERS, NEW GIRL, EAST LOS HIGH

“ I first started working with Stephanie when I was 16. She taught me about improvisation and inspired my sisters and I to break out of our stubborn, tight shells. She’s always been very outgoing and so very funny. Since then, she’s been coaching me with my auditions and I love working with her. She helps me book and I recommend her to anyone, she’s great." - Alicia Sixtos

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Rio Mangini TEEN WOLF, BELLA AND THE BULLDOGS, LITTLE RASCALS

“Stephanie has been coaching Rio for 5 years. Long before we knew he was an actor- she knew!  She knows how to help him get right to the character - find it and bring it out! Effective and essential for busy pilot season. We have much to thank her for! Thank you Stephanie!!” - A. Mangini, parent of Rio Mangini (Kickin It series regular)

Here are are a few testimonials...

With just a few hours of coaching, Stephanie has changed the way I

look at commercials.  With her help I've not only learned how to

prepare for any type of copy, but also how to avoid what now seem like

obvious pitfalls in my commercial auditioning.  "Joe, it's not your

job to sell the product." -- It was news to me but it makes such a big

difference.” Joe Darden, actor

“Stephanie’s vast experience behind and in front of the camera in casting and acting coupled with the safe, respectful, professional and humor-filled class environment add up to a class C.J. couldn’t wait for from week to week. He learned some hard lessons in there too, due to her personal invested interest in my boy’s career and well-being, and for that, Mom’s grateful too” Rosanna I., parent of young actor

“ Kylie had a great time in Stephanie’s class and I think she learned a lot. She got a call back on her first post – class audition.” A. Shapiro, proud mother

“ I loved my commercial class with Stephanie. I have been pinned for several commercials this year and have booked two national commercials! Thank you so much for helping me learn how to stand out at an audition!” Hazel S.

“I thoroughly enjoyed Stephanie’s class, and from her I have learned a lot. She is one of the most, if not the most, inspiring acting coaches around. Her methods are very simple to follow, but effective. Because of her I have been able to book Target and T-Mobile commercials, short films, and a Bridget Mendler music video. I always have a great time working with her and she is  truly a wonderful person.”-Joshua Bales, Actor

" Working with Stephanie is a very challenging and emotional experience as a journeyman actor. She seems to know just what my insecurities are and she inspires me to face then head on. She's experienced in not only acting technique but in knowing how to read my process as an actor. At the same time she pushes me in new directions. She sets an energetic example of what acting should feel like. I can feed off of that and take away new motivation from each class. " Rachel Howe, actress and voice coach

“ While taking the class my daughter, Taylor, booked three jobs. I couldn’t be more pleased with the teacher Stephanie, how prepared my  daughter was during auditions after taking her class. Whatever Stephanie is doing is working, she is truly a great teacher. Thank you so much!! We look forward to seeing you in class again soon!”- Jamie W.

‘Rowan has had success on his first two commercial auditions since starting Stephanie’s class. After only two weeks in the kids commercial class he got a callback for a national spot for Capital one and booked  a Kohl’s commercial. He definitely has more confidence at auditions and it is working for him.” – Lena S., mother of young actor.

“Hi Stephanie, I just wanted to say thanks for the great class last weekend. Ryan had a great time! I have tried the new games you suggested and I can honestly see an improvement already!” Young child actor Mom

“Since taking your class Josiah (9) has booked a Johnson & Johnson commercial and has a co-starring role in the Disney Channel movie, The Wizards Return Alex vs. Alex. Noah (6), guest starred on Criminal Minds. Thanks you for giving practical skills they can use for auditioning.” Mother of two working actors

“ I just wanted to thank you for your commercial workshop today. You were great with the children and, we walked out of the class feeling much more informed. Tanya and Malia talked to us on the home about the different things they learned and said they had so much fun.” Parent of young actors

BACKSTAGE WEST ARTICLE

 

Favorite Acting Coach for Kids:  Stephanie Lesh

 

Stephanie Lesh, this year's Back Stage Readers' Choice favorite acting coach for kids, works with children ages 4 and up but specializes in teens and kids from 8 to 10. She says a teacher has to have a passion to teach and coach kids, and she enjoys watching them develop and transform their skills and talent. "I am so excited," she says about winning. "I have so much fun working with kids. I think they're an amazing group of actors to work with. They're so receptive and honestly so easy to work with because they really like to help themselves."

 

In her youth, Lesh worked with kids at summer and theater arts camps. Then she transitioned through young adulthood and adulthood while pursuing an acting career of her own. "As I became an actor and a working actress, it was kind of a natural flow to take what I was able to learn and then teach it to children," she says.

 

Her best advice for kids is to take classes: "Natural talent is an amazing thing, but it needs to be honed. On-camera commercial classes, on-camera [acting] classes, and private coaching really are some of the most important tools you can have." Lesh believes in coaching even for herself when she's preparing for auditions, and she says parents sometimes don't understand the important benefits of coaching in addition to classes. "It helps them transition from learning and memorizing lines into becoming well-rounded actors who make choices for themselves and are coachable in a room," she explains.

 

Lesh advises parents to be involved in their child's career, not only with marketing and follow-up but also by researching acting classes and coaches and helping the child build relationships with casting directors. She adds that a child may love auditioning at age 4 or 5, then stop loving it. "I think the really important thing is to really pay attention to your children," Lesh says. "Everybody has those days, but when you're having those days all the time, maybe it's time to step back and take some time off, have them take an improv class, something that's fun."

 

In describing Lesh, one parent writes, "She is incredibly fun, bubbly, enthusiastic, and helps the kids learn at their own pace, encouraging them every step of the way."

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