The Art and the Audition with Karen Kohlhaas
New York, NY
US
Karen Kohlhaas
Hi Everyone,
FEARLESS COLD READING is a fun, practical 10-point system that helps you
• Make bold choices regardless of prep time
• Know what to prioritize
• Put adventure back into your auditioning
• Handle your NON-ACTING moments with confidence and ease
Join us! Complete description below.
~Karen
KAREN KOHLHAAS is an Atlantic Theater Co. founding member, senior teacher, and Off-Broadway director. She was named Best NYC Cold Reading Teacher and Best NYC Monologue Teacher by Backstage readers and is the author of 3 books on monologues and auditioning. She offers private classes in monologues, cold reading, advanced acting, and Tennessee Williams online and sometimes in New York City, and guest teaches around the country. See below for full bio and comments from alumni.
NOW ENROLLING
Wednesdays | 6-9pm Eastern | June 11, 18, 25 [skip July 2], July 9—Very limited space open
Tuition: $350 | payment plans available
How to apply | Reply to this post with your resume
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What we do in class:
FEARLESS COLD READING works for all kinds of reading auditions—in person, online, or self-tape. It tells you what to prioritize and focus on no matter how much prep time you have—from ice cold to weeks and weeks.
CLASS 1 | We start with a diagnostic read that's recorded so you can compare it to your reads in the last class. (The results are often dramatically different!) Then, I'll teach you my 10-point system: the ten skills and qualities that you need to stand out in any reading type of audition.
CLASS 2 | You'll learn how to quickly assess genre, style, objectives, circumstances and tone. We review and check in with your progress on the 10 points. I'll teach you about key moments—when something shifts or changes in a script, and how to take advantage of those moments to give your reading more surprise, variety and depth. We record your slates, and I teach you a technique that will help you stand out with the quality of your slates.
CLASS 3 | I'll give you 10 minutes with brand new scripts and tell you what to prioritize if you only have a very short time to look over a script. We work those scripts, and also focus on working well with good, neutral, and terrible readers (you'll also learn how to be a great reader!). We fine-tune your slates, and talk about how to chat effectively, picking up on cues from your auditors. We start part 1 of "Industry Chat": how to handle yourself effectively in the room, answering common industry questions & requests like "How do you see yourself?" and "Tell me a little about you." Knowing how to chat effectively can sometimes tip the balance to a callback or a booking.
CLASS 4 | We record a new, ice-cold reading as the "after" example so you can see the difference from your reads in the first class. We also record slate "afters" with feedback. We work "Industry Chat" part 2, and finish the class by watching your cold reading "befores and afters" as well as your slate "befores and afters". Everyone leaves with feedback on what and how to keep working on everything from class! I frequently have groups and partners who continue to meet and support each other long after classes end.
This class will positively change how you read at auditions.
We tape your first and last reads—so you can see the difference for yourself!
WHAT ACTORS ARE SAYING:
I was asked to cold read in a firing squad type situation where three agents watched me read while sitting on a couch about 3 feet away from me. I aced it, and even after previously telling me he had no more room for me on his roster the agent was suddenly trying to make some room. Honestly I would have choked on that cold read and those interviews before I took your class. I feel so much more prepared and I just want to thank you again.—CLEM McINTOSH
One of the producers pulled me aside to tell me my audition/cold read was one of the best she had seen in the auditions, and that obviously whatever audition classes I had taken paid off. This came only weeks after completing your cold reading class.—JASON BARKER
I had to cold read at an audition the other day with a casting director and she said, "I can't believe you just got that side 2 minutes ago!" I felt so confident in making bold instinctual choices, so thank you again!—MONICA WEST
I just got a callback for the first audition I have had since your class and I think listening to my reader, going back to the script and keeping the energy up made an extraordinary difference in both my performance and ability to be open to direction. And, best of all, the audition was really fun.—ANNA KULL
My cold reading skills are becoming really sharp by practicing what you taught us in class!—HILARY GREER
Your fearless cold reading technique helps me feel like I am in so much more control of any character that I am auditioning for and gives me more confidence in the audition room. Your techniques have helped my career tremendously.—BRIAN MORGAN
My friends have noticed a change in me, not just professionally, and it's partly because of the 'peace' your class has brought me. My auditioning has become stronger and my “Oh S***” moments are much fewer and farther between in a short amount of time. I've sent recommendations to my friends to take your class.—MAYA LYNNE ROBINSON
Your valuable class completely shifted my perspective on auditioning. My auditions have already improved significantly, and I believe this is just the beginning.—EREL PILO
Just auditioned for a movie & they said they were blown away by my listening skills - that they could have watched me listen all day! That's thanks to your fearless cold reading lessons. Feeling empowered;)—ALLISON THREADGOLD
It was just me and the filmmaker. She gave me a quick sketch of my character, then gave me the script and let me read through the page once. Then I read with her while she recorded me on her phone. I kept in mind a few important points that Karen has taught us. When I was done, the filmmaker literally said, "I'm impressed with how well you can cold read." She told me she liked me and that I really "got" what the character was all about. She cast me on the spot.—MIRIAM LI
ABOUT KAREN
KAREN KOHLHAAS is an Atlantic Theater Company founding member, director, and senior teacher. She developed and teaches her own approach to monologue audition technique, which was recently recommended in Helen Mirren's Master Class on acting, and which she teaches in New York, around the US, internationally, and now online.
Director | For Atlantic, Karen has directed productions of plays by Harold Pinter, David Mamet, Annie Baker, Keith Reddin, Kia Corthron, Shel Silverstein, Hilary Bell, Joe Penhall, and Kate Moira Ryan. She has also directed for Primary Stages, the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater, Naked Angels, Ars Nova, Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York Live Arts, 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, the Alley Theatre, Houston, New Dramatists, Menagerie Theatre in Cambridge, UK, The Culture Project, the Practical Theater Co. in Sydney and others.
Teacher | Karen is a master teacher of the Practical Aesthetics acting technique with over 30 years in the classroom, and is a senior teacher at the Atlantic Acting School's conservatory programs. She teaches her own NYC classes in Acting, Directing, Monologues, and Fearless Cold Reading & Audition Technique. She teaches guest workshops around the country and internationally, including theaters, universities, and conferences in Atlanta, Austin, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Cleveland, Houston, Miami, Mississippi, England, Australia, and Italy.
Author | Karen is the author of 3 books, and director of a 120 minute DVD on her monologue techniques. Her first book, The Monologue Audition is a Backstage must-read.
Filmmaker | Karen's films include two with acclaimed performer/playwright Taylor Mac, several short documentaries; and the instructional film Roots & Branches 5 Element Qi Gong for the T'ai Chi Foundation.
Tennessee Williams Scholar | Karen has been researching and creating a full length documentary and book on Tennessee Williams' Mississippi Delta roots. She has been a panelist and presenter many times at the New Orleans and Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festivals, and has curated and co-founded, with St. George's Episcopal Church, the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum in the former residence of Williams and his family. She teaches Tennessee Williams advanced scene study online, and in-person workshops in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Jun 11, 2025 - Jul 9, 2025
$0.00 – $0.00 per hour
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