Selections from Notes from Students 2005-2011

(1) With infinite patience you are getting me out of my “actory” ways and teaching me the virtues of stillness  and that the road to hell is paved with arm waving, hand gestures, too many facial expressions, twitching, fidgeting, and pregnant pauses. Like I said, “This lady knows what it’s all about.”
(2) I’ve realized (and not for the first time) how lucky I am to have found you for an instructor.
(3) I got the role that I wanted. Thank you so much for your help.
(4) You are indeed a great coach.
(5) It is a pleasure and an honor to have you lead me in my acting quest. I have never had a teacher who I have so much complete trust in.
(6) Wow, this is wonderful insight and direction. Thank you so much again. I booked that job.
(7) I am amazed at the progress I make with you on a weekly basis. I think I learn more from you in one hour than I did with all the other classes I ever took together combined.
(8) My audition was dramatically different, thanks to you of course. I felt very confident. I can’t thank you enough, I feel ready to take on the world!
(9) I for the first time felt prepared and competitive through prepping with you.
(10) I had one small speech where I was able to explore all the things we’ve worked on: pitch, rhythm, volume and vowel elongation…it’s made the world of difference to my acting, it really has.
(11) You are such a great coach. 
(12) Booked____Have a callback [booked it also] In both these auditions I took your advice. Thanks.
(13) Thank you for all of your support and teaching. You are amazing.
(14) Thank you, dear Ruth, for as always going a million miles beyond the bounds of all other coaches. You’re the best.
(15) I have learned more from you than you could imagine. It has been worth any MFA earned.
(16) Thank you for being a great coach and a great person with a personality bigger than this world.
(17) You continue to amaze me. I am so grateful that I’m learning from you. It is an honor to be communicating and working with a woman who is so professional and REAL. I have made more progress in one week toward
pursuing this dream than I have in 46 years. A lot of this progress is due to your encouragement.
(18) First, thank you, thank you for all your insight and coaching these last few days. It has meant the world to me and I have gained so much. Today, I walked into _________ Theater with confidence knowing that, yes indeed, I’ve had the best coaching/training in America!
(19) [I see] the lack of emotion in my eyes. It’s been slowly improving and I’ve been spending a lot of time in front of a mirror. My acting has improved greatly since I worked with you and I really must thank you again; it’s incredibly gratifying to see how differently I approach acting now, in terms of how lines sound. I know I didn’t achieve the breakthrough you were looking for but I still learned an incredible amount and I am so grateful.
(20) I want to thank you for all the energy you gave me and all you taught me about singing, acting and being. It took awhile for it all to sink in, but I’m happy to say I’m working quite a bit both as a singer and an actress
here in California. You have remained an inspiration and a touchstone for me through the years…I want you to know there is at least one person in California who thinks of you fondly and often. I am sure there are many.
(21)The audition went very, very well, and it would not have if I had not seen you. As I sat there. I listened over and over to the same shrill, naturalistic deliveries, flat, high-pitched, and I thought, Ruth was right!! Since they were pressed for time, I was warned I would just get to read the first scene. I nailed the first line, like you said, kept my voice down in my chest and played with the material. So instead, I read three scenes and also
improvised with the director and lead actor. I have no idea what the outcome will be, callback or no, but they were so enthusiastic and took a lot of time with me even though there were many waiting…I thank you again. You’re wonderful.
(22) New student (acting and standard American accent). After first lesson: I am very happy to study with you!
(23) From a mature actor asking my permission to add one of my articles to his blog: I think that this is a great opportunity for aspiring actors to learn. Lady, this is the first acting site that I have had confidence in. You have a lot to offer! You should charge more…
(24) You’re the best coach ever! (And quick too!)
(25) Thanks, Ruth!!!!You truly inspired me yet again tonight.
(26) You are a true angel that I found and thank you so much for teaching me. I am way more peaceful and I know that I have a long way to go but with you watching over it I know that technique will show. so thank you.
(27) Ruth you are that person that I’ve been looking for all the years since I started taking acting classes. I told you before that you are my mentor, coach, teacher……..YOU ROCK!!!! Working with you I know that my
goals are going to be reached, don’t know how long it’s going to take, but as you said “I have patience.” Thank you for your support and believing in me, and to let your Sirius star shine on me too.
(29) I wanted to share with you that our sessions were very helpful and that I recently gave a speech on a party cruise with an audience of 150 people, for the first time without using any notes (something I always felt I could
not do). I memorized the speech (also something I always felt I could not do) and was able to be more dynamic and allow people into my heart, or share my heart with the audience, whichever way. Thank you for your help!
(30) Thank you Ruth, for your warm and encouraging words, so much appreciated during a very difficult time in my life.
(31) [In spite of my new job] I still managed to sneak in an audition for a _____commercial. I have to say I had you on my shoulder the whole time. It was amazing how much your teachings kicked in. I was not my usual nervous. I left my doubts at home sleeping on the couch watching TV and told them I would be back later. I walked in [to the audition] and told myself I am as good as the best and better than most.  It was one of my most comfortable auditions. I didn’t get the copy before hand so I couldn’t call you to go over it. So I used my imagination 😉
(32) I am jealous of the students that get to see you I hope they realize what a treasure you are. When I can get into the city, I’d love to see you.
(33) Even 2 years ago I could never of done a great long monologue like this. I can ‘handle’ the text with ease. The pace and the energy is there. And I have you to thank for this. If one knows British technique, one knows how to handle a long monologue. Forget the audience; an actor needs to know BT [British Technique] or he’ll put himself to sleep with this monster. (About performing a difficult Chekhov role in a fully staged production)
(34) I really worked at using what I have learned of the technique and I really wanted be able to show that off to you. A compliment from Ruth is like pay day. They are the greatest because you know you really earned it. I want to keep on pushing myself like that. It was a work out and very rewarding. I look forward to our next session.
(35) Thanks for today’s lesson Ruth. Personally I’ve been in such a rare state emotionally that I almost called out. Best decision I never made. Your advice hit many truths for me and I am grateful for your stories.
(36) I am thankful for you, Ruth.
(37) I thank you for having the patience to not give up on getting me where I want to go with acting and for being one of the most wonderful people I know.
(38) I just wanted you to know that I am still pursuing my dream. Thank you, again, for your part in making it happen!
(39) I am very lucky to have met you, and I enjoy coming to see you every week. You are a wonderful teacher and mentor.
(40) The reading went well. I completely had their attention. You could see on their faces that they were not expecting me to read like that AT ALL!!! I truly believe they are expecting lots ranting and raving about the room. Arms flying about. Emotional breakdowns. They sort of sat there in slight shock, so I don’t know if they liked or hated it, but I certainly had
their attention. Most importantly, I TOOK A CHANCE!! They have to give me credit for that. The most valuable part of today was that we went in there and gave them something to think about other than the norm. The stillness exploding inside me, the voice, the delivery, them coming to me instead me going to them, everything was different. I walked out of there giving them an option. That’s a huge breakthrough for me. And I thank you for all the time, advice, investment, and swift kicks in the rear. Now I’m excited to do more.
(41) I appreciate your up front honesty and you have amazing energy. Thank you for being a great acting coach and thank you for going above and beyond your coaching duties and being a concerned friend.
(42) I got the role [in Cabaret] that I wanted. Start rehearsing next week. Thank you so much for your help.
(43) You are indeed a great coach. Thanks to you I am successfully climbing the stand-up ladder.
(44) It’s proof that I’m already reaping the benefits of your intuitive teachings! I booked a commercial. [After 2 lessons]
(45) I’m sure we (your accent and acting students) all feel lucky to find you as our great teacher.
(46) I was lucky to come across you and your teachings. I feel I’ve already made vast improvements in the short time we’ve had.
(47) Sometimes I will pick a random monologue I’ve never read and I believe I read them better than I’ve ever read before…A mix of all the things I learned from you, the fact that that little voice isn’t so powerful any more
[“little voice” refers to the negative tapes that run in our head.] I deeply appreciate all of your wisdom that you have handed down to me.
(48) Ruth, I want to thank you for your kindness, generosity and faith in me. Not only that, but your wisdom, talent and determination are what I aspire to. Thank you so much.
(49)…the casting director said I was a great actress, and that I did loud, obnoxious and menacing very well. LOL. Thank you so much for being my teacher. I felt really prepared and it’s all because of you.