The 1st Team Actors Studio Coaches
Instructors at 1st Team Actors Studio are all working actors with training from the most reputable programs in LA, NY, and Chicago. Their impressive credits are only matched by their individual passion for guiding actors through this hard-to-navigate industry!
Lauren Nichols, Acting Coach & Co-Owner of 1st Team Actor Studio
Lauren Nichols is an LA trained actress and proud member of SAG-AFTRA. While living in Los Angeles, she studied intensely with elite training programs such as Lesly Kahn and Company, Tim Phillips, and the famous Groundlings School. Lauren can be seen in many national commercials including Digiorno, Nestle Tollhouse, Ciroq, Carnation, and Nokia. Her television credits include guest star roles on Chicago Justice (NBC) and Scandal (ABC). Lauren appeared as “Xtina” in Todrick Hall’s Pop Star High, which was successfully piloted after its release, and she recorded the original cast album. Her film credits include sharing the screen with fantastic talents such as Nicolas Cage in Dog Eat Dog, Madtown with Milo Ventimiglia, and Assassin’s Code with Justin Chatwin. She can also be seen in White Boy Rick, and Triumph’s Summer Election Special.
Questions about classes or training opportunities? Email Lauren@angelaboehmcasting.com
Bryant Carroll, Acting Coach
Bryant Carroll is a professional working actor whose work can be seen frequently on such networks as ShowTime, HBO, Netflix,Amazon, NBC, and CBS. Most recently he has worked with Rachel Brosnahan in the Amazon movie I’M YOUR WOMAN, the CBS show BLUE BLOODS, and Ohio native Todd Stephens film SWAN SONG.
Bryant started his career at a young age at Willoughby Fine Arts and Cleveland Ballet. He has danced with the likes of Cleveland Ballet, Cleveland Opera,Hartford Ballet, Altoona Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and New York Theatre Ballet. He then landed roles in the original Broadway cast of FOOTLOOSE and the revival of HAIR at City Center in 2001. Which led to his career in film, television and commercial.
Bryant studied acting with Leonard Pettite at the Micheal Chekhov studio in NYC as well as Lauren Patrice Nadler in LA. He has worked with the likes of Steve Buscemi ( Boardwalk Empire, Resevoir Dogs), Kathryn Hahn (HappyIsh,Bad Moms), the late great Michael Clark Duncan (Green Mile) , Tommy Chong (Cheech & Chong), Dan Lauria(Wonder Years), Breckin Meyer( Clueless and Enormity of Life which was shot in Cleveland) and Emily Kinney (Walking Dead), Rachel Brosnahan(Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Donny Wahlberg(New Kids on the Block, Blue Bloods).
Joe Masi, Acting Coach
Joe Masi was born and raised in Syosset, New York. He has been studying acting for over 20 years both as an actor and acting teacher. Joe holds an MFA in acting from Brooklyn College and studied for two years with Bill Esper at the William Esper Studios in NYC. He has taught at the collegiate level as well as within the studio system. Joe has worked on numerous television shows such as One Life to Live, All My Children, Guiding Light, Kidnapped and Law & Order SVU to name a few. He has also performed in many shows in NY theatre as well as regionally, most notably at The American Theatre in Tampa Florida where he played Juan Julian in Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz.
Joe moved to The Land 3 years ago to be closer to family and in the process has found a wonderful and thriving creative community.
Charles Moore, Directing, Production, and Screenwriting Coach
Charles Moore began his filmmaking career from the coffee-cup-up… working initially as a production assistant in his hometown of Cleveland, OH on such films as Welcome to Collinwood, Antwone Fisher, and the Sundance standout American Splendor.
Working in various capacities on features & shorts, commercials & industrials, to include: production management, assistant directing, casting, sound, art, grip & electric, has provided Charles a broad production perspective during his transition to feature film directing, writing & producing.
Charles wrote, directed & produced the award-winning feature narrative MADTOWN (starring Emmy nominated actor Milo Ventimiglia (This is Us, Heroes, Gilmore Girls)), which received a US theatrical & digital distribution release from SP/Sony Pictures. The film is also being distributed internationally and made its World Market Premiere at the Cannes Film Market.
Charles wrote & directed the award-winning short drama The Simple Path, which continues a current run of over 30+ international film festivals; produced the feature documentary Anatomy of a Film, an in-depth study of Stanley Kubrick’s early anti-war masterpiece Paths of Glory (starring Kirk Douglas); produced and co-stars in the feature narrative Beautiful Garden; and is currently developing, co-directing & producing a 10-part documentary series tribute to the incredible rock venues that have earned their spot in rock-n-roll mythology.
Kathleen Zion, Improv & Acting Coach
Kathleen Zion is a Cleveland, Ohio, native and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre with an emphasis on Acting from Wright State University. She also graduated from Chicago’s Second City Conservatory Program, studying under one of Second City’s founders, Michael Gellman. While living in Chicago, she completed the iO Chicago writing program under Michael McCarthy, a former Saturday Night Live writer. These classes helped hone her skill in sketch comedy writing, sitcom spec scripts, and writing for television. She continued her love of improvisational comedy while performing around Chicago with the improv troupe One Group Mind and participating in Sketch Fest with Mass St. Productions. Kathleen has been teaching the first all Down syndrome improv troupe with the group Stand Up for Downs. She was also a part of starting the first improvised exposer classes to help people with social anxiety.
In addition to her extensive training she can be seen in many commercials and industrials for Goodwill, DiGiorno, 4Moms, Dicks Sporting Goods, Proper Access, and Cube Space. You can also hear her voice over work for multiple national campaigns including Operation Next and the book “Twenty Something Self.”
Leilani Barrett, Voiceover Coach
Leilani Barrett (SAG-AFTRA•AEA) is a veteran of stage, television, film and voiceover with 30+ years of experience working in the industry and native of Cleveland, Ohio. He studied improvisation and writing at The Second City Cleveland, ACME Comedy Co. and The Groundlings in Hollywood,CA. His voice has been heard on commercials for McDonalds, Subway, First Energy, Ohio Lottery, Nike, Sam’s Club, Time Warner Cable, Cincinnati Bell and Safe Auto. In addition to his incredible career as a voiceover artist, his television and film credits include “Draft Day” with Kevin Costner, “Reel Steel” with Hugh Jackman, “Dog Eat Dog” opposite Nicolas Cage, “Curvature” opposite Glenn Moreshower, guest starring on NBC’s “Gone”,“Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” with Zac Efron and “The Big Ugly” opposite Ron Perlman.
You can give his voiceover reel a listen HERE
Michael Busch, Improv Coach
Michael Busch is a Cleveland native who has over fifteen years of professional experience in the Los Angeles comedy scene and entertainment industry as an actor, writer, director, and producer. His television and film acting credits include: The Goldbergs, Adam Ruins Everything, Glee, The Middle, Pretty Little Liars, The Ghost Whisperer, Community, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Arsenio Hall Show, Body of Proof, Hope & Randy, Franklin & Bash, Workaholics, Carpoolers, Miss March, and dozens of national commercials. Michael Busch is a graduate of IO’s improv training program and studied improv and sketch at The Upright Citizens Brigade with founders Matt Besser and Matt Walsh, among others. He has acted in sketches on Human Giant, Key & Peele, and Conan; written sketches and digital series for FunnyorDie, Comedy Central, AwesomenessTV, Break, and Maker Studios; was a member of multiple house improv (Harold) teams at IO West and UCBTLA, a writer/performer on a house sketch (Maude) team at UCBTLA, and has also written/directed/produced/acted in various other shows there.
Michael is now fulfilling a lifelong goal with the opening of Imposters Theater, a place to showcase, educate, and grow Cleveland’s vibrant alternative and independent comedy scene! To see what he’s up to check out their site here!
Megan Brautigam, Commercial & Children’s Acting Coach
Megan is an actress based in Cleveland with over 25 years of experience. After performing in over 50 musical theatre productions, she made the transition into TV/Film, with a specialty in commercial acting. Megan has booked many commercials and industrials (NFL, Honda, Acura, St. Elizabeth’s Healthcare, Wegmans, US Foods, Akron-Canton Airport, etc.) as well as film and television principal roles and, most recently, a new sitcom pilot. Megan has a recent online series of instructional videos for actors including: Audition tips, self-tape tips, how to impress CDs, and how to act professional on set. She co-produces comedy shows at Hilarities, and also performs standup comedy.
Having gained a lot of valuable experience, yet still realizing there is much more to be accomplished, Megan’s main objective is to help young students move effectively towards achieving their performing goals while providing insight regarding their professional journey and their growth as human beings.