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Ze Frank, featured performer Over 50 million people have visited ZeFrank.com, a large personal collection of Ze’s films, writings, games, interactive toys and collaborative online social spaces. From March 2006-March 2007, Ze created a daily videoblog, The Show, which drew a worldwide audience. Ze is an adjunct professor at NYU and the New School/Parsons School of Design, and frequently lectures for a variety of audiences on how technology has reframed the notion of creativity in modern society. As an entertainer, Ze performs one-man shows on technology, design, politics and anything else that makes him anxious.

Karen Benelli is an actress and writer living in NYC, Karen graduated in 2003 from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she studied at the Atlantic Acting School. NYC credits: The Mobius Group, Dreamscape Theatre, Point of You Productions, Instant Shakespeare Co., UrbanErotika, and the ATC453 New Works Series. Media Theatre, Philadelphia: in “The Wild Party” and “Cabaret.” Other favorite roles include Lennox in “Macbeth” and the Vampire in “Mad Forest.” As a playwright: short plays produced by Atlantic Acting School & Point of You Productions, and her first full length, “The Ghost of Greenbrier County” by the Rising Sun Performance Co. (2004). Karen is also a performance poet, and has released three chapbooks as well as a spoken word CD.

David Beukema is from Minneapolis, MN and received a BFA in Acting from Otterbein College in Westerville, OH in 2004. His college credits included "The Mikado" (American College Theatre Festival nomination),"The Laramie Project," "Art," and "Blithe Spirit" (Best Actor nomination, Central Ohio Theatre Critics). Regional credits: The Children's Theatre Company, Minneapolis; The Cincinnati Fringe Festival. New York credits: The Gallery Players, The Producer's Club, The Looking Glass Theatre.

Daniel Deferrari graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where he studied at the Atlantic Acting School and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. NYU/Atlantic: "Full Circle", "Goodbye Oscar" "Balm in Gilead". NY Theater: "Dread Awakening"(Primary Stages) and "Angel Mountain" (The Connelly). Williamstown Theater Festival: ” I have Loved Strangers,” "Triangle," "Spring Awakening." Founding member, The 7th Sign, a theater company started with fellow Atlantic grads. 7th Sign: "Happy Birthday Wanda June," "The Just Assassins," "Zastrozzi: The Master of Discipline." www.7thsign.info
Hadley Fitzgerald graduated from New York University, where she appeared in various theater projects, including children's theater, improv, as well as student films. She has also studied at Atlantic Acting School. Recently she completed an apprenticeship at the Williamstown Theater Festival, where credits included The Sugar Syndrome (Nikos), The War Before the Eskimos and Out of the Moon (Workshop). In addition to theater, she is pursuing work in independent film and voice-over and writing her first play.
Andre Harris enrolled at the Atlantic Acting School’s conservatory program when he was 17 years old. Since then he has been in varied productions in the city such as productions of “The One Armed Man” by Horton Foote, “Street Scene” by Elmer Rice and “The Red and Black,” written and produced by the Johnny Theatre Company of which he is a member. He was a member of Act One company at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2006.
Tamara Lovatt-Smith is a graduate of the Atlantic Acting School conservatory program, for which she currently teaches. Her training also includes ATYP and NIDA in Sydney. Tamara has worked as a producer and actor with Cheeky Monkey Productions, Mustard Seed Productions, MAGI Theatre and Camelbite in Sydney and Hair of the Dog in NYC. She also worked as an assistant producer with SEL & GFO (Tony winners: “Hairspray”) in Australia on the “Wizard of Oz,” “Grease!” and “Man of La Mancha.” Tamara is a co-founder of Hair of the Dog, an Australian theater/film production company based in New York. Hair of the Dog’s (New York) productions include: “He Died with a Felafel in His Hand,” “Secret Bridesmaids Business,” “The John Wayne Principle,” “Men,’ “Freak Winds” and the short film “The List.”
Jason Markouc holds an Master of Fine Arts degree from The American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He has performed onstage in California, Vermont, Ohio, and in New York; most notably in “Look Back in Anger,” “Never the Sinner,” and “Three Days of Rain.”
Adepero Oduye hails from Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of Cornell University, she studied acting at Black Nexxus with Susan Batson, at HB Studios with Austin Pendleton, and with Bob Krakower, and Karen Kohlhaas. Film credits include: “On The Outs” and “Half Nelson.” Theater credits include: “Countdown” and “The Last of Mrs. Lincoln.” She is a one-time Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion. She also directed, produced and performed in the variety show, “On The Spot” (NYC). Adepero was most recently seen in NBC's “Law & Order.”
Riji Suh graduated from Colgate University, majoring in Native American Studies and minoring in Spanish. Now she unites her love for language and life through theater. She is grateful to the teachers at Atlantic Acting School, the Labyrinth Theater Company, and the 2005 Shakespeare Lab at the Public Theater for opening her eyes. Riji is proud to have worked with NextNext Entertainment, DCTV and LinkTV, on “Chat the Planet- South Africa,” on hosting “SNAP,” and on the “Mainstreet America” bus tour east of the Mississippi. She continues working in NYC theater while exploring film; some of her favorite work is with the kids in the 52nd Street Project in Hells Kitchen.
WHAT WE ASKED THEM
We asked the industry professionals to tell us how many auditions they have seen (thousands and thousands!), what they are looking for, and what mistakes they see actors making over and over again. Throughout the video, they describe their preferences and pet peeves about:
- Material choices
- Movement choices
- How actors treat them in the room
- Whether an actor should address a monologue directly to them (most - but not all - of them had the same answer!)
In addition to their commentary throughout the video, there are 5 bonus sections, with a total of 30 minutes of material about:
- General audition advice
- Auditioning for college undergraduate and graduate programs
- Clothing preferences (not all agree!)
- More do’s and don’ts and suggestions about choosing material
- The most outrageous auditions they’ve seen!








