College Coaching for directors

The packages organize the approach:

I’ve observed that even the strongest applicants need a step-by-step guide to traverse this non-transparent process. My method, outlined in the packages below, creates a structure that sets the student up for success.

Individual Session:

$195 per hour

Each monologue Ellie chooses based on the student’s strengths is billed as one hour of time.

Package 1:

a to Z: College Coaching for Directors

This package mentors emerging directors through the entire directing audition, portfolio, and application process. It reduces anxiety and builds focus by offering an informed, organized approach. 

As a fellow director, I empathize with directors who need extra support in the acting portion of the process and find the right monologues to set them up for success. In addition, I guide the student in unearthing their unique perspective as a director, and in articulating and expressing that perspective in their portfolio, personal statements, and interviews. 

Package Includes:

  • 90-Minute Getting-to-Know-You Session: Ellie identifies the student’s voice as a director and their acting strengths to help her guide them in strategic portfolio and monologue choices. Ellie talks the student through her systematic approach to portfolio prep, interview prep, audition prep, answers questions, and assigns “directing exercise homework.” The student leaves the session with a clear plan of attack for their directing applications and auditions, and usually a huge sense of relief.

  • Basic Monologue Selection: Ellie chooses multiple monologues that would bring out the student’s strengths.

  • 60-Minute Try-On Material Session: Ellie guides the student through an introspective process to pick the best-fitting 2–3 monologues out of the options. Ellie teaches the student an embodied memorization technique and assigns memorization homework.

  • 90-Minute Portfolio & Essay Planning Session: Ellie guides the student through a creative process to make wise choices about play selection, essay topics, and other major content decisions. Ellie assigns homework so the student understands exactly how to approach working on each piece of the directing application. Ellie and the student lay out a plan for how the student will complete the assignments.

  • Three 60-Minute Monologue Coaching Sessions: Ellie coaches the monologues by leading the student through a series of exercises. This process is specifically designed to bring out the traits assessed in college auditions. 

  • Three 60-Minute Portfolio & Essay Planning Coaching Sessions: Ellie reviews, guides, and helps the student to refine their directing voice in all materials. 

  • 60-Minute “Audition Day” Consultation: Ellie teaches the student about what to wear, techniques to handle audition day nerves, and how to present oneself in the audition and interview room.

  • 60-Minute Practice Audition and Interview

  • Five hours of Review: Ellie independently reads and researches to find personalized monologue options that are not overdone and bring out the student’s strengths and looks over directing application materials ahead of time. 

  • Two 60-Minute Audition & Interview Tune-up Sessions: Ellie works with the student between auditions to maintain the quality of the audition pieces and to work through challenges discovered in auditions and interviews.

Package 2:

Active Support For Directors 

This package is ideal for students with busy high school careers who need the support and guidance of a coach to make decisions, stay on schedule, manage anxiety, and perform as their best self.

Package Includes ALL STEPS OF PACKAGE 1 plus:

  • Up to 3 Check-In Sessions a week to answer questions, strategize challenges, review current goals, and keep all tasks on schedule.

  • Coaching, Review, and Feedback for all Self-Tapes

  • Check In-Calls after each audition to process the experience and identify opportunities for growth.

  • As Needed Phone Calls with teachers, voice coaches, and parents to strategize support

  • For coaching packages, half of the total is due before we begin work, and the other half is due half-way through the process.

    Payment plans are available upon request.

    Zelle is preferred: (724) 651-6224

  • 24 Hours notice is required in order to reschedule.