To Whom It May Concern, I have had the great pleasure of knowing Anthony Montes for over twelve years, having first seen him as an actor on stage. My respect and regard for him has only grown since that time as I have become close to him personally and have witnessed, first hand, the many facets and levels of his talent. After seeing him numerous times on the stage and having become familiar with his writing, most notably the screenplay "the cleaners," which I attempted to produce, I asked Anthony to direct a staged reading of my original romantic comedy "Burning Desire." The production was held as a fundraiser for Aids Project LA and was mounted at the Coronet Theatre in Hollywood starring Noah Wyle, Brooke Shields, Swoosie Kurtz and myself. The production was hugely successful raising over fifty thousand dollars for the charity. Anthony's capable and sensitive staging and direction of the production were a major factor in how well it was received. In addition, as the author of the piece, I was amazed and delighted by the intelligence and insight that Anthony brought to the production, illuminating deeper layers within my words and in my performance of them. It certainly should not have come as a surprise. I have also had the pleasure of sitting in and guest directing in Anthony Montes's acting class. As anyone who is familiar with Anthony knows, he is fiercely and tirelessly committed to the Art of Acting. His knowledge and acumen extends far beyond the Meisner Technique and he brings all of his experience and insight into all things theatrical into the room for the benifit of his students. Moreover, Anthony has the sensitivity and ability to take his vast knowledge of the process and apply it specifically to the needs of the individual student, ever challenging but always supporting the journey of the actor, be they beginner or seasoned pro. His Passion for The Art is highly admirable, but it is his Compassion for his fellow Artists that truly make Anthony a unique and special mentor in a difficult, trying and deeply personal craft. Much Respect and Many Blessings, Lou Diamond Phillips |
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Mark Pellegrino - Actor: Supernatural, Dexter.
I watched Anthony work as an actor many years ago when I joined the theatre company, 'Playhouse West'. He was a great inspiration for me, and his work and integrity have been a standard that has served me to this day. Many years later we came together again at the Paris Film Academy where he and I (and my wife Tracy) taught the Meisner technique to aspiring young French students. Needless to say he was great. Patient. Clear. Inspiring. I watched the students transform from young, aspiring actors, to alive, energetic artists. THAT is the key to good teaching: The ability to transform another person by opening the doors to their hidden talent. Anthony can and does do that. As a teacher (for over 17years) and a working actor (of over twenty years experience) I think I know whereof I speak. To conclude, Anthony would be credit to any student he works with. Thanks for your time. Peace, Mark Pellegrino |
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David Seltzer - WRITER/DIRECTOR (THE OMEN, PUNCHLINE)
Trust is something needed, but rarely earned by teachers; Anthony inspires trust. There is not a dishonest moment in his approach to life, or to teaching - and what is acting about, if not finding the truth? Those fortunate enough to join his world will find themselves empowered to walk unfamiliar paths and to believe in themselves. David Seltzer |
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TESTIMONIALS
Holly Baumann - SINGER/SONGWRITER Actors taught by Mr. Montes are amongst the best trained. Their work is always truthful and they are always well prepared. Peter DeAnello - owner of BIG FISH TALENT AGENCY Denver Anthony is a very personable professional teacher who truly cares about his students. He establishes a safe environment which allows his students to explore and create freely without inhibitions. Learning and practicing in this atmosphere enables the actor to see what works and to use these acquired skills out in the "real" world (to land jobs). Reagan Vasher - ACTRESS.WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER Working in Anthony's class is always challenging and fun. Most importantly, he keeps it about the work - focused and clear. Patty Heath - ACTRESS/WRITER I'm a long time student of Anthony's and I can honestly say every actor in Hollywood needs a dose of what he teaches. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned veteran. A truly down to earth guy, who teaches actors how to feel and experience the character, not how to "act" it. Roger Gutierrez - ACTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER I have had the pleasure of knowing Anthony Montes for 17 years, and have never met anyone with such an intense passion for the theatre. Anthony has been my acting teacher, coach, director, fellow actor and a genuine friend. His teaching taught me how to be free as an actor, and find areas within myself that I never knew existed. Anthony is very perceptive and supportive of each and every one of his students. He understands their needs and has a strong desire to help students grow and succeed. When I first started studying with Anthony, I couldn't believe his level of commitment, his loyalty and enthusiasm. His knowledge, love for teaching and his creative methods never cease to amaze me. It is difficult to find a great actor who is also a tremendous teacher, but if you look in Anthony Montes' direction your search is over. Anthony, I can't thank you enough for what you have taught me as an actor, a friend and a fellow human being. God Bless You. Saverio Persico - ACTOR Anthony's knowledge of Meisner allows him to take all actors to that next level, He taught me so much with my technique, acting, writing and reality that I've seen drastic improvements in my in my acting. Easiest guy to work with ever. Thank you Anthony. Bear Badeaux - ACTOR/WRITER Tony is not only one of the finest examples of a man I know but the best acting coaches I've ever studied with. He's one of those rare creatures that is not only a brilliant actor himself but can translate his mastery of the art form in a way that others find easy to understand. His commentary and feedback are always insightful, but more importantly his comments are delivered in such a kind and compassionate way that he naturally brings out the best in all his students. I cannot recommend Tony highly enough. I've been blessed to have studied with and worked with the man - may many others be as blessed and fortunate!!!! Gloria Hylton - ACTRESS/WRITER Anthony and his approach and passion for Acting has molded me into a more honest Actor, a more involved Director, and most important...A more caring Human. Anyone truly interested in the exploration into the Acting Experience should check him out! He will help you find what is inside you that will make you the type of person you need to be, to be the quality actor you dream of becoming. He finds the Truth in the Craft. I will always be grateful for having met and experienced The Artist Theatre Group and Anthony Montes. Dennis Curry - STAGE 6 PRODUCTIONS, ACTOR/DIRECTOR/WRITER I have worked with and have known Tony for many years after our 1st meeting at The Actor's Studio. He welcomed me into The Artist Theatre Group and I gladly joined. He directed me in "Private Wars" with great insight and was wonderfully imaginative. We also worked on "Welcome To The Moon" together and were well received by critics and audiences. And, we continued to work together on many projects. He always strives for and achieves artistic success. He is a wonderfully talented actor, writer and director who exemplifies integrity and passion with his work. Paul Navarra - ACTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER New York Tony is a force from the source. He has a passion for honest behavior, and he demands it from his students. His presence warms up the stage; he has a gosh darned light inside him! He is patient, dedicated, compassionate, thoughtful, and brilliant. He really cares. He gives the theatre, and me, hope. Nahid Varjavand - ACTRESS Tony is one of the most passionate and dedicated teachers I know. His joy for the work shines through every moment he teaches. James DiStefano - ACTOR (Actors Studio Member) From the first time I sat in and participated in one of Anthony's classes over five years ago, I knew it was an environment I wanted to be in. It was welcoming, and even more importantly, it was conducive to growth. From that first class, I have since had the pleasure of working with Anthony in Play Productions and have also been able to use his coaching on films and other projects. Anthony's passion for "The Work," is ever inspiring, and his understanding of it is masterful. He has a gift for teaching that every student wants and needs. Ryan Conklin - ACTOR Anthony Montes is an amazing acting coach as well as a loving, caring, compassionate human being and an outstanding actor. I could watch him act all day long. As an acting teacher, Anthony Montes teaches you to find yourself in the part and to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances. When I began studying with Anthony, I knew I had a passion for acting but didn't know how or where to direct that passion and energy. He took me in, made me feel welcome and like I had something great to contribute. I loved studying with Anthony Montes and will always consider his teachings as the foundation of my acting. Elisa Dyann - ACTRESS Anthony is one of the best teachers I've met! His enthusiasm, presence, love and respect for his students and is professionalism is unique! He's constantly challenging the students to grow in their acting and providing them with the support and the push they need to become their best. I had the opportunity to have him as a teacher in the Meisner Technique. It was fantastic to see everyone in my class grow as individuals and actors. Desiree "Dissan" Rosborg - ACTOR - SWEDEN I had the pleasure of having Anthony Montes as my Meisner teacher. It is pretty difficult to put into words how much I grew as an actor in his class. He broke down the enigmatic Meisner method into a process I could not only follow but also benefit from to this day. He was always there when I had a question either during or after class and he wasn't opposed to meeting after class to go over things. I had fantastic moments in class as well as being able to witness my peers have moments of their own. As helpful as his notes were for me, the greatest part of all was being able to sit as an audience member and watch as he gave others notes, direction, and feedback. My goals as far as being a professional actor are far from reached, however I firmly believe that what Anthony taught me truly gives me a foundation that makes all my goals obtainable. Kanin Guntzelman - ACTOR, DIRECTOR, WRITER Anthony's class was one of my favorites and I definitely loved the Meisner Technique. I really learned a lot. He made us understand this technique by using lots of great exercises and he was patient explaining if anyone needed more time to understand. Plus, I feel I learned the most with him because I worked in the moment without using my old experiences as the Stanislavsky technique requires it, and for sure it helped me a lot for film. I strongly recommend him as a teacher. He is one the best I have had in my whole career. Gabriela Oviedo - ACTRESS - MEXICO I was a student at NYFA from March - October 2008. During that time, I was in Anthony's Meisner class and quite honestly he's the best professor there. While I was in school I noticed that the most believable scene work happened in that class and that's also where I truly developed my acting ability. He really works well with the students making each one feel as if they are the most important student when they are working without taking away from the other classmates. He is respectful and his critiques are always delivered with kindness. His intuition I feel is spot on. He can listen to a student read a script and know where their difficulties lie. Whether it's trouble with getting the script down, building up walls, or an inability to connect with the character they are portraying he has a vast array of techniques that help them overcome each obstacle until the words come off the page and sound real as if they were never written at all -- as if that person is just speaking in the moment. Now working in the industry I have found the techniques I use the most that help me deliver an honest performance and land the part, I learned in Anthony's class. The tools he has given me and the continued advice whenever I need it is always up to date, relevant, and useful. Samantha Goodsell - ACTRESS As a student of MFA filmmaking in NYFA, I think I'm SO lucky that I had a chance to take Anthony Montes's acting class. Anthony is one of my favorite instructors in NYFA (even in my life) though he only had me in class for 2 months. He is really impressive to me. Having his class is such a good memory for me as reading a inspiring book by the Seine River in warm spring. Through his class, I know that he has extremely charming characteristics, outstanding teaching skills, and very fast comprehension. He understands human-beings very deeply as a professional psychologist so that "Accuracy," "Logic," and "Sensitiveness," is also part of his class with his passion and love of acting. He really let students feel the MOMENTS and the POWER of the art of acting. The way that he inspired me to "Live In The Moment," is one of the best and powerful experience I have had: even till today. I don't have any acting experience before and I'm always very shy so that I like to hide my emotion in public - but obviously, Anthony was successful to let me release and touch myself easily by guiding me to go deep into that situation of the scene. I really appreciate that - not only for his help with my acting, also for the inspirations that I got from him for my directing, doing art and even facing my real life. Xiaowei Zhong - FILMMAKER - CHINA From the first day I met Anthony, I knew that it was going to be a fun, safe environment. He greeted everyone, talked about his own acting background and made everyone feel very comfortable. He gave us a full introduction on who Sanford Meisner was what he taught and believed in. Before I came to the school, I had never heard of Sanford Meisner and I didn't even know that there were so many different acting techniques. When he was talking, I could see the passion in his eyes for acting and could see that he clearly know what he was talking about and not relying on text. This passion was there because of the fact that he actually studied under Meisner and understood the process of what it took to become a great actor. In the two years I spent with Anthony I learned the importance of site reading, taking out the punctuation of dialoge in memorization, preparation, creating background stores for the the character you are becoming and most importantly, of just "Living Truthfully In Imaginary Circumstances. I never would have imagined that I could have the confidence to do some of the activities that I did in front of an audience. I had to be a certain character and not worry about the audience and what they thought of me. I was growing up and finding myself and gaining more confidence in the work that I created and presented. I want to thank Anthony Montes for two years of fun, two years of learning and two years of finding myself and understanding my potential as an actress. If I were to go back to the New York Film Academy, I would love to take Anthony's class again and gain more skills in acting. I have learned an acting teachnique that will stay with me forever and I am happy to have learned it. Lauren "Courtney" Gregory - ACTRESS - MFA GRADUATE While attending NYFA, Anthony Montes was one of my teachers. I was lucky enough to be learning Meisner from someone that had studied with Sandy Meisner directly. Anthony taught me to listen, to really listen, understand and feel your partner's behaviour and emotions. I still use everything I learnt from Anthony when preparing for an audition. Anthony taught me with great patience, understanding and respect for his students and it was a great privilege to be in his class. I know many other people will benefit from having a teacher with such detailed knowledge of this technique and who can lead them in exploring their craft and growing as an artist, as I did. Katherine Crouch - ACTRESS - Austrailia If I had to describe Anthony Montes in one word it would be, "Real." There is nothing phony about Anthony. What you see is what you get. You can be guaranteed that he is the real deal and he expects that in return from you. What is meant by this is that his technique of teaching Meisner helps exemplify the reality of acting. He teaches you to be in the moment and stay out of your head, forcing you to be completely truthful. This leaves no room for "acting." The best thing about Anthony is he is a hands on teacher. So to prep for some exercises he first did it himself. He was never afraid and truly believed in doing every exercise by example, either solo or with us if it called for it. This was so powerful because it helped us gain trust for Anthony and broke any intimidation, or barriers and it helped us relate and connect with him. Putting us on the same level and ultimately feeling safe. He gets a true feel for the class and takes his time to get to know every student and the class as a whole. Anthony is able to detect what works best for you and caters to helping you succeed to your potential. His down to earth style makes you enthused to go to class and to work with him because you can count on a freeing and improving session. Anthony is very honest and tells you how it is. With kindness and consideration you will always be aware of the reality of your performance. This makes for a trusting relationship with Anthony as your teacher. I am very thankful for what he has done for me as a person and as an actor. I also hope to continue learning from him, as it has always been beneficial. Maria Gobetti - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR -THE VICTORY THEATRE Anthony is the kindest man on Earth and by far the Greatest Acting Teacher I ever had. So generous, so passionate, so ethical. He always treated all the students exactly the same way, no matter their levels of talent, interest or difficulty. His teaching never stimulates competition, it's about silencing our egos and putting us in the present. I went to NYFA to learn how to act and suprisingly Anthony taught me how "not to act," but to be truthful and generous with myself and with my scene partner, he taught me to trust the moment so I could give myself up to it and let the truth show free of judgements. Anthony's teaching speaks from heart to soul and makes you understand acting in a whole different level. He really has the gift of teaching and I can only thank him for reminding me of the REAL reason why I love Acting so much. |
