The Susan Giosa Acting Studio is about the personal, individual development of each artist

Philosophy

The Susan Giosa Acting Studio is about the personal, individual development of each artist. The goal is to understand how you, as a unique person and actor, work and eventually become master of your own acting technique.

A Personal Message from Susan

My goal is to teach each student to be a master of his or her own craft. My acting technique has been shaped by working intensely with acclaimed acting teacher, Larry Moss, my graduate studies at RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts), and honed by my experiences as a working actress for over thirty years. Students often study years with the same teacher and never develop professional careers. They become too comfortable and stagnate in the safety of the classroom. Every student needs individual attention in order to fulfill his or her full potential. I not only teach the art of acting but I also guide my actors towards thriving and productive careers in the truly competitive world of show business.

Welcome. I look forward to working with you -- Susan Giosa

Susan's Biography

Ms. Giosa continued her education and received a Masters Degree in Drama-Theatre from the same university. Much of her graduate work was done in England at the prestigious acting schools in London, RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) and LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts). While there, she had the honor of performing at the world famous Edinburgh International Festival. Her graduate advisor was the late Bertram Joseph, a leading expert on William Shakespeare and his works. Her thesis, "Maureen Stapleton, The Life of an Actress", was written from personal interviews she conducted with the extraordinary stage and film actress herself. Susan also spent time interviewing Eli Wallach, Ms. Stapleton's close friend and an accomplished actor in his own right, and Sam Cohn, Maureen's theatrical agent at ICM.

Upon completing her thesis, Susan, was privileged to study at the Warren Robertson Actor's Studio in New York City with now renowned acting teacher and coach, Larry Moss. Moving to Los Angeles with her husband, comedian Glenn Hirsch, Susan, was thrilled that Larry Moss relocated to Santa Monica around the same time. As she continued to study with her mentor her professional career began to "take off".

One month after moving to Los Angeles she was cast as Emilia the Maid in "Tamara" which became Los Angeles' longest running play, and Ms. Giosa won both the LA Drama Critic's Award and the Drama-Logue Award for her performance. This began her journey toward a diversified and rewarding career. Her first television credit was St. Elsewhere, and she continued to work for the Steven Bochco Company on many of their other shows including Hill Street Blues, LA Law and NYPD Blue.

Susan's first love remains the stage and she particularly enjoys originating roles. She had the pleasure of working with the Tony Award winning director, Jack O'Brien, when she created the role of Angie in the comedy "Breaking Legs" by Tom Dulack at the Old Globe Theatre. She won the San Diego Theatre Critics Award and went on to play Angie at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and finally in New York City opposite Vincent Gardinia and Philip Bosco under the direction of the Tony Award winning director, John Tillinger. She was nominated for the Outer Circle Critics Award for Outstanding Debut of an Actress in a Comedy in 1993.

Susan's other numerous stage credits include starring as "Bella" opposite, Mercedes McCambridge, in the First National Tour of Neil Simon's Pulitzer Prize winning play "Lost in Yonkers" and with, Burt Young, in "View from the Bridge" for which she won a Drama-Logue Award. Other credits include performing at the Ensemble Studio Theatre (member for three years), and for both the Italian-American and Spanish-American theatres in NYC where her leading roles ranged from Joan in "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" to original pieces, "the Mud Club", written by, Jane Anderson, to classical theatre, Cleopatra in "Anthony and Cleopatra" and the female lead in Pirandello's "Cece". She starred in the West Coast premiere of "The Sweepers" at the ICT, International City Theatre, at the Long Beach Performing Art Center. The production received rave reviews and the LA Times Critic's Choice. Ms. Giosa was also awarded Best Actress in a Drama by stageLA.com for her role of Bella. She then originated 4 different characters in the new comedy, Stated Income, at the Pan Andreas Theater in LA, written by playwright, Hugh Gross. Susan then appeared in the World Premiere of the new play, My Mother's Keeper/ A Memory Play, written by Jane Press, at the Electric Lodge Theater in Venice. She played Della Press, based on the real life of theater actress, Thelma Colodny, and received rave reviews. 

Susan has appeared in over 30 television shows and films. Others include: Beverly Hills 90210, Cold Case, Reasonable Doubts, Equal Justice, and recurring roles on the series Head of the Class, Paper Dolls and Baby Talk, and several appearances on NYPD Blue. Pilots include "Married to the Mob" and "Kelley, Kelley" with Shelley Long. Susan also had the pleasure of working with Joanne Woodward, in the Emmy Award winning TV movie "Do You Remember Love?" Film credits include "True Friends" on HBO, "White Palace", "The First Power", "Once in a Blue Moon" (Showtime), and a starring role in the Sci-fi film "America 3000". Susan also filmed the role of Ms. Thompson in the feature film, After the Wizard, which won the International Family Film Critic's Award (now on Amazon) and a supporting role, Sandy Rothman, in the comedy feature Tell Me I Love You (now on Netflix.).

The versatile actress is also a professional dancer and her first film credit was Saturday Night Fever. While still in school she auditioned for choreographer, Lester Wilson, and spent two months dancing to the Bee Gee's music alongside John Travolta. She was a featured dancer in the European dance tour titled Saturday Night Fever. In Los Angeles she danced a solo as the "Mother" in Ray Bradbury's "Frost and Fire", a short story adapted for the stage by choreographer Zina Bethune. Other TV dance credits include a National Dodge commercial with Will Ferrell, and the TV pilot, Glow, Life in Pieces, Switched at Birth, and Major Crimes.

Susan writes with her husband, Glenn Hirsch, and they've had series in development at HBO and Showtime. They produced "Comedy Club Superstars", a special for CBS that starred Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reizer and Tim Allen.

In 1996, Susan, gave birth to her daughter, singer/songwriter Zoe Nicole Giosa-Hirsch. She chose to travel less in her career in order to spend time being an at home mother. In 2000, she began to teach acting and discovered a new passion in her life. She opened the Susan Giosa Acting Studio in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California and often teaches acting seminars in NYC. Zoom has made it possible for her to reach and coach actors all over the world. Now she manages to balance a professional acting career, teaching career and family life. She believes living life fully makes one a better actor and tries to set an example for her students. A native New Yorker, Ms. Giosa, remains bi-coastal. Susan Giosa's endless passion for all aspects of her life inspires her students to become not only working actors, but to have fulfilling lives as healthy artists.

Ms. Giosa’s first acting book, FREEING YOUR EMOTIONAL CORE – For the Actor and Artist, explains her approach to acting, her unique warm-up, emotional exercises, and script analysis. It is also a book for all individuals who wish to free themselves of their fear of judgment and be more authentic as a performer and person - available on Amazon and her website.