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Fellow super stars! Many of you may know me through my years as Donise Hardy's "right hand woman" at Casting Works LA in Austin. I may have even auditioned you at some point. If not, at the end of this letter is a little about me so you can guage my endorsement. Beyond all, if you speak with anyone who knows me, they'll tell you that my ultimate goal as a member of the Texas acting community is, and always has been, our global growth as a talent pool. We have a connection! When I started my professional acting career in Houston, I attended several of the first meetings of the Round Table (in fact, I remember when the name was decided upon)! A very dear friend and former student of mine, Chad Brannon (now in LA and known for his 3 year role as Zander Smith on General Hospital) attended together my last time. I was thrilled to hear that it is still going strong. When I moved to Austin, I helped start another similar type of actor group called the Austinactors that some of you may know from www.austinactors.net You can read some of my articles in the archives if you are really bored some day!! Anyway, I introduce myself with this so that you have some trust in my seemingly exagerrated love of these two guys - Bentley Mitchum and Joe Napolitano.

On training...If you don't know me well, I have a theatre degree from the University of Texas at Austin and have studied with the best private coaches (according to reputation) in each of the major Texas cities. I have been blessed with great information received from all of the teachers who have shared their insights. One particular individual and technique, however, has made the most profane impact on my life and career.

If you know me, you've probably heard me singing the praises of "Aggressive Scene Winning" with Bentley Mitchum and have expressed a great interest in learning this technique that I'm so on fire about. I cannot explain the technique except to say that it involves elements of everything I have ever learned. The big difference is that it is contemporary, it is not just about acting, and it works. It takes all of your desire and ambition and uses it to "win" every acting scene and audition. The technique he teaches is far beyond just being "real". It involves becoming a star. Why is this necessary for us in Texas? Can't we just be "believable"? After all, what continually happens is that we - Texas actors - are not taken seriously enough, and only ever given a chance for the small roles in feature films. Have you noticed that even our teachers only get a few lines? I am in favor of building a core group of actors in this area who are SO equal, if not better than LA actors, that the big production studios will HAVE to give us a chance for the leads. I am in favor of us becoming so strong that we only need walk in the door of the audition before they know our power. With more and more films coming to Texas, we have to make a move NOW before everyone assumes Texas actors are to fill the left-over slots! Here is a quote from a thank you letter that I sent Bentley after the first workshop I ever attended with him (you can read more at his website): ...

In short, I was totally inspired. Your workshop was a career and life changing experience for me. People have already noticed a change in me. I have not even been able to put into words for my fellow actors what your workshop has done for me. Even so, they are interpreting my exuberance and they want what I have. All of the serious actors here need this!

After that weekend, I participated in nearly every workshop Bentley did whether in Dallas or Austin, until the birth of my son in 2002. I took a little time off, and then began working my way back into the business.

While I was working at Casting Works LA, I had the priviledge of getting to know an amazing director, Joe Napolitano. Donise suggested that the actors in town might enjoy a directing seminar if Joe were willing to try one. We put several together and they were incredibly eye-opening. As actors, Joe pointed out that we often don't consider the whole picture and how we find our "piece of the puzzle". Sometimes that's why even good actors lose out on the part. He gave us a wonderful overview of how directors (or great ones, anyway) look at projects, casting, set work, etc. Even though the workshop was incredible, I felt the vibes from my acting community. When actors get in front of a director, they want to perform!!!! So we started thinking that a scene study workshop would incorporate Joe's knowledge and directing techniques with performance opportunity. This was great! We were performing scenes (often from prime time shows that Joe had just directed - Like Boston Public) and receiving direction as if we were the stars on the set. This was definitely what the actors were really wanting - but not as much of a purposeful use of Joe's talents.

Long story short, I thought about Bentley again, and how no other coach had really made such an impact on everyone I'd ever seen him work with and decided that the best and most concentrated use of these two talents were to put them together. If Bentley had a chance to work with scenes and actors first, having introduced this technique and power, then actors would feel they were in great shape to take it to the next step and see how a working director would interpret their work. What could be better? You get a new technique to try, and then test its effectiveness immediately! I consider this the next best thing to being the lead in one of these Hollywood features that come to town.

So, now that you know how this came about - and the motivation behind it - you can decide if you this is for you. I would strongly suggest that more advanced actors consider this, because you have to remember that you are performing in front of a CURRENT WORKING director who will soon be bringing major projects to Texas. Even so, I have seen Bentley take a 1st time actor to incredible places in one weekend. I think ultimately, whether or not you take this workshop will be based more in your passion. If you are driven in acting, don't pass up this opportunity. Bentley teaches weekly in Dallas and Austin, but I would push everyone to introduce themselves to his technique through the weekend workshop first. It is the only way to get all of the information in one concentrated setting, to then take with you to every class. And since these are two working professionals, you never know when they might have their schedules free to come again.

I do not receive any compensation in any way for bringing this message to you. Someone simply asked me, "What do you think about this workshop, since you seemed to push it so much?" This is what I think. I think these two change actors lives - both professionally and personally. And as competitive as this business is, if we aren't changing, or growing, we're getting passed up!

My Best to all of you, Step Rowe

Here's that bio:

Step received her degree in Theatre from the University of Texas at Austin, (studying acting under Lee Abraham - who also coached Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden), earned a teaching certificate, directed high school and middle school theatre programs, acted professionally on stage in Houston, directed dozens of school and community theatre productions and hundreds of students, taught voice in summer musical theatre programs, and coached award-winning One-Act Plays and "Best Actor" and "Best Actress" winners. Students who have worked with Step have gone on to become performers at Julliard, The University of Texas, Main Street Theatre in Houston, the Steven Stoli Playhouse, and Fiesta Texas, and in Nashville, New York City and LA. Step gained insight into the world of Television and Film auditioning by working as a casting associate at Casting Works LA and assisting casting projects for Shannon Pinkston Metcalfe, Mimi Webb Miller (LA), ABC and FOX.