VALERIE ADAMI (monolog coach) - Owner/Director Weist-Barron Acting for Film & Television Casting Director WB Casting. A Musical Theatre background changed into Voice-Over and Soap Opera work after she studied at Weist-Barron in the 1980’s. Valerie was asked to join the WB staff because of her excellent people skills and a genuine desire to help actors fulfill their goals. In 1985 Weist-Barron created WB Casting to expand the schools services and Valerie became the on-site casting dir. Although her principal job is running the school, she casts for corporate videos, commercial print, and the occasional student film. In 2006, Valerie was given ownership of Weist-Barron by Bob Barron’s widow. She considers it a sacred trust to continue what Bob and his partner, famed announcer Dwight Weist were the first to create. Valerie also developed “Getting the Biz’ness” one of the first patented seminars dealing with the logistics of pursuing a career in Acting. In addition she teaches “Cold Reading for Film & TV” and directs the much- admired Weist-Barron Film & Television Showcases.

Weist-Barron has been training, guiding and show-casing actors specifically for work in Film and Television since 1956. Our goal is to make sure actors feel confident of their on-camera performance and understand how to direct their career path. Our courses are informative, rewarding and affordable (no membership fees) and are always free to visit. A short film about the school can be accessed on our very comprehensive website www.weistbarron.com

"My love for acting is equal to my love for actors. I admire anyone who takes on such a difficult and challenging profession. I cant even tell you how blessed I feel to be able to work with these beautiful people called actors every day. There is nothing else I would rather do. My passion for photography led me to study at the International Center for Photography and my love for actors led me to create my latest incarnation and passion."

STEVEN D. CIRILLO (vocal coach) received his Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he studied with such international artists as Frank Glazer, Eugene List, Anna Kaskas, Brooks Smith, and Edwin MacArthur. In addition to being musical director/arranger for over 30 musical productions, he has performed in piano bars and for cabaret acts throughout the East Coast and in Manhattan. In 1991, he was commissioned to write the anthem for the Basketball Hall Of Fame Centennial Gala, which was recorded and broadcast nationally over the Cable Television Network. Currently in demand as a Broadway vocal coach, Mr. Cirillo's clients can (or will) be seen on Broadway in 9 to 5, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, In The Heights, Jersey Boys, Lion King, Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Shrek the Musical, South Pacific, The Story Of My Life, and Wicked, in addition to many National Tours and regional productions. He is a frequent musical director for cabaret shows, and conducts musical theatre audition workshop and seminars. Focusing on the acting of audition material and choice of repertoire, many of his clients make their Broadway debut every year.

As a voice teacher, Ms Goodman works in a variety of styles and with singers of varying abilities, ranging from beginners to one singer who won the German version of American Idol. Lessons generally involve vocal exercises and an exploration of performance oriented material. Ms Goodman is a graduate of Princeton University.

ROGER HENDRICKS SIMON (monolog coach) - A graduate and founding member of Robert Brustein's Yale Repertory Company, Roger went on to direct and act for Joe Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival, and also London's Royal Court Theatre, Dublin's Abbey Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, La Mama, Roundabout, Los Angeles Theatre Center, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, O'Neill Playwrights Conference, Folger Shakespeare Group, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, PBS, Metromedia and BBC-TV, and National Public Radio. Elected to Notable Names in American Theatre, Roger has directed in London, New York and international festival premieres by Tennessee Williams, Sam Shepard, David Hare, Michael Weller and William Saroyan. He has directed John Lithgow, John Travolta, James Earl Jones, James Woods and Dick Shawn, to name but a few. Roger has directed plays and taught all aspects of communications in India, Pakistan, Iran, Nigeria, South Africa and throughout Europe for the U.S.I.A. and U.S. State Department. In the United States he has taught at UCLA, Columbia University, Yale University, Juilliard and Brooklyn College. Roger is the founding artistic director for both The Simon Studio (for three decades) in New York City and the Los Angeles Theatre Center Classical Theatre Lab.

Mr. Simon teaches classes and does private coaching at THE SIMON STUDIO - celebrating its 30th. anniversary year. And he just starred in the award winning feature film THE SUBLET, was recently awarded an NEA grant as producing director of National Public Radio’s Simon Studio Presents, and recently adapted and directed the American premiere of Stig Dalager’s "I Count the Hours" at La Mama in New York City and off-Broadway at Theatre Row Theatre.