LEA FLODEN ACTING COACH
acting class private coaching BFA & MFA audition coach
What Students Say...
Lea Floden helped me find a clear path in my career when I needed it the most. With her profound and sharp perception, a backpack filled with intelligently combined and curated techniques and her broad understanding of the human nature, not only does she equip me with solid tools as an actor, but she also has changed my vision as an artist and in life. The shift she proposes is real, and I experience it in every class or private coaching that she directs, making each encounter with her a magical moment of intense work in the craft, as well as a safe place for exploration and self discovery. Lea lovingly peels those layers that you need to uncover to enlighten and expand your being and become a more nurtured storyteller, and person. She has made me fall in love with my actor and with myself again, and has made an impact in my path that will last until the end of it.
Gaston Leguizamon
Lea Floden absolutely changed my life. She is the most intuitive and caring person you will ever meet. She teaches theater in its most pure form. She completely changed how I view acting forever. Yes, she made me a better actor but she also gave me a home and a place I can always come back to. I would not be going to Rutgers Mason Gross without her. I will continue to work with her for the rest of my life. Lea treats every student of hers as an individual and takes the time to give you exactly what you need. Not only is Lea a powerhouse acting coach, but she is also a mother and a friend. I can not adequately express how she’s changed my life and acting for the better. Come work with Lea it’s the best decision you’ll ever make.
-Lux McCastle , Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts
"Hey Lea!!!! i just wanted to let you know that I was just cast in my first professional show today!
Thank you so much for everything you have taught me over the years. Honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you."
-Anju Cloud,
BFA Musical Theatre
Syracuse University
Young Arts 2016
Lea Floden changed my life. Not only does she have an exceptional understanding of the craft and technique of acting, she also possesses an innate understanding of the human spirit that enriches her student’s experiences in both her class and their outside lives. Lea is impassioned and empathetic, and directly engages with each individual on a personal and professional level unlike any other teacher I have ever had the fortune to work under.
Isabel Gray
NYU Steinhardt School of Music
BM Vocal Performance, Music Theatre
"Lea has not only been the best coach/acting teacher I've ever been able to work with, but has been my support system through this crazy college audition process. Lea prepared me in every aspect of auditioning, and pushed me to excel past my highest expectations. There is no way not to fall in love with her and her coaching!!!!"
-Mia Michaud
BA Honors, Musical Theatre
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Spotlight Semi-Finalist 2016
NYA Nominee,
Outstanding Lead Actress
"To say that Lea Floden has made me better at acting would be a tremendous understatement.
Lea has shifted me into who I am, made me a more empathetic human being, and opened doors to the craft I never thought were possible.
In every class, Lea continues to mold me into the actor and person I want to be: someone unafraid to experience the world from the heart and soul.
There is no other mentor in my life I trust more than her and no one I would rather learn from."
-Charlie Trepany
RADA Shakespeare in Performance
Georgetown University
"Lea Floden is the single most influential and life-altering coach I have ever worked with. I absolutely would not be the actor or human being I am today without Lea.
I first used Lea to help prepare for my first professional project. She made me feel safe and prepared in a challenging, emotionally strenuous role, and gave me invaluable advice on how to navigate the rehearsal process & communicate with the professionals around me.
Lea is exceptionally dedicated to her students. She has a way of knowing exactly how to tailor your training to YOU, even in group settings. Her vast first-hand knowledge of acting practices and techniques is unparalleled. She treats her students with respect and kindness while holding them accountable to being the best they can be.
Lea REALLY cares- goes above and beyond the call of duty. Always. I cannot say enough good things about Lea Floden. If you have the opportunity to train with Lea, DO IT. It will change your life and you will not regret it. "
-Annie Reznik, BFA Acting
The Theatre School at Depaul
"Lea is a uniquely inspiring mentor. She is immensely knowledgeable and has mastered the art of teaching. She incorporates her firsthand experience with many legendary acting teachers to address every student’s specific needs while being incredibly patient and understanding. Lea’s class has revealed an entirely new world of acting for me; it has helped me connect with my unconscious and let go of judgment, which has been very healing. The community I’ve found in Lea’s class is full of amazing people and I’m very grateful."
Eliana Yeager
University of Southern California
Acting Concentration
"Lea’s the best teacher I’ve ever had—not just in acting. She taught me how to notice with curiosity & wonder... to notice my own habits without judgement. She believed in my dreams, and tirelessly steered me toward them. She knows how to stimulate imaginations and is profoundly in tune with her own artistic process, rituals, and vision.
Lea's intuition is powerfully accurate. She speaks truthfully, lovingly, ferociously. She has more stamina in this work than anyone else I know, has acquired more legitimate tools, techniques, and skills than any other teacher I’ve ever worked with. She’s the wisest, the humblest. Her love of the work is ubiquitous. You can feel it in the room, and it stays with you long after you leave.
Above all, Lea teaches people to work from the heart, from truth. She understands deeply. Listens fully. Notices meticulously. Helps shape actors using the raw materials of their own spirits. Her classes can be terrifying, but they are always transformative.
I’ve had such fun, countless laughs and sobs, huge changes, ample reflection, and complete gratitude for getting to work with Lea. Her whole-hearted joy, craftsmanship and dedication to teaching her students are remarkable. She loves what she does. Every class is different, always fresh, always new. She believes in the power of art and the futures of her students so robustly that I’m never surprised when I hear of their many successes.
I am so grateful to have met, to work with, and to know Lea Floden. I will cherish what I have learned from her for the rest of my life."
Amanda Long, William Esper Studio, NYC
Stumbling upon Lea’s website was serendipitous! When I found Lea, I found the very acting teacher/mentor/friend that I needed.
As a Floridian living on the opposite end of the country, distance has not proven to be an obstacle to my training. Lea has provided me with intensive, personalized instruction during both our long distance Skype/Zoom calls and my trips to California.
Lea’s teaching is always kind, patient, and personal, and she draws on her wealth of experience to help her students discover what approaches work best for them. Her class is a safe space that has given me the freedom to fail and rise again stronger than I could have ever imagined.
I will be forever thankful for everything Lea has taught me as a performer and human. In short, she is MAGIC!
Carly Swain
University of Florida
Looking back on the college audition process, I realize how impossible it would have been without Lea’s wonderful guidance. Not only did Lea help me find audition pieces that spoke to me, but she discussed which schools would be better fit towards my goals as an actor. With every one of her students she develops a sacred relationship and makes it very clear that we should be open and tell her what we are thinking. Lea has always been open for questions, interesting dialogue, and deeper conversations about the work itself. Lea has always been able to give me specific answers to questions that makes sense to me, and identifies aspects of my life that were holding me back in my own work. I could never thank Lea enough for the time and care put into helping me develop strong techniques that will carry into my college work. Lea will forever be someone in my life I can go to for help, and I am forever grateful for her.
"Without Lea Floden’s passion and expertise, I would have never discovered how deeply rooted my love for acting is. She has pushed me past what I once thought my limits were, and has helped me realize my true potential. She deeply cares for all her students and guides each of them towards self discovery and maturity. She is truly a master of her craft. I would not be where I am today without Lea. I am so grateful and honored to say I have learned from her."
-Ari Derambakh
BFA Acting
Rutgers University
Mason Gross School of the Arts
“Lea is one of the most amazing acting teachers I have had the pleasure of working with. Every moment with her is a joy. She gets you to open up and feel every feeling.. and feel it genuinely. She is a friend and a great human.”
- Dylan LaRocque
LAMDA, BA Honors Acting
Spotlight Semi-Finalist 2015
August Wilson Competition Semi-Finalist 2015
"Aside fom being an amazingly generous, patient and kindhearted person, Lea is one of the most observant, inspiring, and ingenious teachers I have ever met.
Not working with Lea Floden would mean missing out on an unbelievable opportunity to grow as an actor and person.
She is unique, and undeniably brilliant in her craft.
I highly recommend her."
-Gabriella Nail
William Esper Studio, NYC
"Meticulous and tough, yet the most nurturing teacher I’ve ever worked with.
If you have the chance to work with Lea, it’s a chance you won’t want to pass up.
You will never find a more skilled, understanding, knowledgeable, or compassionate teacher."
-Hannah Provisor
BFA Musical Theatre
Penn State
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In a period of crippling anxiety and fear regarding my future, I found Lea the fall before my Acting BFA auditions. From the moment I met her, she gave me faith in the process, her leadership, and myself. Her expertise and knowledge regarding both the college audition process and acting as a whole make her a gem. The love and contagious energy she chooses to give day after day, however, make her entirely special—a mentor with enough knowledge and warmth to pierce through all fears. Simply put, without Lea, I would have been lost in the woods throughout the audition process and my senior year as a whole.
Willa Caspole
BFA Acting
Boston University
“Lea has completely changed my perspective on acting.
Sundays are my favorite days because I get to come to acting class and learn with students that are being molded by a teacher I honestly believe will one day be regarded as one of the defining acting teachers of the 21st century.”
-Danielle Koenig,
UCLA, Acting
Lea Floden has helped me grow into who I am as an artist and human being in so many ways. She focuses on all of her students individually, and she was there to support me even when I later started college. She creates a very safe environment, allowing every part of you into the creative space she provides, thus giving students the opportunity to fully explore and learn what it means to be an artist. She has deepened my love for acting, and taught me that this art form takes 100% dedication, and heals all. I am so grateful to have a constant mentor like Lea Floden in my life.
Maddie LaFerr
Wagner College
Performance Concentration
When I first came to Lea, I was such a timid actor and person. The performer I am today is truly transformed. I’ve learned to open up in ways I didn’t even understand, but they have improved both my performance authenticity and my relationships in my personal life. And I'll never forget the passion and love Lea has for her students. Her support, genuine connection to her students, and honesty are what make her acting classes an explorative and creative space that encourages students to try anything and discover themselves.
-Ella Dabney
Southern Methodist University
BM Vocal Performance
When thinking of the word Theater, I used to think of the butterflies on opening night, and that god awful itchy mic tape.
When thinking of a role model, I thought of a muscly man helping a lady cross the street or the sparkling teeth of a superhero.
But now, Lea is always the first person that comes to mind when either of these words is said.
Lea combines her love of helping people with her true passion of theater. She has truly helped shape the way I present myself as an actor and a person. And taught me to feel determination and not shame.
Work with Lea, you will not regret it.
Josh Medina
Columbia College Comedic Arts
"Lea changed my life, and I am forever grateful to her for that.
With her incredibly insightful guidance, Lea allowed me to discover a sense of truthfulness in my art that I was looking to find for a very long time. Once I found my truth, Lea pushed me to own it. Because of Lea, I found an entirely new passion for acting."
-Rebecca Melinkoff,
Acting BFA, Rutgers
Mason Gross School of the Arts
"Lea Floden not only taught me how to act, but how to be a person and an artist.
She always coaches on a case by case basis, knowing instinctively what everyone needs and how to best coax it out of them, supporting them the entire way through. She has changed not only my career but my life."
-Alicia Marie Beatty,
Graduate, USC Theatre
Marianne, Tartuffe
Phoenix Theatre, NYC
I’ve been working with Lea since I was in the eight grade and she has completely changed my life. She has helped me overcome so many personal obstacles and insecurities that have held me back from reaching my full potential.
She truly sees you for who you are and knows how to work with you and embellish every accent of your talent. If you trust her and her process, you are truly in the best hands.
Lea is the most amazing mentor and one of the best people in my life. Because of of all her help over the years, I am able to attend my dream school, NYU Tisch in the Experimental Theater Wing.
Lea will not only improve your acting, but completely fill your heart! Thank you for everything Lea!!
Natalie Rebenkoff
NYU Tisch ETW
"Lea has this amazing way of getting me to reach deeper than I thought was possible. With Lea's constant love and belief in me, I felt so comfortable walking into my college auditions. I knew she had given me all the tools I needed. Lea is like a second mom to me and a total life saver with this process."
-Rachel Kay,
BFA Musical Theatre,
Syracuse University
In every class I go to, Lea continues to mold me into the actor and person I want to be: someone unafraid to experience the world from the heart and soul.
-Erin Orcutt
Pace University
BFA, Acting for Film
