Testimonials
“I’ve unknowingly suffered from stage fright my entire life and it wasn’t until I began work with Matthew that it was addressed. Through our work in the EmoVerity for Performers courses, I have been able to successfully take control of my career in a way I didn’t know I could. The work that we’ve done with emotional regulation has not only helped me with my stage fright but also allowed me use of another wonderful tool to use to craft my performances. The added benefit of emotional awareness cannot be missed either. The way that I feel more in tune with myself, my ability to navigate through what I’m feeling (especially when those feelings are overwhelming); and facilitate a healthier path through which to experience those feelings, is truly a godsend. Overall, I feel more present and in control of my life on and off stage. It’s amazing to finally be able to fully engage with work on a deeper level.” - Denzel Tsopnang, Actor/Singer
"Matthew is the universe’s gift to singers. I came to Matthew a scared college student with numerous bad habits and vocal problems. Matthew taught me the most efficient and healthy ways to use MY voice. Not only is his knowledge of the voice UNREAL, their knowledge of the Chicago entertainment market rises to the top as well. Matthew helped coach me through many an audition cut and helped me to formulate my goals for what I wanted to achieve within the Chicago acting community. One of my favorite things about Matthew is that they have created a studio that is a space of true collaboration and artistry. Matthew is not only my voice teacher… they are also my biggest cheerleader, and ultimately my friend. I owe Matthew my voice. They saved it.” - Jake Morrissy, Actor
“Any course with Matthew makes me feel like an understood human being. I feel like I grow as an artist and as a person. Matthew helps me better understand my instrument and my ability to create and expand in it.
In regards to the EmoVerity for Performers courses, I literally booked a reoccurring role on a TV show with some A-List heavy hitters and this course helped me feel like I could carry my own. I eventually felt super confident and ready on set and feel like I pushed myself in ways I didn’t know I could without wrecking myself mentally.
I would recommend this course and others to all actors on various levels. From brushing up to learning for the first time- Matthew can help at any level and make this super intense content feel accessible and possible without pressing for mastery. It’s now all about exploration for me. “ - Rashada Dawan, Actor/Singer
"Prior to this curriculum I was contemplating leaving performing behind for a plethora of reasons. This curriculum reinvigorated me and has given me a pathway into the work that feels safe and gives me the tools I need to be confident in my performance. I have gotten past massive emotional blocks in my skill set and I cannot imagine going into a rehearsal process not doing this work and how I did so before. People who have seen me perform since starting to take class have noticed a significant difference in the quality of my work and I attribute that to Matthew's teachings. I have often told people that going to Matthew for voice lessons was the best thing I'd ever done for my career and now going through emotional regulation for the actor has been a revelation. Anyone who wants to work in this industry at the highest level should be learning this curriculum" Dustin Rothbart, Actor/Singer and Co-Artistic Director, Blank Theatre Company
“I’ve had battles with nervousness with acting, singing, socially…since studying at Ellenwood studios (specifically in the EmoVerity for Performers cohorts, and the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique for Singers course) I am focused, confident, and very eager for my next performance. Matthew is very patient; and has managed the classes in such a way that I always felt it was focused on me and my growth, even in a group practice. I recently had an audition, used Matthew’s techniques, and all was manageable. I am looking forward to working with Ellenwood Studios in the near future. So thankful for their help.” Cyn Santoyo, Actor/Singer
“Matthew is the best. He is supportive and kind while pushing you just enough to get you to where you want to be. I have never understood my voice better. Since being with Matthew, people have come up to me and asked me what I've been doing differently because I sound so much better! I cannot recommend them enough!!!" -Miriam Plotkin, Comedian/Singer, Cabaret Artist
“Working with Matthew has been eye opening and game changing. Before taking these classes I felt insecure grasping material with the acting tools I had been taught in mainstream curricula. Now more than with any other method, I feel capable of encompassing any material that comes my way. The lessons are not only informative but interdisciplinary. The skills that Matthew teaches are valuable beyond compare and will be available to me in every audition room. After taking this course, I understand the expressions of others and myself with nuance and specificity. Nowhere else have I learned to be as emotionally expansive. With Matthew I feel safe, seen and appreciated for my multitudes.” - Ántonïa Reann, Actor/Singer
“Matthew Ellenwood's EmoVerity for Performers series is truly transformational. Not only has it helped me to find a greater connection with my body and with my emotional life on stage, but it has given me tools to better and more easily access strong emotion in a safe and reliable way. I've learned so much through this series about myself, my physicality, and how to make adjustments that once seemed elusive to me. I've found this work to be a particularly beneficial adjunct to Meisner work. Through emotional regulation I was able to discover how emotion can emanate from the body and breath alone; it doesn't have to start in our heads. Just an understanding of that has helped me in living more truthfully in the moment. I have found the emotional regulation work to be incredibly freeing and practical at the same time, and consistently use both my Meisner training and Matthew's emotional regulation training to help me fully live in a role, while protecting my personal emotional health as an actor.” - Lynne Baker, Actor