At Your Service
“Marjo-Riikka Makela, Finnish actress and international acting coach, is gaining worldwide attention for her successful acting studio in Los Angeles. Currently, Chekhov Studio International is the only studio based in Los Angeles to offer thorough, in-depth training in the Michael Chekhov Technique, and is the go-to studio for international actors looking to expand their careers to Hollywood. Ms. Makela founded Chekhov Studio International with the goal of training a serious ensemble of actors under the discipline, dedication, and inspiration central to the Michael Chekhov Technique. Many professional actors have claimed the technique as integral to their craft, including Johnny Depp, Anthony Hopkins, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood, and Lloyd Bridges.”
To read Marjo-Riikka’s article in Back Stage, click HERE
To see a clip of the Stanislavsky Institute, Actors Studio-TV, Brazil, interview click HERE
“World-renowned Acting Schools, The Stanislavsky Institute & School of Cinema in Sao Paulo and Chekhov Studio International in Los Angeles, have formed a partnership in order to advance the art of acting worldwide, produce film and theater productions and embrace actor, director, teacher and student exchange internationally.
To see a clip of the partnership announcement interview click HERE
Marjo-Riikka Makela
Artistic Director & Instructor
Private Acting & Audition Coaching
Advanced Michael Chekhov Technique
Advanced Scene Study
Advanced On-Camera
Directors Circle
Marjo-Riikka Makela is a director, master teacher, acting coach, and a professional actress. She has specialized in a variety of different acting techniques, is a long-standing member of the Michael Chekhov Association, and has worked extensively with the M. Chekhov Technique both as an actress and director. Ms. Makela received her training at the Russian Academy of Dramatic Arts (GITIS) and holds an MFA in Acting from CSULB. She was a company member of the groundbreaking theatre group The Actors’ Gang, and has extensive stage credits from Europe. Here in USA some of Marjo-Riikka’s favorite roles include Medea in direction of David Bridel, Yelena in Uncle Vanya at the Classic Stage Company in NYC, and her work with Sarah Kane and Andrei Malaev-Babel at the Stanislavsky Theatre Studio in Washington DC. Her directing credits include Shakespeare, Chekhov, Schiller, and devised work. Recently, Ms. Makela has taught at the Stanislavsky Institute, California State University LB, Acting Corps Studios, ActorFest, Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University, The Insurgo Theater Movement, The Actor’s Movement Studio (NYC), the INTAR Theater (NYC), The Actors’ Gang, University of Southern California, and CalArts MFA programs. Marjo-Riikka does weekly private coaching for many successful TV and film actors and actresses*. She has clients around the world, and she has been featured in Back Stage, the Los Angeles Times, American Theater Magazine and several major European publications.
“Being allowed to teach, learn, share, play, discover, and create each day, is a true blessing. THANK YOU all my students, clients and friends. YOU are highly appreciated!” ~ Marjo-Riikka
*Celebrity clients appreciate our discretion. As a policy, Ms. Makela does not publish her client list.
Kim Lane
Instructor, Director
Michael Chekhov Technique, Scene Study
Actress and Director, graduated from The Ohio State University. She has appeared in Independent films OUTTASYNC, In Dreams (2007), and Night of a Thousand Faces (2007). Stage Appearances include Fiddler on the Roof, Taming of the Shrew, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and the premiere of Keeping Clean Amind the Messy, as well as the world premiere of Aeschylus Unbound, in Pasadena, which she also directed. Kim’s most recent project has been her 5 month old son, Donald. Kim studied the Michael Chekhov Technique extensively with Mala Powers as well as other 1st generation teachers, and currently teaches ongoing classes on the Technique in Los Angeles as well as guest artist at various universities around the U.S. She is grateful to the Chekhov Studio International and Marjo-Riikka Makela for the opportunity to share her love of theater and Michael Chekhov with such talented actors.
Ryan Honey
Instructor, Business of Acting “Nuts and Bolts”
Ryan Honey’s first role was in the feature film Men of Honor with Robert DeNiro and Cuba Gooding Jr. A short time later, Ryan was cast as Brad Riley on General Hospital, a role that he performed for nearly a decade. Other television work quickly followed, including roles on E.R., Alias, Invasion, Cold Case, L.A.X., Star Trek: Enterprise, N.C.I.S. and others. Recent feature films credits include Saving Lincoln, Hallowed Ground, Rebound, and The Victim in which he stars. Ryan has played the hero in several national commercials including spots for Chrysler, EA Sports, Bud Light, and Proflowers.com. While establishing himself in film and television, Ryan continued to work in live theatre. He toured the Southland for several years starring in three shows for the non-profit group Enrichment Works. He has also been a member of several award-winning companies around Los Angeles including the Syzygy Theatre Group, The Gangbusters Theater, and The Open Fist Theater. He is represented by David Ankrum and Caleigh Vancata at Schiowitz, Connor, Ankrum, Wolf. Ryan’s extensive time on sets as an actor kindled a passion for producing that has proven to be very productive. His first foray into producing, the feature film Westender, was ultimately purchased and released by Warner Brothers. He has since produced numerous award winning short films starring actors Sandra Oh, Nicki Aycox, Billy Lush, and Kaitlin Olson among others. Most recently, he produced Michael Biehn’s directorial debut, The Victim, in which he also stars. Ryan graduated valedictorian from the University of Oregon Theatre Department with a degree in Theatre Arts. While there, he was recruited to take part in the pedagogy program that allowed him to teach underclassmen while finishing school. Along with teaching acting fundamentals, voice, and script analysis, Ryan founded Absolute Improv and taught improv workshops to students and corporate clients. After moving to Los Angeles, Ryan was hired to conduct after school performance workshops for students in the LA Unified School District. Recently, Ryan has been teaching blind and visually impaired students the basics of film making in workshops around the country to promote the Cinema Without Sight film festival. Throughout his years of teaching, Ryan has become aware of the fact that most of the aspiring actors he encountered didn’t know how to turn their talent into acting work and, ultimately, a career. To fill this gap, Ryan now offers Hollywood Nuts and Bolts.
Elizabeth Swain
Instructor, Director, Shakespeare Intensive & Private Coaching
Elizabeth’s recent directing credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Cal State, Long Beach, Medea for the Antaeus company and Macbeth for NY State Theatre Institute. Other credits include Pam Gems’ Camille, Stoppard’s Arcadia, The Winter’s Tale, an all-female Hamlet, and the NY premiere of Wendy Kesselman’s The Executioner’s Daughter. She also directed Hamlet and Biyi Bandele’s adaptation of Aphra Behn’s novel Oroonoko for TWAS Theatre at the National Black Theatre in Harlem. Broadway acting credits include Charley’s Aunt, Crown Matrimonial and Sherlock Holmes (the RSC production). Ms. Swain has also worked Off and Off Off Broadway, in Regional Theatres across the country (NJ Shakespeare, Theatre Co. of Boston, ACT, Seattle, Olney Theatre MD, et al) and in a variety of tours. Television credits include five years on Guiding Light and stints on As the World Turns, One Life to Live and Dark Shadows. Ms. Swain has taught at NYU, Hunter, CCNY Barnard and Marymount Manhattan College, and currently at the Shakespeare Sedona Institute and the Michael Howard Studio in Manhattan. She was a participant in the National Endowment for the Humanities 2002 summer institute, Shakespeare’s Staging: Inside and Out at the Blackfriars Theatre in Virginia and at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Ms. Swain holds a doctorate from the City University of NY.
Natalia Duncan
Instructor, Michael Chekhov Technique I, Career Coach & Virtual Assistant
A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Natalia Duncan graduated from Yale University cum laude with a degree in Theater Studies before moving to Los Angeles. Her career as a performer began at a young age when she traveled extensively in the United States and abroad, dancing with a professional children’s dance company. At Yale, she was artistic director of Groove Dance and co-president of the Yale Film Society. Moreover, she is a graduate of the Michael Howard Studios Conservatory in New York. In Los Angeles, Duncan serves as an assistant teacher in the Michael Chekhov Technique to Marjo-Riikka Makela at the Chekhov Studio International as well as developer of a course in Acting for Dancers. She also serves as an associate producer with Firefly: Theater & Films, Artistic Producer at Chekhov Studio International, and co-founder of Coyote-Nightingale Productions, a company merging film, theater and dance within narratives. Selected stage credits include: Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Meredith in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Producing credits include: Stage Matters!? (Firefly in association with TCG), The Seagull (CSI), and DIRT (Firefly). She is a member of SAG and The Actors’ Network and an AEA membership candidate. www.nataliaduncan.com