STUDENT/CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
My students and clients have worked in all types of venues all across the country, including on Broadway, TV, and film.
Broadway:
Andrew Keenan-Bolger - TUCK EVERLASTING (original Tuck), NEWSIES (original Crutchie)
Laurel Harris - WICKED (Elphaba)
Allie Schulz - GREASE (Sandy)
Johnny Stellard - ANASTASIA (original cast), EVITA (original 2012 cast)
TV:
Andy Allo - star of Amazon's Upload
Marc Halsey - producer/writer for Brothers and Sisters and The Resident
My students and clients have also appeared on The Good Place, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Criminal Minds, General Hospital, NCIS, Star Trek: Picard, Empire, Bold and the Beautiful, Chicago Fire, Castle, The Blacklist, Law and Order, General Hospital, Chicago PD, among others
Celebrity students/clients include:
Mary Wilson of the Supremes
Mr. Universe winner Calum Von Moger
Olympic medalist Tasha Danvers
Fitness icon Vince Sant
“He answers questions, listens, and communicates in not only a respectful manner (super important) but extremely clearly. I have written down so many quotes from his class over the semester and I will surely be keeping my notebook. He created such a safe experimental environment.” - Buffalo State student
"Darryl is a wonderful human which makes him an incredible actor and amazing teacher. The months I spent studying with Darryl were some of my favorite acting classes in LA. He's compassionate and kind but will definitely help you pin point the areas that need attention. His on camera observations as a teacher are extremely valuable and I remember my time at the studio with him with gratitude." - Kristelle Monterrosa
"Darryl is the best acting coach I've worked with so far! From day one he makes you feel at ease in his class. Darryl takes the time to get to know each one of his students' strengths and weaknesses and helps you work on those weaknesses. I learned to let go of my fears in his class and really live the life of the person I'm portraying. If you're looking for an acting coach who is caring and giving and a genuine person then you won't find anyone better than Darryl Semira." - Nakia Jewel Williams
“So grateful to have an instructor that was concerned about my creativity, my dreams and giving me mental health tools for actors and also an amazing tool set, guide and great training for the use of my arts degree.” - Buffalo State student
“I wish every professor was like him. The respect he showed us and our work, made us respect him ten-fold and truly appreciate and listen to what he said.” - Buffalo State student
"Darryl is an absolute gem. I have been studying acting theatrically for about 10 years and because he is from a theatrical background as well he has helped make the transition to film and television so effortless. He is so so kind and authentic and probably just the nicest most sincere person you will ever meet. The studios philosophy and his personal spin on it have changed my life and my art in countless ways. He really is a game changer and I feel so blessed to have found him." - Maddy Kostman
“Darryl Semira is an amazing teacher. He is an amazing teacher. When I started taking classes at the Margie Haber Studio I was definitely in a slump in regards to acting, my acting career and thus my life as well. I had just lost any real sense of joy or love for the craft itself. Whenever an audition would come through, I would see the work involved to make it work as a chore and not as a connecting experience that I had hoped acting would be for me. It was all just boring work to me with no fun even when I got to put it up.
I started out in the Intermediate program, and Darryl was my teacher. From day one I was excited and comfortable in his classroom. I started to think 'okay well this could be interesting.' He was always warm, present, attentive, in touch with his own humility, always in good spirits and so professional. I've had a number of other acting teachers in LA, and Darryl has been the only one who has been able to dip in to his own truth to help convey certain ideas within the philosophy of the school while still maintaining professional distance from his students. It's a very emotional, and sensitive thing for us actors to try and open up more using acting techniques. A lot could go wrong in those circumstances. And with Darryl I never felt that the class energy was going to lose it's focus or fall out of the structure of the class.
He is so articulate and patient. SO patient. He always welcomes questions, and really takes his time answering each one with respect and with all of his ability and entity at that moment. There was so much to write down! You felt safe in this class and as a result many of the students if not all were very upfront about their own frustrations, blocks, short comings when it came to their own work in the "audition" room, and it all just added to this big trust growing amongst us.
Because of this great trust that developed through these eight classes I was able to for the first time really enjoy acting in front of a camera. He provided the opportunity to let me trust myself in 'the room' and to just take a leap of faith and to not try and control everything. And it's scary, and it's hard stuff, but it's so much more fun. I can now see myself doing this in the long term because it's actually enjoyable.
A group of us after our last class went walking over to a restaurant for our 'last supper,' Two students and myself were just sharing our opinions about the class and what it meant to us. We all agreed that Darryl was probably the best acting teacher we ever had. Yup Darryl's the shit.” – Jane Kim