December 2008: I first worked with Bobbie Steinbach as a fellow actor in ‘The Rose Tattoo’ at the Huntington Theatre, and I have seen her in countless productions around the Boston area. As I began to prepare for college auditions, I wanted a coach and mentor who was knowledgeable about the process and with whom I felt comfortable. Bobbie was the natural choice. Working from her home in Newton, Bobbie creates an environment that feels safe. She harbors a professionalism that brings to her teaching an invaluable sense of security and connection. As a teacher, Bobbie never lets you take the safe route. She not only helps you discover and create the nuances of each character, but she also pushes you beyond restrained and clichéd interpretations. She motivates you to make a complete physical and emotional commitment to a character, beginning with the seemingly simple but elusive idea to not stand still through a monologue. Bobbie makes it comfortable to take risks and try new things. She knows when to let you discover your own ideas and when to offer hers. Bobbie has helped me grow as an actor by encouraging me to go farther with a character than I thought I could. Her advice about context, motivations, and objectives has taught me to look beyond the monologue and to sculpt my own unique performance. From her, I have learned the importance of researching and reading about character’s perspective, of thinking what the character would think. When Bobbie tells me, “I know you’re good enough to do this,” I believe I am. -Sophie R. Northwestern U. class of 2014
June 2009: I first met Bobbie Steinbach through the Huntington Theatre in Boston. It was then that Bobbie was teaching an advanced scene-study class through the Theatre’s after- school program in which I was a student. Bobbie was amazing: the perfect combination of affability and quirkiness, coupled with a tremendous knowledge of the theatre and the foundation of an impressive array of experience as an actress and director. Even as a high school student, I was already taking my theatre education extremely seriously, it is therefore certainly to her credit that Bobbie Steinbach was so quick to inspire confidence in my critical eye. I was learning, having fun, and working towards real, quality theatre under the stewardship of a fantastic theatre artist. When in my senior year of high school I realized that I wanted to continue to pursue my love of theatre in college, my mother and my first thought was to prepare myself for my college auditions with Bobbie Steinbach. Bobbie helped me to pick and prepare monologues for the assessments, focusing a tremendous time and energy on getting the most out of my acting ability, helping to facilitate my research into the intricacies of the source-plays and their language, and always connecting me to and inspiring me with the characters and stories I was endeavoring to portray.Using the audition material Bobbie helped me prepare, I was accepted into the acting programs at Boston University, Emerson College, Fordham College, and New York University. I am now in the beginning of the second semester of my freshman year at NYU’s Tisch School of the arts; studying what I love. It was in no small part due to Bobbie Steinbach’s expertise, wisdom, fun personality and striking example, that I find myself where I am today. I cannot recommend her more highly. Harrison is studying acting at NYU. Tisch Class of 2012
April 2010: I emphatically recommend Bobbie Steinbach to you. I have known her for over 20 years as an actress, collaborator, teacher and friend. I can tell you she is a wonderfully creative human being. She is adept in the rehearsal hall,the classroom and of course, on stage. She has spent many years teaching and nurturing young people in the theater. I can’t think of a more entertaining, inspiring instructor.
Bobbie has come into my Acting IV class at Boston University School of Theater Arts for the past 10 years to work with my graduating seniors on audition technique. It is always an eye-opening experience for them to work with a professional actress operating at such an accomplished level in the audition context. They always come out of the experience changed and refocused in a get-real sort of way. She is an integral part of my training sequence! Judy Braha, Boston University School of Theater Arts, MFA Directing, Program Head
December 2009: I started working with Bobbie when I was 14, when she cast me as Anne in her production of The Diary of Anne Frank. From the moment I met her, I knew she would be a wonderful director/teacher. Bobbie is so warm, welcoming, and fun to work with. As an incredibly talented actress, she makes a fantastic acting teacher, because she knows exactly what it is like to be in our place. She is highly insightful and great at giving constructive criticism and guidance. I am now 16, and have continued to seek coaching from Bobbie for the past two years. Words cannot describe how much she has taught me, and how much I have grown as an actress and a performer thanks to her. She helps you to really delve into a character, and fully embody their personalities and emotions. Bobbie is also extremely encouraging and compassionate, and is such a wonderful support in this very difficult business. I always walk out of a lesson with a renewed sense of confidence in my abilities. I cannot thank her enough for all her help. NYU Tisch Class of 2015
April 2011: Working with a professional like Bobbie to show you the ropes…it’s very handy. Hayley G. Sophomore Newton South High
March 25, 2010: “My experience with Bobbie Steinbach I feel has put me in a different league of competition in the very tough Boston theater scene. Before working with Bobbie my choice and understanding of audition pieces and monologues, I believe, was my greatest weakness. Since working with her, I’ve already had two very positive auditions and callbacks and am now approaching all my auditions with great confidence and great material that she specifically has helped me to perform at a level above and beyond what I could have imagined. Her ability to find the subtlety and nuance in an audition piece is breathtaking and I walk out of her sessions feeling empowered that I truly can go to an audition and shine. I would recommend her to anyone who seriously wants to take their theater skills to another level!” Shana D Equity Actress, Boston
March 26, 2010
Dear Bobbie,
Now that my auditions are finished and I‘ve been cast, I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for the extraordinary help you gave me in preparing the monologues I used at the auditions.
After you helped me select a classical monologue that scared the hell out of me because of its difficulty (at least as I perceived it when I first saw it), the support, encouragement and intuitive understanding of how to help me through my anxieties that you provided was so wonderful and critical to my success.
And while in some ways that was everything, it was only the beginning. From analyses of the text, character and plot, to technical matters like breath control and posture, to nuanced suggestions about the delivery and shape of the monologues, you were there – always insightful, clear and disciplined. And it was great fun!
I can’t thank you enough. It was a joy to work with you. Arthur W., actor, Boston
