Diánna Martin

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See Diánna Martin performing in DARK WATER by David Stallings (Directed by Heather Cohn) and presented by MTWorks.

Find out more here.



Diánna has studied over 20 years in Strasberg, Meisner, Stanislavski, and Linklater training. Her approach to a student is to teach them how to create a reality in a set of given circumstances to be as honest with themselves, the character, their fellow actors, and the audience - on stage and screen. Coaching and classes show students how to allow themselves to get in touch with their emotions on stage/film so that they can bring an honesty to the work. To teach actors to use themselves and the reality of their lives as the given character. The point is to learn how to be REAL on stage/film and in the moment; not "act".

After five years hosting, directing, and producing live television and radio in St. Louis, Diánna returned to her hometown in 2000 to continue on that course and perhaps return to her love of acting...and eventually decided that her love of the arts made her want to pursue acting and directing theatre and film, as well as teaching - following in the footsteps of her parents, Tony Award-winning actress Ann Wedgeworth and acting teacher/director Ernie Martin.

Over the last several years, she began to take over classes for Ernie as a substitute teacher, when he was lecturing or unable to teach, and she began to run his theatre company, The Actors Creative Theatre. To this, she brought more elements of the workshop, allowing actors to play with written material and do acting exercises in between working on projects to be produced.

During this time she began independently coaching actors (both in small groups and privately) with a cross-section of Strasberg/Meisner training, and shortly after was hired as a teacher for The New York Film Academy (NYFA). Eventually when Ernie expanded the Ernie Martin Studio (to a smaller version of the huge school he had in the 80's and 90's) with four teachers (one of whom was a fellow student and NYFA teacher, David Robinette), Diánna became a regular staff member and taught when she wasn't teaching her other classes outside of the school.

With the retirement of Ernie Martin, she decided to go out on her own completely and form Martin Acting Studios, the way Ernie did all those years ago when he struck out on his own after teaching for Lee Strasberg.

Since her return to NYC, besides teaching, she has acted, directed, and coached in and for theatre, film, and television. Recent work includes acting and directing for Oberon Theatre Ensemble and MTWorks and self-produced works with fellow NYFA teachers; creating several acting groups and single-evening seminars for working actors; being the acting coach for several independent films.

She is currently a core member of Oberon Theatre Ensemble, Maieutic Theatre Works (MTWorks), and The Workshop Theater Company; founder of The In-Pulse Group; a staff teacher for Hunter College CE, as well as a staff theatre critic for TheHappiestMedium.com and Administrative Coordinator and Awards Judge for the New York Innovative Theatre Awards.