INDUSTRY QUOTES
See what Kimberly Vaughn Performance Studio students have to say!
"Kimberly doesn't let you finish working until you have truly felt like you've run a marathon with your work. She makes you dig for the honesty, so your work will stand out amidst the 1,000 other people auditioning that day. I've become a way more grounded, confident and educated performer since working with Kimberly. If you want to tell a story and tell it the right way, Kimberly is the storytelling magician. I cannot stress enough how brilliant this woman is."
--Spencer Glass
ELF National Tour;
Full Monty at the Engeman Theatre;
WRINGER at New York City Center
"My Secret Weapon!"
--Tyler Hanes
Larry in A Chorus Line
on Broadway;
Chad in All Shook Up
“Kimberly is one of those teachers who "gets it." She understands the nature of performing and how it interacts with our humanness. I've watched her again and again take a performer and get them to think and feel from a place where they haven't been before, forgetting the room and people around them, resulting in magical moments that they will take with them into the audition room. She has totally transformed my work - and because of that - my life!”
--Mary Mossberg
Kinky Boots National Tour;
Mamma Mia! National Tour;
Next To Normal at Arena Stage;
The Baker's Wife at
Papermill Playhouse
“Kimberly Vaughn helped me find my center and confidence again at a low point for me. She has a unique understanding of the craft of acting and imparts her knowledge with ease and accessibility... two days after lesson number one I picked up my first theatre job in 4 months! Thanks again, Kimberly!”
--Euan Morton
Tony Nominated for his role as
Boy George in Taboo;
Starred in Howard Katz
with Alfred Molina
"My amazing coach Kimberly is a theatrical miracle worker."
--Casey Erin Clark
Les Miserables
25th Anniversary National Tour
“Working with Kimberly has taught me to trust my instincts and that has made me a stronger performer. I now feel confident singing after the dance audition. Kimberly’s class has provided me with the tools that got me the callback and got me the job.”
Meredith Akins, Mamma Mia!, Broadway
--Meredith Akins
Mamma Mia! on Broadway
“Kimberly Vaughn is an amazing coach and human being. If you want to improve your acting and develop a deeper connection to your core artist, RUN, don’t walk. Kimberly is one of the best coaches I have ever worked with.”
--Meara McIntyre
Riverdance on Broadway
"You continue to motivate me to strive for my best and to give myself the freedom to do so and I couldn't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it. You're Miracle-Gro for my artist's soul!"
--Billy Hannon
Fred in Miracle on 34th Street
at the Seven Angels Theatre
"I just want to thank you again for all you've given to me up until this
point. I honestly feel like my process has grown and been shaped so much by your classes and workshops. You challenge me and force me to dig deep, take risks and trust myself more and more with each class. Your teaching is invaluable to me."
--Emily Kron
The Last 5 Years
"I've been working with Kimberly Vaughn for the past six years. We met while I was a student at Circle in the Square's Summer Musical Theatre Intensive. Since working together, my career has truly taken off. I began our work together in my final year as a musical theatre grad student, continued it while navigating the beginnings of a non-equity performance career in New York, and am now a proud member of Actor's Equity, working consistently in regional theatres across the country. She truly knows and understands me as a person and an artist. She also will not let you get away with anything less than your best. Now, our coaching sessions feel more like a dialogue, and hearing her perspective as my 'outside eye', helping me redirect my own instincts into something more tactile and tangible. She's helped me not only suss out the story for most of the songs in my book, but she's also coached me on sides for callbacks, helped me choose headshots, navigate relationships with casting directors, and even helped me pick out my 'audition wardrobe'. Her ideas about the 'limiting editor' have transcended the classroom and have helped me redefine how I speak to myself not only in the audition room, but in my every day life. And as a teacher myself, I find myself telling at least one student every day what Kimberly would say about this inner critic and how to remove it's negative presence from your work and your life. Kimberly always greets me with a welcoming smile, and I feel safe to be me, to make mistakes, to tell the truth, and to above all, to play. She creates a professional, orderly environment in which one can find the truth in their work and have fun finding it! I would recommend working with her to anyone wanting to up their actor game."
--Jenna Pastuszek
Diner - Delaware Theatre Company;
Evita - Broward Stage Door Theatre
(Best Actress Carbonell Award Nominee);
Side Show - The Media Theatre;
Voice Faculty at
The University of the Arts
"After working relatively nonstop in the business, I started to go through a bit of a dry spell. Callbacks were becoming few and far between, and I was beginning to doubt my place in this industry. Once I began private sessions and classes with Kimberly I began to rediscover my confidence and my unique voice in the theatrical world. Auditions became a joy; a chance to perform and practice my craft. Callbacks and jobs started to flow freely. I have grown immeasurably through my work with Kimberly, and I have also watched every week as other actors transform and bloom under her direction. Kimberly empowers her students with the ability to walk into an audition room in control so that they can concentrate on what is really important: expressing the story and sharing a part of themselves with the auditors. Then, luckily, what follows is booking the job!"
--Stacie Bono
Currently Pirelli/Beggar Woman
in Sweeney Todd at
The Barrow Street Theater
“Kimberly’s individualized process guides you to access your deep well of emotions and personal experiences, to totally align your life force with the story you are living and revealing.”
--Alan Shaw
Les Miserables 25th Anniversary
National Tour as Joly/Ensemble;
Circle in the Square Graduate
“I am extremely honored and count it a blessing to work with one of New York’s finest acting coaches, Kimberly Vaughn. Through my training with her I’ve gained the confidence and solid acting foundation necessary to be chosen to perform with some of the best in the business including Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Rock, Annaleigh Ashford, and Audra McDonald to name a few. I am forever grateful to Kimberly for her wonderful leadership, guidance, direction and for her amazing work as my acting coach. I highly recommend Ms. Vaughn to any of my fellow actors no matter what level of experience in the business from the young aspiring artists to the seasoned veterans. We all need a loving ear to listen to our work and then give honest feedback and guidance on how to make our performance ever better. I’ve found that ‘ear’ and wisdom in my friend Kimberly Vaughn.”
--Phillip Boykin
Sunday In The Park With George;
On The Town;
Tony Award Nominee for
Porgy & Bess
“Kimberly Vaughn is clear and concise and aids you in getting to the very center of your material. She is a wonderful teacher.”
Tsidii Le Loka, The Lion King, Broadway
--Tsidii Le Loka
The Lion King on Broadway
“Kimberly Vaughn skillfully guides her students to open and avail themselves of their most truthful experience in performance. Her positive energy and unwavering encouragement allow you to trust
your instincts as an actor and experience the joy of developing your artistry as a storyteller.”
--Christian White
Seaweed - Hairspray National Tour;
Scotsboro Boys; Shuffle Along;
Circle in the Square Graduate
"Kimberly Vaughn’s strong coaching skill set coupled with her outstanding qualities as a human being make her one of the best coaches in New York. Kimberly knows what the casting & creative team want, and knows how to articulate this to the actor. She also has a unique sensitivity and talent for empathizing with each character. Working with Kimberly will produce a performance that is 100% truthful. Coaching with Kimberly has been one of the smartest investments I have made in my career, and I would recommend her with 5-stars."
--Brandon Davidson
Freddie in My Fair Lady
at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse
"When it comes to coaching an important audition I make sure to work with the very best- Kimberly Vaughn. She helps me find my truth in any text I give her. I sometimes struggle with anxiety in auditions but the work with Kimberly is so clear I can walk in and just do my work. Cannot recommend her enough."
--Hernando Umana
Referee Angel in Kinky Boots
on Broadway
“Kimberly Vaughn offers a style of teaching unique to the world of
theatre; she encourages you to take risks while providing a safe space where such risks seem natural and fuel ones instincts, igniting one’s creativity. Instincts become what they are supposed to be: natural and spontaneous. I highly recommend Ms. Vaughn's class”
--Trey Compton
Actor/Director;
Pace University Graduate
"I came to Kimberly as a classically trained singer and she has helped me grow into the multifaceted storyteller I am today. She taught me how to act and interpret a song, how to use my personal experiences to make material unique to me, and how to use my entire body to become the best story teller possible. I was given Kimberly Vaughn’s name when I first moved to NYC and I should thank that friend every day! I have learned more from her about my craft than any other teacher. Her class atmosphere is warm and SAFE and her insight is genius. The way she approaches her work from a place of truth and honesty has completely changed the way I think and work. I wouldn’t be the performer I am today without her guidance. Kimberly Vaughn is simply the best. Coaching with her directly lead to Susan Stroman casting me in the national tour of Young Frankenstein.”
--Erin Wegner Brooks
Young Frankenstein National Tour;
Cirque Dreams National Tour
I have been working with Kimberly for eight years. She has been a constant source of wonderful support. I’ve lost track of how many jobs she has helped me book but there have been many. I love my sessions with Kimberly and I trust her eye immensely.
--Denis Lambert
Doctor Zhivago on Broadway;
A Chorus Line on Broadway;
Encores!, Carnegie Hall,
Hollywood Bowl, Kennedy Center
“The very first time that I coached with Kimberly Vaughn I booked a lead in a Broadway musical.”
--Amy Spanger
Tony Nominated Actress of
Kiss Me Kate on Broadway;
Rock of Ages on Broadway;
Tick, Tick... BOOM
"Kimberly has given me the tools to be fearless in any audition. Her
knowledge, her charisma, her patience and above all - her marvelous talent make her a dynamite coach to have on your team."
--Joey Tarranto
Spiderman on Broadway;
Kinky Boots on Broadway;
Rock of Ages on Broadway
"Kimberly is my go-to if I need to work on callback material. She is
nurturing yet honest about what I need to do to improve my performance. When I was in final callbacks for the Anything Goes 1st national tour, she helped me prepare my sides and song for the Hope understudy. After working with her I felt prepared and confident with the material. It made all the difference in the world and I ended up booking the job. Thank you for everything Kimberly!"
--Ashley Peacock
Hope cover
Anything Goes First National Tour
"I may have gotten my production contracts without an agent, but I never could have done it without Kimberly Vaughn."
--Cara Kem
High School Musical National Tour;
Shrek National Tour
"I have been studying with Kimberly Vaughn on and off for almost 20 years. She is the reason why I am a playful actress and a great teacher. Although getting into her classroom can sometimes be impossible with the schedule I keep, it is ALWAYS a step back into myself, into the sincerity of the craft, and into a daring, wild, thoughtful act of self expression when I do."
--Sheri Sanders
Pioneer of the
Rock Musical Theatre Movement;
Urinetown National Tour;
Newsical Off Broadway;
Company Cover in Chix6
"I'm so grateful for your amazing support. You have truly changed my life and my career path. I would not have had the trans formative year I've just had that lead me to this incredible role without all of your love and artistic support!"
--Ken Lear
Chance in Chance the musical
"As both an actor and a director, I truly believe that theatre is a collaborative art form. From the moment you walk in the room with Kimberly, you are in a safe and nurturing environment where you can let loose and play. She works with you to help you realize your truth through the song or scene. I have found that in our work together, I not only have a much better understanding of my material, but also how I, as an actor, can approach my material in new, interesting, and truly authentic ways."
--Christopher Michaels
Founder/Producer/Director for
Calendar Boys Productions;
LeFou in Arizona Broadway's
Beauty and the Beast
“Working with Kimberly is the real thing. I have learned so much from her about my process, about auditioning, and about myself as an artist. Her class is a wonderful, safe space where she encourages you to DARE to try anything and everything to do your best work. She is incredibly intuitive. There are times when she says three words to me and I am filled with the life of the song. Taking her class makes me remember why I love to perform!”
--Jen Blood
Violet; Gentleman's Guide;
Matilda Broadway/National Tour
“A friend recommended Kimberly's class, and after observing her working with other people, I was hooked. Her ability to communicate with people and draw out the magic that is already
within them is incredible. She has a wonderful way of helping you see yourself as the casting director will see you, and guiding you in breaking down the walls within yourself that hold you back from what you're capable of. Within 2 months of working with Kimberly, I had booked 2 regional gigs and a national tour---all of which I am confident I wouldn't have had the self-knowledge or self-trust to have achieved without her.”
--Erin Parker
Almost Heaven: The Songs
of John Denver;
Always... Patsy Cline;
Ring of Fire National Tour
"Kimberly is an insightful, open-minded, patient, and nurturing coach. She provides a safe, warm environment in which to explore audition material, and instead of imposing her own interpretation, she sculpts and enhances my performance within the structure of my own emotional connection to the text. In this way, the process of honing an audition side or song with Kimberly becomes a joyful collaboration. Kimberly provides detailed guidance not only on discovering and building upon the emotional foundations of a scene, but also on coloring and shaping specific lines and words to cultivate as rich and as vibrant a performance as possible. And perhaps most importantly, she is positive, encouraging, and empowers me to walk into an audition room feeling confident that I have the tools and the preparation to really put my shoulder behind the scenes and knock them out of the park."
--Evan Siegel
Hans, Rudy, Saxophones in the
Cabaret Broadway Revival;
Cliff/Ernst Cover
Cabaret 1st National Tour;
Zorba (City Center Encores!)
"You are an incredibly astute and sensitive teacher and mentor. I thank the Universe daily for guiding me to you. The momentum that I am finding lately I owe largely to the work that we have been doing together! I always look forward to your class - sometimes terrifying, sometimes mortifying, always artistically gratifying. I’m honored to include
you in my support structure. You’re phenomenal. I continually surprise myself with the things you pull out of me."
--Xander Chauncey
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde at the
Westchester Broadway Theatre
"The decision to start taking class with Kimberly was most definitely a turning point in my career. I felt stuck. Studying with her has freed me, and continues to free me in body, mind, and spirit. The freedom to know that I am enough is just one of the priceless gifts that I have received through training with Kimberly. Her support is unparalleled, her knowledge is boundless, and her love for the theatre is inspiring. As a direct result of my studies with Kimberly I booked my first national tour! This wonderful woman is the best out there. Get on board!"
--Robert Teasdale
Farquaad u/s, Big Bad Wolf,
& Captain of the Guard
in the Shrek National Tours
"I just wanted to thank you for everything you did for me and for pushing me so hard. I really listened to everything you said and 2 weeks later I was asked me to audition for the show Skins
coming to MTV. I finally dug into my emotional depth instead of waiting for someone to make me and I was cast in a recurring role and have been confirmed to be part of the cast for season 2. I just wanted to let you know that you were a huge motivation behind all my recent success and I've been busting my butt ever since. Thank you for everything."
--Blaine Morris
Skins on MTV;
Circle in the Square Graduate
"I just made it to the end of the Billy Elliot tour audition. They said they were interested in me for the understudy for the main dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson! They also said I would be considered for future productions as well. No matter what, Tara Rubin casting now knows me! Thank you for everything. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't started working with you. You helped me find my passion again. I can't thank you enough for that."
--Katie Bradley
Singer/Actor/Dancer
"Deciding to study under Kimberly Vaughn was one of the best moves that I have made for my career. She is someone who has been, and continues to be, successful in this field and knows what she is talking about, and it's evident the moment you begin your first coaching. Not only that, but she provides such a warm and nurturing environment to her students that enables them to explore what they're truly capable of. I would recommend Kimberly to actors young and old who have the desire to obtain all the skills necessary to become the best that they can be."
--CJ Biondo
Accepted into the
Department of Theatre Arts
at Marymount Manhattan College
"My recent class with Kimberly was everything I had hoped for… and more. Her ability to recognize, direct, and transform lifted the entire class to an unexpected level. She consistently coupled her unique understanding of the demands of our business with the compassion necessary to affect a personal awakening in each of us. I consider Kimberly a very important guide on any artist’s journey to find their true career path."
--Paul Geiger
Singer/Actor
"When I started working with Kimberly I was in transition and I was looking for guidance and support as I moved into the next phase of my career. Immediately after beginning my work with Kimberly, I approached not only my material differently, but also my mindset for the business. She is so acutely attuned to her students. Her insight, brilliance, intuitive nature, kindness, and her attention to detail make Kimberly the perfect sounding board and a safe haven for true and meaningful growth. Through our work together I was able to gracefully move through my hurdles, get my career back on track, and reach the level of success I have always envisioned for myself. I feel lucky to call Kimberly Vaughn not only, a mentor, but also a friend."
--Allison Mahoney
Evita National Tour
The Singing Baker - Food Network
"Within the first six months of working with Kimberly, I booked a national tour and a Broadway show. Her classes kept me relaxed in my work and sharp for auditions, maximizing my opportunities to be hired for jobs I really care about. I recommend Kimberly Vaughn Performance Studio to people constantly!"
--Chelsea Williams
In Transit on Broadway;
Mamma Mia! on Boradway;
White Christmas National Tour