The Actor's Instrument

This week’s guest choreographed one of the most iconic fight scenes in all of cinema. If you don’t know his name, then maybe you’d recognize Brad Pitt shouting "Hector!" in his portrayal of Achilles in the film Troy.  That's right, the sword master for the film, choreographer for that iconic Achilles vs Hector fight, and this week’s guest on the Actor’s Instrument, is none other than Richard Ryan. 

Richard’s credits extend across theatre, film, and television. He is a  fight master with the society of American Fight Directors, he was Robert De Niro’s double in the film Stardust, fight coordinated on The Golden Compass, and The Dark Night, and has most recently served as the stunt coordinator for Vikings, and Vikings Valhalla on Netflix. But-Richard started out as an actor. And he joins the show this week to discuss his process of working with actors to tell stories of physical violence.

Disclaimer: this episode’s primary recording was unfortunately lost, so this episode is audio from a backup cloud recording. Audio quality may vary. 

This week's episode is very special, because although this is the 23rd installment released to the public, this is the first interview recorded for The Actor's Instrument. That's right, initially, this was just supposed to be a test episode for our host, Hassiem; but after listening to it again, he  just couldn’t keep this level of inspiration to himself!  Sarah Allyn, a U.S. Army brat, was born in Wuerzburg, Germany and proceeded to travel the world over starting at 9 months old. Their early, and consistent, exposure to different places, cultures, and characters gave them an intuitive ability to imitate and adapt. They have worked for the US Department of Defense, fought cancer into remission, had a child during the pandemic, and not a single speed bump along the way has deterred them from their pursuits as an actor. We can all learn a great deal from the tenacity shown by this week's guest!

On this week's episode of The Actor's Instrument, host, Hassiem Muhammad, discusses the invaluable attribute of resiliency. An actor's ability to bounce back from rejection is paramount to the success of their career. Of course, this is easier said than done-but not to worry! In this episode, Hassiem shares his tips for actors that can help you to weather the storm that is the entertainment industry! 

This week we’ve got a very unique interview for all of you. Our host, Hassiem, sat down with Eoghan O’Kelly, the owner of Uptown Movement Gym in New York City to discuss the artist’s physical instrument. They discuss fitness and nutrition for actors and dancers, as well as some of the risks that performers face doing 8-9 shows per week, and how to best prepare for those marathon contracts. And our guest, Eoghan, isn’t just any trainer...back in 2020, he was brought on as a strength and conditioning coach for a major Broadway musical. He's on the show this week to share what he discovered during that production, and through his time working with actors and dancers in the entertainment industry. As you’ll come to hear, he knows a thing or two about the actor's instrument!

The acting industry is super tough. Constant rejection, financial woes, and last minute auditions with a hotel room ironing board and a few books serving as a tripod are commonplace in our industry. Now imagine all of that plus the stresses of the US immigration policy.  This week’s guest, Resa Mishina, was born and raised in Tokyo and attended international schools around Singapore and Japan. In 2009, she was selected to represent the city of Tokyo for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games city bid. Fast forward to 2023 and Resa finds herself as a part of the Helen Hayes Award Winning ensemble of John Proctor is the Villain at Studio Theater in Washington, DC. As my first ever referral guest on the show, Resa shares her journey from Olympic gymnastics hopeful, to award winning actor, sharing the struggles and challenges that she has had as an immigrant artist along the way.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Power Book II, ten episodes of Power Book III, Mr. and Mrs. Smith starring Donald Glover, Luke Cage, The Godfather or Harlem...these are just some of Wadi Jones’s stunt performer and coordinator credits. When you Google him, stunts are the first thing that pop up, and when I met Wadi, he was introduced to me as a stunt performer and coordinator. But when you talk to Wadi himself, that’s not how he immediately identifies. He is an actor, dancer, husband, father, visual artist, and yes, sometimes a stunt performer. You see Wadi Jones doesn’t believe that any of us are just one thing. He doesn’t believe in putting himself into a box, and he embraces all of the pieces that make up Wadi Jones the human. On this week’s episode, Wadi shares his tips for actors and other performers. We discuss why it's important to tap into your various talents and abilities, the power of entrepreneurship,  and that if you want to have a successful acting career, you need to hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. 

Today, October 30th, is our host, Hassiem Muhammad's birthday! As a new year begins, and the previous one comes to an end, Hassiem takes a look back on his career to share some very important lessons that he's learned along the way. From regional theater, to television premieres, tap in to hear five lessons from five gigs, and soak up the many tips for actors that Hassiem shares in this week's episode! 

In October's Monthly Motivation segment, host, Hassiem Muhammad, goes solo to share tips for actors on how to set SMART Goals. Only 3% of people have goals, and only 1% write them down. Tap in to this week's episode to hear how you can set yourself apart from over 90% of the competition in the acting industry. As Denzel Washington said, "dreams without goals are just dreams...and ultimately fuel disappointment."

For actors, there is only but so much in our control. Nepotism, Hollywood beauty standards, and luck all play a part in one's acting career, and at the same time, none of it is up to us as individuals. BUT there is a host of other things that are within our control, and it is our job to make sure that we capitalize on all of them; and to help us better understand what those things are that can help us break through the noise, I’m joined this week by one of Broadway’s most accomplished Casting Directors, Tara Rubin. Tara’s office has cast Mama Mia, Jersey Boys, Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera, Aladdin, and many many other Broadway, and regional theater productions. With a resume that long, I’d say that Tara knows a thing or two about how actors can "do the doables". 

Sometimes, the Broadway audition process can take months, and you have to go through five to six rounds of callbacks before you finally book your dream job. This week, I'm joined by actor, Samaria Nixon-Fleming, who shares an inside look into her very unique Broadway audition process, what it's like to be a swing at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, and how important it is in the acting industry to cultivate the value of hard work. 

There is a real mental health crisis in the acting industry. "Actors experience significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress than the general population," according to the University of Sydney. A study that they conducted showed that out 782 actors,  25% reported having experienced "debilitating performance anxiety" at some point in their career and many relied on alcohol and drugs to cope with the pressure and burden of their roles. This week, Rachel Brooks, a creative arts/drama therapist and actress, who received her Masters in Drama Therapy at NYU joins the show to share some of her go to tips for actors for taking control of one’s mental health.

In September's Monthly Motivation segment, host, Hassiem Muhammad, goes solo to share a story about one of the greatest lessons he learned as an actor, and how he blieves that this lesson is the key to having a successful acting career-or not. In this episode, Hassiem details the moment when, as a young man, he felt like he'd failed as an actor--not getting into The Juilliard School.  It wasn't until years after this moment that he fully understood the weight and meaning of what his acting teacher told him during that time: that you've got to "run your own race".  

This week's guest booked his first pilot before he even graduated from college–but it didn’t get picked up to series. Then shortly after graduation, he booked another, which went to series-but got canceled before the end of its first season. Always defying the odds, Brandon Michael Hall didn't let a couple of cancellations stop him. TV creators kept bringing him back over and over, and before the age of 30, he racked up series regular billing on four different tv shows. This week we get into how Brandon has stayed in high demand in the acting industry, and how he adopted a nomadic lifestyle during the pandemic; traveling the world without emptying his bank account.  

“Theater is in free fall, and the pandemic isn’t the only thing to blame” was a headline in the Washington Post 2 months ago, and to discuss the state of American Theatre, I’m joined today by Rylan Rilette, the Artistic Director at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland. Ryan is in his twelfth season as AD at Round House, and during his tenure, he has produced five of the best-selling and highest-attended seasons in the theater’s history. His productions have received 81 Helen Hayes Awards nominations, with 21 wins, and on this week’s episode, Ryan shares how he and his team have kept their theater afloat, and his tips for actors who are trying to weather this storm. 

Writer and Director, Andy Wolk, shares loads of tips for actors in this week's episode! Andy’s career started in the New York City theater scene, where he has had plays produced as a writer and director at theaters such as Lincoln Center, LaMaMa, Ensemble Studio Theater and the Manhattan Theater Club. After making a transition to LA, Andy wrote and directed the acclaimed HBO drama CRIMINAL JUSTICE which Time Magazine named one of the "Ten Best" films of the year. He has directed episodes NYPD BLUE, The Sopranos, Ugly Betty, Manifest, Gossip Girls, and my favorite show of all time, Criminal Minds. Safe to say that Andy knows a thing or two about the acting industry, and I am so excited to have him on the show!

In this week's episode of The Actor's Instrument, host, Hassiem Muhammad, goes solo to share his thoughts about the damaging trope that actors are told they must accept: that you must be poor to be an artist. There is no doubt that making it in the acting industry is a tall order, but that pathway to success must include confidence, the fortitude to reject negative self talk, and the ability to adopt a positive mindset. This episode is rich with tips for actors, and motivation for those who may be struggling to stay positive during this time.

Black White and the Greys is a film that I saw at the perfect time in my life, and I am so excited because one of the co-creators of this film, Marchelle Thurman,  will be joining me on the show this week. Marchelle can be seen onThe Last Days of Ptolymey Gray,  Law and Order,andThe Endgame; and she’s here  to chat with us about her experience as a multi-hyphenate, how the strike has impacted her acting career, and the tips for actors that she has after producing her own work.

Rick Sordelet, is a New York City based fight director, whose credits cover the various worlds of stage, TV and film, stage combat training, stunt coordination, play direction and more. If you’re a frequenter of broadway or off broadway shows, you’ve likely seen his work, because he has racked up collaborations with over 70 Broadway directors! His company, Sordelet Inc has a long list of credits that include: Broadway’s Indecent, Misery, Annie, Sunset Boulevard, and Fences starring Denzel Washington. Basically, in New York, Rick Sordelet is the guy when it comes to fight direction, and if there's one thing that Rick makes clear in this week's episode, it's that he loves actors!

It goes without saying how unpredictable and unstable having a career in the acting industry can be. So how do we find stability? How do we find consistency and longevity? On this week's episode, I’m joined by actor, Michael Boatman, who has been in the entertainment industry, working consistently for 36 years! Michael’s career has spanned regional theater, Broadway, Film, and Television, and IMDB has him credited with 92 different titles! Tap in to hear all of Michael's incredible tips for actors!

In this week's episode of The Actor's Instrument, host, Hassiem Muhammad goes solo to impart a bit of motivation for everyone in the acting industry who is staring down the double-barrel of the WGA and Actor's strike. Hassiem shares how actors can adopt an athlete's mindset to stay focused, and hone their craft during this moment of uncertainty. This episode is rich with tips for actors who may be feeling lost during this time. 

NAACP and AUDELCO  award-winning director, Carl Cofield, is a bit of a quadruple threat. Actor, director, associate artistic director, and grad acting chair at NYU; Carl comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and many many tips for actors. In today's episode, Carl shares the three tools he believes every actor needs in order to have a successful collaboration with directors in the entertainmnet industry. 

Today’s episode is all about the role of intimacy coordinators in the acting industry, and tips for actors who might have the opportunity to work with these unsung heroes. Now what makes Alica Rodis such a special guest? Well, when it comes to intimacy direction, her insight is pretty great to have, because, well, she invented it.  In 2015 Alicia co-founded the not-for-profitIntimacy Directors Internationalwith' Tonia Sina. And in 2018, she made history when she was hired by HBO to coordinate on The Deuce, making Alicia the first ever intimacy coordinator in television history. Today she serves as the resident intimacy coordinator for HBO, where they keep her insanely busy, so I couldn’t be more grateful that she’s taken the time to join us on the show today!

Today’s guest, Casting Director, Erica Hart, has been taking the acting industry by storm. Just a few of her casting credits include MAX’s That Damn Michael Che, Girls on the Bus, and A Black Lady Sketch Show.  She has also cast Broadway's Chicken and Biscuits, Pass Over, and the revival of Death of a Salesman. On today’s episode, Erica candidly lays out what Casting Directors are really looking for, and how the greatest instrument an actor has at their disposal, is their humanity.  Erica’s tips for actors are priceless, so make sure you’ve got your volume turned up, because you won’t want to miss a second of this conversation!

On this first episode of, The Actor's Instrument, Hassiem Muhammad gets a look into how Wu-Tang: An American Saga's Siddiq Saunderson managed to book a series regular role as his THIRD job out of school.  Siddiq shares his tips for actors and how ultimately betting on yourself, and trusting what you have within, will lead to a successful acting career. 

Audio Discretion Advised *language*.

Award-winning actor, Hassiem Muhammad, kicks off a brand new podcast for actors in this solo-conversation on what audience members can expect when tuning into The Actor's Instrument.