Acting & Confidence Classes for all experience levels, from beginners to working professionals.
Based in Los Angeles, California.
Work with a professional Aussie actor (me! Riley Nottingham) with 20+ years experience.
Ensemble Cast Nicola Parry, Riley Nottingham (Coach with Riley) and Guest Marty Sheargold on Thank God You’re Here
Photography: Hwa Goh
Acting & Confidence classes for any audition, any skill level and (almost!) any age (sorry, you have to be at least 5!!)
Giving creatives, actors and artists all the tools they need to become working actors in a fun, safe and inclusive environment.
"Thanks so much for Dastan's first lesson with you last night. He absolutely loved it and was very happy afterwards. I also think you earned every dollar, thankyou for your patience and kindness."
— Parent/Guardian, Western Australia
"Tom's really enjoying the classes."
— Parent/Guardian, Western Australia
"Indrani had a GREAT time on the first class this week. Thankyou! :)."
— Parent/Guardian, New South Wales (Australia)
"He loved it."
— Parent/Guardian, Victoria (Australia)
COACH WITH RILEY - BOOK IN NOW
$80
Private Coaching (Adults)
70 minute session
Recommended for: Acting & Auditions
$65
Private Coaching (Kids & Teens)
60 minute session
Recommended for: Acting & Auditions
From $140/month
Acting & Confidence Classes (Kids & Teens)
Small Groups, Cancel Anytime
Juniors (7–10): 45-minute weekly classes
Middles (11–13): 60-minute weekly classes
Seniors (14-17): 70-minute weekly classes
Group classes with a friendly Aussie actor/writer/producer/showrunner (Riley!), based in sunny Los Angeles.
One-on-one coaching via video or in person.
Sessions 100% confidential.
The goal of each Audition Coaching session (apart from having heaps of fun!) is about absolutely smashing your audition! Which can encompass many aspects of performing: truth under imaginary circumstances, goals, tactics, objectives, projection, partner work, improvisation, script analysis, acting technique, performance technique and self-devised work. I want you to feel super confident about your choices as an artist (regardless of whether or not you get the role - that is out of your control).
The goal of the Career Coaching sessions is to help answer questions like, “What do I really want?”, “Am I on the 'right’ track?” and, “Why am I doing this again?!”. It can involve deep assessment of your resume and reel, through to discussion about management and representation, and ultimately what kind of mindset you’re adopting in this industry. I want you to feel more optimistic after a session, than when you began.
The goal of the In-Your-Corner Coaching sessions is to give you immediate advice - so often there are tricky situations that come up before a project, on set, or around creative partnerships (or even sometimes in your personal life, but it trickles into your work life). These sessions were borne out of high demand; I want you to feel like you have a new perspective and the opinion and advice of someone else (me!) that you can listen to or not - you will always know what’s best for you.
Trailer - Season 1 of Riley's Sitcom ‘Metro Sexual’
‘Toybox’ - Riley did 290 episodes of this in Australia
“Hi Riley, thanks he really enjoyed it and keen to keep attending. Games are engaging for a boy who had never attended acting or drama classes before experiencing WAA online class. It’s a great way to enjoy role play and fun in an online small group setting.”
— Parent/Guardian, QLD
“I just wanted to send you a quick note to say that Evie loved the class tonight. She is still on a high hours later. I heard her telling her dad that it felt like it went for 15 minutes she was enjoying it so much! Keep up the great work.”
— Parent/Guardian, VIC
“Lochie is absolutely loving the classes!”
— Parent/Guardian, NSW
"Thank you for today. She really enjoyed it. Much appreciated."
— Parent/Guardian, SA
What You Get From Coach with Riley
For Students:
You get a dedicated session with Riley to conquer that audition, nail the callback, tweak your approach to something or totally reinvent your career (if you want :D). I am here to support you and help you to finish a session with me feeling better about your place in the industry than how you began. You got this!
For Parents & Guardians:
If you’re enrolling your child, they will be getting a dedicated session where they’re learning, they’re entertained and feeling positive and empowered about their place in the industry. Riley has taught thousands of kids from 5 through to 17 both online and in person at various schools across Australia as well as his Coaching with Riley business.
Riley’s debut feature film ‘Strange Creatures’
Riley’s debut live show (musical comedy/theater) - ‘Manifesto’
Book a Session Now
FAQs
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Coach with Riley is an acting school run by Riley Nottingham. Formerly Working Actors Academy (WAA) in Australia, Riley taught hundreds of children, teenagers and adults from 2020 to 2023. Now based in Los Angeles, he has renamed the school ‘Coach with Riley’ as he is not teaching as many group classes, and instead working on-on-one and also offering career coaching after many requests.
We aim to be the best online performing arts teaching experience for kids and adults right across the world - from the remotest parts of Alaska througTop End, Tassie or Broome, through to small towns in Queensland or South Australia, through to Sydney's North Shore and bustling Melbourne. We also teach students from New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and all over Canada - all online!
Wherever you are, if you have an Internet connection and an imagination, WAA can be the acting school for you!
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We opened during March of 2020, initially as a response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. What we found was there are hundreds of passionate students all around the world who do not live close to suitable in-person training, so we exist for them :). (or anyone who'd like to give our classes a go!)
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Riley coaches and teaches actors as young as 7 up to college students and adult, working actors.
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You sure can!!! They're right here: Testimonials!
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Yes! Riley is based in Los Angeles, California, and teaches students in parts of the USA like LA, New York, Florida, and also out of the country Canada, Australia and South Africa. Wherever you are, if you have a phone or internet connection, Riley can work with you!
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Our head teacher and Coach with Riley founder is Riley Nottingham, you can read more about his career here, here[6] and below.
Since 2016, Riley has taught thousands of students at various schools, aged 5 through to 18, and adult classes:
Working Actors Academy
APO Arts Academy (Children & Adults)
Stage Left
Centre Stage
Stage School Australia (VYT, YABC & Beginners on Stage)
Coach Music Academy (Children & Adults)
Riley and WAA's style of teaching is based off our experiences of the tangible tools a working actor needs to be effective and powerful in rehearsal, on stage or on set:
being in the moment
being connected
the application of heart, body and mind to a scene.
Recent actor or producer credits include:
Strange Creatures
Metro Sexual
Thank God You're Here
Junior MasterChef
Beauty & The Geek
Metro Sexual
Australian Survivor
The Mole
The Weekly with Charlie Pickering
Hamish & Andy’s ‘Perfect’ Holiday
Gilligan’s Island: The Musical
True Story with Hamish & Andy
Toybox
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Just email us at coach@coachwithriley.com, or better yet book in a call here! Speak soon!
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Audition Coaching - a one-off session for $75.
Audition Coaching - a pack of 3 sessions for $180 ($60/each) for use anytime - all within the same week or two or spread out across a year.
Career Coaching - Riley also works with actors and filmmakers about all things industry. Please email coach@coachwithriley.com to discuss.
In-Your-Corner Coaching - Riley also provides highly specific advice for an exciting-but-stressful situation you’re facing right now or very soon. Email coach@coachwithriley.com to enquire or text 747.295.8558
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Riley is based in Los Angeles but originally from Brissie, so works with lots of actors and creatives from Australia as well as USA, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and a few other places! If you have an internet connection or a phone, we can find a time in your timezone that works!
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Not sure if you want to study acting, which session to choose, or next steps? Any burning questions? Want to just have a quick chat with Riley?! Book in a free discovery call, a short chat via zoom or on the phone. 100% free and no obligation.
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We would be surprised if you didn’t still have unanswered questions! Online performing arts classes or audition coaching sessions are a new thing for a lot of people and we LOVE answering questions and talking about how we can work with you. Please email coach@coachwithriley.com.