Biography
Jane Drake Brody grew up moving frequently between Atlanta, Ga and Milwaukee, Wi, the daughter of Charlie Drake, WW2 veteran musician/insurance salesman and Barbara Pennell Drake, a stay at home mom. She decided to become an actor at the age of 14 when she saw two plays in two weeks, "Hamlet" at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and "The Miracle Worker" with Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft. Jane is now an actor, a Master Acting Teacher, a stage director, former casting director (CSA), agent, and writer.
As an acting coach and teacher, Jane specializes in script analysis and audition methods for all media. She teaches both on-line, and off, coaching actors one-on-one, and in scene study group classes. Her 'Thoughtful Actor's Book Club' is an ongoing discussion group examining current acting theory.
She is the author of two books: "Acting, Archetype, and Neuroscience" (Routledge) which examines the use of neuroscience for directors and performers in all mediums, and "The Actor's Business Plan" (Bloomsbury) which focuses on creating a satisfying career and happy life for actors.
Before opening her own school, The Audition Centre in Chicago, Jane served as Assistant to Michael Shurtleff for several years and the school is based on his work. She is a retired Associate Professor of Theatre at the Theatre School, Depaul University, Chicago, IL. Prior to her work at Depaul, she was head of undergraduate acting at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Jane has won multiple awards most notably a CSA Artios award for her work on the Coen Bros film, "Fargo". Her casting mentors were Reuben Cannon, Barbara Clamin, and Lynn Stalmaster. She also received the Los Angeles Weekly's Best Actress Award for the lead role in "Absent Friends" produced by Jean Stapleton.
Jane considers herself to be a citizen of the acting world.
