Hello Actors! The spotlight is on Marvin Greene this week! Marvin teaches acting, directing, and Shakespeare at Academy of Art. He is also the MC for the Academy’s graduation ceremonies!

Q: How did you get to where you are today? What is your backstory?
MG: The backstory would be a novel but the blog answer is I got here by moving whenever I couldn’t find work in one place. I moved until I found work. Then arrived in SF doing a road show of BILOXI BLUES that starred Woody Harrelson. I loved SF so much that I stayed.

Q: What are three tips of success that you can give to aspiring actors?
MG: 3 tips of success: Build relationships. (This is different than kissing ass by the way!) Stay intensely curious about the thing you are pursuing. Know your priorities and live them.

Q: What motivated you to stick to acting as a career?
MG: My motivation to stick to acting was that every other form of making a living that I tried seemed downright awful.

Q: What is a film or play that inspires you? Why?
MG: A play that always moved me was AWAKE AND SING, by Clifford Odets. I love how it captures the very human passion to dream of paradise even when you’re in hell.

And of course there is always DEATH OF A SALESMAN. I played Biff many years ago. Until that point my parents never thought much of my decision to pursue acting.

Seeing me in DOS, however,  was the first time my father seemed to recognize that I had any potential as an actor. He stood outside the theater with tears streaming down his face, telling everyone that I was his son.

Q: Number 1 tip for auditioning?
MG: Number one audition tip is remember the word “SHOW” in show business. Be charming!

Q: What has been your biggest accomplishment as an actor? What has been your biggest challenge?MG: My biggest accomplishment was enduring as long as I did. My biggest challenge was always my own self-doubt.

Q: What are you working on now?
MG: Right now I’m working on making a CD of my music.

Q: If you can be any animal in the world, what animal would you be and why?
MG: If I could be any animal I’d like to be a grizzly bear. Why not be be the biggest bad-ass in the forest? I saw a grizzly once and he just looked at me as though I were too low for his serious consideration. In actuality I think I’m very much like a monkey.

Marvin Greene has been teaching acting, directing, and improv for the Academy of Art since 1998. While teaching he has continued performing as an actor. during the past 25 years he has worked for A.C.T, San Jose Repertory Theater, Marin Shakespeare Company, Marina Theatre Company, Aurora Theater, and more. Marvin camera to the theatre via music, starting his career playing guitar and cello in the pit orchestra for musicals. Marvin still performs as a guitar playing with bands.