Connect
To Top

Meet Benjy Dobrin

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjy Dobrin.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Benjy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started acting quite late in life, although one could make a pretty good argument that we all grow up acting in one way or another. I was planning on getting an MBA after a great dot-com experience right out of college and while preparing for the GMATs and filling out applications, ended up taking an acting class because it was always something that I wanted to try.

It was all quite serendipitous actually. I was driving home to Denver after spending some time in Montana with friends. My only ‘work’ duty while on vacation was writing my essays for my business school applications. Two weeks passed and I didn’t write a word, and while doing some soul searching on the drive back to Denver, I came to the conclusion that the only reason I was thinking about going back to school was because I didn’t know what I actually wanted to do with my life.

Somewhere in the middle of a dark highway, the idea of taking an acting class popped into my head and I sort of thought about it a little bit, and had his feeling that “I could do that”. Well, finally made it home in the middle of the night and went to bed. Woke up after several hours and it was still on my mind, so I popped open a phone book (yeah, I’m old) and found a tiny and very generic ad for ‘Drama Classes’. I called the number and it turned out to be the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and spoke with a nice woman. I asked if they offered beginning acting classes, and she said they did, and they had one that started that night, but it was already full. I then heard a woman in the background tell her co-worker, “we just had that cancellation this morning”, and next thing I knew, she asked me if I would like that spot. Without missing a beat, I said, “yes, please”, and about four hours later, I walked into my first acting class.

I walked out of that first two-hour class hooked on the craft. One class led to another, and then several more, and then to professional workshops, ultimately an agent and professional representation and pretty soon I was heading to Hollywood.

I worked and played in Hollywood for many years, working some incredible gigs, meeting tons of amazing artists and studying with some of LA’s best teachers and coaches. After many years we had a class assignment at the Beverly Hills Playhouse to direct something, and it was during that experience that I realized how much I loved leading other actors into interesting places. That’s when I knew that I wanted to teach.

It took me about six months to pack up the car and dog and make my way back to Denver, and I was fortunate enough to convince the fantastic folks at the DCPA to hire me, and the first class I taught in Denver ended up being the same ‘beginner level class’ that I took on as my very first class. Quite serendipitous really.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Right out of the gate, I loved teaching. Had great success and quickly had a little band of artists that liked the way I approached the craft. I was very cautious in actually branching out on my own as a young teacher, but utilizing some of the business savvy I picked up in prior life, I slowly made the shift from being employed by others, to running my own studio.

My dad has always said, ‘nothing good is easy, Benj, nothing good is easy’, and those are words that I truly live by. There are constant challenges as a small business owner in the arts. Whether it’s finding the right location, negotiating leases as our city grows and gentrifies, or keeping student retention rates up, its always something. You have to really love educating artists to stick it out through the ups and downs.

One of the biggest unanticipated challenges is the simple fact that I am often a victim of my own success. Quite simply, if I do my job well, I equip young artists with the skill sets, attitudes, and drive to potentially take a leap of faith to a larger market. One of the most difficult aspects of my job is the fact that I lose 20% of my clients every year because they move to markets that have more production and work than Denver is currently able to offer.

Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
Benjy Dobrin Studios is a full-service acting school and corporate development center. I don’t just work with actors, I work with lawyers, doctors, salespeople, public speakers, etc. I specialize in helping people to understand all of the elements of effective communication.

My corporate clients range from trial attorneys working on effective timing, pausing, body language, to young doctors and med students working on effectively communicating with patients, to salespeople working on their specific pitches and their listening skills so they can best identify the needs of their clients, and even top-level executives who are being recruited to new positions and are looking to brush up on their interview skills. Quite simply, anyone who communicates for a living can benefit from my services.

I teach my traditional acting students a very specific process which is all about enabling them to have ‘authentic human experiences, under fictitious circumstances”. Quite simply, I never want to see my students ‘acting’.

What sets me apart from other acting schools is the fact that my training isn’t just about teaching my students to act. It’s about helping them with their branding and marketing, helping them understand how the industry works and every aspect that they need in order to get successful with their craft.

The one thing that I am definitely the most proud of is the incredible community that we have created over the years. It takes a superhuman effort to be an artist and the community we have built is the most supportive and loving group of people you could ever imagine. Most acting classes are filled with tons of ego, and I am very adamant that everyone surrenders their ego at the door, and when we can nurture and encourage each other on that level, great things start to happen.

My studio is a safe place to explore without the risk of feeling ridiculed, and I encourage my students to be willing to fail and mess things up gloriously. When students feel safe in our environment, they are more willing to try new things and step out of their comfort zones, and ultimately the result is exponential growth by a group of risk-taking artists that are willing to push the boundaries. Quite simply, great art doesn’t come from a safe place, but it originates with a safe and nurturing environment.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m a big believer in slow and steady growth. As we look into the new year and beyond, I’m going to be looking at adding classes and instructors, both online and at the studio, building out my corporate market, and branching out our kids and teens programs, potentially with some satellite studios in different areas.

Contact Info:

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in