About Our School
What began as a 600 page reference book for actors in Los Angeles soon became the number one online resource for actors who want Hollywood level acting training as well as a source for valuable insight and helpful information.
Our Beginnings
The original Working Actor’s Guide to Los Angeles was a 600 page reference book founded in the late 1980s by working actor, Karin Mani. It was a comprehensive list of everything actor related, with categories including casting directors, agents, managers, headshot photographers, acting classes, studio lot info, where to live in Los Angeles and an abundance of info to help actors to make it in Hollywood. WAG, as it was known, was the top selling book for actors at the time. It was updated annually, for over 20 years, before the Internet became the ultimate reference source. Some of its original creators included, Michael Abrams, Mark Atteberry, Nancy, Sinclair, Bud Thomas, Chris Holder, Jill and Ben D’Aubrey, Cindy Baer and Michael Edelstein. Several classes formed out of WAG, including courses taught by Karin Mani and Mark Atteberry, thus the inspiration for the current iteration of WAG.
Our Mission
Our goal is to provide actors everywhere with an online resource for world class acting training. Most schools focus on a classical technique, rather than on who you are and what makes you unique from everyone else. Our focus is on helping you find your individual strengths and skills and bring those to your work.
Our School Founder
The online school and current rendition of the Working Actor’s Guide is the brainchild of award winning actor and master teacher, Mark Atteberry. Armed with a head full of knowledge from his years writing the “Working Actor’s Guide to Los Angeles,” and his decades of experience as a working actor in Hollywood, Mark wanted to make world class acting training available to aspiring actors across the globe. Not only did Mark study with some of the top acting teachers over the last several decades, he also has a practical working knowledge of the contemporary acting styles found amongst A-list actors on the most successful film and TV sets in the industry. Mark felt it was time to bring all of that knowledge and wisdom to the forefront, via an online acting school. For more information about Mark scroll down.
Our Master Teachers
From the very beginning, the intention of The Working Actor’s Guide was to become the go-to resource to find and learn from the best acting teachers in the world. The first classes were offered up by Mark Atteberry, our founder, but our goal is to continue to add to our prestigious list of instructors as time goes on.