OUR STORY
HOW THIS ALL CAME ABOUT
First and foremost, I’m a performer. But over the years that’s taken many forms; actor auditioning for a role, actor on set, reader in a casting room, director in a casting room, director on set, acting teacher, life coach, producer selling a pitch, producer running a set, writer selling a pitch… you get the idea. I’m used to being on “stage” if you will, but I often found myself coming up against a problem: I was “prepared” to perform in any scenario, but sometimes my head wasn’t in the game. Which means, I wasn’t prepared at all. Now, I’m also an avid meditator, so I know how to focus my mind, but there was a disconnect between focusing my mind in a yoga class or retreat and being able to do it ON DEMAND in the midst of high-pressure performance. I kept thinking the answer came within my own field and I just hadn’t found it yet. I spent many years training CRAFT.
And then something began nagging at me. I’m a huge sports fan. The more I started to read articles about what was happening in and around the world of sport, and the more I realized that so many of the answers I was seeking could be found there. And I soon realized that athletes were viewing their mind as the next frontier. The missing ingredient to creating a competitive edge. And those at the highest levels were training their mind just as they trained their craft and their body.
I came to a realization that there was more to training actors for the modern age of technology than just having an acting and audition technique in their back pockets. I began to study what the best in the world of sports and corporations were doing to perform their best at a sustained high level. Soon I found myself meeting with Sports Psychologists, Head Coaches, Analysts and GM’s as well as doing a deep dive into sports science.
The only problem was there was no roadmap on how to translate what I was finding for athletes to implementation for actors. And so, I got curious if I could create that bridge. I spent several years researching and using my own findings on myself and on my acting/ coaching clients and once I felt the techniques were working, I started to call other teachers into the work. That’s where Hillary came in…
I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect partner to explore this with than Actress and Coach Hillary Tuck. I first met Hillary while closely working with Warner Loughlin, a renowned acting coach, in her master class. Warner later invited the two of us to create an Audition Program where we first were able to combine our experience in highly demanding acting situations and give guidance to our students. We fully credit the idea of teaching together to Warner as she often has brought such amazing teachings into our lives through her warm instincts and guidance.
Together, we realized we wanted to create a program for actors that complemented their acting training. We launched THE PERFORMERS MINDSET in January of 2018. We have been so excited to learn how much of a demand for these tools and techniques there have been. We are thrilled that it has caused such a rapid growth of opportunities including how bringing it to you, through this site.
We hope you’ll keep reading and learn how this work can benefit you in whatever was YOU perform.
— Joe Towne (founder & CEO)
WHERE WE’VE BEEN
THE PERFORMER’S MINDSET has taught over a dozen workshops and programs around the country and as of recently the program has gained an international audience. THE PERFORMER’S MINDSET is one of the fastest growing coaching programs for actors, athletes, and entrepreneurs alike. THE PERFORMER’S MINDSET continues to partner with high level working professionals bringing relevant and exciting material to each and each and every workshop. In addition to working in concert with Hillary there have been incredible collaborations that have come out of this work, including with colleagues and dear friends across the country (such as Eric Hunicutt, Nikki DeLoach and Yogi Roth) and internationally in Canada (with David Reale.)
WHERE WE ARE NOW
We are currently offering ongoing virtual workshops for actors across the globe. We also work with a handful of one-on-one clients comprised of athletes, actors, and executives. They come to this program for support with on camera work, breaking down past performance, visioning their future and setting achievable goals that are within their control. By giving these industry professionals the tools and techniques of THE PERFORMER’S MINDSET we find that this new programming becomes the new standard for our clients. They are hungry for more ways to reframe their experiences and new tools to complement their craft.
WHERE WE ARE GOING
THE PERFORMER’S MINDSET continues to expand. We are doing a 2 week program at GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE this fall and will be coming to New York in the spring of 2022.
It is our hope to be in Europe and Australia by late 2022/early 2023. Within the next 5 years THE PERFORMER’S MINDSET our workshops will be available (at least virtually) to anyone across the globe.
If you are interested in having The Performer’s Mindset come to your university, corporation, team or organization, please contact us.