What they are saying:
​"Will has a terrific sense of Shakespeare's language, and of how to mine it for clues. ​His feedback took my monologue from being good to being something that books work!" - R.S.
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"William’s passion and enthusiasm for Shakespeare seeps through every moment of his directing and teaching sessions. His comprehension and admiration for the Elizabethan language and Shakespearean vocabulary is a rarity within the modern day talent pool. Will also creates a safe environment for his people to experiment with success, failure, and most importantly, the power of an emotional journey, delving into each end of the spectrum which is equally as cathartic as it is inspiring. - A.D.
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"Thank you for brining Luciana back" - M.L.
​"William Downes is a very caring and intelligent teacher. He has a genuine passion for Shakespeare and a thirst for knowledgethat he constantly tries to share with his students. I have worked on several monologues with Will, and I always finish my sessions inspired and ready to use the speeches for auditions. I highly recommend Will and you will learn a lot!" - M.S.
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"Thank you again so so much for meeting with me!
It made quite a difference, and it was (and always is) wonderful working with you" - D.H.
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“Working with Will is always a pleasure! I've never had a director or monologue coach, who makes me feel as comfortable and supported as Will does. ​He is quick to grasp your strengths, and use that knowledge into getting the best performance out of you. ​His passion for Shakespeare is infectious! I always leave a little brighter after working with Will.”- V.A.
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​"As a musical theatre performer, I was super intimidated and nervous when I needed to learn a Shakespeare monologue for a summer stock season. Luckily I happened to see William’s post on playbill-he gave me so many great exercises and walked me through the piece in a relaxed environment. His coaching helped me get callbacks for other Shakespeare productions and really opened my eyes to a genre of theatre that I otherwise wouldn’t have pursued. I’ve been having so much fun working with him on Shakespearean text and it has really bled into my acting of more contemporary pieces. A million thanks to William, I would highly recommend using him as a coach!" - A.J.​​​​