I cannot say enough about how amazing Shari is! She's extremely attentive to each actor's individual needs so you are able to delve more deeply into your work. Shari is talented and transparent about everything she does and her teaching methods. Besides attending her acting classes, l am taking her singing lessons. I was terrified of singing, but Shari always has a way to cheer me up and find me the right path to improve. She is very patient and, can pinpoint the challenge I feel at the moment and guides me out of it quickly. I'd strongly recommend people at all levels to try her, it continues to be a very pleasant and memorable experience for me. I have nothing but praise for Shari, and l am so thankful l found her. I have learned so much from her classes, and look forward to continuing my creativity journey with Shari. FANTASTIC person...that's all l have to say about that! read more

Three years ago I was a lost soul looking for a purpose in life and a new career I'd feel passionate about. I found Shari, and she took me and guided me one step at a time and today I am a full-time actor, and loving it! Shari has the keen ability to work with each person on a very individual level, albeit in a group environment. She requires all students to take 1 session (4 weeks) of singing classes initially, where she can get to know you, and then you can move on to acting, or stay with singing, or both! I used to take both when I had more time, now I focus solely on acting. When I went to my first singing class, I was simultaneously taking voice lessons from an opera singer, where we focused more on technique. Shari told me to bring a song from my childhood, and I brought in Chinese lyrics of a few children songs my mom sent me. I sang a cappella, and I started crying. I was dumbfounded at how much hidden emotion I never knew I had, and how easy it was for me to let it out in Shari's class! 1 session eventually turned into years of learning about myself, and loving whom I am. If you are looking for a singing technique class, Shari's class may not be the right one. Her strength is in finding your true voice through emotion and self-awareness. Your singing will touch your audience, regardless how in tune you are, how deep the lyrics is. You can hum twinkle twinkle little star and make your audience cry. She'll teach you to sing in relationship, to say something and mean it. Her singing classes consist of professional and non-professional singers. Shari's acting classes on the other hand consist of mostly professional, working actors. We go to her for industry insights, script analysis, monologue preparation, audition practice, on-camera work, whatever you need to work on is game. It is always encouraging and motivating to work on your craft with a supportive group and an excellent coach. I'd highly recommended Shari Carlson Studio to actors in the Bay Area. read more

Just watched an amazing show - One Minute Gardner. The musicians were fantastic and you can tell they really accessed their feelings and emotions in their performance! The proceeds went towards singing scholarships which is a truly touching sentiment. Looking forward to seeing future shows! read more

I have been going to Shari's singing classes for about six months now. I enrolled to get into her acting class and started with the singing class as required by Shari and haven't left! I have found my voice and emotions in this class as well as a new confidence. Shari is involved with every student on a one to one basis and the class atmosphere allows me to overcome my self conscienceness that has blocked so much of my creative energy. Check her out if you are looking for a great acting or singing class. You will learn alot more along the way! read more

There is here no one program to follow or levels to ascend through, but rather a crucible for study of craft and discovery of self. Working confidentially in a welcoming and comfortable studio creates safety and success. Since studying with Shari, my career has moved forward, my voice has expanded, my auditions and performances have improved, my grounding and confidence are gelling, my body is healing in unprecedented ways, and my work with text has accelerated and deepened. The self-care guidance and instrument development practices I've received from Shari have been spot on. Shari guides you to the right tools and resources at the right time to help you get the most out of helping yourself. Since studying with Shari, there has been a palpable shift in the function of my analytic mind. Perhaps a demotion from its point of view, the new role has definitely been in the best interests of the entirety of me. It's no longer in the driver's seat. It's no longer the first wrench I haul out of the tool box. It doesn't have to be satisfied for me to move forward, and it doesn't get to pass out grades to the rest of me. It has other work to do. Living is a lot more fun. Shari has helped me safely and successfully work with lifelong wounds, turning them into the very engines of my artistic and professional progression; portals of expression and authenticity, rather than fixed scars to work around or deny or escape. Works for me. read more

I began working with Shari in San Francisco in 2007, and currently work with her in Los Angeles. I was recommended to her by two separate people whom I had no idea even knew each other, which is amazing serendipity considering that Shari doesn't advertise. I began in her singing class, and it was her way of opening and finding me and my truth. It must have worked, because I ended up moving to LA and continuing my acting studies with her: the class was a combination of acting and singing. It still is, though there will be two someday soon. I know singing can terrify some people, but that's the point: if you don't confront your truth within, then you will not be able to bring that truth into your performance. Shari is an intuitive, generous, enlightened being, and I am truly blessed to be able to work with her. read more

Shari Carlson is an incredibly gifted teacher who expertly guides singers and actors with her finely tuned intuition and years of experience. She works with people who are far along in their career and with those who are just starting out. I've witnessed her coaching people who have never sung in public and it's incredibly beautiful to watch them face the fear using her confidence-building techniques and their elation afterward. Shari creates a warm, safe environment that we all thrive in. I'm very grateful to have her as a coach and I highly recommend her. read more

I discovered Shari about a year ago, looking for acting classes..instead I found out I am a singer! Shari is a wizard of the Performing Arts, an intuitive seer who also has the background and saavy to help you navigate your career. I have been an actor for over 40 yrs when I came to Shari, as well as taught acting for 15, and never have I been so present, so ready, and so happy doing my craft... within the year I was successfully playing the lead in a new musical! The life of an artist can be so fulfilling, and Shari is an invaluable cohort to have on the journey. read more

I have been taking Shari's voice class for almost a year now, and she is WONDERFUL. I came into her class with a crippling fear of singing in front of others, and now I'm able to stand confidently in front of the class and perform with confidence and a smile. Shari and the other students are always SO supportive, and Shari's guidance is extremely intuitive and helpful. read more

Shari Carlson is a seasoned pro with the professionalism that is expected of one who really knows her business! She has an eye for talent and a great business sense and a wonderful mentor to those in the entertainment and fashion field. I've been on both sides of the camera, as an actor, camerman, voice over talent and have worked with the best, and Shari is one of those people. I highly reccomend her. Randy Licht Borel Productions read more

I have been waiting to this review for a long time. Here it goes. I was interested in her acting class, but as a requirement you have to take 4 weeks of singing first which I did. When I finished up the singing portion, I had to remind her it was time to transition to acting. She didn't even remember anything about me, and I was her only new student consistently for 4 weeks! I hate when I have to remind someone I pay a service to, to forget what I was really there for. As you probably guessed, I decided after that to not continue with her studio. Another reason I left is the fact that she cannot, for the life of her, remember my name. Now people, it's a CHOICE not to remember people's names. People make up some bullshit excuse that "Oh I'm so bad at names." No, what you are is LAZY and INCONSIDERATE. The fact that I am basically a paying client, I expect you to remember my name, especially if you have seen me for a month straight! I let it go for the first 2 weeks, but after that is stretching it. As a teacher, she's okay (I can't judge her teaching methods too much since I only had her for singing and for only 4 weeks.) So I'll cut her some slack there and not elaborate. I was really disappointed in her lack of catering to new students, in terms of making me feel comfortable. If you want someone to NOT be a client or a friend 1)Don't remember their name 2)Don't remember why they came to you in the first place. I did not feel welcome with her. read more

Couple years on and I still love Shari. Shari works with any individual who wants to fulfill his/her potential. That may sound wanky or perhaps a bit of an over-promise, but I've seldom met anyone as kind-hearted, intuitive, and as powerfully effective as Shari. I've taken both her singing and acting classes, and personally and professionally I've grown immensely. (As an actress, in the past year under her guidance, I've booked a national commercial, a TV job, a film job, and a good amount of voiceover, print, and industrial jobs.) Having benefited from Shari's classes and seeing so many of her students do well, I feel compelled to say please take V V's review with a grain of salt. At first I wasn't keen on going to her singing class myself, but her singing class (which one will discover is much more than a singing class) allows so many of her students to be fully expressive and creative, which - surprise surprise - really helps with a person's acting. She advises people accordingly when they're ready for the next step, whether it's taking the acting class or moving to LA. And regarding the name thing, don't take it personally - she's had trouble with my name at first, but by god she's been razor sharp with everything else. And yeah she got my name down after a few sessions. Granted, my stage name is a bit confusing; I've had other prestigious directors get it wrong even after a show is over - really ain't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I don't wanna go all woo woo on Shari (because I feel lots of actors get cult-like about their acting teachers), but my experience is due to the fact that she's upped my success and booking rates. Whether you're a die-hard Meisner actor or classically trained thespian or you're on a path of discovering something new or you just need to heal, Shari will work for your happiness and success - and to great results. read more

Shari taught me to get up in front of a crowd and sing, and she launched my songwriting career. Shari is uniquely gifted at identifying the issues which keep each individual student from giving his or her optimum performance, and she knows how to guide the student through the process of overcoming those issues. She's not a voice coach in the traditional sense, but I have watched her work with students who could barely sing a note and develop them into successful performers. In addition to performance coaching for actors and singers, Shari also provides career coaching, covering the nuts and bolts of how to prepare for auditions, how to prepare for a performance or a film shoot, how to deal with agents and directors, how to make sure you have the right headshots, etc. Wherever you are in your career (or in your passion, if a career is not what you're looking for), Shari makes sure you are well-prepared to take the next step, so that you are always primed for success. Whether you are an absolute beginner looking for help with the basics or a budding professional looking for a boost to help launch your career, you will always feel safe and supported at Shari's studio. read more

Once in a while you meet someone who is superbly gifted at, and perfectly suited to, their work. Shari Carlson is such a person. She's a fantastic acting teacher and coach, with -- and I mean this literally -- a sixth sense about what the actor needs and how to access it in the moment, to bring truth and realism to the scene. She's outstanding at communicating this, too. Very supportive and nurturing. I really can't say enough good about Shari. She's simply the best. read more

There is only one word that can describe my experience with Shari "AMAZING". I took her Essential Compass course and it was the most insightful thing I ever have done in my life. Jeff and Shari are great guides who really push you to have a truly honest conversation. The essential compass helps you gain clarity by asking yourself questions from different perspectives in your life (daughter, sister, actor, etc) and overall makes you connect with your purpose in the most unexpected ways. I am grateful, I've gained a tool that will allow me to feel powerful when I most needed. At the moment, I am taking the beginner acting class with Shari and I can tell this is going to be a great way for me to express myself and learn how to deliver a solid audition. If you are an actor I will 100% recommend you take both of her courses, the essential compass, and her acting lessons because they really complement one another. read more

Shari is a wonderful teacher. Very intuitive, compassionate, and personal, she created a space where experiencing and expressing your true and intimate emotions is not only welcome but encouraged and nurtured. She promotes a unified mind/body/emotions approach to acting that works. read more

This is a safe place to work out your creative blocks, performance anxieties and grow as a performer. Shari is like a guru to me.

I took a break from acting and singing. I'm back in class and I've got to tell you...Shari just gets better and better. I have no idea how she does it, but after this many years in the business she manages to keep things fresh. You always leave class learning something new. She's AMAZING. If you haven't worked with her yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? read more

I owe my success as a songwriter and jazz/cabaret singer to Shari Carlson. She showed me how to find joy and fun in getting up in front of an audience - something that used to be a terrifying ordeal. As a singing teacher, Shari creates a safe and supportive space in which to learn your craft. She has a remarkably intuitive sense about what personal growth each individual student needs to achieve in order to move forward as a performer. And she knows how to guide you through that growth. Singing class at Shari's is a high point of my week. I recommend her without hesitation. read more

With her razor-sharp intuition and soft edge, Shari Carlson has shown me ways to profoundly access my personal power, changing my life professionally and personally. Shari is simply without question, the most innovative, effective and committed performing teacher you will find. read more

Shari has been the most helpful and influential person in my both my acting and career. Her encouragement, specificity and passion has taken me to a place in my acting I've always wanted. I can't recommend enough!!! read more

It is so difficult to put into words what working with Shari has meant to me. She has no one way of working, as she meets each student right where they are, knowing how to help fill the unique gaps in one's craft...not only empowering her students as artists, but also as people. read more

I'm updating my review to report that if you are interested in learning how Shari coaches actors you now have a way of finding out. Or if you are curious to see what goes on in an acting class you can come to one of her monthly Master Acting Classes to observe. The next one is on Wed Mar 14th 7-9pm at her studio near Union Square in SF. You can buy a ticket on brownpapertickets.com. For the singers in her studio, we can do a spotlight in class where we do 1-2 songs as a performance, we can go to the studio's monthly open mic (Miss Smith's Adult Music Lesson and Open Mic- next one Feb 24th on brownpapertickets.com), or take on doing a house concert. These are wonderful opportunities getting out there performing. I've learned a lot from them- how to prepare for them logistically (memorizing the lyrics in the body & emotions, wardrobe, make-up, staging, accompaniment), physically (I took up swimming to increase my breath), and emotionally (how to take care of myself after the performance). Up to now, the actors haven't had any opportunities through the studio to perform for an audience other than our fellow classmates. Having participated in one of the Master Acting Classes, I can say that having the "paying public" attend heightened the experience and gave me the chance to practice getting comfortable in front of people I don't know. She coaches us through the whole process of learning a monologue or scene from cold read to "finished" performance so we can learn the best ways to work with ourselves. Shari continues to amaze me with how intuitively she coaches. She truly has transformed my life! I am now a member of AFTRA union and looking forward to a long career in acting and singing. read more

This has been an amazing 4 months. Back in November I logged onto Yelp to inquire about acting classes in S.F. I came across Shari's studio and was interested in the fact that she required singing lessons before starting acting lessons. I was petrified b/c I never felt like I could hold a note. OMG! The experience has been life-changing for me. For me to stand before a room of people and belt out a song is something I didn't ever think I would do. Shari just brings it out of you. I have gained confidence in other areas of my life just by doing something as simple as singing. Now there is always singing going on in my house and I've moved on to Acting which I love. Shari is definitely gifted at what she does and I truly thank God for her. I look forward to my weekly sessions. read more

Shari is the most giving, selfless acting coach that I have come across in my 15 years of acting in the SF Bay Area. Her approach may not be for everyone, but she has a knowledge of the art and craft of acting that is almost unparalleled in the Bay Area community. read more

I started Shari's classes to revisit my interest in acting and cringed at the thought of having to go through 4 singing classes to transition into acting. Six months later I'm still in the singing class because I love it! Shari is a personal coach who wants to help you bring your instrument into it's optimum condition while helping you to live as authentically as possible. So be ready for a very interesting and fulfilling journey that every person should undergo wether into singing and acting or not. She has really opened up a new door to my life and I'm so thankful to have come in contact with her whole community. read more

I have studied with Shari Carlson Studio for 8 years and I have a thriving acting career as well as a singing voice I never knew I had. I have obtained and been privileged to invaluable knowledge and experience that no other coach, university or school has to offer. read more

I have met a lot of acting teachers in my lifetime and you would be LUCKY to work with Shari here in SF. There are no words to describe how life changing her coaching is. She will get you on a path of success if you want to be a working acting/writer/singer/artist/director. My confidence has increased & I only wish I started with her sooner..about 10 years ago! read more

Shari is amazing!!!! She's kind, highly intuitive, honest, forthright, fun, and a total sweetheart. She's not super into technical nitty gritty, she's way more interested in you finding and developing your true self to bring out to the world. She will call you on your stuff if you're not bringing it, but will always do it with care and compassion - she really WANTS to help you find and unlock your true voice. She is patient and always gets to the heart of the matter, whatever it is. My singing voice has completely opened up since working with her and it astonishes even me now, all thanks to her!! I love working with Shari - it's a great gift to give to yourself to work with her - you will not be sorry!!! read more

I've worked with Shari as my acting and vocal coach in her studio for many years, through many different stages of my performing career, and I recommend her with out hesitation. She has a particular genius for working uniquely, intuitively and with great skill and compassion with each individual, providing just what she or he needs to advance in craft. Her approach is the polar opposite of trying to fit individuals into a specific, rigid technique, and the results are fantastic. It's been a joy to see the natural flourishing of my own unique talents as well as those of many others in the studio. read more

Shari is the best acting coach you will ever work with period. If you are looking to up your game as an actor, Shari will get you there. Her support and acting techniques are unparalleled. Wether you are acting, hosting, auditioning, presenting or just want to learn more about yourself, let her be your guide. Since beginning with Shari I have been cast as the lead in plays, short films, feature films, commercials etc and have hosted many spots for HGTV. Shari is a gift. read more