“When I was looking for a high school audition coach for my son, I reached out to multiple people to see who might be the best fit for us.  As soon as I spoke with Deena, all the other people I'd been considering moved to the bottom of the list.  As a parent who has professional acting experience myself, I could tell that Deena was just the type of established coach we were looking for.  From day one, she treated my son like a young professional, imparting her wisdom and experience, but also honoring his thoughts and feelings about the work.  Together, they identified pieces that spoke to him and he was excited to work on and that were not going to be monologues that everyone else was doing. Over the course of several months, they worked together on the pieces so that he felt confident not only in his acting choices, but also in other things like slating for the video auditions and practicing interview questions for the in person auditions.  While we are still awaiting admission decisions to be released, my son is happy with the quality of the work he was able to share through his audition.  I know that we came to Deena for a specific purpose, but the relationship that they formed will continue beyond the high school audition season.” — VTW

"The greatest gift Deena gave me was confidence. Before working with Deena, I found auditioning nerve-wracking and more often than not, incredibly frustrating, because I never felt I was able to represent myself properly in the room. With Deena's help, I have developed the skill set to have a real mastery over my material without feeling trapped in a reading of the material, breeding confidence in my auditions. With Deena's help, I'm able to regain control of the audition room, allowing me to actually enjoy auditioning. Deena is a master at preparing students for auditions for BFA and MFA programs because she combines well prepared material with strategy for choosing material, that will allow an applicant to present their best selves. I doubt I'll ever meet someone with a better knack for uncovering material that will help me present my best self as an actor. Not only does Deena have the skills and experience necessary to help her students succeed in an audition room, but she ensures that they succeed by embracing  their own individuality. I consider myself to be extraordinarily lucky to have Deena in my corner guiding me and cheering me on in each step of my acting career."  – RC

"Deena is the ideal coach-- an incisive mind matched with deep compassion and generosity. Her encyclopedic knowledge of music, theatre, and the business are truly unmatched, with a massive library of music she used to help me "gut and remodel" my audition book. Deena has built my confidence in both my art and my brand by helping me hone in on material that both excites me and showcases my work. Deena has invested deeply in me, with an unshakeable belief in my success, and I am forever grateful." – LTM

"I have had the honor and pleasure of working with Deena Kaye for six years and I plan on continuing to do so for many years to come. Deena’s expertise, encouragement, guidance, and genuine interest in me as both an individual and performer has been instrumental in my development as a performing artist. We have worked very hard this year in particular and I am happy to report that I was offered admission into two very prestigious BFA programs. Including my top choice, NYU Tisch! I could not have done it without her. Thank you so much “Ms. Deena” and here’s to more successful teamwork in the future!"  – FD

"From the moment that I met Deena, I knew that working with her would be one of the best and most rewarding decisions I would make in my life. She instantly became an ever-inspiring mentor and loving friend. Even during our very first session, Deena began to find unique songs from her expansive library of material that truly seemed to be made for me, matching my personality and strengths flawlessly. I love that she understands me as a person first, and from there, she can select the perfect material for me and help me improve dramatically as a performer. Knowing that I have such an incredibly special coach supporting me makes me feel so confident and excited whenever I step into an audition or prepare for a performance. With Deena’s help, I was accepted to the college of my dreams, and I have found success in all my endeavors since then. Thank you, Deena. I am SO grateful. You are a gem! "– KD

"Deena is the most dedicated teacher I’ve ever had. She’s immensely available and has helped me tremendously with last minute recommendations, audition videos and callbacks. Her deep care for her students is unmatchable, and I truly feel she understands me not just as a performer, but as a human being. With her help, auditions have turned into an opportunity to show off my best self. I’m so lucky to have met Deena and am excited to continue working with her as I grow as an artist." – SSG

"Without Deena, I would not have the career I have.  I would’ve never had the courage and know how to navigate the NYC theatre scene without her. At each turning point in my career, from child- like actor to character woman and every step in between, Deena has been my constant. Every time I look at a new role, I approach it as she taught me.  As I teach my own students, I ask, ‘What would Deena do?’ She is both mentor and friend with the most sound career guidance the industry has to offer." – MHW

"I have studied with Deena for many years, she is a wonderful, thoughtful, conscientious teacher. She has always given me tremendous support and guidance in my career and is truly a master at her craft." — MP

“When I first met Deena, early in my career, I was given invaluable tools that have continued to help me over 2 decades of auditioning and performing.  Now, as a Broadway veteran, I thank Deena for helping me prepare as a theater professional.   Deena’s studio is like the crossroads of the world and I have run into people from many past productions as we are coming or going to a coaching.  We all feel privileged to be a part of her studio because we all find Deena by referral. We are the lucky select that have benefited from her expertise.  Her professionalism and discretion are unmatched in this business.  Thank you Deena, for being a part of my career and my life.”  –  JM

“Deena's wealth of knowledge is second to none. She was instrumental in not only helping me round out my audition book from the ground up, but also take my level of artistry to new heights. She is warm and compassionate while also very to the point when it comes to giving direction as well as critique. Additionally, she helped transform my resume to a level of professional quality. In my time working with Deena, I've never worked with a better coach. She is a delight to be around and I fully recommend her coaching services. — CS

“As a reporter and host, it’s important for me to clearly convey a message. Before training with Deena, I would struggle with inconsistency, awkward pauses, and often try to talk at the listener instead of talking with the listener. Deena provided the training I needed to remake my delivery, and restore my confidence. Our weekly sessions left me feeling better and better every time, even as I was getting challenged to do exercises that I wasn’t necessarily comfortable with yet. By the end, I felt more confident, my voice sounded more clear and any accents had been removed, yet my voice retained its unique qualities. Deena also gave me the tools to assess myself from time to time to make sure I wasn’t sliding backwards once our training concluded. All in all, I was very happy with the training and her coaching, and it made me a better reporter and host.” – BA

“It was, when I finally found my way to Deena Kaye, that the much dreaded question: “So, where are you from?” disappeared from my auditions as an actress.  (Sigh.  Answer: “From Germany.”)  She has an annoyingly infallible ear when it comes to picking up the slightest deviation from the accent you’re working on and then deploys a variety of tools for you to get it right.  I especially love that she puts language and speech into a musical context which makes it more playful and enjoyable.  It helped me to intuitively grasp the speech melody of the American accent and apply it immediately to larger chunks of text than having to go through hours of mind-numbing drill sheets for specific sounds.  Her energy, enthusiasm and generosity that she brings to every lesson make you look forward to something that under less skillful tutelage, would be a tedious endeavor.  Go, check it out for yourself.”  –  TK

“I am so thankful that I found such a wonderful coach in Deena.  I leave every session feeling prepared, accomplished, empowered, and confident about what I have to offer artistically and what I am bringing into the audition room.  Deena has a wealth of knowledge of repertoire.  She takes the time to get to know her students as both artists and people, and is therefore able to find material that showcases them in the most exceptional light.  Working with her is always a joy and every session feels like a gift and a breath of fresh air.  We all know that this business is filled with struggles, hardships, and huge bumps in the road.  Every actor deserves to have someone like Deena in their corner, not just during those times, but always, to cheer them on, give them guidance, and remind them of the passion, drive, and talent they possess and all the reasons to persevere.”  – EF 

“Deena is an amazing teacher! I came to her feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by choosing new material for my book. She has not only matched me with new amazing pieces but has helped me feel confident in my performances of them. Her industry savvy is matched with motherly warmth and support and I always leave each session, not only feeling good about my material, but feeling great about being an actor. From film scene work, to commercial copy to musical theatre, she has helped me find deeper connections and stronger performances in each. She encourages me to always strive for the best, and I have never felt so supported in my pursuit of acting! “  – NG

“After spending time with other dialect coaches, I was referred to Deena. Instantly, I felt comfortable and started making real headway. Deena worked with me as an individual, finding ways to help me with my particular issues, basically designing a method and process that worked for me. I love my sessions with Deena. She is such a talent and an amazing coach. I am so grateful. Thank you, Deena.” – IM

"I’d always wanted to sing professionally, but never felt my voice was strong enough. Deena’s passion and wisdom knocked that right out of me. Her strength not only as teacher, but as a human being, is contagious. She has taken me under her wing, as she does with all her students, helping build my book, find my confidence, my favorite Indian restaurant, a job, and a hair stylist!” – SB 

“I have been studying with Deena Kaye as a rep, dialect and audition coach for over 4 years.  In addition to audition prep, Deena has coached me on over 16 roles.  On our first meeting we went though every bit of my audition material, kept the good and tossed the bad and the ugly.  For every one we tossed, Deena had 2 or 3 possible replacements which were fitting for my type and not the same old song everyone else sings.  Throughout the 4 years as I have developed and changed as an actor, she is constantly replacing what I have outgrown and providing me with new songs and monologues from her amazing library of material.  In addition to providing the material, Deena provides an amazing follow through as an audition and acting coach.  We work the text and music of each song and monologue till I am confident I know what I am saying and that the meaning, action and emotion are being conveyed in performance.  She is thorough, specific and tough, resulting in the best work I am capable of creating.  Every audition I go into,  I feel prepared and confident that the material I am presenting is appropriate and showcasing the best of my ability.” –  JG

“I was at the point in my career where I was tired of doing non-paying theatre work.  I knew I wanted to start doing more film, but wasn’t sure how to translate my on stage experience into viable on camera technique.  Since beginning to work with Deena less than 5 months ago, I have solidified and posted my reel, began taking on camera classes, booked several independent shorts, a DOT PSA print ad and an independent feature horror film.  I truly believe that Deena’s guidance, knowledge of the industry and passion for seeing her students book work has helped me to achieve a successful transition.  I am beyond thankful I found Deena when I did and look forward to continuing to work with her throughout my career.” – MLE

“Performing the right material is a big part of successful auditioning. Before working with Deena, I’d always struggled with what I should sing – inevitably picking songs that I liked, but often didn’t fit. After our coaching, I have a lot of material that really does suit me. Plus, as I continue to look for new things to add to my audition portfolio – an ongoing process – I now have a much better sense of what’s appropriate.” — ML

“Deena Kaye is more than just a good teacher — she’s a great teacher! She is also a mentor and a mother figure in my life — always encouraging me in all my ideas and endeavors. She is an extremely accomplished musician and has helped me develop a much more attuned ear for the subtleties and nuances in a piece of music. With Deena, my skill as a singer and pianist have improved tremendously. She is a truly special woman with an enormous talent and very giving heart. I feel very blessed to have her in my life supporting me, advocating for me, and helping me reach my goals every step of the way!” — AM

“Deena Kaye is my ‘fairy god mother.’  I’ve been studying with Deena since I arrived in NY as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed hopeful nearly 10 years ago.  Not only has she helped me develop as an artist, but as a business woman and confident adult.  She has played an integral part in many of my creative endeavors including prepping auditions, shaping roles for both film and theatre jobs, and has given invaluable advice on songwriting & vocal performance for recordings.” – MC

“I have been coaching with Deena for over 10 years and have really grown my repertoire of songs. We have worked on everything from OKLAHOMA to Janis Joplin to Cole Porter to the Beatles to Tammy Wynette to Sir Elton John! Not only is she a musical library, but a gifted accompanist and acting coach as well. She really understands every style of music and gets right to the heart of any song. Since working with Deena, the industry response has been consistently positive. I am always told how original and appropriate the songs I bring into my auditions and callbacks are. I owe it all to Deena.  My confidence and skill have really grown as a singer due to her guidance. I recommend her highly to anyone who wants to excel in their career!” – KG

“Deena Kaye is, hands down, one of the best Repertoire & Vocal Coaches working in the business today. There really aren’t enough words! Whether you go to Deena to help build your book or if she’s working with you to get you ready for an audition you got called in for the day before, she works from a place of integrity and estimable professionalism. My first experience working with Deena was as a repertoire coach. What inspired me the most, was that she took the time to get to know me as a person, as well as a performer. During our first session together we discovered and recovered every little facet that makes me, me. After gaining a clear sense of who I was, she then hand picked repertoire customized just for me, matching every selection uniquely to my personality, sensibilities, and strengths. To this day I still use the music she selected for me to great results and always turn to Deena for advice when I need it most. To put it simply, she’s magic!” – JD

“Deena Kaye is fantastic! She has been able to find songs and monologues that seem custom made for me. Deena takes so much time working with me and gives me one-hundred percent of her honesty during my lessons. Whether its brushing up for an audition, working on a dialect, or going for new material, Deena is my saving grace! I am a huge Deena fan and I look forward so much to each time we work together.”– MBP

“I’ve already learned most of the music you gave me. I plan to work on all of it as soon as I can. Thank you for everything. Having the opportunity to meet you was the highlight of my trip. I learned more about myself as a performer in those two and half hours – more than I have in my whole life. Thank you!!” – EV

“Deena Kaye has always been spot-on with repertoire choices and audition coaching for me and my students. Her knowledge of the business is staggering and she’s never in it for herself. She’s a humble and caring individual, who respects her client’s privacy and process — a rarity in this business. Deena is a true professional and has made me more bookable and solid in every aspect of my performance.” – LP