‏Marjo-Riikka Makela‏

Marjo-Riikka Makela (SAG, AFTRA, AEA) is a professional actor whose talent, love, passion and wide interest in the art of acting has led her to become a world renowned master teacher, acting coach, and theatre director. She has specialized in a variety of different acting techniques, is a long-standing member of the Michael Chekhov Association, and has worked extensively with the M. Chekhov Technique both as an actress and director. Ms. Makela received her training at the Russian Academy of Dramatic Arts (GITIS), holds an MFA in Acting from CSULB, and has extensive stage credits from Europe. Here in USA some of Marjo-Riikka's favorite roles include Medea in direction of David Bridel, Yelena in Uncle Vanya at the Classic Stage Company in NYC, and her work with Sarah Kane and Andrei Malaev-Babel at the Stanislavsky Theatre Studio in Washington DC. Her directing credits include Shakespeare, Chekhov, Schiller, and plenty of devised work. Recently, Ms. Makela has taught at the National Theatre of Finland, The National Theatre Academy of Finland, Stanislavsky Institute, California State University, Acting Corps Studios, ActorFest, Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University, The Insurgo Theater Movement, The Actor's Movement Studio (NYC), the INTAR Theater (NYC), The Actors' Gang, University of Southern California, and CalArts MFA programs. Marjo-Riikka does weekly private coaching for many successful TV and film actors and actresses*. She has coached actors for series such as True Blood, Madmen, The Office, Silicon Valley, CSI, Californication, Mentalist, Castle, Nip Tuck, Alphas, Body of Proof, Ghost Whisperer, Entourage, How I Met your Mother, General Hospital Night Shift, Bones, Numb3rs , Deadwood, in Treatment ... to mention a few. She has clients around the world, and she has been featured in Back Stage, the Los Angeles Times, American Theater Magazine and several major European publications. Marjo-Riikka is an honorary member of the Stanislavsky Institute and School of Cinema, in Sao Paulo Brazil, and the founder and Artistic Director of Helsinki West Theatre Ensemble and Chekhov Studio International in Los Angeles.