“Randy Graff is celebrated for her smart, unsentimental, but profoundly moving performances. Her work combines great musicianship, canny acting instincts and a terrific sense of humor. I know that her great taste, her superb craft, her vast experience, and her big, big heart make her a great teacher for actors at every stage of their careers and education”
- Michael Greif, Tony Nominated director
Dear Evan Hansen, If/Then, Next To Normal, Rent
“When people ask me who I study with, I say Randy Graff. And here's why...I spent over a year with Randy, rehearsing and playing together in Fiddler On The Roof on Broadway. In that time, I watched her, listened to her, and learned about the art of Musical Theatre. The most important lesson was how to inhabit a song, to make the singing as vital a form of communication as the words or the actions.”
- Alfred Molina, award winning actor

“...Randy doesn't guide you into acting a moment - but gets you to live it fully and without artifice. I've seen people completely transformed in one day. She's supportive but definitely makes you work. She brings the best out in any actor. And she's funny as hell.”
- Sevan Kaloustian Greene, actor, playwright, ESPA student
“Simply put-- Randy Graff is one of the great singing actresses of her generation. Her work is honest, skillful, mature and moving. Having watched her teach, she is also a gifted, insightful teacher. For anyone wanting to improve their skills in acting a song, there is no one I could recommend more highly than Randy. If I were still performing, I'd study with her myself!”
- Lonny Price, director, multiple Emmy Award wins ("Live From Lincoln Center")
“Sometimes it's difficult to put into words the things an artist has to do to get a song off the page and into one's soul, so it can live with clarity and vitality in performance. Not so with Randy Graff. She is able to translate and share her unparalleled acting technique, stellar musicianship, and singularity as a performer in a way students can understand and put into practice in their own artistic lives.”
- Tim Weil, Musical Director & Arranger (Rent, Shrek: The Musical)
“Upon coming to New York I was immediately taken aback by the harshness of the auditioning world, and I couldn't seem to remember why I wanted to be an actor. Then I took Randy's class and I remembered again. Randy's gift is that she understands how to get to the core of the personal "in" for a singing actor on the song they have chosen to do. Every person in the class had a major breakthrough in the six short classes we were together for.”
- Aaron Ricciardi, actor, playwright, ESPA student
click here to read more testimonials

To request Ms. Graff as a Guest Lecturer, Master Teacher or one on one Zoom coaching,
please contact her at [email protected].
Ms. Graff has served on the musical theatre faculties at Manhattan School of Music and NYU Tisch / New Studio on Broadway. She also teaches private master classes in New York City in "Acting Through Song."

The focus in all of her classes is on the importance of acting the lyric. Songs that have been sung dozens of times become fresh once again when the singer digs deeper into the text. The goal of Ms. Graff's courses is to get in touch with what activates the moment, enabling the performer to personalize their material and ultimately move the audience. She works one on one with each student and leads group exercises in vocal and physical relaxation with special attention on “thinking in specifics.”

Classes range from 8 to 10 students at all levels of experience. The environment is warm and friendly, encouraging students to take risks, and most of all to work with confidence and joy.

Ms. Graff is available for workshops and master classes at colleges and universities and can tailor her curriculum to suit the institution's needs. To request Ms. Graff as a Guest Lecturer or Master Teacher, please contact her at [email protected].

“I've been taking class with Randy for 8 years now and yet I never fail to learn something new in her class! When I bring in a song I don't know how to approach, she always helps me crack the code and have that “aha!” moment. When I bring a song that feels audition ready, she always helps me make a new discovery, make it more truthful, or make it more ME!”
Samantha Hahn - studio class and MSM student
“I don't think I would've labeled myself as an actor before Randy's class. I would have said I was a performer. Taking her class is an unparalleled journey that teaches you anything you would ever need to know to tell a story through song.”
Paul Hernandez - studio class and MSM student
“Randy has an extraordinary gift for teaching and I feel honored to witness that in group classes, the magic is serious. Now couple that with the fact she cares deeply for the craft and her students progress, and you have an unbeatable combo for learning.”
Michael Salat - studio class
“Randy creates a safe space for all to feel welcome to share. You will always leave class feeling like who you are is enough.”
DeMond Nason - studio class
“Randy is the most insightful teacher I've ever had. She is the only teacher I've had who teaches storytelling, first and foremost. She taught me, as no other teacher had, not to simply perform the material at hand, but to cultivate a personal connection to a song, making it authentic and significant. Her ability to connect with each of her students on an individualized level is unparalleled - she brings her own gifts to class and shares them elegantly with the room. After working with Randy, my career changed immensely and I felt confident taking any song into an audition room, knowing I could perform it with ease and fullness from the tools Randy gave me. She teaches you how to let the material "do you," not to force the material through you - a powerful difference. I swear by Randy Graff.”
Emily Kron - actress, singer, ESPA student
“Randy works with each student and targets the special qualities they have to offer as a performer. For me, the class has been not just been about acting the song, but it's been about using singing as a way to share stories and connect with other people. Randy has a deep understanding of singers and the power of songs. Through this class I have been given a simple set of tools to apply to every song I work on. She is understanding of each person's individual needs as a performer and guides them to reach new exciting places with their work. It is a privilege to work with a teacher who has so much to share and who shares it with simplicity and humility.”
Frances Shacket - actress, singer, ESPA student
“There's something truly magic about watching Randy work with actors. She's able to draw out a performance that an actor knew they had inside of them, but previously seemed to vanish when it counts. Direct and honest, Randy can cut to the heart of what's missing in a performance and nurture an artist's soul in the process. Her passion and enthusiasm for the art of the song is contagious. Randy should be every artist's secret weapon.”
Michael Lazarovitch - actor, executive director Toronto Workshop
“Randy Graff is a rare Teacher/Performer. I've been studying with her for three years.She is committed to finding the truth of each Individual. Through her Meisner-esque approach to lyrics and Her commitment to living moment to moment, She has helped me carve out my unique voice. Every time I step into her class she challenges me to take a new risks in the very nurturing environment she creates. My interpretations as an actor are more alive than they have ever been. If you have the opportunity to take class with her,Do! Your artistry and your soul will thank you for it.”
Neil Tyrone Pritchard - actor, singer, ESPA student
“Randy pushes her students to the limit, while still supporting the heck out of them. They always feel safe, but challenged in her hands. Randy uses a multitude of techniques for her students, depending upon what they need. I would run to Randy in a heart beat for any audition coaching, as I know personally that she makes all the difference in the world.”
Blair Irwin - actress, singer, Toronto Workshop
Website Design by Mark Ledbetter Designs © 2024
Photo by Michael Kushner