Detroit N' Hollywood School of Acting training thespians

James Cohen uses 33 years of experience to teach aspiring thespians

DETROIT – A Detroit acting teacher is using his talents to help train the next generation, but what he's teaching goes far beyond the stage.

Happy, sad, angry and scared are emotions we exhibit every day. But for an actor, it takes years of practice to master the art of making those emotions believable.

At James Cohen's Detroit N' Hollywood School of Acting, he uses 33 years of experience to teach aspiring thespians just that art.

"Is there some kind of magic that a kid can bring to acting?" Mitch Albom asked.

"The magic of pretense," Cohen said. "The fun is becoming somebody else."

"Kids do that anyhow," Albom said.

"Yeah, which makes them great actors," Cohen said.

Cohen started his career right after high school. He packed his bags, moved to L.A. and chased his dream of becoming an actor and writer. While there, he learned an important life lesson.

"There's two very important days in your life. No. 1 is when you are born and the second most important day is when you discover why," Cohen said.

And his "why" was to teach acting to children. So at Detroit 'N Hollywood, Cohen spends hours coaching his students on technique. Six times a year, the young actors use their skills, performing Cohen's original productions at the former Youthville Center in Detroit.

"What do you tell your kids who want to go to Los Angeles and be an actor or go to New York?" Albom asked.

"I tell them to go," Cohen said. "I have four students, four former students presently who did just that.  They're out there now and they are doing well."

Success earned through confidence, discipline and respect are all pillars that Cohen instills in his students every class.

"I find that here and now, especially, I am as much a mentor as I am a teacher," Cohen said.

With decades of experience and a love for theater, Cohen is teaching the art of performance in the heart of Detroit.