Virsil

Before becoming an acting & tennis coach, Virsil Mitchell had to get really honest with himself."Acting isn't lying, faking, showing off or pretending. It's telling the truth," he said.Born in a Long Beach, California, Virsil spent 4 years in New York, acting, modeling, teaching tennis, meeting with other actors and studying psychology.The first movie he did as an extra was with Will Smith called 'Ali'. He was signed with ActorsReps.com Spring of 2000."I didn't even know we where going to get hair and wardrobe," he said.To pursue his career, he studied acting with Uta Hagen books. (Kevin Sateri, 'Beverly Hills 90210' was another student in his class.) He also took classes from Diana Stevenson, who taught Paul Rudd (the brother in Clueless). Like other talent, many students of the craft are models trying to transition into acting.While visiting Broadway, he caught the performances of, Ragtime. He played Carlo in Scapino for Palo Alto Players. which was great training for his job as a shoe shine-man with few lines. Virsil coaches tennis for the thrill of being youthful. He also did more than visit New York, you could find him in Vancouver BC with the Vancouver Opera's production of 'IL Travatore' and last summer stock stint as a children's theatre director of 'Annie, Jr'.But it took a life experience (his own dream) to convince him of his calling as children's television host.He was Camille in 'A flea in Her Ear' (a Carlo Goldoni play Arthur of Pinoccio) in a production for American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena.He got serious about making changes and started by taking a realty class with a friend in the San Francisco Bay Area. "I learned how to help friends have better lives. They're supposed to be loved," he declared.He began with a group of friends, which helped talent reach their goals. He explained, "Actors have issues that get in their way. They don't realize that they have to make the phone ring [with opportunities]. They don't know how," he said. "Once you realize you should have said or done something to make it happen for yourself, you have the power to set things in motion."One of his actor pals, who had been applying for NYU Grad School of Educational Theatre, took him aside and shared class advice and managed to put together his own children's showcase, which will with luck land him an agent.He also attended American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Pasadena and got a degree in 1996.Virsil recently relocated his Actors self to the big city.