Acting Reimagined
Crash Acting’s 3-Day NY Intensive
Taught by Benjamin Mathes
Thursday, September 18th - Saturday, September 20th
at Colt Coeur Theatre Company in Brooklyn, NY
Join us for a transformative 3-day experience in New York, where you will explore Crash Acting’s Non-Dominant Approach to Acting.
This intensive is designed to challenge traditional methods, deepen your connection to the work, and restore your autonomy as an artist.
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT NOW THROUGH AUGUST 18th
Tired of the old way of doing things?
Words you won’t hear in the workshop
tactics, objectives, backstory, actions, beats, winning, script analysis, repetition, right/wrong, good/bad, better than/worse than, etc.
These words aren’t bad - they’re just not for everyone.
Words you will hear in the workshop
practice, integration, inclusion, presence, “is-ness”, “why-lessness”, creative analysis, “web work”, image, sensation, belief, embodiment, “sounding the body”, recalls, stability, play, etc.
These words aren’t better than the others - we just believe there’s a different way to act.
What can I expect?
Scene Work: Engage in dynamic, in-depth scene work that pushes boundaries and invites authentic connection.
With Ben, scene work becomes a space of discovery—where the goal isn’t performance, but the deepening of process. As such, scenes are not seen as an end in and of themselves but are used to further explore the Non-Dominant Approach to Acting and help to deepen the actor’s process. Often emerging out of Non-Dominate exercise-ritual work, scenes are assigned and used as the central exercise throughout the workshop.
Exercises: Experience targeted exercises that break down old habits and open the door to creative freedom.
As part of The Non-Dominant Approach, Ben has developed a series of “exercise rituals”—intentional, repeatable practices designed to open the actor to a deeper sense of presence, play, and belief. These rituals invite you to engage with story not just intellectually, but energetically and imaginatively—to honor both the creative structure and the mystical nature of story. In doing so, actors foster a more integrated relationship with character, one that is felt rather than forced, discovered rather than imposed. The result is a performance that is free, embodied, and alive.
The Non-Dominant Approach: Discover a fresh perspective on acting that emphasizes freedom, authenticity, and reclaiming your voice in the creative process.
Created by Benjamin Mathes, The Non-Dominant Approach to Acting is an invitation to let go of control and return to presence. Rather than chasing results or managing outcomes, this approach asks the actor to listen more deeply—to the text, the body, the imagination, and to Creativity itself. It is a practice of unlearning performance habits, unlearning the need to prove, unlearning the belief that more effort means more truth.
In its place, something quieter and more essential emerges. The work becomes less about performing and more about revealing; less about pushing, and more about allowing. It is through this gentle undoing that the actor rediscovers their creative instinct, reclaims their voice, and begins to trust the artistry that’s already within them.
Through this approach, acting becomes not just a craft, but a path back to the actor themselves.
Who is this intensive for?
This workshop is for actors ready to challenge conventions, rediscover their artistic power, and create deeper, more meaningful performances.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a dedicated student, this experience is designed to elevate your craft.
Meet Your Instructor
Benjamin Mathes (he/him)
Benjamin has been an actor for over 25 years. On film, television, and stage he has worked with artists such as Academy Award-winning director Clint Eastwood, Academy Award-winning actor Alan Arkin, Sam Raimi, Bradley Cooper, Andy Garcia, Chris Rock, and Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer. He received his MFA in Acting from the University of California, Irvine.
His acting studio, CRASH ACTING, inspires a Non-Dominant Approach to Acting that teaches actors a process they can take with them from the camera to the stage. His students have won or been nominated for Tony, Emmy, Grammy, and Ovation Awards, and have appeared on Broadway, as guest stars and series regulars on television, and in major motion pictures. He has served as an acting coach for Warner Brothers, HBO, and currently for Netflix. Internationally, he runs acting retreats in Ireland, and has run Crash Acting workshops in Lima, Dublin, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. He is a certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework® and has served as a vocal and dialect coach for major motion pictures, network television, and theaters around the country.
Benjamin is the author of 5 books detailing and investigating the creative process. Thought Lozenges for Artists, is a daringly optimistic, “open-where-you-want” look into the creative process. CRASH {Unstuck Yourself}, is a guided journal designed to directly combat the blocks holding us from our creative potential. Short Paragraphs on Listening will change the way you think about listening and offer nuggets of wisdom gained from years of Free Listening on street corners around the world. You, the Career revolutionizes the way actors relate to the hustle, the industry, and the who they want to become. Take This Daily is his newest book filled.
Benjamin served as Head of Production for Hollywood’s Seine Pictures, overseeing the creative development and production of each film. He Executive Produced the dark comedy Murder of a Cat (starring Greg Kinnear, J.K. Simmons, and Nikki Reed), and the biopic Pelé: Birth of A Legend (in partnership with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment). Both films premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and were released internationally. He also produced the documentary Listening is Loving about the power of listening to people with dementia, which was distributed internationally in 2018.
Benjamin is also the founder of Urban Confessional: A Free Listening Movement. Currently in over 80 countries, their volunteers stand on street corners with signs that say "Free Listening" and provide compassionate, non-judgmental listening for anyone who needs to talk. Their work has been featured in over 40 national publications including the Huffington Post, The Atlantic, Fast Company, and The Big Think, as well as in over 30 international publications across 15 languages.
Benjamin’s students have been seen on:
Crash Alumni
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![Daniel Sharman]()
Daniel Sharman
"Ben Mathes is a wonderful teacher and mentor. Having met him three years ago, I can honestly say he has fundamentally changed how I view my career, my work and the business as a whole. We have worked on numerous projects together and every time his observations and perspective have changed the depth of my work and how much I enjoy it. His classes are truthful, inspiring and much needed in world of quick fixes and shallow promises. I’m glad to know him and glad he’s teaching. It’s a relief to know that many more actors will be transformed by his approach, experience and insights."
Daniel Sharman | Teen Wolf•The Originals•Fear the Walking Dead•Medici
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Louriza Tronco
“Benjamin Mathes creates and hosts an environment that encourages artists to dive into what I think is one of the most (if not, the most) important thing about being a storyteller- the truth. Now, I can go on and on about the “tactics” or “technicalities” that he “teaches” but that would limit his greatness. As a working actor I continue to seek for his wisdom and collaboration- I am lucky to have him on my side. Work with him. You won’t regret it."
Louriza Tronco | The Order • Night at the Museum • Zapped • Make it Pop
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![Brian Ibsen]()
Brian Ibsen
“I love this class! In such a short time, Ben’s profoundly simple methodology and incredibly insightful perspectives have opened me into a truth and freedom in my work that I’ve never known before. I’m truly grateful to have found this gem of a teacher!”
Brian Ibsen | Masters of Sex•Criminal Minds•Sequestered•The Rainmaker (Broadway)
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![Kylie Bunbury]()
Kylie Bunbury
“Benjamin Mathes reminds us how special and unique we truly are, redirecting our external seeking, and calling us to go inward.”
Kylie Bunbury | Game Night • Big Sky • Under The Dome • Twisted • Pitch • The Sitter
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J.R. Bourne
“Vulnerability is not easy, but it is necessary and part of the authentic portrayal of a character. Working with Ben fills my artistic soul and constant desire to be more truthful, more vulnerable, more adaptive to my growth—and to combine all of that into a character of any size, shape, or motive.”
J.R. Bourne | Teen Wolf • The 100 • Arrow • Suits • Stargate SG-1
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Anderson Silva
“Working in Ben's class was a transformative experience for me. His approach, his energy, his passion, and his first hand knowledge of the industry has helped me to transition from a star in the octagon to a star on the screen.”
Anderson Silva | Former UFC Middleweight Champion
FAQ’s
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This 3 day intensive is
Thursday, September 18th
Friday, September 19th,
& Saturday, September 20thfrom 10am - 3pm each day.
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$475 Normally
$425 EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION when you register by August 18th.
Payment Plans are available.
Please email Aidan@CrashActing.com to request a personalized plan.
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Colt Coeur Theatre Company
20 Jay Street, Suite 208,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
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Great! Email your questions to Aidan@CrashActing.com
Or email Aidan@CrashActing for a more personalized plan.