Rob Adler is a an internationally recognized expert in improvisational acting. He specializes in teaching actors how to get out of their head and bring spontaneity, presence and play to theatre, film & television scripts so well-prepared performances look improvised. He is an actor, director, teacher and the founder of the AdlerImprov Studio in Hollywood, a coach for actors, directors and production companies like Lionsgate, Disney, FOX, NBC and ABC and notably on national television as the on-air acting coach for Disney’s
High School Musical: Get in the Picture, he writes a regular column offering expert advice to actors for Backstage.
His teaching is sought after nationally and internationally at places like the USC School of Dramatic Arts, CalArts, the Geffen Playhouse, American Music & Dramatic Academy, Boston University, Occidental College, the famed USC School of Cinematic Arts and internationally in places like Tokyo, Nassau (for the Bahamas International Film Festival), at the Shanghai Theatre Academy and in Stockholm for Top Model Sweden.
In addition to coaching and teaching actors, Adler also uses his expertise to help doctors, lawyers and business leaders and has taught at the Keck School of Medicine, St. Peters University Hospital, and the Sol Price School of Public Policy Masters in Executive Leadership Program.
Adler directed the acclaimed short film
iVOTE, based on the true story of a whistleblower, starring Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts and Emmy Award winners Dan Lauria and Sharon Lawrence. A long time activist, Adler’s artistic mission is to raise awareness of peace and progress issues, which is also reflected in the plays and films he has directed, including
The Diary Play, an original adaptation of Anne Franks diary for the Trump era.. He devised and directed
Patriot Act, starring acclaimed performer Roger Guenveur Smith (Do the Right Thing,
American Gangster,
Rodney King), continuing his long time affiliation with Los Angeles’ Bootleg Theater. For the Will Geer Theater, Adler directed
Rise & Shout, starring Joe Mantegna, Jack Klugman, Jean Smart and Wendie Malick.
As an actor, Rob Adler has appeared in Hollywood films, commercials and television shows, both national network and cable. On the stage, Adler was recently in Los Angeles with Theatre Dybbuk playing Jethro in the world premiere of
Exagogue (an unearthed Greek tragedy thought to be the first written 'Jewish' play) and a celebrated run as "Larry the Liquidator" at the Pico Playhouse with Interact Theatre Company.
He is an alumnus of The Theatre School at DePaul University and also studied in the UK at BADA. His expertise was honed with the world’s foremost teachers and institutions, including Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw and Paul Sills in Spolin, Viewpoints, and Commedia Del Arte, with the Groundlings, Second City, Anne Bogart’s SITI Company, and Tim Robbins’ Actors Gang, among others. Adler holds a certificate in Film Directing from UCLA.