DOUG MCDADE

Founder & Master Coach

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We know that life around us is slowly but surely returning to normal. And while we cannot wait to see your faces in person, for the time being, our classes and coaching sessions will remain online. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don't forget to enroll for our next sessi
We still have spots left in our upcoming session of The Fundamentals of Being Camera SmArt! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is what Adriana Belen had to say: "Doug McDade was great! He challenges you to be the best and gives great feedback every time you perform
Congratulations to our HeArtist, and The Fundamentals of Being Camera SmArt grad, @carmen_a442 for her Starz episodic booking! We love to see our HeArtists thriving. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #actingstudio #dougmcdadestudio #performinghearts #chicagoactingstudio #c
Summer is officially here and we just wrapped the first official class of The Doug McDade Studio of the Performing HeArts!!! We are so grateful for the students of our inaugural class and the work they put in over the last 10 weeks. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We're a
Huge shoutout to our HeArtist @maddiebetsanes for booking an ad campaign for The Original Rainbow Cone! 🌈 Keep up the great work!! #bookedandbusy #dougmcdadestudio #performinghearts #heartist #actortraining #chicagoactor #setlife #actingstudio #chi
"Your eyes are the window to your soul. Your soul is the doorway to your heArt. Your heArt is the link to your artistry." - @dougmcdade #actingstudio #dougmcdadestudio #performinghearts #chicagoactingstudio #chicagostudio #oncameraacting
The second session of The Fundamentals of Being Camera SmArt is open for enrollment! This is what @maddiebetsanes , one of our very first students, had to say about the class! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Taking Doug’s class has been such a blessing! It ha
At the studio we believe that performance is in every aspect of our lives. We're not just training actors to be better actors. We're training people to approach every facet of their life from a place deep within their heArt. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Unlock your fu
This is what we do at The Doug McDade Studio of the Performing HeArts! #actingstudio #dougmcdadestudio #performinghearts #oncameratraining #oncameraacting #chicagostudio
 
“I have a gift. I see gifts in people.”
— Doug McDade

Doug is a Master Coach and Founder of THE DOUG MCDADE STUDIO OF THE PERFORMING HEARTS. He is recognized as one of the premier film acting / theatre coaches in the Chicago area and is a member of the Theatre Department Faculty at Lake Forest College and formerly The Acting Studio Chicago. He also owns and operates Kalibre Productions, a private company which trains and manages industry talent. Doug received his training at the London Shakespeare Academy and Sir Geoffrey Connor of the National Theatre of Great Britain.

Doug is an original ensemble member and former managing director of Chicago’s critically acclaimed Shattered Globe Theatre. He has performed in numerous SGT productions which include favorites Hanna & Martin, To Peter Pan On Her 70th Birthday, The Rose Tattoo, Other People’s Money, The Price, Dealer’s Choice, The House of Blue Leaves, The Manchurian Candidate (Jeff Award Recipient), A View from the Bridge (Jeff Award Nomination), Warhawks & Lindberghs (Jeff Award Nomination).

Doug shares several Jeff Awards (Equity and Non-Equity Wing) and After Dark Awards for Ensemble with SGT, American Blues Theatre and Next Theatre productions. His most recent role was in Goodman Theatre's production of Molly Sweeney.


Doug understudied Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize for Drama recipient Tracy Letts in Steppenwolf’s production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Recent TV and film credits include Chicago Fire, on NBC; the Kevin Endres film Anyway Destined To Oblivion; his appearance with Michael Keaton in Keaton’s directorial film debut, The Merry Gentlemen; Frank V. Ross’s soon to be released Bloomin’ Mud Shuffle and the short film by Martin Rodahl, Happy Hour.


His extensive directing credits include directing Clockwise Theatre’s inaugural production of Kita y Fernanda, having then returned to direct Palmer Park, Doubting Thomas and Soldier's Heart. His directorial work in film includes CUTEeGRL which received an award for Best Short Film Thriller at The 2011 Illinois International Film Festival. He continues to do casting for theatre and film.

Doug has facilitated placement of many of his students with Chicago Talent Agencies such as Actors Talent Group, Grossman Jack Talent, Talent X Alexander and The Rock Talent Agency.