Throwback Thursday: Honoring Carolyne Barry - Wonderful Commercial Coach & Sweet Friend

My long-time manager once said, "As we get older…the clock ticks louder…" 

Lately, I am reminded how short this life is…

Yesterday was one of those days...

Singles Night many years ago

I had the pleasure of knowing and working with CAROLYNE BARRY almost 20 years ago. When I first moved to LA - Carolyne was my commercial acting teacher, a casting director, a role model and soon became a very good friend. But over the past 10 years - I have been busy. We all get busy. And just now reading about how her Commercial Workshops have flourished - I can assume, she was busy too – so we sort of lost touch.

Because of Facebook though - I would see and hear news of things happening… so it felt like were still in touch….when in fact, we really weren't. Almost 10 years ago we had a girls group that would meet once or twice a month to talk about life, work, relationships, and getting older…We would share lunch or dinner and we would support each other.

We once came up with a "singles night" where we invited our single friends and challenged them to bring one other single friend…it was a ridiciously fun night. We didn't meet anyone special but that night was special because of the special bond with my girlfriends. This picture was a collection of the hostesses who organized the party. Carolyne Barry was our ring leader. In fact, THAT picture - still sits on the shelf next to my desk. We were a collection of unstoppable women. Only lately I am realizing, I was / we were so "unstoppable" that I had not stopped since and now my sweet friend is gone.

That picture reminds me of all that we had in front of us. And with good friends to see you thru anything – life was full of promise. The clock is ticking louder and I fear, there will be more days behind than in front…so we have to do more than just watch from a distance on Facebook.

Yesterday, the incomparable Carolyne Barry lost her battle to cancer. I hope you know how MANY lives you've touched while you were here. Hopefully you can see your Facebook page - there are SO SO many people missing you. I know the world is different without you. And as I know you - I can only assume you are still coaching from the heavens above…Rest in Peace, my sweet, sweet friend.

Carolyne retweeted this recently:

"I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward." 

- Charlotte Brontë

Carolyne Barry
July 20, 1943 - July 16, 2015

In the last 30 years, has had extensive professional experience as an Actress, Teacher, Casting Director, Director, and Producer. As an actress she has over 100 television and film acting credits and has appeared in more than 400 national commercials. In the last twelve years, Carolyne has cast over 500 commercials and infomercials for some of New York’s top commercial agents. Since 1982, she has been one of the most successful Commercial Acting Coaches in Los Angeles thanks to agents, managers and student recommendations. Ms. Barry is known and respected as the toughest and most thorough Commercial Acting Coach and at present, has twelve workshops that she offers as part of her specialized curriculum.

In the late 1970’s she Co-Founded and was the Artistic Director of the ETC. Ensemble Theater Company in New York . This was a State Funded, Off-off Broadway Theater which produced numerous original pieces. Many of which Carolyne Barry either co-created, directed, produced, choreographed and /or starred in.

From 1983 till 1989, Carolyne created and ran Professional Artist Group which at that time was the largest training and casting facility in the country. In 1995, she co-created and directed Hysterical Blindness” a musical comedy that ran in Los Angeles for five months before it went to off-Broadway in New York City where it had an extensive run. And in 2002, she was a top 50 finalist in HBO’s Project Greenlight Director’s competition.

Carolyne Barry had been featured as a teaching authority in the The Hollywood Reporter, L.A. Reader, The Examiner, and recently in Backstage West as well as on C.N.N., K.H.J., K.T.T.V. and numerous other TV and Radio talk shows throughout the country. IN 2009 and 2011, Carolyne was voted #1 Favorite Commercial and On-Camera teacher in Los Angeles by the Backstage West readers.

Posted to Facebook July 16, 2015

With heartfelt sadness we want to share with all of Carolyne's many friends the passing of this amazing, phenomenal, mentor and world class teacher - Carolyne Barry. She influenced and inspired the lives of thousands. Her grand heart and spunky spirit were the trademarks of a soul that desired to drive, enhance and uplift the lives of all who came into her realm.

She will be missed but her legacy will carry on as Carolyne Barry Creative and the Carolyne Barry Technique will continue in the capable hands of Kimberly Jurgen, who worked side by side with Carolyne tirelessly. All coaches, teachers and classes are continuing according to Carolyne's specific wishes.

Students, friends, family, dogs and posse felt her tremendous wit and passion for her work, life and love. She embraced life, lived it to the fullest and engaged all of us to live with great unapologetic abandon! The Legendary Carolyne Barry will be remembered for her vibrant talent and great love. We share the moments of her grand life, and will forever remember the one and only "Carolyne Barry!" Carolyne Barry Posse

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