Cooper Gusick, shot by Debra Somerville

Cooper Gusick, shot by Debra Somerville

Height: 46″   Weight: 43 lbs   Age: 7    

Based in NYC/CT

Seeking Representation

OK, if you want to know the definition of a marketable commercial face, you are looking at it! This adorable kid, “Coop,” is not only off-the-charts cute, he is also a triple threat in the making. I’m placing bets he nabs a national commercial in no time. Then, next stop Broadway!

Remember, your submissions are still eligible for next month and you can submit new photos as often as you like! Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search

Don’t forget to “like” the page of your favorite Model of the Month

Ashlyn Tracy, shot by Debra Somerville

Ashlyn Tracy, shot by Debra Somerville

Height: 4’1″    Age: 6    

Based in NYC

Represented by DWKing Talent Management 

Tell me this isn’t the cutest mug you’ve ever seen on modelingmentor.com? I’m looking forward to watching this sweet girl, with her incredibly marketable face, hit the big time!

Remember, your submissions are still eligible for next month!

Don’t forget to “like” the page of your favorite Model of the Month

Must-Have List for Child Actors

1. A talented, plugged-in, enthusiastic coach

2. A guardian angel

It’s your lucky day! Today I have a 2-for-1 offer for you. His name is Thommie Retter. Not only is he a bonafide Broadway star himself (he played the nutty, tap-happy Mr. Braithwaite in Billy Elliot), a phenomenal dance instructor, a wily audition prep coach with insider tips on what will happen in the casting room, a producer of awesome kids’ workshops and shows, BUT he is also the guardian angel of any kid lucky enough to find their way into his safe fold. If the business knocks your kid down—and it will—or the fun starts to go out of training, Thommie will pick up that trampled on, burned out little dying ember of an actor/dancer/singer and spark the biggest fire you’ve ever seen. No one leaves a session with Thommie feeling down. Ever. Each session starts with a bear hug, ends with a high-five, and is often the beginning of something big. Read on to see all the child stars who have trained with Thommie, AND to learn of a great opportunity to get your child in on the fun and excitement that is always brewing at Retter Entertainment…

Thommie Retter as Mr. Braithwaite in Billy Elliot the Musical on Broadway

This Way To Broadway, A Magical Broadway Christmas

What exciting workshops/events do you have coming up?  Thanks for asking Jill! Everyone at Retter Entertainment is buzzing about our upcoming This Way To Broadway event, A Magical Broadway Christmas. This variety show is open to kids ages 8 –18, who want to experience an Off-Broadway stage.

Will you be the master of ceremonies for A Magical Broadway Christmas?  Because I’m always looking for teachable moments with the kids I work with, I always choose young people I think will benefit the most from the experience of hosting the event. This time around I am thrilled to announce that some super talented kids from the one-of-a-kind dancing dynamo Abby Lee Miller and Lifetime television show Dance Moms will be hosting the event! This will be fun for them because even though they are on television just about every day of the week, they never find themselves emceeing a live event. It will be fun for the AMBC kids because they will get to work side by side with kids they see all the time on TV and realize the kids they love from the show are just like themselves. 

I hear there will be another exciting special guest at A Magical Broadway Christmas?  Yes! Tony Award winner David Alvarez, who played Billy in the original cast of  Billy Elliot the Musical on Broadway, will be performing, as well as Emma Howard from the Broadway shows Violet and Matilda! Working alongside professionals of this caliber will no doubt inspire your child to be their very best!

Tell us what the kids participating in this event will experience:

• Each participant goes into recording studio to record their solo holiday song
• Everyone will learn an ensemble song from Sonny Paladino the conductor of the Broadway show Pippin and a seasoned musical dynamo from the Broadway community
• Everyone will record that ensemble song in the recording studio with Los Angeles based music producer, Brandon Jarrett
• All are included in one of the scene/skits written and directed by Anthony Giunta writer/director of Contest “The Movie”
• 
• Each AMBC participate will perform their solo on stage in the heart of Times Square at Theatre 777
• Each AMBC Participant will also perform an ensemble song and an ensemble scene/skit
• Everyone will be featured in an authentic Broadway Playbill and receive a one of a kind show shirt

Who is this appropriate for (age, skill level) and what will they learn?  A Magical Broadway Christmas, which will take place Dec 5 – 7,  will be a wildly exciting event and at the same time an enormous learning experience for young people looking to expand their knowledge of the entertainment business. While performing in a real life professional production, they will find themselves in a recording studio, working with top industry professionals and finally performing live on an Off-Broadway stage in the heart of Times Square! We are accepting submissions from Showbiz Kids between the ages of 8 and 18. We encourage all skill levels to audition, from beginners to the more experienced because this is an event that has room for everyone and the benefits are spectacular. The deadline to submit for the event is November 5th.

Have kids with Broadway experience ever participated in any of your This Way To Broadway productions?  Yes they have! We have had performances from Billy Elliot’s Tony Award Winner Trent Kowalik and have enjoyed the talented Emma Howard from Matilda and Violet as well as Alex Dreier from Billy Elliot, The Assembled Parties and Finding Neverland.  Other past participants are Sam Poon from the National Tour of Billy Elliot, Fly and the Broadway production of Macbeth; Presley Ryan  from the NBC production of the Sound Of Music; Clara Young from an Equity production of Annie and the National Tour of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas; Jenna Iacono from the National Tour of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas; Victoria Dennis from Little Miss Sunshine; Madison Mullahey from the National Tours of Mary Poppins and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas; Scarlett Diaz, Gabriella Green, Erin Haggerty, Joy Kate Lawson, Jamieson O’Brien, Jordan O’Brien, Sarah Rappaport, Presley Ryan, Adam Dorfman, Stephen Sayegh, Olivia Sanders, Mavis Simpson Ernst, and Abbey Rose Gould from the Off-Broadway show The Little Princess; and Isabela Moner from the Broadway show Evita and the NBC television series Growing Up Fisher! As you can see, This Way To Broadway is the kind of event that attracts kids with stage experience as well as those looking to join the theatre community!

What kind of a scheduling commitment is this for the kids?  The schedule for Friday Dec. 5th will consist of recording sessions, ensemble vocal rehearsals and ensemble scene/skit rehearsals. The time frame will be roughly from 4:00-8:00. The schedule on Saturday Dec 6th will be similar though the hours will be longer… the kids can plan on spending the majority of the day working on the show with breaks for meals. The day of the show, Sunday Dec. 7th, we will have a 12:30 call for a 1:00 tech rehearsal that will last till 4:00 and then a 4:30 call for a 5:00 performance.

Thommie Retter and the “Dance Mom” dancers

What is the fee for this A Magical Broadway Christmas weekend event?  This is when I give you the good news! Being a parent myself, I know how expensive children’s activities can be, so I sought out and secured outside supporters to underwrite a majority of the costs making it affordable for everyone to participate no matter what the personal circumstances. The base fee for the event is $399 and that includes everything I have already detailed.  Space is limited so if you want to be considered you should submit today!

Thommie Retter’s Friday Drop-In Tap Classes

Tell us about your Friday tap classes?  Each Friday I teach two tap classes at Ripley-Grier Studios in NYC. The first class is called Fun Tap and in that class I work on the fundamentals of tap. It is a lower intermediate class, though I do accept beginners and create tap dancers out of them in short order.  The second class is called Broadway Tap and in that class we work on Broadway level technique, combinations and choreography. Whether you have never been on the stage before or you just finished your third Broadway show, everybody is treated with the same level of respect and everyone receives equal attention. For more info, see: RetterEntertainment.com

Broadway Kid Audition Prep Classes

Tell us about your Audition prep classes?  When Broadway shows and other productions are auditioning,  it is a priority for me to make sure my students have the tools they need and are prepared to give their very best effort. I coach kids in private lessons and from time to time I hold Audition Prep classes targeting specific auditions and the style, energy and intention “they” will be looking for from the talent.

If someone wants a private session with you, what is the best way to get in touch?  The best way to sign up for a private session is to visit www.RetterEntertainment.com and click the contact button on the tool bar. I will respond quickly and we will get to work quickly. One of the fun parts about having private sessions with me is that I encourage the parents to sit in and see first hand the style of training I provide.

Check out this video to see how Thommie transformed my son Jamie from a casual tapper to a tappin’ dynamo in one session!

What are some of the shows your students have been in?  I train a ton of Showbiz Kids that have been in a ton of shows…  Here is a list of shows my students have been seen in here in NYC and across the country in national tours; A Christmas Story, The Adams Family, Annie, The Assembled Parties, Beauty And The Beast, Billy Elliot, Bye, Bye Birdie, The Christmas Spectacular, Elf, Evita, Finding Neverland, Fly, Freckleface Strawberry, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Honeymoon In Vegas, Kinky Boots, Lies My Father Told Me, Little Miss Sunshine, The Little Princess, Macbeth, Mary Poppins, Matilda, Newsies, Oliver, Once, Peter Pantomime, This Way To Broadway, Urinetown & Violet.

Your mom, Bette Retter, had her dance studio—Retter Dance Center in Kentwood, MI—for 30 years, your wife Becca Retter teaches dance, your daughters dance—major dancing genes there! How much of someone’s potential as a dancer is genes and how much is hard work and discipline?  In my opinion, no matter what the case may be, if you work hard you will see positive results that will give you the potential to succeed in the entertainment business or any other field for that matter!

What has been the highpoint of your dance career?  Without question the biggest thing that ever happened in my career was being cast in Billy Elliot The Musical and then performing for over 1.5 million Broadway theatre goers. I continue to have a really interesting career in the entertainment business and love every project I work on, but no matter what the future brings for me as a performer it will likely take second place.

What is your dream job at this point in the game?  I would like to be a regular on Sesame Street or a similar educational show for kids and continue to train young people to be the very best they can be!

Anything else you would like to talk about?  I’d love to tell everyone about Moho Productions, a music production company I have ownership in, as my other passion is working as a songwriter and music producer. But I think we can save that topic for a follow-up interview!

Thanks everyone for taking the time to hear about A Magical Broadway Christmas! I hope you will consider submitting your child and I look forward to crossing paths. Submitting is easy! Just go to our website “designed by Stage Door Designs” at www.thiswaytobroadway.com and click on submissions.  Thanks, Jill, for the great interview and also for sending your son Jamie to me for training!  He is super talented and an awesome kid with an extremely bright future in front of him, and he comes from a top-of-the-line family!

See why I love this guy?! THANKS a million, Thommie. Take my advice: if you submit your child for This Way to Broadway, you will be on your way to great things. Join for tap classes too! Jamie and I hope to see you there soon

Here are the Showbiz Kids of This Way To Broadway performing “Our Time,” written by Thommie Retter and Brandon Jarrett for Moho Productions, music production by Brandon Jarrett

Check out Thommie Retter, tapper extraordinaire!

Stay tuned for a post on last weekend’s fab Rock the Runway event, hosted by Debra Somerville of Images Workshop and Dawn Woods King of DWKing Talent Management, with the fabulous Shailah Edmonds in the house!

Don’t forget to Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search contest!

April Model of the Month… Congrats Logan!

Logan Morris, shot by Debra Somerville

Hair: Red    Eyes: Green    Age: 14    Height: 5’7″    33-26-34    Shoe: 8

Represented by the Johnston Agency in CT

Logan is a gorgeous girl from Connecticut, and the first redhead to make Model of the Month. It’s about time! She has the inviting all-American look of a commercial model, but her perfect heart-shaped face also reminds me of a “shorter” girl who took the fashion world by storm: Kate Moss. Keep an eye out for Logan, who is the lucky winner of this stunning pave diamond bracelet from Lera Jewels.

Watch for exciting prizes in months to come. There is no limit on how often you enter the contest. If you have updated photos, try again!

Don’t forget to “like” the page of your favorite Model of the Month

The November Modeling 101 Workshop with photographer/scout Debra Somerville was a smash hit with the CT and NY teens in attendance.

Jill, Michel Ann, Sam Mae, Debra, Lina, Shannon

Watching Sam Mae Work It—Posing 101

Agent Panel Discussion

Guest Models & Guest Agents

I loved interviewing the awesome guest models, Sam Mae and Michel Ann, and guest agents, Dana from New York Models and Dawn from the Johnston Agency. Debra’s new discovery Lina, newly signed with Click, joined in and shared the excitement of her launch into the NY modeling scene. She is already landing bookings for Delia’s and has been on Nordstrom and Teen Vogue castings!

Lina from CT just signed with Click in NYC

One attendee, Mackenzie, impressed a guest agent with her enthusiasm and big personality (not to mention her beauty) and got signed by the Johnston Agency. By the way, personality came up as a key part of a model’s potential for success. You can’t be shy, overly-sensitive, modest, or lazy. You have to ooze confidence, have a tough skin, and be a go-getter!

Mackenzie, shot by Debra Somerville

Stay tuned for some online workshop videos.

Remember to subscribe to my free Modeling Newsletter!

Congrats Dominika!

Photos by Debra Somerville

Age: 15    Height: 5’9″    Measurements: 34-24-33    Shoe: 8

Ridgefield, CT

Seeking Representation

Rarely do you see a supermodel who doesn’t have fabulous brows, lips, and bone structure. Check, check, and check, for this beauty! Not to mention that a cool name helps too.

Don’t forget to “like” your favorite Model of the Month!

Only three more months to enter, before Model of the Year will be named. Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search and get discovered! Top agents like Elite, New York Model Management, Click, and Page Parkes are reviewing the finalists and already falling in love with a few

Congrats Grace!

Photo by Debra Somerville

Age: 12     Height: 5’2″     Size: Girls 10/12     Shoe: 6

Seeking Representation

Greater New York Area

Watch for Grace on the Fashion Week runways in a few years. What a beauty! Check out the range of looks she rocks:

Photo by Debra Somerville
Brooke Shields’ Hair!

Photo by Debra Somerville

Photo by Debra Somerville

Don’t forget to “like” the page of your favorite Model of the Month! These likes will be taken into account by the panel of industry experts who will name the Modeling Mentor Model of the Year in November.

If you haven’t entered yet, there’s plenty of time to get in the running: Modeling Mentor Model Search

Subscribe to my free monthly Modeling Newsletter to see the finalists first and stay up to date on model news and tips!

Fashion photographer Debra Somerville has experience on both sides of the camera. She started her career as a model in New York and Paris. To hear from someone who knows what it’s like to model and knows what photographers like in models—well, it doesn’t get any better than that, so listen up!

How did you get into modeling? I went to Hicksville High School in Long Island, and Lorraine Bracco was in my grade. She got into modeling. We were good friends. She said, “You can do it too. You should come with me.” She told me she made $500 doing a fashion show. I thought, Whoa! I graduated and went directly to New York. It was hard for me. I was short. A lot of agents wouldn’t look at me, but I persevered. Back then some models were 5’6″; they were called junior models. You could be a little shorter if you were really thin. That’s not the case anymore. I was with Zoli first and then I went to Ford. They sent me to Paris right away. I was 17. Lorraine was in Paris too—we ran into each other in the street.

Which agency were you with there? John Casablancas was just starting his agency in Paris. He picked me among three or four girls to come. Eileen—all the agencies—used to send new models to Paris. There are a lot of magazines in Europe, so if you needed tear sheets, you could get a book together really fast. I worked there for about year.

Tell us about John Casablancas. Are all the rumors true? Johnny—he’s slimy, I’ll tell you that. He basically would take all the models’ money and put it into one pool. Some models worked a lot and some not much at all. Everyone got a certain amount of money each week, through Johnny. It was like waitresses pooling tips!

Did you work well? Did you like it, aside from the agent shenanigans? I worked a lot, especially in Germany; they paid cash, so I loved it. I traveled all over on jobs. I went to Morocco on a magazine shoot. Then I was with Models One in London. When I went back to the States, I left my voucher book in Paris. Johnny owed me a lot of money. I went to Eileen Ford for help. She told me: “You left without your money. That was stupid. I can’t get your money.” It was all under the table then. It was very seedy. I was so young and naïve. I didn’t question a lot of things. But it was a great time.

Did you keep modeling in the States? I went to Nina Blanchard in California. She was such a nice woman and really took me under her wing. I didn’t work much in New York; I wasn’t tall enough.

When did you stop modeling?  When I was 20, I got into acting. Eileen kept trying to send me to Paris. She wanted to get rid of me because I wasn’t a moneymaker for her. I was very commercial looking and very aggressive so I started getting TV commercials. I started studying acting and taking dance, voice, movement lessons—every class I could take. It was a great life. I made a ton of money and commercials supported me through residuals. I didn’t really want to stop, but I grew into a different type— I couldn’t do teen stuff but also didn’t fit as a young mom.

How did you get into photography? All my friends were in the business, and they all needed pictures. I started shooting them and I just loved it.

Tell us about your fashion photography experience. I always just wanted to shoot fashion. I loved fashion and was comfortable in that area. My first boyfriend was a pretty famous fashion photographer at the time. He taught me a lot, and I took a course at the International Center for Photography. I really wanted to learn what I was doing and work in the dark room and all that. I veered off into fine art photography and really studied photography. Printing was amazing—I loved it. Then I started assisting fashion photographers. I assisted Robert Farber, among others.

What inspired you to launch your modeling “Images Workshop”? There really wasn’t fashion in Connecticut, so after moving here from New York I was shooting family and children for years. I applied a fashion approach to my kids’ portraits, so the photos looked like they came from a fashion magazine. I put up pictures at a coffee shop and got a huge response. Everyone wanted me to do pictures of their kids. A few years ago, I decided I wanted to go back to my roots. Stores like Wish List needed pictures but didn’t have a budget for models, so I’d scout out girls at the mall and teach them what to do and develop them. I started getting calls from parents, wanting me to hire their daughters. I realized there was nothing in Connecticut for young girls who want to get into modeling. They don’t know how to do it. Images Workshop is a soft landing before going into New York, where the industry can be really harsh. If I had a young daughter, I wouldn’t let her go straight to New York. I’d love to send my daughter to me!

Michel Ann, Project Runway model discovered by Debra Somerville

What does your Images Workshop entail? It’s like a real shoot you’d do in New York. You come to studio, have your hair and makeup done, and I help style the looks. I have a very supportive approach. We have a great time. A lot of these girls won’t be models but they want to know what it’s like. It’s glamorous!

Is Images Workshop for aspiring models only?  No. A lot of girls are attractive and they want to give it a try. I’ve even had moms give it as a gift to daughters who aren’t feeling so good about themselves. They’re having a hard time in school with jealous, catty girls, and they need a self-esteem boost. Ninety percent of the girls can’t be models. A fashion model is 1 in a million. But there’s commercial modeling too, which most of my girls go toward. I’ve developed two little boys and one teenage boy also.

Model Sam Gold, shot by Debra Somerville

Walk us through an Images Workshop. Before the day of the shoot, I meet with the mom (if the child is young) and the child, see their look, analyze how to shoot them, and talk about clothes. Sometimes a stylist will work with me, but the girls bring most of the looks. I have them drop the clothes a few days before so I can have everything organized ahead of time. I like to do five shots, as that’s typically what you need to put together a comp card. At minimum, you need a headshot, body shot, and a shot that shows personality. On the day of the shoot, the model comes clean/clean (meaning clean hair and a clean cosmetic-free face).  With the first look, we’ll do more of a clean plain look and then build on that. The hairdresser/makeup artist stays the whole time to do different looks with each outfit. Most of the time, girls have no clue what to do in front of the camera. I work with everyone. Sometimes I physically actually show them how to pose, and they all come out looking beautiful. If the weather is nice, we’ll go on location for a couple shots. I edit down the photos a bit and email them a couple of days later. I guide them through selecting photos to print. If they want to go further and do a comp card, I help them with that, and if they want a list of agents in New York, I can provide that.

Debra in Action

What is the cost? $500. They get all the photos. I can help with prints, but that is a separate cost.

Tell us about your upcoming Modeling 101 Workshop on April 28? Modeling 101 is an introductory workshop for anyone interested in modeling or fashion. It will be about 15 girls. They’ll get to see what a shoot is like. Pia, from PIA (Personal Image Artist) salon, will do hair and makeup on one girl and she’ll give the group tips on makeup application and the best products. Michel Ann, a Weston native who has modeled on Project Runway, and Sam Mae, who models internationally, will be coming to talk about their experiences. Agents from the Johnston Agency in New Canaan are coming to speak, and, who knows, maybe find their next new face! There is an enormous amount of work in this area, and they are the only agency around here.

I’m looking forward to attending, interviewing the special guest models, and scouting for Modeling Mentor Model Search contenders! After spending an afternoon with Debra while she shot my 9-year-old son’s acting headshot, I can promise all the girls—all of us—will have a great time!

Modeling 101 Workshop

Sunday, April 28, $75, 1 pm to 4 pm

Age 12 and up 

Sign Up for my free Monthly Newsletter

I am always amazed at how little effort some aspiring models will put into getting informed about how the business works. They crave instant gratification, expecting to be discovered and shoot to stardom without doing any legwork. Even before pursuing agents, you should be reading everything you can about modeling—easy to do in the blogosphere. You should ask any models and photographers you meet for advice.

If you live in the NY-CT area, former model and photographer/scout Debra Somerville (Images Workshop) is doing a workshop on April 28. This will be a great way to get informed, dip your toes into the fashion scene, and have a great time:

If you live in the area and are at least 12 years old, attend! Debra is so easy-going, genuine, and talented—just the kind of mentor you need. I also will be there, doing a Q&A with the models and joining in the fun.   SIGN UP

If you don’t live in the area, would you be interested in a podcast of an event like this? Let me know!

Look for an interview with Debra Somerville coming soon.

Also, stay tuned for April Modeling Mentor Model of the Month, to be announced this week!