Teaching Philosophy
Patrick's practice as a teacher mirrors his work as a performer: every technique is tested against the reality of professional demands. His teaching empowers students to claim ownership of their unique voice, artistry and skill and propels them towards a life and career in the arts.
His approach is holistic, he nurtures the person, not just the student. As a curriculum architect and academic leader, it's not just about the syllabus or lesson plan, Patrick builds learning communities: spaces where intersecting voices and experiences aren't an afterthought but the actual material the work is made from. The classroom is just the soil where growth begins; real artistic expansion requires performance opportunities, mentorship, apprenticeships and hands-on experiences that come from productions and student-led initiatives.
Every project he works on as a professional actor feeds back into that vision, and every emerging artist he trains pushes it forward in return. He prepares actors to move fluidly across mediums, whether it's cinematic, stage, some interdisciplinary, hybrid devised work… whatever the room demands. Today's actor gets to expand beyond the traditional definition of the word, especially in the training phase of a creative life. At its center is a simple conviction: that a sustainable culture is one where every human in the room is valued, and where artists are taught to think for themselves, not just perform on command.
The result is a practice grounded in authentic self-knowledge not theory, but craft in service of truth. It's the same principle Patrick built his career on:
Be yourself. Professionally.
Course Offerings
Professor · Learning Leader · Resident Artist
Publications & Awards
Beyond the Classroom
Testimonials
Teachers & Colleagues
"Patrick uniquely understands the collision between the disciplined hustle of the job and the unbridled creativity of the work."
Kimberly Senior
Freelance Theatre Director, Educator (Yale, Notre Dame); former Head of MFA Directing, Brooklyn College
"I do not doubt that Patrick will continue to inspire and nurture storytellers with the same passion and excellence he has demonstrated throughout his career."
Nikkole Salter
Chair, Department of Theatre Arts, Howard University
"Patrick Sabongui is a compelling artist, a gifted and passionate educator and a great collaborator who easily earned the respect of his students and his fellow teachers."
Francine Zerfas
Adjunct Professor of Theater, Brooklyn College
"I believe that the 5 years he ran the Brooklyn College BFA that it was the single best acting program in the country, and I believe that's due to Patrick's vision."
Ralf Jean-Pierre
Adjunct Lecturer of Theatre, Brooklyn College, NYU Tisch & Columbia
"Patrick Sabongui is a dedicated artist, a natural leader, and dedicated teacher and mentor."
Omari Newton
Teacher, Playwright, Theatre Director; former Head of Acting & Film, Vancouver Film School
"Patrick was able to create and hold space where young artists felt encouraged and empowered to explore and express themselves. … Patrick brings a profound and compassionate approach to pedagogy that inspires individual creativity and that also models the spirit of meaningful collaboration."
Diane Roberts
Dramaturg & Director; Founding Artistic Director, Arrivals Legacy Project; former Artistic Director, urban ink productions
"Sabongui has proven to be a very well-rounded instructor for CA339, not only offering his professional experience on set, but also a wealth of knowledge around the theory around acting and performance in general and for film in particular. His communication with the students was clear and extremely articulate."
Area Coordinator
School for the Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University; instructor evaluation, Fall 2019
Students & Alumni
"Patrick Sabongui changed my life in ways I could have never imagined. He transformed the BFA Acting program into a place where my cohort and I could flourish and grow in our craft exponentially. By the end of the year, I had transformed from an aspiring actor with crippling insecurities into an artist with a strong artistic voice that felt authentic."
Antonyio Artis
BFA Acting '22
"He leads with love. He has created an atmosphere where actors and teachers feel like family. He holds space for his students, encourages them, and truly sees them. I have learned more about myself as a person and as an actor in his class than I ever have before."
Zara Zeidman
BFA Acting '24
"There is immediate trust when you work with Patrick because you truly know you're in good hands and that he cares. He meets each student with empathy and honesty and naturally creates conditions where actors feel safe to work and take risks."
Izzy Marinucci
Brooklyn College BFA Acting Alumna
"I could feel his warmth as an instructor and his passion as an artist from the moment we began the semester. He found ways to engage us, challenge our way of thinking, and foster our individual skills while unifying us as a group. He is, and always will be, a gift to his students."
Francesca Manligoy
BFA Acting '21
"Patrick Sabongui is more than just an educator — he is a visionary leader who builds programs, cultivates community, and empowers individuals. He doesn't just teach you how to act; he teaches you how to be."
Nathaelle Denis
BFA Acting '22
"I am inspired by Patrick Sabongui and as one of his first BFA Acting students, I wholeheartedly recommend him as a Program Director for any college."
Mckensi Scy Pascall
Brooklyn College BFA Acting Alumna
"He is an unbelievable person to have in your corner, and he manages to be in everyone's corner. He coached me remotely while on set filming his own projects because he believed in me enough to make it work."
Madison Tamayo
BFA Acting '23
"From day one, Patrick has always been a motivator — even when I didn't know I needed motivation. He was able to quickly gain my trust in the most natural, humanly spiritual way possible. Under his guidance I signed with a manager and booked my first professional role."
Ebenezer Adjei
BFA Acting '23
"His door was always open — literally and figuratively. During the hardest moments of the pandemic, he showed up for us in ways that went far beyond the classroom. He created community where there was none, and that changed everything."
Brooklyn College BFA Alumna
BFA Acting '21
"He coined our program's tagline, 'Be Yourself: Professionally.' He does this each day, bringing his endless energy, sense of humor, and empathy to every room he enters."
Lia Hauser
BFA Student & Administrative Assistant
"My highlight with Patrick is the fact that he understands intersectionality and he's not uncomfortable to have those uncomfortable conversations when it comes to race. … One of my favorite highlights of Patrick is he fights for inclusion."
Fatou Thiam
BFA Acting '22
"Having Patrick Sabongui as a mentor and head of my program came in the form of relief as he was one of the first people to reassure me that who I am was never a problem even if I didn't "sound" or "fit" into what others wanted me to. … He showed me the way and handed me the tools that would help me find my path later on."
Silvio Francisco
BFA Acting '23
"Patrick is among the best teachers I've had the pleasure of learning from. Engaging and approachable, Patrick's knowledge and professional experience inspired me to look at film directing and acting in new ways. … I am a more confident and committed filmmaker thanks to Patrick's teachings."
Santiago Henderson
Film Directing Student, Simon Fraser University
"He brought an immense amount of enthusiasm to class every week. … Patrick's industry experience was a great tool for us as it gave us perspective to a life after school, the different struggles, hardships and victories an artist in the industry experiences."
Hassan Babar
Acting Student; Acting & Directing for Film and Video, Fall 2019
Directors Who Work With His Graduates
"Many BFA Acting alumni begin getting professional work within months of graduating, and my director peers and I hire them often. … Patrick is giving them a fighting chance."
Katy Early
Director; Visiting Assistant Professor of Theater, Oberlin College
"I sat through countless conservatory showcases/performances for that job, and the Brooklyn College BFA showcases (which Patrick self-produces) are the best I've seen. … I'm currently collaborating with four (four!) of Patrick's recent graduates on two projects."
Dan Hasse
Director; former national recruiter, American Shakespeare Center tour
"The BFA students in the theater department at Brooklyn College are some of the most exciting and game young artists I've had the pleasure to work with. … Patrick's focus on actor agency and generative artistry isn't just an idea. It's a practice. His students reflect that work in every room they enter."
Matt Gehring
Director; MFA Directing, Brooklyn College
"The value his students brought to my class scenes, productions, and projects provided more wealth than eighty percent of the professional actors I have worked with who are well into their own careers."
Zachary Diamond
Director; MFA Directing, Brooklyn College '25
Industry Professionals
"Patrick Sabongui shares his knowledge and experience in a way that encourages his class to break out of the comfort zone of a strictly physical performance and move more into the world of ACTING with a physical component. Patrick Sabongui has geared his program specifically to getting you there."
Sean Cossey
Casting Director
"Patrick is a deeply insightful coach who has his finger on the pulse of that extra ingredient that takes an actor's performance from good to outstanding."
Jen Johnston
Agent, RED Talent Management
"Patrick has consistently helped performers bring something new to the table from his coaching of them. I highly recommend Patrick for anyone looking for an experienced, insightful and extremely helpful coaching session."
Murray Gibson
Agent
"Patrick's coaching with actors has consistently shown he can help elevate an actor's potential."
Stacey Ando
Agent, RED Talent Management
"You get to coach and tape with someone who knows what it is to be a series regular and lead, and what it takes to book those parts. He's a coach who will push you, and not just let you get away with 'polished acting.'"
Artin John
Actor
"I cannot recommend him enough for this position. To work with Patrick is a joy. And to know Patrick is to love him."
Mark Freiburger
Film Director
Actors He's Coached
"If it was possible to give 10 stars I would! Being able to tape with Patrick and Kyra is an honor. They are two of Canada's most working and talented actors who have done shows of the highest caliber… they really know their stuff when it comes to acting AND directing so you know you're in good hands. You can just act and trust they have your back. It's an amazing thing!"
Mary Galloway
Actor, Writer, Director
"Patrick's ease in reading and knowledge of audition technique immediately puts me in a confident place. The long and short of it is that I do my best work here and most importantly the process is fun. I highly recommend this service to anyone looking for an actor's self-tape haven. You are in great hands."
Rick P.
Actor, Writer
"They truly care for you as an individual and will find a way to bring out your best performance. They helped shape my career and the way I thought about the industry. I cannot recommend them enough!"
Fraser Corbett
Actor, Stuntman, Stunt Coordinator
"The instruction does not come from a place of ego, but of genuine encouragement. Patrick and Kyra allow and encourage experimentation… It got me out of my head and into the moment. Thank you for honestly caring."
Kelly Fennig
Actor, Musician; ACT Vancouver class
Theatre Directing
The Motherfucker With the Hat
Starring Madison Tamayo, Brendan Ahmed, Edward Wosu III, Silvio Francisco & Dominika Handzlik
A Steady Rain
Starring Aidan J. Lawrence & Jake Okula · Leonard & Clare Tow Center for the Performing Arts
Angels in America, Part 1: Millennium Approaches
Brooklyn College · Buchwald Theater
A Boy Named Lobo
Workshop & Staged Reading · Beller Studio
Tortillas for the Working Class
Workshop & Staged Reading · The Tank Theater
