Rob Adler

Rob Adler (he/him/his) is an actor, director, performance coach, and educator who serves as the Co-Head of the BFA Acting program at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago. He is also the Artistic Director of AdlerImprov, a private acting studio in Los Angeles dedicated to integrating improvisation into scripted performance. As a private coach, Adler has worked with actors, directors, and production companies, including Lionsgate, Disney, FOX, NBC, and ABC. Notably, he served as the on-air acting coach for Disney’s High School Musical: Get in the Picture.

Adler writes a regular column offering expert advice for Backstage and has directed numerous acclaimed projects, including the award-winning short films You Too? and iVote, the Chicago premiere of Goosebumps: The Musical for Chicago Playworks, and original plays such as Patriot Act starring Roger Guenveur Smith and Bad Hamlet with LA’s Coin & Ghost. For Interact Theatre Company, Adler directed Clybourne Park, I’m Not Rappaport, and Talley’s Folly for the celebrated Prize Winners Series, and starred in a well-received production of Other People’s Money at the Pico Playhouse.

Beyond stage and screen, Adler applies improvisation techniques to diverse fields, coaching medical professionals, business leaders, and community organizations. His acting credits span commercials, television, and feature films. A 2024-25 Wicklander Fellow, Adler continues to explore the intersections of performance, pedagogy, and innovation.