Biography

Caryn also has numerous credits on Broadway and top regional theaters: She won prestigious Critics Circle award "Outstanding Featured Actress" for playing Sonia at Hartford Stage's production of "Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike", up against many fine NYC actors that season at Yale Rep, the Long Wharf, Westport Co. Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera etc.

She starred on Broadway and in the national tour of "Crimes Of The Hearts" and played Maggie in the Broadway production's tour of Dancing At Lughnasa and was in the company of "The Nerd" in its long run at the Helen Hayes

Favorite major regional theater credits include lead roles in "The Clean House" ("Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress/Comedy"/ 2010 StageSceneLA.com), Interact's State of the Union, Toys In The Attic directed by the gifted Jessica Kubzansky (2003 LA Ovation award for "Best Play in a Larger Theater" and many other local accolades) , May in Sam Shepard's "Fool For Love" ( 3 different productions!) , Brian Friel's genius work "Faith Healer" , Josie in Eugene O'Neill's epic "Moon For The Misbegotten", Athol Fugard's "Road To Mecca", John Guare's "Gardenia", Noel Coward's "Fallen Angels", Chekhov's "Three Sisters" ( twice, different sisters ) and by some other guy, Desdemona in "Othello", and Olivia "Twelfth Night".

She was a grateful participant in the American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women. While there, she wrote and directed the 35mm short, "Here Dies Another Day" (starring Oscar nominee/Tony Award winner John Randolph and "Nashville's" Judith Hoag). It won a second prize at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, making it Academy Award eligible, at Worldfest/Charleston (top award for Best Short Adaptation), a Best Of Fest at the Rhode Island Film Festival, and was an official selection in 20 other film festivals. It aired on KPBS/San Diego's Viewfinder program.

In 2010, she recurred as Dr. Susan Heyworth on the CBS series Three Rivers. She co-wrote the Italian/U.S. short "The Father", which has been seen in 5 European festivals in 2011.

She has directed theater for the Actors Space in New York, the Classical Theater Lab and the Manhattan Punchline's One-Act Festival and the Lee Strasberg Institute in LA.

She has taught acting at California Institute of the Arts, The Lee Strasberg Institute, Michael Howard's Studio and the School for Film and Television (both in NYC), Stella Adler's/LA, USC's School of Cinematic Arts, and the LA SAG Conservatory, the BFA programs at Syracuse University, the MFA programs at the American Conservatory Theater and UC Irvine and coached privately at Caryn's Space For Actors since 1999.

Caryn received a B.A. in Film/Drama from Stanford University and an M.F.A. from Temple University. She has also trained at the American Conservatory Theatre and studied with Stella Adler, Wynn Handman, Alfred Molina and Alan Langdon.

Caryn was a military brat of a Marine Colonel and longtime rancher. Her dad Fraser was also a lifetime steer team roper and skier who officiated at 5 Olympics and many Alpine skiing World Cups. Following him around, Caryn used to be the heeler for her dad in steer team ropings. She was a member U.S National Alpine Ski Team in her youth , a Jr National Ski Champion of North America and the 1972 World University Games Alpine combined champion in Lake Placid.. She skied the famed Whistler Mtn. Peak To Valley 5000 ft vertical race ( about 165 GS gates) 14 times and medal-ed with her team twice.

She hiked Whitney Mtn 14,500 ft elev. in one day ( 22 miles) with actor John Berg and others in 2006. She is devoted to social justice, argentine salon tango, fitness, still skiing at Mammoth and enjoys the amazing gift of all her rescue animals. Most of all, she is grateful to the success of the actors she is privileged to work with.
- IMDb mini biography by: caryn's space for actor/ caryn west