Studio Policy Regarding Letters of Recommendation From time to time, students request letters of recommendation from The Acting Studio New York. Letters of recommendation are prepared for a fee of $100 and are issued only at the discretion of the Studio Director. To be considered, a student must demonstrate: A perfect attendance record, with no absences and no tardiness Exemplary class participation and preparation Consistently professional conduct and attitude Letters are not automatic and will not be issued in cases where a student’s work, discipline, or overall performance does not meet the Studio’s professional standard. MFA recommendation letters are granted only to students who have successfully completed either the full-time 6-Week Acting Conservatory or the 2-Year Acting Conservatory Program. The Acting Studio New York reserves the right to decline any request for a letter of recommendation.
Because acting training is highly personal and requires a focused, protected environment, having strangers enter and exit the classroom on a regular basis can be disruptive. For this reason, auditing is rarely permitted. In limited circumstances, auditing may be considered prior to enrollment, but only after an applicant has been formally interviewed and accepted by the Studio Director into a specific class. While the notion of “shopping around” for teachers may be promoted in some trade publications, we do not believe this approach serves actors in serious training. Acting demands vulnerability, risk, and the courage to work beyond one’s comfort zone. Students must feel safe within their classroom in order to do their best work. If you wish to inquire about the possibility of auditing, please discuss it directly with the Studio Director during your interview.
In some cases, yes. Many students in the past have received college credit for their participation in certain classes in the acting program upon submitting a letter of proof from the studio director attesting to their satisfactory participation and/or completion. However, it does depend on the college or university. Please check with your college or university as to their requirements.
Yes, The Acting Studio New York offers a range of financial aid options for qualifying students. Please note, however, that full-ride scholarships are not typically available. Financial aid and partial tuition scholarships are awarded based on both merit and demonstrated need. We also offer special payment arrangements with zero-interest financing, reduced tuition for a select number of key students, and limited work study positions. Scholarships such as the Rose Arrick Memorial Scholarship, the Scott Griffin Scholarship, and the Dream Royale Foundation / Altagracia Moquete-Feliz Acting Scholarship may be available to eligible students, whether they are new to the Studio or more advanced in their training. To be considered for work study or scholarship assistance, students must generally: 1. Be associated with the Studio for at least two months 2. Be currently enrolled in classes 3. Be in good standing Partial scholarships for students in the Two Year Acting Conservatory Program may be discussed prior to registration, based on individual circumstances, but are applied only toward final installment payments. Even if you are unsure whether you meet these criteria, we encourage you to inquire. The Studio is able to maintain tuition rates that are lower than many comparable institutions because we do not operate with a large advertising budget and we are not burdened by excessive real estate overhead. This allows us to keep fees reasonable without compromising the integrity or rigor of the training.
In instances where professional paid work is offered to an actor while enrolled at the Studio, we are happy to attempt to work out a special schedule to enable the student to do the job and continue with their training. In cases where this is not possible, then the point in the work at which you leave the program is frozen and you may resume at a future date at that re-entry point in an future session. Where money has been paid, your payments remain on your account for use at a future date. However, these funds are not transferable to another student.
Yes, we do. The Acting Studio New York offers a broad range of classes beyond the core Acting Program curriculum. In addition to full Conservatory enrollment, many of our courses are open to serious actors who wish to study on an elective basis. Most classes are offered in structured seasonal terms during the spring, summer, fall, and winter sessions. All classes within the 6-Week Acting Conservatory may also be taken individually as elective offerings outside of the full Conservatory program. This allows actors to tailor their training while still engaging in the same rigorous work and professional standards expected of full-time Conservatory participants.
Yes, of course. The Acting Studio New York is dedicated to providing a home for those who are serious about learning the craft. We are equally committed to maintaining the level of professionalism expected of everyone who works and studies here. Our purpose is to help you achieve mastery in acting, directing, and playwriting, and to provide a forum where that training is applied in performance. Discipline, consistency, and sustained effort produce results. At the same time, we do not subscribe to elitism or to judging those whose life circumstances may require a pause in their studies. While uninterrupted training is the most effective path to growth, it is not always possible. The length of your commitment is ultimately determined by you, and by the seriousness of your dedication to the work.
Prospective students seeking admission may contact the studio via email or telephone. Applicants undergo a pre-screening with a studio administrator via telephone and, if successful, are given an appointment with the Studio Director. For a complete list of admissions requirements, please see our Admissions page.
Make a good first impression. It speaks well for those prospective students who become better acquainted with the studio and what we do by reading this website before scheduling an interview. The professionalism of your approach speaks volumes to us. Start by properly filling out the application form in its entirety. Be sure to schedule your acting class interview appointment at a time you are sure you can make AND BE ON TIME. If you are an experienced actor with a headshot, bring it along with your acting resume attached. Beginners need not present a resume or headshot. Be prepared to articulate your goals and how studying at the studio may help you attain them. And please be sure you have the class time(s) free and the means to participate prior to scheduling an appointment.
No, not at all. Supplemental classes in the other disciplines outside of acting are available to any qualified applicant who wishes to participate. However, studio actors who are currently enrolled and graduates of the Studio will be given first preference.
Most classes begin a new session in each seasonal term: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. There are a few exceptions within The Acting Conservatory Program. Technique I and Technique II are offered once per year and begin in the Fall term only. Performance Workshop is offered once per year and begins in the Spring term only.
Applicants who are new to the Studio are, in most cases, required to submit full tuition payment or the first approved installment prior to attending their first class. Tuition secures a reserved space in the class and is not prorated or adjusted for missed classes, except in rare and extraordinary circumstances at the sole discretion of the Studio. Tuition payments may be made by personal check, money order, cash, credit card online through the Studio’s payment portal, Venmo, or Zelle. In select cases, a special payment arrangement with zero interest funding may be approved if discussed in advance with the Studio administrator, Aong Pakin, at the time of registration. Students who do not adhere to an approved payment schedule may forfeit their place in the class and be withdrawn from the program.
Yes. The studio offers a highly respected, 10-week class in the Principles of Acting - Introduction To Meisner class. For beginners this class also serves as an audition for admission to the Studio's acting program. Morning, afternoon, late afternoon, and evening sessions in this class is offered every season. During the summer a 6-week Meisner M-W-F afternoon intensive is offered starting late June.
Yes. Anyone may request coaching with a faculty member for a particular audition or role and the studio will do their best to accommodate them on an hourly basis at the studio. Some of our teachers also do extensive coaching with working professionals. The Studio also provides private one-on-one acting training in technique, monologue and scene work to those who cannot commit to a classroom structure. This can happen in person at the Studio or on Zoom. However, please understand we feel that acting is best learned when taught and practiced in a classroom group setting.
Yes, this may be possible in some cases, but it is not guaranteed. The term Meisner technique is widely used, often by teachers and schools whose curriculum diverges significantly from Sanford Meisner’s original sequence of developmental exercises. As a result, prior training labeled “Meisner” does not always reflect the foundational progression or intent of the work as it was designed. During the admissions interview, the Director will assess whether it is appropriate and artistically sound to incorporate the student into the Studio’s Meisner program at any advanced level. The Meisner teachers at The Acting Studio New York are carefully selected and trained by James Price to adhere closely to the core principles and developmental structure established by Sanford Meisner. In many cases, students who have received solid foundational Meisner training elsewhere have been successfully integrated into our program. However, there have been rare instances where prior training departed substantially from Meisner’s original approach, making integration at an advanced level impractical. James Price was a personal friend and protégé of Sanford Meisner and observed firsthand the evolution of Meisner’s work during the final fifteen years of his life. The Studio’s curriculum reflects that direct lineage and lived understanding of the technique.
We offer both options. Acting classes in the Meisner technique are available in morning, afternoon, late afternoon, and evening sessions. Enrollment in the 6-Week Acting Conservatory and the Summer Acting Conservatory at The Acting Studio New York requires full-time attendance, Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Yes. Students who graduate from the 3-level, part-time, 2-year program, The Acting Conservatory Program (Acting For Film & Theatre) receive a certificate of completion in the disciplines of theatre & film arts.
