Best Acting Schools NYC: Best acting schools in NYC with specialties, reviews, and class types.
We’ve compiled a list of the best acting schools in New York City (NYC) to help you find the right place for your needs. Our list includes the top acting classes in NYC, drama schools in NYC, Meisner technique acting classes in NYC, and more.
As a bonus, we’ve included tips on how to nail your auditions and get into the best acting school in NYC.
Find out what makes these schools stand out from the rest and see which one is right for you!
While we do our best to keep this list up to date, if you see any errors or omissions please let us know by emailing us at info@actorsconnection.com
While it is a daunting task to pick one of the best acting schools in NYC, Moviefone has made it easier for you. Check out our list of the best acting schools NY has to offer.
The best acting classes in New York City will help you hone your craft, open you up to new techniques, and give you feedback so that you can grow as an actor. Not only are there a lot of great schools (including some of the best colleges for acting), but there are also numerous ways to learn — from courses and workshops to conservatories, private lessons, and degree programs. And since “the best” means something different to each person, we’ve included a variety of classes and teachers for different styles and price ranges.
1. The Barrow Group
2. Stella Adler Studio of Acting: Meisner Technique
3. Maggie Flanigan Studio
4. Acting Class NYC
5. HB Studio
The top acting schools in NYC are a terrific way to hone your artistic craft and build your network in the city’s thriving theater scene. These New York acting schools offer acting classes for kids, teens, and adults, plus workshops and private coaching.
The best acting schools in NYC have a long record of success when it comes to producing working actors, as evidenced by their notable alumni, who have gone on to star in Broadway productions, off-Broadway plays, TV shows and movies.
Whether you’re looking to take acting classes for beginners or auditioning classes for advanced students or want to learn how to act from the comfort of home, here are the best places to take acting classes in NYC. For more performing arts offerings, see our guide to music lessons.
The New York Film Academy was founded on the philosophy that “learning by doing” combined with best industry practices is more valuable than years of theoretical study for filmmakers and actors. The New York Film Academy has created an innovative approach to teaching the art of acting for camera by doing.
Our School of Acting offers a world-class faculty, small classes, a supportive learning environment, hands-on seminars, and practical experience making films, acting in films, and working on all aspects of film production.
The school offers intensive one-, two-, and four-week courses in acting, film & television production, screenwriting and photography. We offer a wide range of instructional opportunities: Weekend Workshops, Two Week Workshops, Four Week Workshops, Term Courses (semester long), One Year Courses in Acting for Film, Filmmaking, Screenwriting, Producing or Photography.
The Broadway actress Rosie O’Donnell once said: “If you want to be an actor, go to New York. If you want to be a star, go to Los Angeles.”
But if you want to learn the craft of acting in either city, there are plenty of great places to study. From the most prestigious drama schools to small community theaters, New York City and Los Angeles have it all.
So why do so many people choose NYC over LA? Or vice versa?
Well, because they’re two totally different cities with different cultures and different values. And while they may seem similar, they’re actually very different.
For example:
In New York City, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $2,500 per month. In Los Angeles, it’s $1,800 per month. But in Manhattan (the priciest part of NYC), rent can go up to $4,000.
In Los Angeles, everything is spread out (except for Hollywood). So if you live in LA and want to take an acting class at night, you’ll have to drive at least 30 minutes each way – probably longer during rush hour.
If this sounds like too much trouble for you (and it
We’ve had dozens of students perform on Broadway, in plays and musicals, national tours across the country, regional theaters and Off-Broadway.
Gotham also has a strong reputation in the film/TV industry. Students have appeared in shows such as The Blacklist, 30 Rock, Orange is the New Black, Law & Order: SVU, Gotham, The Deuce and much more. In addition, they have been featured in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street, Shame, The Belko Experiment and many more.
Gotham writers are hired to write for television shows (Staff Writer credits include Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert), publish books (including best sellers) and their screenplays are optioned by production companies (such as HBO Films). Our faculty are accomplished writers who work professionally in TV and film. Our classes provide an intimate environment where writers can get feedback on their material from other talented writers.
Studying acting at The William Esper Studio will allow you to be the best actor you can be. I know that sounds very basic, but it is important as it is a core value of our community. This is what we strive for each day.
I have been teaching and coaching actors for over forty years, and in that time I have learned a great deal about what makes an actor great. The greatest actors in the world have many traits in common, but they do not all share the same qualities in equal measure. They are all unique individuals who bring their own personal gifts to the craft of acting. So one of the most important things an actor must understand is the nature of his or her individual instrument and how to develop those unique qualities that make him or her special.
This is why at The William Esper Studio we work with each individual actor on developing their own special instrument through personal growth and exploration. We do this by having our students study with me and my faculty as well as guest artists from Broadway, film, and television. Students also take classes in Scene Study, Movement/Voice/Speech/Diction, Script Analysis, Voiceover & Video Editing, On-Camera Technique (including Commercials), Audition Technique, Acting for Film & Television**