Acting Workshops

[sondmon]

Posted: 1/4/17 at 2:44pm

Have a question for you all.

I've never acted on any level, but have a significant interest in theater. I have some time off and am interested in doing a short beginner acting class somewhere in NYC that is not prohibitively expensive. Does anyone have any good suggestions? All I have seen so far is Atlantic's workshop.

Thanks for your help.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 1/4/17 at 3:14pm

Here are some thoughts, after 11 years as a producer with some (admittedly limited) experience in acting.

Acting is not learned in a class or workshop. Unless one is very young and needs to learn the absolute basics, acting classes or workshops in themselves are a useless, false environment. They do not prepare you for the reality of acting. One example: a real life audience is random and fresh every time; in an acting class, your audience is the same classmates who show up week after week.

Acting is learned by apprenticing, interning, by doing and observing, like a trade such as being a jeweler or a blacksmith. How do you learn to act? You act, and more specifically, you note the audience's (or onlooker's) reaction. Do they fall asleep or throw tomatoes at you? Better not do what you just did the next night. Do they respond in a manner where they laugh, or they're touched, or you have a real breakthrough? Good work -- keep it up, build, expand on that. Trial and error, it's all trial and error.

Acting lessons and acting classes which are useless? They cost you thousands of dollars. Interning with working professionals? Costs you nothing. I had a better résumé, was working more, and was more in demand than the vast majority of the acting teachers I knew by the time I was 19.

Updated On: 1/4/17 at 03:14 PM

[astromiami]

Posted: 1/4/17 at 3:50pm

I doubt someone with a little time off is going to go an apprentice himself out as an actor. That is a longer project and someone who is not already on that career path is probably not going to have the time and/or energy to do it.

The Atlantic Theater does has some great classes...it depends on who is your teacher. 

You might also look at improv groups like Upright Citizen's Brigade.

If you like the class and want to continue, other people in your class are a great resource. They will know about other workshops and performance opportunities.

Like gdelgi says, classes are not the same as working. But they are an entry point and a good thing for people who are not necessarily looking to go into the profession but want to check the job out.

Updated On: 1/4/17 at 03:50 PM