Acting Classes Near Me

Actors should never stop training. Even if you’ve just spent three years full time at drama school, you’ll still need to get back in the dojo sometime soon! Whether you’ve done a tonne of training, or are completely new to the acting world – finding an acting class can be daunting. There’s a lot out there, and every class is offering something different. There’s different price points, different techniques, different teachers, different class sizes, different actors. The important thing is to keep an open mind, and understand that you might not fall in love with the first class you attend. Let’s get stuck into finding a great acting class near you, within your budget and that’s great fun!

1. Do Some Research

First, make a list of every single acting class and acting school in your city – it might have 55 classes (if you live in Los Angeles) or it might only have 3. Either way, it’s good to know what’s on offer and have something to compare to. Here’s some links to our resources on acting classes around the world:

Best Short Acting Courses and Classes Around the World
Acting Classes in LA
Acting Classes in Vancouver
Acting Classes in Sydney

Next, ask some mates! Ask some of your acting friends what classes they go to, or what classes they would recommend. I always trust the word of 2 close friends, over a review on Facebook. Ask them why they enjoyed it, what the structure of the class was, what they learnt and how much it is.

Also ask drama school graduates. It’s a great step to ask people who have studied under a particular teacher. Most actors love talking about acting, so pick their brains about what they got out of the training they’ve done, and what they would recommend in hindsight.

Next, it’s time to audit some classes! This is where you get to sit in on an acting class (usually free of charge) and watch how the class runs. This isn’t always a possibility with some acting classes, but if it is definitely do it. Watch how the teacher works with the students. Are you excited by what they’re working on and what they’re learning? I remember auditing a Larry Moss masterclass and I was on fire in my seat. You want to work with teachers that inspire you!

2. Don’t pay too much

I hate seeing actors spend a small fortune trying to find the “secret” to good acting. There are many great and insightful teachers out there, and most of the good ones don’t charge a fortune. This is usually because they believe in helping actors, and that doesn’t require a huge price tag. These are the kinds of teachers who really LOVE to teach, who get a kick from helping actors and love working with them.

Weekly classes can set you back anywhere between $20 and $100. Something around the $50 mark is great. You want to be able to afford to show up every week, and not break the bank to do so.

Masterclasses on the other hand can be a little dearer. These are more intensive training courses, that are usually only 1-4 days long. Depending on the teacher and the location, you might be spending anywhere from $200 – $4000 to do a masterclass. Some reputable masterclasses might be worth saving up for, but sometimes it’s more important to be in acting class consistently, as opposed to doing a one off “break through style” course every 2 years.

If you really can’t afford weekly classes or masterclasses, or you don’t live near a major city and can’t make it work – you might be better suited to training online! We wanted to make sure that ALL actors, no matter their budget or where they live, should be able to work on their acting. So we made a little online scene club to do just that! Check that out here if you’re interested.

3. How to get the most out of acting class

We’ve already talked about the importance of constantly training, learning and working on your craft. Ask any working actor, A list, or otherwise, and they’ll all tell you they never left the classroom! So now that you’ve found a great class that’s affordable, nearby and you like the teacher – how do you get the most out of your acting class?

Go in with a set goal. Are you trying to clock up some more hours in front of a camera? Work on your voice? Work on your auditioning technique? Or brush up on your theatre skills? Try to be objective about what your career needs right now. It can be good to ask your manager or agent as well. When it comes to acting class, you only get out what you put in. If you show up half-baked, tired, grumpy or under-prepared – chances are, you’re not going to get much out of class. Make sure you give it all you’ve got – put in the extra hours outside of class too. A lot of actors like to pat themselves on the back for simply showing up to class and learning their lines. There’s SO much more work that can be done from home, and use your weekly acting class as a means of accountability. Try new techniques, try different methods, work with different people every week, and explore, explore, explore.

And finally – we always learn more, and absorb more information when we’re having FUN! Make sure that acting class is fun for you. As soon as it stops being fun, try something new, or find a different class.

For more on getting the most out of acting classes, read here.

4. Contact us for a local recommendation

If you’ve researched acting classes in your city and you’re still struggling to find a great acting class or teacher, get in touch with us. We are an international site that has contacts in all the major cities. We loving helping actors connect with great acting teachers. Send me an email: [email protected]