Next year I intend on taking some course to refresh my acting skills which have been in hiatus for a few years. One of the programs I am looking at is at the the Lee Strasberg Institute. I am looking at attending the New York school in their 12 week part time program which consists of 2 Method Acting classes. The reason for the part time is my commute will be from Rhode Island about 2 1/2 to 3 hour train ride.
Has anyone on these boards attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in any of the programs they offer? If so, can you provide any insight you may have?

SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are nothing now and lost their reputation years ago. That is the one in LA anyway. Stella Adler is far superior.

The school DIED when Lee DIED! It's now a huge JOKE that banks on the dead teacher's name. It's also a factory for immigrants to get their Green Cards. Don't believe me, go audit a class. The majority of the students barely speak English. I have a lot of Chinese and Russian friends who go there just to get their Green Card.

Is Strasberg's version of Method Acting for you? Find out by reading:
-Dream of Passion-Lee Strasberg
-Strasberg's Method-Lorraine Hull

I agree with Miss Stone. There are BETTER year long institutions such as the Stella Adler Schools.

In addition to Stella Adler, William Esper Studios is a great school to look into.

LSTFI gets no love on this board..lol
Ive heard elsewhere from some alumni of LSTFI that they loved it and highly recommend it, but then again they were Tisch students. So the experience may differ for NYU student vs someone just going to the institute.

quote:

Originally posted by dannysnightout:
LSTFI gets no love on this board..lol
Ive heard elsewhere from some alumni of LSTFI that they loved it and highly recommend it, but then again they were Tisch students. So the experience may differ for NYU student vs someone just going to the institute.

How long ago were they alumni? If they were alumni 20+ years ago when Lee Strasberg was alive, then that's a different story.

Also, the NY school is less of a joke than the LA school. However, the NY School is still a factory for immigrants to get their green cards.

***A quick disclaimer** Im not saying your wrong and that it isnt a factory for imigrants. Nor can I personally vouch for the school. Im only going by another persons opinion, and playing devils advocate.

One person i talked to graduated 2 years ago and the other 5 years ago.

Lee Strasberg began suffering from bad press ever since they began providing immigrants Green Cards in exchange for long-term contracts. Pretty unethical in my mind, but what price commerce? I've been studying with Bill Esper lately and the experience has been incredible (he practices the Sanford Meisner Method, however, not Strasberg's Method). -Joe C.

So far I think those who actually attended the school and program should be giving their two cents here.

I'm trying to determine if those who claim green cards are handed out (for acting? seriously? what next, UFO landings on Strasberg's school's roof?) and those who are criticiquing this school have actually BEEN a part of the programs in the school.

Good luck, original poster. You will get a lot of opinions here, but I wonder if you will get actual constructive unbiased fact.

I have been allowed to sit in a few of the classes. Most of the students are Russian and Chinese immigrants who barely speak English. Both in NY AND LA.

Yes, Ressy. You CAN get your Green Card if you pursue education at a year long institution or college for at least a year.

I have friends who are Chinese and Russian and do attend their year long program and they admit to going there for their Green Card. They invite me to their school's shows and damn the shows are God-awful!

Also, the teachers whom I had observed while auditing seem so un-committed and lousy. One of the teachers I spoke to, clearly had a few drinks before class.

If you really must learn Strasberg's version of Method Acting, study with Lorrie Hull. Both her and her daughter are old enough to actually have studied with the man, himself.

http://www.lorriehull.com/

Here you go, RessyDM!

Someone else to verify some of my observations that ACTUALLY was a student:

http://more.showfax.com/bbs2/v...ic.php?p=94593#94593

Well, Truthteller59, that link was an eyeopener! But, I am surprised that you're the only one who is commenting. I thought there would be more alumni or maybe they're too embrassed to answer.

I want to hear more about Steller Adler now!!

Well talk to Miss Stone. She went there.

I prefer Stella Adler's branch of Method Acting. She taught the importance of using your imagination.

quote:

Originally posted by TRUTHTELLER59:
Here you go, RessyDM!

Someone else to verify some of my observations that ACTUALLY was a student:

http://more.showfax.com/bbs2/v...ic.php?p=94593#94593

Thank you. I read the post. The main poster you forwarded me to read did not talk about visas or imply that the school was taking some kind of kickback or being some front for immigrants. I think you guys are crossing a dangerous line when you make generalized statements like this in order to inflame. Nowhere do I see a bunch of people posting their dissatisfaction of this school in the same strength as you, your friend Eldorado and miss stone tend to do.

Jackie, if you're listening, will Backstage do an investigative story on this school and whether TT, miss stone and Eldorado are in fact, correct in their assessment about Strasberg's school?

And some would doubt the Stella Adler being the absolute best. There are a lot of good schools out there, there is no number one, it's just whatever your personal perspective is, and it's no more perfect than mine or anyone else's.

TT, you and Eldorado have noted that the 'school died when Lee died'. Are you stating you knew Strasberg personally or were attending the school prior to his death to see the before and after? I believe no school would stay 'the same' as if it were a photograph because unlike a photograph, it aged, but that's just me.

I work with sense memory and imagination interchangably, and did that without either of these schools of thought. Acting is not rocket science and we're not reinventing the wheel here.

I can't comment on a teacher and how they teach because I am not a teacher. However. You audit classes to see what's going on before you join. if you want intimate one on one or less than six students in your class, these are things you ask and take into account BEFORE signing up. This 'student', if anything, showed nothing but poor judgment -- and clearly didn't do their research. You better believe if I'm making the money to spend it for a class I would dot my i's and cross my t's first so as not to waste anybody's time.

But this is for anything you are thinking of investing some major money on, trying out before buying. Common sense, people.

Would I put the Strasberg Institute in the same vein as John Robert Powers? No. So far, the only ones I see having a problem with Strasberg are the same three people posting...possibly two, now, come to think of it.

Popeye, I am as suprised as you that no one else seems to be coming with some real advice.

Good luck.

Popeye:
I am a former student of the Strasberg school in L.A. and I am foreign - I have a (foreign) friend who went to both the NY and LA schools, so I don't have any personal experience with the one in NY however my friend who went there loved it better than the one in L.A.
He told me the students were more "committed to the work" in NY compared to LA.
So my friend loves the Strasberg technique and I DON'T because I don't know how to do it --- PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT and different things work for different people so my advice is to audit.

Like I said I personally think the Strasberg schools and technique is a waste of time but that is only my opinion, ok?

Regarding the green card thing NO YOU DO NOT GET A GREEN CARD from attending the schools however if you study full-time (25 hrs per week or more for 9 months or more) you can apply ONCE in your life for something called Practical Training which is a "temporary working permit" which allows you to work in the States for a limited time which could vary from 1 month to 12 months, you never know how long you get to stay. I was fortunate to get a 12-month permit. But after the 12 months I HAD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
This is not a Strasberg specialty but something that everyone can apply for whether you study acting at the Strasbergs or at Harvard Law so don't put to much into that.
Now, a green card (like Truthteller and the other guys mention) actually allows you to live and work in the States for the rest of your life whereas practical training is school-based and only allows you to do school related work...so don't make you decision on whether a student gets a temporary working permit or not but rather on if you think the classes are good and worth the money, ok?

I think it's weird that people get into issues of green cards and foreign students. Why and how does that have anything to with the classes being bad or good, can't a class or a school be good just because it has foreign students in it?????

So audit the schools and classes before making a decision, perhaps even try it out for a short period and then leave if you don't like it, that is the ONLY way you can truly find out if YOU think it's good or not

/Foreigner

quote:

Originally posted by foreigner:
Popeye:
I am a former student of the Strasberg school in L.A. and I am foreign - I have a (foreign) friend who went to both the NY and LA schools, so I don't have any personal experience with the one in NY however my friend who went there loved it better than the one in L.A.
He told me the students were more "committed to the work" in NY compared to LA.
So my friend loves the Strasberg technique and I DON'T because I don't know how to do it --- PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT and different things work for different people so my advice is to audit.

Like I said I personally think the Strasberg schools and technique is a waste of time but that is only my opinion, ok?

Regarding the green card thing NO YOU DO NOT GET A GREEN CARD from attending the schools however if you study full-time (25 hrs per week or more for 9 months or more) you can apply ONCE in your life for something called Practical Training which is a "temporary working permit" which allows you to work in the States for a limited time which could vary from 1 month to 12 months, you never know how long you get to stay. I was fortunate to get a 12-month permit. But after the 12 months I HAD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
This is not a Strasberg specialty but something that everyone can apply for whether you study acting at the Strasbergs or at Harvard Law so don't put to much into that.
Now, a green card (like Truthteller and the other guys mention) actually allows you to live and work in the States for the rest of your life whereas practical training is school-based and only allows you to do school related work...so don't make you decision on whether a student gets a temporary working permit or not but rather on if you think the classes are good and worth the money, ok?

I think it's weird that people get into issues of green cards and foreign students. Why and how does that have anything to with the classes being bad or good, can't a class or a school be good just because it has foreign students in it?????

So audit the schools and classes before making a decision, perhaps even try it out for a short period and then leave if you don't like it, that is the ONLY way you can truly find out if YOU think it's good or not

/Foreigner

Trust me, I went there. The place is a JOKE!!

Stella Adler- do a search, people and you will see my in-depth analysis of that fine academy plus many more positive comments. A truly positive yet challenging place to grow, work on your craft and really become an actor. The teachers there care and it shows. It is a non-profit organization and even the director there is an amazing guy. I just can't say enough good things about it. It's not the cheapest but you have to consider how much the rent alone would be for that location right on the Boulevard on the heart of Hollywood. It would be an arm and a leg.

I am strickly looking at the LSTFI in NEW YORK. It seems the New York school is better than the LA. Miss Stone, I assume you went to the LA one and as Foreigner stated the NY was better and students "more committed".

I am not leaning either way LSTFI or Adler, all I want to know is before I drop a dime which one will provide the best bang for the buck. I love cliches.

The NY school is only SLIGHTLY better than the LA school, which is a total joke.

THE SCHOOL DIED WHEN LEE STRASBERG DIED!

Foreigner -- Thank you for enlightening all of us on the 'green card' scenario suggested by those here on this thread. I never did understand the insinuation and thought process making that connection either, as you said, but not everyone thinks that way.

TT, you have yet to answer my question. Did you attend the school before Mr. Strasberg died in order for you to make a fair and thus real honest comparison? Stating something in all caps is merely yelling in cyberspace and neither repeating nor yelling it doesn't make a statement any more correct or true for it.

Sounds like we have some sour grapes here, is all.

I wasn't even born when Strasberg was alive. I have worked with people who did go there when he was alive and people who studied after Lee died. There was a huge difference. I even know people who studied there when Lee was alive and continued to study there after his death and noticed a dramatic difference during the transition and ended up leaving in disappointment.

Also, in my taking a few classes, I could clearly see that the teachers were very uncommitted and some buzzed. I'm obviously NOT alone in these sentiments as illustrated by the showfax post.

I found another post about SI by JazzyGeoff:
http://bbs.backstage.com/eve/f...=922108432#922108432

Why don't you audit a class or two and tell us your experiences, Ressy?

Sadly, I'm not the one accusing the school of green card immigration issues. Seems you may need to back away from that other professional assessment you made.

I have always championed auditing a class before plunking down money on it. Trying before you buy is common sense. Auditing would have saved that prior example you posted some time as well as their money.

You state emphatically the school hasn't been the same "since Lee died", speaking of him like you knew him so intimately or at least had him teach you in class. Thank you for finally answering you didn't know him let alone be taught by him. SO what you are REALLY stating is, well, you are simply parroting what you have heard "others" tell you, and not necessarily what you personally experienced in order to make a better fuller judgment call. You may think nothing's wrong with that. *shrugs*

If you have read any of my posts here, I don't think acting schools are an absolute must in order to be a good actor. Some schools make acting more complicated than it needs to be and take advantage of people's doubt in themselves. Some people insist that acting schools MAKE you an actor if you just spend the money, which I wholeheartedly disagree and think it's very misleading to state outright or imply. Some people need to push that idea because they got fooled into spending money and don't find themselves with that fantastic career they thought they would have gotten to by now. Some people, no matter what money is spent, don't become an actor. A lot simply don't make it in this business no matter how much schooling or how cute their headshot is. They forget all the variables and factors that are involved, and how much money you spent is an absolute zero on the casting director's list of priorities.

I asked if one would put Strasberg on the level of John Robert Powers? Is Strasberg school's reputation at that level at this point? I think not.